Archaeoteleia chambersi Early, 2007

Early, J. W., Masner, L. & Johnson, N. F., 2007, Revision of Archaeoteleia Masner (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Scelionidae)., Zootaxa 1655, pp. 1-48 : 8-11

Archaeoteleia chambersi Early , new species

Figures 1-6

Archaeoteleia novaezealandiae (!), Chambers 1982:44. Misidentification.

Description: Female. Length 5.0-5.6 mm. Color: shiny dark brown in fresh specimens, without greenish-brown areas; scutellum yellow-brown, usually paler than mesoscutum, rarely dark brown, concolorous with mesoscutum.

Head (Figs. 3-5): frons lacking swelling by inner orbits, head not or only weakly browed in dorsal view; occipital carina entire but weaker and more crenulate medially than genal carina; A1 3.9-4.9 times longer than wide; A2 2.2-2.9 times longer than wide; A3 3.8-4.2 times longer than A2; flagellum with setae dense, appressed, flagellomeres without bristled appearance.

Mesosoma (Figs. 3-4): transverse pronotal carina curved around anterior margin of mesoscutum, epomial corners distinct but not strongly raised, width between epomial corners 0.8 times width of mesoscutum; pronotal humeral carina well separated from mesoscutum, shoulders broad, at widest point about 0.8 times width of tegula; vertical epomial carina very weak or absent; lateral pronotum finely coriarious; netrion smooth or minutely aciculate; admedian lines subparallel to slightly divergent posteriorly, 1.4-1.6 times longer than separation of posterior ends; notaulus complete or incomplete, if complete would attain scutal margin at or between epomial corners; scutellum bilobate, scutellar spines distinct; dorsellum finely reticulate-coriarious; mesopleural carina incomplete, indistinct posteriorly; mesopleural depression with fine longitudinal rugulae; mesepisternum below carina with moderately dense setigerous punctures; upper half of metapleuron with small glabrous area anteriorly; medial excavation of propodeum with reticulate rugulose sculpture, medial carinae raised anteriorly to form a vertical toothlike structure bearing long erect setae; fore wing with distinct pigmented area under marginal vein between bulla and stigmal vein; postmarginal vein 3.5-4.3 times longer than marginal vein.

Metasoma (Figs. 1, 2, 4) 4.2-4.6 times longer than wide; T1 slightly wider than long, T2-T5 distinctly so, T6 3.0-3.5 times longer than wide; T1-T5 with broad longitudinal furrow laterally (Fig. 2), sometimes weaker in posterior tergites; costae of T1 strong but not more strongly impressed around base of horn; horn coriarious except for smooth and shining tip (Fig. 4); T6 entirely coriarious-punctate, with some longitudinal carinulae; anterior lens-shaped area of S2 often strongly angular and tooth-like in profile (Fig. 1).

Male. Differs from female as follows: Length: 4.4-4.7 mm; A1 3.5-3.9 times longer than wide; A2 1.4- 2.3 times longer than wide; A3 4.3-5.7 times longer than A2; sex segments variable, either A4-A6, A4+A5 or only A5 with small basal carinae, carina usually largest on A5.

Dorsellum strongly foveolate anteriorly, posterior half finely punctate; propodeum with dorsal surface entirely areolate-rugose, medial excavation weak.

Metasoma 3.6-3.8 times longer than wide; T1 with anterior margin raised medially, toothlike in profile; T1-T5 without broad longitudinal dorsolateral furrows; anterior lens-shaped area of S2 prominent and more or less angular in profile, but not as strong as in female.

Diagnosis: Recognized by the following combination of characters: female body length 5.0-5.6 mm, male 4.4-4.7 mm; clypeus with sharply angulate anterolateral corners; epomial corners not strongly angulate; transverse pronotal carina curved weakly around anterior margin of mesoscutum; scutellum bilobate, posterior corners with spine, usually paler than mesoscutum; fore wing with pigmentation under marginal vein; female metasoma 4.2-4.6 times longer than wide, T6 3.0-3.5 times longer than wide; male antenna with sex segments A4-6 or A4+5 or A5 only.

Distribution: Found widely in the North Island of New Zealand (ND, AK, CL, BP, TK, TO, WN) and sympatric with A. karere n.sp. at some localities.

Link to Distribution Map. [http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu:210/hymenoptera/eol_scelionidae.content _page?page_level=3&page_id=taxon_page_data&page_version=190980&page_option1=M]

Biology: Several specimens were reared from eggs of Rhaphidophoridae from old gold mining tunnels on the Coromandel Peninsula. The only weta in tunnels at Tokatea Track was Gymnoplectron uncata (Richards 1959) where it is presumed to be the host. Gymnoplectron fusca (Richards 1959) also inhabits tunnels in the Coromandel area and its eggs are probably parasitized as well.

Etymology: The species is named in honor of Mr. F.D. Chambers who collected the first specimens and noted differences between them and A. novaezealandiae (Chambers 1982).

Material Examined: Holotype female. NEW ZEALAND: TK, Mt Egmont, Dawson Falls , 19.III.1985, F. Chambers ( AMNZ 64307 ). Deposited in AMNZ.

Paratypes (25 males, 15 females): NEW ZEALAND: TK, Mt Egmont, Dawson Falls , F. Chambers, 8.II.1981, 24.II.1983, 24.II.1984, 18.I.1985, 3 males, 2 females, AMNZ 64308-64310 , OSUC 163737 ( AMNZ, CNCI) ; ND, Waipoua Forest, Yakas Tr , J.B. Johnson, 17.X.2000, male, AMNZ 64311 ( AMNZ) ; AK, Waitakere Ra, Nihotupu Pipeline, 200 m , 3- 11.IX.2005, 11- 25.IX.2005, 16- 23.XI.2005, 1- 8.XII.2005, 22- 29.XII.2005, 5- 12.I.2006, 12- 19.I.2006, 3- 10.II.2006, yellow pan trap in forest, 13 males, 5 females, AMNZ 73863, 73864, 73866-73869, 73891-73894, 74157, 74158, 74174-74177, OSUC 179079, 179080 ( AMNZ, LUNZ, OSUC) ; CL, Kennedy Bay Rd, Tokatea Track, 400 m , 20.III.1994, J.W. Early & R.F. Gilbert, soil in mining tunnel , emerged Rhaphidophoridae egg, male, 2 females, AMNZ 64312, 64313, OSUC 163298 ( AMNZ, CNCI) ; CL, Wentworth R., 40 m , 19.III.1994, J.W. Early & R.F. Gilbert, soil in mining tunnel , emerged from Rhaphidophoridae eggs, 2 males, 3 females, AMNZ 64314-64317, OSUC 163300 ( AMNZ, CNCI) ; CL, Kauaeranga , 29.XI.1970, H.A. Oliver, Malaise trap, female, OSUC 163640 ( NZAC) ; CL, Aldermen Is, Ruamahuanui, 140 m , B.M. Fitzgerald, forest , beaten, male, AMNZ 55474 ( AMNZ) ; BP, Mt Te Aroha, 360 m , 22.III.1994, J.W. Early, R.F. Gilbert, forest , swept, male, AMNZ 64320 ( AMNZ) ; BP, Mt Te Aroha, 380 m , J.W. Early, R.F. Gilbert, yellow pan trap in forest, 2 males, female AMNZ 73870-73872 ( AMNZ) ; BP, forest above Okauia Pa, W side Kaimai Ra. , 29.IV.1982, K.A.J. Wise, male, AMNZ 64318 ( AMNZ) ; BP, Rotorua, Forest Research Inst. , Feb 1981, J. Bain, Malaise trap, female, OSUC 163639 ( NZAC) .

Other material: Because of the variability described below, the following specimens were not included in the type series. NEW ZEALAND: TO, Monganui Station, Moawhango-iti Stream, 800 m , 17.IV.1993, J.W. Early, Nothofagus forest , male, AMNZ 64319 ( AMNZ) ; WI, Bruce Park, SH1, 260 m , 3- 6.II.2000, J.W. Early, rimu/tawa forest , yellow pan trap, male, AMNZ 63421 ( AMNZ) ; WN, Tararua Ra., Dundas Hut Ridge , 4.II.1985, B.A. Holloway, beating at night, male, OSUC 163642 ( NZAC) ; WN, Otaki Forks , 18.II.1999, J.W. Early, podocarp-broadleaf forest , swept, male, AMNZ 64322 ( AMNZ) .

Remarks: Archaeoteleia chambersi is the most variable and widespread of the New Zealand species. Distribution of carinae on the sex segments of the male antennae has been used to separate species of scelionids. The presence of three forms with respect to this character (A4-A6, A4+A5, and A5 only) might indicate that three species are present. The notauli vary from complete to incomplete. At the type locality (Mt. Taranaki) there is a correlation in the limited material available - both sexes have incomplete notauli and the male sex segments are A4-A6. For other localities there is no correlation between these two characters. Most specimens examined have a scutellum that is distinctly paler than the mesoscutum, but in some (from the lower North Island) the scutellum and mesoscutum are uniformly dark brown.

In the absence of any consistent differences in other characters, all specimens are included here in A. chambersi . It may prove to be a complex of two or more closely related species once more material is available for study.