Mesoneura tematinensis Roller, 2023

Roller, Ladislav & Kocisek, Jan, 2023, A new species of Mesoneura (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) associated with a xerothermic oak forest in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 95, pp. 261-274 : 261

Mesoneura tematinensis Roller sp. nov.

Type material.

Holotype ♀. Type locality. Slovakia SW, Považský Inovec Mts, Tematínske kopce, Lúka env, Kňaží vrch nature reserve., 450 m a.s.l. Labelled [white and printed]: "Slovakia SW, Tematín. kopce, Lúka env., Kňaží vrch, 48°39'49.29"N, 17°55'37.04"E, L. Roller leg." "Larva on Quercus pubescens , Larva: 21.V.-7.VI.2021, Adult: 27.-30.III.2022, L. Roller leg." “LR73” (tissue sample ID for genetic data) "Holotypus, Mesoneura tematinensis Roller, 2023, des. L. Roller [red and printed]. Good condition: right mid and hind legs removed as tissue samples. SNM. Paratypes. 1 ♀, the same data as the holotype, IZ SAS; 1♀, the same locality data, but "ex larva on Quercus pubescens coll. 11.V.2019, adult 7.IV.2020, L. Roller leg." [white label, printed], IZ SAS; 1 ♂ 2 ♀♀ "Slovakia SW, Tematín. kopce, Lúka env., Hradlová nivka, 48°40'3.37"N, 17°54'53.09"E, (330 m a.s.l.)", "Larva on Quercus pubescens , Larva: 21.V. -7.VI.2021, Adult: 27.-30.III.2022, L. Roller leg.", ♂ bears white label “LR72” and one ♀ “LR74” (tissue sample ID for genetic data) [white labels, printed], "Paratypus, Mesoneura tematinensis Roller, 2023, des. L. Roller [red and printed]. SNM.

Larvae from Quercus pubescens : 1 mature feeding larva, Kňaží vrch, 8.V.2020, “LR2l” (tissue sample ID for genetic data); 6 small feeding larvae, Kňaží vrch, 8.V.2021 and 21.V.2021; 4 small feeding larvae, Hradlová nivka, 21.V.2021; 2 prepupae, one from each type locality, 4.VI.2021. IZ SAS and SNM.

Description.

Female (Figs 1 , 4 ; Holotype Fig. 1C ) (variability in specimens other than the holotype in brackets). Body length 8.7 (7.7-8.7) mm, wing length 8.0 (7.2-8.1) mm.

Colour (Fig. 1A-C ). Body black; following parts ochre to reddish-brown: apical half of clypeus, labrum, bases of mandibles; apical 2/3 of forewing costa and basal 2/3 of pterostigma; apical 1/3 and dorsal margin of profemur, apical 1/4 of mesofemur and apex of metafemur; apices of tibiae and tarsomeres; posterior margin of pronotum; tegula; flecks on mesonotum: anterolaterally on medial lobe (nearly whole lobe), medially anterior to scutellum, medially on scutellum (absent); postscutellum and metascutellum (absent to extensively); central mesepisternum (absent); ventral margins of lateral terga; dorsal parts of terga 1-3 and 8-9 extensively, terga 4-7 slightly (absent); sterna 2-7 extensively; and cerci; following parts pale to whitish-yellow: palps; trochanters and trochantelli; basal 2/3 to almost entire tibiae, tarsomeres extensively; cenchri; and posterior margins of terga and sterna slightly. Wings translucent; basal 1/3 of costa and anterior face of subcosta on forewing, hindwing costa, longitudinal veins in basal 1/3 of wings whitish-yellow; remaining veins and apical 1/3 of pterostigma dark to black.

Head (Figs 1B, C , 4C ). Shiny and punctate, with most dense punctures on face, frons and lower gena; pale dense and long pubescence, hairs on postocellar area distinctly longer than diameter of ocellus; narrowed behind eyes; frontal area poorly-defined, shallowly depressed; frontal pit deep, narrowly elliptical; malar space almost half as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; postocellar area about 2.5 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus, with shallow median furrow; OOL: POL: OOCL = 1: 1.1: 1; clypeus emarginated; antenna reaching postscutellum; antennomeres 3 and 4 about same length, following segments gradually becoming slightly shorter; and antennomere 9 about 3.5 times longer than its width.

Thorax (Fig. 1B-D ). Shiny and punctate, interspaces weekly alutaceous, sunken lateral meso- and metanotum densely punctate; pale dense and long pubescence, longest hairs on mesepisternum twice as long as ocellar diameter; distance between cenchri as long as or slightly longer than cenchrus; metafemur slightly longer than 1/2 of metatibia, metatarsus slightly longer than metafemur, metatarsomere 1 slightly shorter than three following tarsomeres together; and claws with subapical tooth slightly shorter than apical tooth.

Abdomen (Fig. 1B, C, E-G ). Cylindrical, slightly tapering from segment 6 to blunt apex; terga and sterna with microsculpture, alutaceous on most surfaces and finely strigulate on posterior margins of terga; hypopygium sinuous posteriorly with broadly incised median lobe (Fig. 1G ); sawsheath broadly emarginated posteriorly, trifid and 3.5 times as wide as cercus in dorsal view; cerci longer than sawsheath in dorsal view; lancet of ovopositor with 14 annuli, annular sutures extending from serrulae to 1/2-2/3 of height of lamnium, serrulae flat and lacking denticles, and basal 5-6 annuli with strongly sclerotised and finely serrated ctenidial ridges (Figs 1F , 4C ).

Male (Fig. 2 ). Body length 7.8 mm, wing length 6.7 mm.

Colour similar to female with the following differences: anterior half of clypeus, labrum and palps whitish-yellow; thorax largely black, only outer margins of tegulae and posterior margins of pronotum reddish-brown; metatibia with tips and metatarsomeres largely blackish-brown; pro- and mesotrochanters and trochantelli largely black; terga and sterna black with pale outer margins; penis valves and harpes largely reddish-brown; and posterior margin of tergum 8 and sternum 9 slightly reddish-brown.

Morphology similar to female with the following differences: antenna as long as head and thorax; malar space very short, almost indistinct; metafemur swollen and short, about 0.7 length of metatibia (Fig. 2C ); posterior half of tergum 8 with glabrous, shallow median depression (Fig. 2B ); sternum 9 obtusely produced medially; genital capsule and penis valve (Fig. 2D-F ).

Larva (Figs 3 , 4 ).

Mature feeding larva (Figs 3A, C-F , 4E ). Body length (maximum of larva preserved in etanol) 18.5 mm. Ground colour green, head grey-green; body dusted with whitish wax (Fig. 3A ); ocularia, mandibles apically and claws of thoracic legs black; basal margin of coxa and adjacent anterior venter narrow black (Fig. 3D ); cuticle of trunk with dense dark granules (Fig. 3F , in wax deprived larva); thoracic segments with sparse, fine, short setae with distinct pinacula arranged as in Fig. 3C, D ; thoracic legs with longer setae; abdominal segments with six annulets, annulets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, subspiracular and surpedal lobes, and hypopleurite with fine setae distributed as in Fig. 3E .

Prepupa (Fig. 3B ). Length 12-13 mm. Trunk green to yellowish green, glossy, without whitish dust; head turquoise.

Smaller larva, probably second to fourth instar (Fig. 3G-H ). Trunk yellowish green without whitish dust, head turquoise; black markings on head and thoracic segments more distinct than in mature feeding larva, additionally with black parietal and weak facial flecks; fine setae with distinct pinacula distributed as in Fig. 3H .

Genetic data.

One female, one male and one larva were DNA barcoded and their approximately 1,050 bp sequences are available (Accessions ON231583, ON231584 and ON226738). All three sequences are identical and differ significantly from the available barcodes of the related taxa Mesoneura opaca , M. lanigera and M. truncatatheca , including M. opaca from the locality of the new species (accession for larva ON228194 and female ON227048). The closest relative of M. tematinensis appears to be M. opaca , which has a sequence dissimilarity of at least 5% (N = 13).

Etymology.

Tematinensis is a latinised adjective referring to the Tematín Mountains, the area of origin of the new species.

Figures

Figure 1. Mesoneura tematinensis sp. nov., female A dorsolateral habitus B ventral habitus C dorsal habitus, holotype D meso and metathorax and 1 st abdominal segment dorsal E abdominal segments 5 - 10 dorsal F apex of abdomen with retracted saw lateral G hypopygium and sawsheath ventral. Scale bars: 1 mm (C, E); 0.1 mm (F).

Figure 2. Mesoneura tematinensis sp. nov., male A lateral habitus B abdomen dorsal C abdomen and hind leg lateral D genital capsule dorsal E genital capsule ventral F penis valve. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 3. Larva of Mesoneura tematinensis sp. nov. A live mature feeding larva B live prepupa C-F mature larva in ethanol, freed from wax, head and prothorax (C), meso and metathorax (D), abdominal segments 2 and 3 (E), granular surface on prothorax tergum (F) G live smaller feeding larva H smaller larvae in ethanol. Note the dark markings on the head and thoracic legs and the dark pinacula on the body of larvae preserved in ethanol. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 4. Differences between Mesoneura tematinensis sp. nov. (A, C, E left) and M. opaca (B, D, E right). Note the different length of pubescence on the head (A versus B), the ctenidia of ovipositor lancet (C versus D) and the habitus of full grown feeding larva (E left versus right). Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A, B); 1 mm (C, D).