Asecodes lineophagum, Hansson & Hambäck, 2013

Hansson, Christer & Hambaeck, Peter A., 2013, Three cryptic species in Asecodes (Foerster) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) parasitizing larvae of Galerucella spp. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), including a new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 30, pp. 51-64 : 54-55

Asecodes lineophagum sp. n. Figures 2, 3 10, 13 16, 17, 22 26, 27

Diagnosis.

Forewing ( Fig. 2 ) with speculum open posteriorly (i.e. setal line absent), bare just behind marginal vein and otherwise relatively sparsely setose; propodeal callus with 3-5 setae ( Fig. 22 ).

Description.

FEMALE. Length 1.0-1.8 mm.

Antenna dark brown ( Fig. 10 ). Frons below frontal suture metallic purple with upper-lateral corners close to eyes and frontal suture golden-green ( Fig. 26 ), above suture golden green. Vertex metallic purple inside ocellar triangle, golden-green outside triangle. Mesoscutum black with metallic purple tinges ( Fig. 16 ). Scutellum metallic bluish-green ( Fig. 16 ). Axillae black with metallic purple tinges ( Fig. 16 ). Dorsellum metallic bluish-green ( Fig. 16 ). Propodeum metallic bluish-green ( Fig. 16 ). Coxae, femora and tibiae dark brown to black, and shiny (as in Fig. 1 ); fore tarsus dark brown, mid and hind tarsi with tarsomeres 1-3 yellowish-white, tarsomere 4 dark brown. Forewing hyaline ( Fig. 2 ), wing interference pattern as in Fig. 3 . Petiole dark brown to black. Gaster with 1st tergite metallic bluish-green, remaining tergites dark brown to black with metallic purple tinges.

Antenna as in Fig. 10 . Frons below frontal suture with weak reticulation, above suture smooth; antennal scrobes join on frontal suture. Vertex with very weak reticulation inside ocellar triangle, smooth outside triangle.

Mesoscutum with weak reticulation ( Fig. 17 ). Scutellum with very weak reticulation in anterior 2/3 ( Fig. 17 ), posterior 1/3 smooth. Axillae with weak reticulation ( Fig. 17 ). Dorsellum slightly convex and smooth ( Fig. 17 ). Propodeum with a wide groove along anterior margin ( Fig. 17 ), with weak reticulation; propodeal callus with 3-5 setae. Forewing ( Fig. 2 ) bare just behind marginal vein, speculum open, setation relatively sparse, and with 5-9 admarginal setae.

Petiole as a short, transverse, narrow stripe. Gaster circular.

Ratios. Height of eye/malar space/width of mouth = 2.6/1.0/1.8; shortest distance between posterior ocelli/posterior ocellus and eye/posterior ocellus and occipital margin = 10.4/5.4/1.0; width of head/width of mesosoma = 1.1; length of forewing/length of marginal vein/height of forewing = 2.4/1.0/1.0; length of postmarginal vein/length of stigmal vein= 0.6; length of mesosoma/length of gaster = 1.0.

MALE. Length 0.9-1.4 mm.

Very similar to female except antenna ( Fig. 13 ) with scape wider, flagellomeres longer and more slender, and apical two flagellomeres distinctly separated.

Ratios. Height of eye/malar space/width of mouth = 2.1/1.0/1.6; length of mesosoma/length of gaster = 1.0-1.2.

Hosts and sex ratio.

All Swedish specimens were reared from Galerucella lineola ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ) on Salix spp., mainly Salix cinerea . The sex ratio of each clutch on average is closer to one than for Asecodes lucens , and the standard deviation is distinctly higher in Asecodes lineophagum . Ratio female/male (n = 48): 3.10 ±2.68/2.27± 2.17

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE female (BMNH) labelled "SWEDEN: Uppland, Ludden, 59°46'18"N, 18°40'19"E, 21.vi.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix cinerea ". PARATYPES. 45♀ 49♂(BMNH, CH, LUZM, NHRS, ZSM): 25♀ 19♂with same label data as holotype; 3♀ 1♂"Sweden: Uppland, Fläktan, 59°46'54"N, 17°44'30"E, 24.vii.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix cinerea ."; 3♀ 5♂"SWEDEN: Uppland, Liljekonvaljholmen, 59°48'18"N, 17°39'51"E, 18.vi.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix sp."; 6♀ 4♂"SWEDEN: Uppland, Mörtsjön, 59°38'39"N, 18°09"58"E, 5.vii.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix cinerea "; 1♂"SWEDEN: Uppland, Sundängen, 59°33.954'N, 16°51.292'E, 25.vi.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix cinerea "; 3♀ 6♂"SWEDEN: Uppland, Haknäs, 59°43'05"N, 17°41'57"E, 25.vi.2011, ex Galerucella lineola on Salix cinerea "; 1♀ "SWEDEN: Skåne, Skäralid, 6-17.viii.1994, M . Sporrong"; 3♀ (on two pins) labelled “Småland” [which is: SWEDEN: Småland, without further information]; 1♀ 1♂"SWEDEN: Skåne, Sövde, 5.vii.1985, C. Hansson"; 1♂"SWEDEN: Småland, Hyltebruk, 7-14.ix.1986, J. Ardö”; 1♂"NORWAY: Jostedalen, Gupne, 19.vii.1979, Hull University Expedition".

Figures

Figure 1. Asecodes parviclava (Thomson), female habitus (length = 1.5 mm).

Figures 2 - 9. Asecodes spp., wings, females 2 - 3 Asecodes lineophagum sp. n. 2 transparent wings 3 wing interference pattern 4 - 5 Asecodes parviclava (Thomson) 4 transparent wings 5 wing interference pattern 6 - 7 Asecodes lucens (Nees) 6 transparent wings 7 wing interference pattern 8 Asecodes lucens, forewing, neotype 9 Asecodes parviclava, forewing, neotype.

Figures 10 - 15. Asecodes spp., antennae 10 - 12 females 10 Asecodes lineophagum sp. n. 11 Asecodes parviclava (Thomson) 12 Asecodes lucens (Nees) 13 - 15 males 13 Asecodes lineophagum 14 Asecodes parviclava 15 Asecodes lucens.

Figures 16 - 23. Asecodes spp. 16 - 21 thoracic dorsum, females 16 - 17 Asecodes lineophagum sp. n. 18 - 19 Asecodes parviclava (Thomson) 20 - 21 Asecodes lucens (Nees) 22 - 23 lateral propodeum in side view (anterior part to the left), female 22 Asecodes lineophagum 23 Asecodes lucens.

Figures 24 - 27. 24 - 25 Asecodes spp., neotypes, females 24 Asecodes lucens (Nees) 25 Asecodes parviclava (Thomson) 26 - 27 Asecodes lineophagum sp. n., head in frontal view 26 female 27 male.