Paracrias huberi Gumovsky, 2001

Metz, M. A., Gates, M. W. & Schauff, M. E., 2005, Report of a novel biological association for Paracrias huberi Gumovsky (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with redescription of the female and description of the unknown male, Zootaxa 1008 (1), pp. 21-29 : 21-29

Paracrias huberi Gumovsky

Paracrias huberi Gumovsky, 2001: 15 . Holotype ♀ (examined) and 2 paratype ♀♀ (CNCI).

Diagnosis and identification. Paracrias huberi belongs to the ordinatus group of species (Hansson 2002) by having an extremely reduced (absent) postmarginal vein, no setation at the base of the forewing (speculum), and sparse setation on the rest of the wing membrane. It runs through the key of Hansson (2002) to P. acidotus Hansson in couplet 61 and shares with P. acidotus the absence of a narrow strip of hyaline membrane along the anterior margin of the forewing. Paracrias huberi differs from P. acidotus by having three funicular segments and two claval segments in the female antenna (Fig. 2) (two funicular and three claval in P. acidotus ); the medioposterior margin of the dorsellum blunt (not drawn out to a point) (Figs. 5 and 7); a much longer ♀ gaster attributed to an extremely long ovipositor (Figs. 8 and 9); a smaller proportion (0.3) of the ♀ gaster covered by first gastral tergite; and considerable differences in the shape and pattern of the propodeum including a longer nucha, a longer and narrower median carina, and narrower flattened areas laterad of the median carina that are acuminate posteromedially (Figs. 5 and 7).

The specimens from Maryland differ in several characteristics from those listed in the description of Gumovsky (2001) namely in having the female face golden and purple metallic (green in the description), the female face with broad areas of cuticle lacking areolation making it glabrous near the sulci (homogeneously reticulated in the description), the occipital margin carinate (rounded in the description), the ratio of the distance between the posterior ocelli and the distance from the posterior ocellus and the eye margin 4 (this ratio is 3.2 in the description), the female antenna inserted above the level of the lower eye margin (inserted slightly below lower eye margin in the description), and the legs shiny, dark brown (metallic in the description), but do not differ markedly from the examined holotype specimen, warranting a redescription of the species. Paracrias huberi was originally described from three females collected on Grand Manan Island off the extreme northern coast of Maine associated with Alnus sp. , whereas the specimens from Maryland are associated with Quercus prinus , which has the extent of its northern distribution in extreme southwestern Maine.

Redescription of the female (Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11). Length 3.0– 3.7 mm. Mesosoma dark brown, with dark green and gold metallic reflections (Figs. 5 and 6); gaster dark brown, glabrous (Figs. 8 and 9). Antenna brown. Legs brown, except extreme apices of femora and tibiae pale yellow to white and tarsomeres 1–3 pale yellow to white. Forewing hyaline, veins brown to dark yellow, setae on disk short and sparse (Fig. 11).

Head (Fig. 1). Areolate to glabrous; occiput areolate; slightly broader than pronotum, subequal in width to widest point of mesosoma; height and width subequal; margin posterior to vertex carinate; with sparse setation on frons and face along eye margin, between and below toruli, and on outer margin of occiput; face and frons bright golden metallic with purple highlights. Antennal scrobes converging dorsally, meeting frontal suture independently; interscrobal area depressed, but face slightly elevated between and ventrad of toruli. Frontal suture “V” shaped, separated from inner eye margin laterally by less than one width of torulus. Posterior ocelli on margin of vertex, median ocellus separated from margin of vertex by one ocellar diameter. Distance between posterior ocelli 4.0X greater than between lateral ocellus and eye margin. Ventral margin of toruli level with ventral margin of eyes, toruli separated by 1 torulus diameter. Clypeal margin straight. Width of oral fossa 0.4X width of head. Antenna (Fig. 2). Scape 5X longer than broad, pedicel spindle­shaped, broader apically than basally. Flagellum with one anellus, three funicles, and a two segmented clava with a terminal spine. Anellus cylindrical, sides parallel. Funicles ellipsoidal, widest at middle; F1 slightly longer, F2–F3 subequal in length.

Mesosoma (Figs. 5 and 6). Pronotum short, transverse, slightly narrower than mesoscutum, areolate to shallowly areolate, extreme posterior margin glabrous, with a row of macrosetae along apical margin. Mesoscutum 1.5X broader than long, areolate; notaulus terminating in shallow depression; posterior margin of depression narrowly glabrous; with two pairs of dorsocentral setae. Axilla not projecting far forward of anterior margin of scutellum, glabrous at extreme anteromedial corner otherwise areolate. Scutellum 2X longer than broad; broadly convex dorsally. Dorsellum extremely short, not drawn out to a point; faintly reticulate. Propodeum (Fig. 5) areolate to areolate­rugose. Median carina elevated and flattened, glabrous; 4X longer than broad. Lateral flattened areas broad, subquadrate, glabrous, acuminate posteromedially. Propodeal callus with 5–6 setae. Prepectus and mesopleuron shallowly areolate with nearly isodiametric meshes, femoral depression glabrous ventrally. Coxae shallowly areolate to glabrous at margins; forecoxa with a row of filiform setae anterolaterally, mid­ and hindcoxa with two to three filiform setae anteriorly. Hindtibia with apical seta short, half length of hind basal tarsomere. Forewing (Fig. 11). Setation sparse. Postmarginal vein 0.5X length of stigma. Speculum large, covering area 0.8X length of marginal vein anteriorly. Cubital setal line not evident.

Metasoma (Figs. 8 and 9). Petiole short, length and width subequal. Gaster 3X longer than mesosoma, glabrous; first gastral tergite glabrous with macrosetae laterally, oval membranous area reduced to vertical slit, slightly wider dorsally, without anterior hairtuft; second to sixth gastral tergite with short setation on disk with macrosetae laterally; hypopygium short, 0.1X length of gaster. Ovipositor sheaths not exerted.

Male (Figs. 3, 4, 7, 10). Length 1.4–2.0 mm. Similar to female in coloration and structure except as follows: frons and face extensively glabrous, lacking areolate sculpturing and uniformly dark metallic green, lacking bright gold and purple (Fig. 3); scape 3.0X longer than broad with ventral plaque in apical third; flagellum (Fig. 4) with anellus indistinct, appressed against F1 with line of demarcation noticeable only from some angles or after maceration, four funicular segments, and a 1­segmented clava; petiole 2.1X longer than broad (Fig. 10); oval membranous area of first gastral tergite shorter and of uniform width, gaster lacking acuminate terminal segments (Fig. 10).

Specimens examined (8 ♀♀, 21 ♂♂): USA; Maryland; Montgomery Co.; nr. Plummers Island; emerged from host 6.VI.1964; G.B. Vogt; Vogt coll. #63­1056; reared from Homoeolabus analis ( Coleoptera : Attelabidae ) ex. leaf rolls of Quercus prinus L. (chestnut oak) collected 20.VII.1963. 6 ♀♀ ( USNM ENTO 00480116 , 00480129 , 00480163 , 00480205 , 00480228 , 00480230 ) ( USNM) ; 1 ♀ ( USNM ENTO 00480178 ) ( CNCI) , 1 ♀ ( USNM ENTO 00480198 ) ( BMNH) . 19 ♂♂ ( USNM ENTO 00480117 , 00480124 , 00480151 , 00480156 , 00480158 , 00480166 , 00480177 , 00480186 , 00480191 , 00480204 , 00480207 , 00480216 , 00480217 , 00480221 , 00480226 , 00480229 , 00480234 , 00480235 ,

00480241) (USNM), 1 ♂ ( USNM ENTO 00480148 ) ( CNCI) , 1 ♂ ( USNM ENTO 00480154 ) ( BMNH) same data except, emerged from host 16–20. V, Vogt coll. #63­1055 .