Iconella canadensis Fernandez-Triana

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Cardinal, Sophie, Whitfield, James B., Winnie Hallwachs,, Smith, M. Alex & Janzenr, Daniel H., 2013, A review of the New World species of the parasitoid wasp Iconella (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), ZooKeys 321, pp. 65-87 : 73-75

Iconella canadensis Fernandez-Triana sp. n. Figures 10-16

Type locality.

CANADA. Ontario, Black Sturgeon Lake. Lat: 49.368333, Long: -88.881944.

Holotype.

♀, CNC. First label: Black Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, Em. 1-6-viii-1961, Insectary. Second label: Nest 97, Cell4ex provisions. Third label: W61319. Fourth label: Host either A. betullela or Rh. hasta. Fifth label: DNA Voucher CNCHYM 01498.

Specimens examined.

Paratypes: 3 ♀ (CNC) Canada: ON, Black Sturgeon Lake, 21-29.vii.1961, 26.vii.1962, and 2.viii.1962, ex: Provisions Nests 52 and 66, one specimen with DNA Voucher CNCHYM01497; 1 ♀ (CNC) Canada: ON, Galt, 11.vii.1952; 1 ♀ (CNC) Canada: ON, Whitney, 4.vii.1949, ex: Phalaenidae ; 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (CNC) Canada: NB, Kouchibouguac National Park, 30.viii.1967, code-6060B, DNA Voucher CNCHYM01511 and CNCHYM01512; 1 ♀ (LFS) Canada: QC, Saint-Cléophas-de-Brandon, 4.vii.1968, ex: Epinotia solandriana on Betula papyrifera . Collecting dates of specimens examined: July and August (1949-1967).

Description.

Promefur color: dark brown on anterior half, yellow on posterior half. Meso- and meta- femur color: mostly dark brown but with proximal 0.1-0.2 × yellow to orange (Fig. 12). Metatibia and metatarsus color: Metatibia with brown to black coloration on posterior 0.2-0.4 ×; metatarsus mostly dark brown, except for yellowish area on anterior half of first tarsomerus (Fig. 10). Tegula and humeral complex color: tegula and anterior half of humeral complex yellow to yellowish-white, posterior half of humeral complex light brown to dark brown. Pterostigma color: centrally yellow-white, with thin brown margins, rarely mostly brown, with yellowish-white spot at anterior 0.2 × (Fig. 11). Fore wing veins color: at least some veins with thin brown margins and interior of veins yellow to light brown. Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.5 mm, 3.6 mm, 3.7 mm, rarely 3.2 mm. Fore wing length: 3.8 mm, 3.9 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.1 mm or 4.2 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.6 ×. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.9 × (Fig. 14). Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: 3.0 ×. Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 1.6 ×. Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 2.1 ×. Metafemur length/width: 3.2 ×, 3.3 ×, rarely 3.4 ×. Mesoscutellar disc: mostly smooth with few, scattered punctures near margins (Fig. 16). Number of pits in scutoscutellar sulcus: usually 16, ocasionally only 14 pits. Propodeum background sculpture: anterior 0.2-0.4 × with rather dull puntures; posterior 0.6-0.8 × mostly sculptured, with mix of small puntures and carinae (mostly radiating from strong, longitudinal median carina) (Fig. 15). Mediotergite 1 width at anterior margin/width at posterior margin: 2.1 × or 2.2 ×. Mediotergite 2 width at posterior margin/length: 3.6 ×, 3.8 × or 4.4 × (Fig. 13). Ovipositor sheaths length/metatibial length: 0.7 × or 0.8 × (Fig. 12).

Male. As female.

Molecular data.

We analyzed three short 164 bp COI sequences from the DNA barcode region.

Biology/ecology.

Host: Epinotia solandriana ( Tortricidae ) and likely Acrobasis betulella ( Pyralidae ) (see Comments below).

Distribution.

Eastern Canada: NB, ON, QC.

Comments.

The holotype has a label stating that it emerged from either Acrobasis betulella ( Pyralidae ) or Rheumaptera hasta ( Geometridae ). Based on the known biology of the genus Iconella in the world, the second alternative is unlikely, and thus we consider Acrobasis betulella as the potential host in that case. However, the pyralid host cannot be taken as definitive until more reared specimens confirm the decision.

Etymology.

The name refers to the known distribution of the species, in Eastern Canada.