Pararhabdepyris directus Lim, 2024

Lim, Jongok & Kim, Il-Kwon, 2024, A new Korean species of Pararhabdepyris Gorbatovsky (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) with an updated world key, Zootaxa 5538 (6), pp. 589-594 : 590-592

Pararhabdepyris directus Lim sp. nov.

( Fig. 1A–I )

Description. FEMALE. Body length 2.66 mm; LFW 1.82 mm.

Color. Head black; mandible dark castaneous; maxillary and labial palpi yellow; antenna brown except basal two thirds of scape dark castaneous. Mesosoma black except pronotal flange and dorsal pronotal area dark castaneous in lateral view; legs castaneous except coxa and femora dark castaneous; wings hyaline, tegula dark castaneous, veins castaneous. Metasoma black.

Morphology. Head ( Fig. 1C, D ): Short, 0.73× as long as wide with straight posterior margin in dorsal view. Mandible with one apical tooth.Median clypeal lobe short with narrow rounded angle apically.First five antennomeres in ratio of 3.2: 1.6: 1.0: 1.1: 1.1 in length; scape, pedicel, flagellomere I–III and XI 2.9, 2.1, 1.3, 1.3, 1.4, and 2.8x as long as wide, respectively. Eye with sparse erect setae; 0.30 mm long, 2.0× as long as gena in lateral view. LE 1.7× OOL; WF 3.0× WOT. Anterior angle of ocellar triangle obtuse, POL 1.6× AOL; OOL 1.5× WOT; posterior ocellus separated from vertex crest by 0.5× DAO in dorsal view. Mesosoma ( Fig. 1A, B, E–G ): Dorsal pronotal area coriaceous, 0.5× as long as wide, trapezoidal, antero-lateral corner rounded, lateral margin slightly widening distad and sharply wide at distal one third. Mesoscutum coriaceous; notauli complete, deep, curved, converging posterad; parapsidal signum present, straight and slightly converging posterad. Mesoscuto-scutellar suture conspicuous, anterior margin slightly incurved, lateral extremities dilated and curved posterad; mesoscutellar disc coriaceous. Metapectal-propodeal disc 0.8× as long as wide; metapostnotal median carina and one pair of metapostnotal lateral carinae present, metapostnotal median carina reaching transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc and metapostnotal lateral carinae reaching anterior one fourth of disc; metapostnotal-propodeal suture absent; median and submedian area of metapectal-propodeal disc rugulose; transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc straight. Propodeal declivity areolate. Lateral surface of metapectal-propodeal complex weakly strigate. Forewing with pterostigma; 2r-rs&Rs vein 0.6 mm long. Metasoma ( Fig. 1H, I ): polished and largely smooth. Metasomal tergite II with one pair of transverse thin yellow spots anterolaterally.

Male. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype, ♀. DMZ Native Botanical Garden , 916-70 Punchbowl-ro , Haean-myeon, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon province, South Korea, 38°15’8.33”N 128°6’43.06”E, Alt. 636 m, 16.xiii– 20.ix.2022, MT (Malaise trap), S.S. Eo, M.H. Kim & M.C. Kim leg. ( KNAE)

Etymology. The specific epithet directus refers to the straight transverse posterior carina of the metapectal-propodeal disc.

Distribution. South Korea (Gangwon Province).

Remarks. This species is similar to P. paradoxus , but, it is distinguished from the latter by having the basal two thirds of scape dark castaneous, coxa and femora dark castaneous; the median and submedian areas of metapostnotal-propodeal disc rugulose; transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc straight, whereas P. paradoxus has the scape light castaneous, legs yellow; the median and submedian areas of metapectal-propodeal disc areolate; transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc incurved.

Key to World Pararhabdepyris species (modified from Vargas & Azevedo, 2016)

1. Notaulus absent; mesoscutellar-scutellar sulcus medially narrow and laterally ending in sub-circular deep foveae; 1Cu cell absent.............................................................................................. 2

- Notaulus present; mesoscutellar-scutellar sulcus evenly wide along its length and bend posteriorly at its lateral ends; 1Cu cell present............................................................................................. 3

2. Subocular groove absent; parapsidal signum carinate; metapectal-propodeal disc not areolate......................... 5

- Subocular groove present; parapsidal signum sulcate; metapectal-propodeal disc strongly areolate anteriorly................................................................................................ P. lophos ( Thailand)

3. Pronotum castaneous; parapsidal signum absent............................................ P. balios ( Australia)

- Pronotum black; parapsidal signum present................................................................ 4

4. Transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc incurved in middle with obtuse angle............................................................................................... P. paradoxus ( Russia, South Korea)

- Transverse posterior carina of metapectal-propodeal disc straight................ P. directus Lim sp. nov. ( South Korea)

5. Frontal median polished stripe conspicuous between posterior margin of clypeus and anterior ocellus; lateral surfaces of metapectal-propodeal complex flat at spiracle level in lateral view.................................. P. arabo ( UAE)

- Frontal median polished stripe absent; lateral surfaces of metapectal-propodeal complex abruptly gibbous at spiracle level in lateral view......................................................................................... 6

6. Eye setose; scape pale castaneous; metapectal-propodeal disc areolate................ P. wafrika (Central African Rep.)

- Eye glabrous; scape castaneous; metapectal-propodeal complex faintly striate to polished.................................................................................................... P. ngangu (Central African Rep.)

Figures

FIGURE 1. Diagnostic characteristics of Pararhabdepyris directus Lim sp. nov.: A, habitus in dorsal view; B, ditto in lateral view; C, head in frontal view; D, antenna; E, pronotum and mesoscutum in dorsal view; F, metapectal-propodeal disc in dorsal view; G, mesosoma in lateral view; H, tergite II in dorsal view; I, forewing in dorsal view) (Scale bar: 0.50 mm for A, B, D, G, H, I and 0.20 mm for C, E, F).