Andricus sadeghii Melika, Stone, Atkinson & Aligolizade, 2008

Tavakoli, M., Melika, G., Sadeghi, S. E., Pénzes, Z., Assareh, M. A., Atkinson, R., Bechtold, M., Mikó, I., Zargaran, M. R., Aligolizade, D., Barimani, H., Bihari, P., Pirozi, F., Fülöp, D., Somogyi, K., Challis, R., Preuss, S., Nicholls, J. & Stone, G. N., 2008, New species of oak gallwaps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), Zootaxa 1699 (1), pp. 1-64 : 24-26

Andricus sadeghii Melika, Stone, Atkinson & Aligolizade , new species

Figs 183–197

Type material. HOLOTYPE female: Iran, East Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Phandoghloo forest , 1300 m a.s.l., Q. macranthera, 2003 .IX. leg. D. Aligolizade. PARATYPES: 30 females with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype, 5 female paratypes and galls in HNHM ; 5 female paratypes and galls in RIFR ; 15 female paratypes and galls in SPL; 5 female paratypes in NHML .

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr. S.E. Sadeghi, a researcher in the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran.

Diagnosis. Andricus sadeghii , new species belongs to the kollari clade and most closely related to Andricus amblycerus (Giraud) and A. galeatus (Giraud) (the anterior part of the mesopleuron with distinct longitudinal striae; the area delimited by lateral propodeal carinae without or sparse setae), A. corruptrix (Schlechtendal) and A. aries (Giraud) (the mesopleuron and pronotum entirely coriaceous; the area delimited by lateral propodeal carinae conspicuously pubescent along inner margin for most length). Andricus amblycerus can easily be distinguished by the black mesosoma (the only species in the kollari -group which always has an entirely black mesosoma). Also A. galeatus can be easily distinguished from A. sadeghii by the short prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium, which is only 3.8-4.0 times as long as broad. In A. corruptrix the mesoscutum delicately coriaceous, without distinct micropunctures, anterior parallel lines are indistinct, very narrow; the mesoscutellum posteriorly and postero-laterally rounded, without distinct emargination; scutellar foveae posteriorly are not distinctly delimited, gradually deepening towards the anterior edge; the disk of the mesoscutellum is uniformly dull rugose, while in A. sadeghii , new species, the mesoscutum distinctly micropunctate, especially in the internotauli area and in between notaulus and lateral edge of the mesoscutum in the posterior half; anterior parallel lines are distinct, much broader, without sculpture; the mesoscutellum posteriorly and postero-laterally with distinct emargination towards the metascutellum; scutellar foveae posteriorly are distinctly delimited, their bottom equally deep in the anterior and posterior ends. In Andricus aries the propleuron, antero-ventral edge of the pronotum and the acetabular carina are black or very dark brown; the mesoscutum slightly broader than long in dorsal view (largest width measured across mesoscutum on the level of the base of tegulae); the disk of mesoscutellum is delicately uniformly coriaceous, scutellar foveae separated by a broad carina, while in A. sadeghii , new species, the mesoscutum is subequal or slightly longer than broad in dorsal view; the mesoscutellum is less rounded, with dull rugose sculpture, how- ever, with more delicate sculpture centrally, towards scutellar foveae.

Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body reddish brown; head reddish frontally and laterally, dark brown posteriorly; antenna uniformly reddish brown; propleuron reddish brown, with black stripe along edges; anterior rim of pronotum black; mesosoma uniformly reddish brown, except black axillula, scutellar foveae, metanotum, metanotal trough, central propodeal area and nucha; all legs uniformly reddish brown; metasoma reddish brown, except dorsal black spot on metasomal tergite 2.

Head delicately coriaceous, with uniformly dense white setae, 2.7 times as broad as long from above, 1.5 times as broad as high and as broad as mesosoma in front view. Gena very delicately coriaceous to alutaceous, broadened behind eye, 1.3 times as broad as cross diameter of eye; malar space very delicately coriaceous, with very few indistinct delicate striae radiating from clypeus and extending to half of the distance to eye margin, 0.5 times as long as height of eye. POL nearly 2.0 times as broad as OOL; OOL 2.5 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 1.25 times as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.4 times as broad as height of eye and 2.2 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and tip of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 1.8 times as large as distance between them, distance between torulus and inner margin of eye 1.4 times as large as the diameter of torulus; lower face with very delicate coriaceous sculpture, the median elevated area with distinct very delicate micropunctures (they are smaller than on mesoscutum). Clypeus rectangular, delicately coriaceous, with elevated central area, ventrally emarginated; anterior tentorial pits, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line distinct, deep. Frons very delicately micropunctate, in dense white setae. Vertex, interocellar area and occiput delicately coriaceous. Postocciput around occipital foramen impressed, delicately coriaceous, with some very minute striae. Labial palpus 3-segmented, terminal peg distinct, all three segments densely setose; maxillary palpus 5-segmented, terminal peg distinct, three terminal segments densely setose. Antenna with 11 flagellomeres; slightly longer than mesosoma; pedicel 1.3 times as long as broad; F1 1.5 times as long as F2, 2.7 times as long as pedicel; F2=F3; F4–F6 equal in length, F7–F11 slightly shorter than F4–F6, all equal in length; F11=F10; placodeal sensilla on F4–F11, absent on F1–F3, long, in one row.

Mesosoma 1.2 times as long as high; with uniform dense white setae. Pronotum very delicately coriaceous, with some delicate striae in the postero-ventral part, along the ventro-lateral edge emarginated, black, uniformly dull coriaceous, with very dense white setae; anterior rim of pronotum black, narrow, coriaceous, with delicate striae; propleuron reddish brown, with dark stripes along edges, delicately coriaceous, with white setae, concave in medio-central part. Mesoscutum with delicate uniform micropunctures, distinct on the entire surface, even in the most anterior and lateral parts, distance between punctures much smaller than the diameter of a puncture. Mesoscutum subequal, nearly as long as broad in dorsal view (largest width measured across mesoscutum on the level of the base of tegulae); from the level of tegulae narrowing down toward posterior end. Notauli complete, shallow and narrow but distinctly impressed, slightly converging and broadened at the posterior end; anterior parallel extending to 1/3 length of mesoscutum; parapsidal lines distinct and broad, start from posterior margin and extending to 2/3 length of mesoscutum; median mesoscutal line in a form of very short triangular impression or absent. Mesoscutellum 0.6 times as long as mesoscutum, dull rugose, with more delicate sculpture behind scutellar foveae, in the centre of the disk; rounded, equal or very slightly broader than long in dorsal view, overhanging metanotum, scutellar foveae relatively small, ovate, with shiny smooth black bottom, separated by a distinct, narrow median carina. Mesopleuron uniformly delicately coriaceous, with dense white setae, slightly impressed in the antero-ventral quarter, acetabular carina delimiting a narrow area laterally; dorsal and lateral axillar areas delicately coriaceous, with dense setae; axillula black, coriaceous, with very dense white setae, subaxillular bar dark brown to black, smooth, shiny; postalar process long, strong, with parallel strong striae; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron in the upper half of its height. Metascutellum black, uniformly coriaceous, metanotal trough black, uniformly coriaceous, with relatively sparse and short white setae; ventral impressed area black, smooth, with distinct longitudinal parallel delicate striae; central propodeal area black, smooth, shiny, with many irregular wrinkles and rugae, lateral propodeal carinae subparallel, slightly curved inwards only in the most posterior 1/3; lateral propodeal area with very dense white setae. Foretibia with uniformly located short setae; tarsal claws with strong basal lobe. Forewing longer than body, hyaline, with short dense cilia on margin, radial cell 4.0 times as long as broad; R1 not reaching wing margin, Rs nearly straight, nearly reaching wing margin; areolet large, triangular, closed and distinct.

Metasoma longer than head+mesosoma; all tergites with a band of dense white setae laterally only, they are absent dorsally; metasomal tergite 2 occupying half of metasoma length in dorsal view; all tergites, except tergite 2 with very delicate, hardly detectable micropuntures. Ventral spine of hypopygium slender, prominent part 5.0–5.2 times as long as broad, with sparse, long white setae, only the most apical setae extending beyond the apex of spine; all setae directed ventrally. Body length 4.1–4.9 mm.

Gall ( Fig. 197 ). A monolocular bud gall on lateral and terminal buds. This gall consists of basal swelling 5–10 mm in diameter from which usually 2–3 pointed outgrowths, 3–8 mm long, radiate upwards and outwards. The basal area and the outgrowths with radiating delicate ribbs on a dull grayish velvety surface. A single ovate larval chamber lies in the lower part of the gall. Usually the gall has 2–3 outgrowth, but often only one outgrow forms or the gall is rounded and the outgrowths absent or very short. The gall is green when growing and turns dark brown when mature. Some galls of A. sadeghii resemble A. amblycerus and A. corruptrix galls in shape, and sometimes it is hard to tell apart these three species on the basis of the galls only. However, in East Azarbaijan, where A. sadeghii is distributed, A. amblycerus and A. corruptrix have yet to be recorded.

Biology. Only parthenogenetic females are known. The asexual generation gall was collected from Quercus macranthera Fisch et Meyer. Adult wasps emerged in September – October. The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps ( Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. sadeghi probably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that include the Adleria group all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in the Adleria species group are commonly small and inconspicuous bud galls ( Melika et al. 2000), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach ).

Distribution. Currently known from Iran, East Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Phandoghloo forest, 1300 m a.s.l. It was collected also in Mazandaran province, on Quercus macranthera Fisch et Meyer above 2000 m a.s.l. (H. Barimani coll.).

Figures

FIGURE 197. Andricus sadeghii, new species, gall (photos by G. Melika).

FIGURES 183–196. Andricus sadeghii, new species, asexual female: 183, head (front view); 184, head (dorsal view); 185, antenna; 186, palpus labialis; 187, palpus maxillaris; 188, mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view); 189, mesosoma (lateral view); 190, metanotum and propodeum (postero-dorsal view); 191, foreleg; 192, hind tarsal claw; 193, forewing; 194, metasoma (lateral view); 195, prominent part of the ventral spine of hypopygium (lateral view); 196, prominent part of the ventral spine of hypopygium (ventral view).