Druon protagion Kinsey, 1937

Cuesta-Porta, Victor, Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Stone, Graham N. & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2022, Re-establishment of the Nearctic oak cynipid gall wasp genus Druon Kinsey, 1937 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), with description of five new species, Zootaxa 5132 (1), pp. 1-92 : 45-50

Druon protagion Kinsey, 1937 , comb. rev.

Figs. 125–138

Druon protagion Kinsey, 1937: 61 , female, gall.

Druon polymorphae Kinsey, 1937: 60 , female, gall, syn. nov.

Druon malinum Kinsey, 1937: 58 , female, gall, syn. nov.

Andricus polymorphae (Kinsey) : Weld, 1952a: 308.

Andricus protagion (Kinsey) : Weld, 1952a: 309.

Andricus malinum (Kinsey) : Weld, 1952a: 307.

Types examined. Druon protagion female holotype “Morelia 14E Mich. 7000’, Mex. Gall 1931.xii.27, 1 fm. 1932. iv.20 ”, “ Q. conglomerata, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Druon protagion , Holo- Paratype”. Druon polymorphae female holotype “ Cerritos 25W S.L.P. 6000’, Mex. Gall 1931.xii.02, 2 fms. 1932.ii.09 ”, “ Q. polymorpha, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Druon polymorphae , Holo- Paratype”. Druon malinum female holotype “ C. Victoria 21W TAms. 3200’, Mex. Gall 1932.i.21, very many fms. 1932.iii.15 ”, “ Q. polymorpha, Kinsey coll.”, red “ Druon malinum , Holo- Paratype”. Holotypes are deposited at the AMNH, NYC, examined by GM.

Additional material examined. Ten paratypes of D. protagion , 15 paratypes of D. polymorphae and 15 paratypes of D. malinum , all deposited in AMNH, NYC were examined by GM. Six females (2 females at PHDNRL and 4 females at UB) “ Mexico, El Charco (Rio Verde, SLP ); 22º32’12.8”N 100º27’31.5W; Code 027; ex Quercus potosina ; coll. 2010.xii.06., emerge 2011.i.02.; leg. A. Equihua & E. Estrada-Venegas ”; 14 females (3 females at PHDNRL and 11 females at UB) “ Mexico, Carretera federal, San Luis Potosí- Aguascalientes (Rio Verde, SLP ); 22º3’20” N 100º34’12.7”W; Code 034; ex Quercus rugosa ; coll. 2010.xii.06, emerge 2011.ii.07.; leg. A. Equihua & E. Estrada-Venegas ” .

Diagnosis. This species belongs to the Druon group in which the head is rounded or trapezoid, rusty brown frontally, mesosoma light brown and metasoma smooth or with indistinct sparse micropunctures; this group also includes D. pattoni , D. rusticum and D. receptum . Druon protagion differs from these three species by having incomplete notauli and mesoscutellar foveae in the form of a transverse semilunar impression ( Figs. 130–131 ), without central carina (notauli complete or almost complete and foveae transverse, divided by narrow rugose elevated triangular central carina in D. pattoni , D. rusticum and D. receptum ( Figs. 120–121 , 205–206 , 217–218 )).

Redescription. Asexual female ( Figs. 125–137 ). Head, antennae, mouthparts, legs reddish brown; mesosoma and metasoma darker, dark brown.

Head trapezoid, broadest part above toruli, slightly higher than broad and slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, with sparse setae, denser on lower face; 2.5× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous-reticulate, slightly broadened behind eye in frontal view, narrower than transverse diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space with a few delicate striae radiating from clypeus and not reaching eye; eye 3.4× as high as length of malar space. Inner margins of eyes parallel. POL 3.6× as long as OOL, OOL slightly shorter than diameter of lateral ocellus and shorter than LOL, all ocelli ovate, of same size. Transfacial distance nearly equal to height of eye; toruli located in the upper half of head, frons shorter than height of lower face, diameter of antennal torulus 2.0× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.2× as long as diameter of torulus; lower face and slightly elevated median area alutaceous-reticulate, with dense white. Clypeus quadrangular, as broad as high, reticulate, with a few long setae along ventral edge; ventrally rounded, not emarginate and without median incision; anterior tentorial pit rounded, distinct, epistomal sulcus distinct, clypeo-pleurostomal line well impressed. Frons, interocellar area, area between toruli and torulus and eye uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, without striae or setae. Vertex and occiput delicately coriaceous or reticulate, glabrous, with long white setae; postocciput and postgena glabrous, alutaceous-reticulate, with concentric lines around occipital foramen and postgenal bridge; posterior tentorial pit large, elongated, area below impressed; occipital foramen as high as height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulci which diverge distinctly toward occipital foramen, postgenal bridge anteriorly slightly broader than occipital foramen. Antenna longer than head+mesosoma, with 11 flagellomeres (in some specimens suture between F11 and F12 distinct and antenna with 12 flagellomeres), pedicel longer than broad; flagellomeres sequentially broadening towards apical end of antenna; F1 1.3× as long as F2 and 2.0× as long as pedicel; F2 slightly longer than F3; F3 to F6 equal in length, F7 to F10 nearly equal in length; F11 2.0× as long as F10; placodeal sensilla on F5–F11, absent on F1–F4.

Mesosoma longer than high, with a few white setae, setae denser along propleuron and on lateral propodeal area. Pronotum smooth, glabrous, with delicate parallel striae only on dorso-posterior quarter and with sparse setae laterally; propleuron smooth, glabrous, with delicate transverse parallel striae ventrally. Mesoscutum entirely and uniformly reticulate, with a few white setae along notauli and most anterior part of mesoscutum, which is slightly longer than broad (greatest width measured across mesoscutum level with base of tegulae). Notaulus extending to 1/2–2/3 length of mesoscutum, strongly converging posteriorly; at posterior end the distance between notauli short-er than distance between notaulus and side of mesoscutum; anterior parallel line indistinct; parapsidal line marked by slightly elevated area; median mesoscutal line absent; parascutal carina broad, reaching notaulus. Mesoscutellum rounded, as long as broad, broadest part at mid height; disk uniformly reticulate, overhanging metanotum, with sparse long setae. Mesoscutellar foveae in the form of a transverse semilunar impression, broader than high, foveae smooth, shining, with delicate longitudinal carinae; central carina weak, hardly traceable. Mesopleuron entirely and uniformly striate, with longitudinal parallel delicate striae; mesopleural triangle smooth, glabrous, with dense, long white setae that hide the sculptured surface; dorsal and lateral axillar areas reticulate, with dense white setae; axillula with delicate parallel longitudinal striae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, with parallel sides, posteriorly as high as height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly above half its height; upper part of sulcus distinct; lower part of sulcus delimiting smooth area with dense long white setae. Metascutellum coriaceous, as high as height of smooth, glabrous ventral impressed area; circumscutellar carina distinct at the sides, absent or indistinct posteriorly; mesoscutellar foveae in the form of a transverse semilunar impression, without central carina. Metanotal trough smooth, glabrous; central propodeal area lyre-shaped, smooth, glabrous, with mainly short rugae in posterior half; lateral propodeal carinae distinct, bent slightly outwards in posterior 1/3 of its height; lateral propodeal area smooth, glabrous, with long dense white setae. Nucha with numerous sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws with basal lobe.

Fore wing longer than body, hyaline, with distinct dense cilia on margin, veins light brown, radial cell open, 4.1× as long as broad; Rs and R1 nearly reaching wing margin; areolet triangular, closed and distinct. Rs+M distinct, its projection reaching basalis at half of its height.

Metasoma as long as head+mesosoma, slightly longer than high in lateral view; second metasomal tergum extending to half-length of metasoma in dorsal view, with numerous white setae anterolaterally, without micropunctures; all subsequent terga without micropunctures. Hypopygium without micropunctures, prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 4.2× as long as broad in ventral view. Body length 1.4–2.6 mm (n = 15).

Gall ( Fig. 138 ). Compact clusters of cells (most often 3–4, sometimes more) covered with short, compact, brownish-yellow, russet, or bright purplish-brown woolly pubescence that darkens with age; pubescence usually covering the individual larval cells, although the tips of the cells are sometimes exposed; single clusters circular, closely compact, averaging around 10 mm in diameter and 8 mm high, but larger agglomerations of clusters oval or more elongate and up to 30 mm long. The larval cells rather stout but elongate, averaging about 3.0 mm long.

Biology. Only the asexual generation is known, which induces galls on Q. rugosa (= Q. conglomerata ), Q. potosina and Q. polymorpha (all Section Quercus , Series Leucomexicanae); galls mature in late autumn, adults emerge from February of the following year, with most emerging in March–April.

Distribution. Mexico: Michoacan, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas.

Figures

FIGURE 138. Druon protagion, comb. rev., asexual galls.

FIGURES 125–130. Druon protagion, comb. rev., asexual female. 125–128, head: 125, frontal view, 126, dorsal view, 127, lateral view, 128, posterior view. 129, antenna. 130, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view.

FIGURES 131–134. Druon protagion, comb. rev., asexual female. 131, mesosoma, lateral view. 132, mesoscutum, dorsal view. 133, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 134, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 135–137. Druon protagion, comb. rev., asexual female. 135, fore wing, part. 136, hindleg. 137, metasoma, lateral view.

FIGURES 119–122. Druon pattoni, comb. nov., asexual female. 119, mesosoma, lateral view. 120, mesoscutum, dorsal view. 121, mesoscutellum, dorsal view, 122, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 203–206. Druon receptum, comb. rev., asexual female (darker colour). 203, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view. 204, mesosoma, lateral view. 205, mesoscutum, dorsal view. 206, mesoscutellum, dorsal view.

FIGURES 216–219. Druon rusticum, comb. rev., asexual female. 216, mesosoma, lateral view. 217–218, mesoscutum and mesoscutellum dorsal view. 219, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view.