Lasallegrion virescens ( Strand, 1911 ) Janšta & Delvare & Baur & Wipfler & Peters, 2020

Janšta, Petr, Delvare, Gérard, Baur, Hannes, Wipfler, Benjamin & Peters, Ralph S., 2020, Data-rich description of a new genus of praying mantid egg parasitoids, Lasallegrion gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Torymidae: Podagrionini), with a re-examination of Podagrion species of Australia and New Caledonia, Journal of Natural History 54 (9), pp. 755-790 : 779-781

Lasallegrion virescens ( Strand, 1911) , comb. n. ( Figures 5a , 7b , 10d , 11 a–f)

Podagrion virescens Strand, 1911: 156 ; ♀ holotype (examined), Australia – Western Australia, (ZMHU); Label: Type , Podagrion virescens m. Strand det . ♀, 13482, GBIFChalciSD ID: ChalD0137, Zool . Mus. Berlin. Bouček (1988): 141.

Non–type material examined

Australia, WA, Wagin, 5. May 1954, ex ethanol, leg. M.M.H. Wallace, (1 ♀, lc _ 39, ANIC); Australia, WA, Mt. Augustus National Park , 9 km S of tourist camp, 24.228°S 116.542°E, 394 m a.s.l., 24. Mar.–5. May 2003, Malaise trap, leg. M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, (1 ♀, lc _ 15, ANIC); Australia, WA, Karijini NP, Hamersley, Mt. Bruce Rd. , 22.3414°S, 118.1752°E, leg. NA, (1 ♀, lc _ 16, ANIC); Australia, WA, E slope of Mt. Robinson at rest stop on Great Northern Hwy. , 23.02°S, 18.35°E, 722 m a.s.l., 7. Jun. 2003, leg. M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, (1 ♀, lc _ 17, ANIC); Australia, WA, Mt. Augustus National Park, 9 km S of tourist camp, 24.228°S 116.542° E, 394 m a.s.l., 9.–22. May 2003, Malaise trap, leg. M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, (2 ♀♀, lc_18, lc _ 47, ANIC); Australia, WA, 23.026°S, 118.502°E, 23. Apr.–6. May 2003, leg. M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker, (1 ♀, lc _ 19, ANIC); Australia, WA, 60 km N of Tom Price on Hamersley Iron Road, 22.188°S 117.405°E, 600 m a.s.l., 20. Apr.–4. May 2003, Malaise trap on meadow, leg. F.D. Parker & M.E. Irwin (2 ♀♀, lc_48–49, ANIC); Australia, WA, Mt. Cooke, 40 km SE of Armadale , M.T., 7.–22.xii.90, A.D. Austin, Banksia/Jarrah forest, Podagrion obscurum (Westwood) det. Eric Grissell 1993 (1 ♀, lc _ 66, WINC); Australia, WA, Mt. Cooke , 13.–28. i.91, M.S.Harvey, J.M. Waldock, M.T. (1 ♀, lc _ 67, WINC); Australia, WA, Mt. Cooke , 28.i.–17. ii.91, M.S.Harvey, J.M. Waldock, M.T. (2 ♀, lc_68–69, WINC); [ Australia, SA], Mt. Torrens, 10. v.85, C.W. Feutrill, emerged from mantig egg case, Podagrion obscurum (Westwood) det. E. Grissell 1993 (3 ♀♀, 1 ♂, lc_70–71, WINC; lc_72–73, CUPC); Australia, WA, 82 km S from jct. Karijini Drive on Great Northern hwy., 694 m, 23º07.3’S, 119º05.5ʹE, 23.iv.–16.v.2003, wash withdryingpools, M.E.Irwin, F.D.Parker (1 ♀, PJ 19125 _ 01, CUPC); AUSTRALIA: WA, 158 km S Newman , 9 km N Kumarina Rd. House, 24°37.8´S, 117°36.8´E, 638 m, 7.–18. v.2003, M.E.Irwin, F.D.Parker, MT in wide sandy wash (1 ♀, PJAN1079 , CUPC).

Diagnosis. Antenna with all funicular segments slightly or distinctly longer than broad, length of segments decreasing from proximal to distal, F7 at least 1.08 as long as wide. Combined length of pedicel and flagellum 1.1–1.4× breadth of head. Antenna inserted almost in centre of face, distance from lower edge of toruli to ventral margin of clypeus 1.0–1.2× as long as distance from lower edge of toruli to anterior ocellus. Setation of lower face dense, setae long and slightly lanceolate ( Figure 11b ). Head height 1.04–1.13× as long as marginal vein. Notauli convergent along entire length ( Figure 11d – indicates by arrows). Propodeum with adpetiolar area (behind posterior branches of carinae) rugulose reticulate ( Figure 11e ). Metafemur with four stout teeth preceding the composite terminal one, length of 2 nd – 4 th tooth longer than breadth of tibia opposite to tooth ( Figure 11c ). Costal cell of fore wing at most with one incomplete row of setae on the underside ( Figure 11f ). Ovipositor very long, between 1.77 and 2.14x as long as body.

Additional characters. FEMALE (N = 19): Body length excluding ovipositor between 3.5 mm and 3.8 mm; length of ovipositor 6.2–8.2 mm.

Colour. Head, mesosoma entirely metallic blue or dark blue to green with coppery to dark coppery reflections. Metasoma pale brown to brown with metallic reflection, at least distally. Proximal half of scape yellow or pale brown, distal half of scape, pedicel and flagellum dark brown. Pro-, meso- and metacoxa and outer side of metafemur metallic blue to green with coppery reflections. Median areas of outer side of pro- and mesofemur and of inner side of metafemur brown with coppery reflections, paramedially yellow. Proand mesotibia yellow, metatibia brown. Pro-, meso- and metatarsal segments yellow, pretarsi brown. Scapula pale brown. Fore wing hyaline, wing venation pale to lightly brown, setae brown. Ovipositor pale yellow to white, sheaths brown.

Head. Head 1.19–1.43x as broad as high and 1.95–2.20x as broad as long; 1.23–1.27x as broad as pronotum breadth. Frontovertex 0.79–0.93x as broad as eye height. Eye 1.071.39x as high as long. Parascrobal area not remarkably raised above the outline of head anteriorly (best seen from dorsal or lateral view) and interantennal process not raised above outline of parascrobal area ( Figure 11a ). Parascrobal protuberance 0.06–0.13x as high as head height. Malar space 0.47–0.54x as long as breadth of oral fossa and 0.290.37x as long as eye height. Antenna with scape 2.41–2.88x and pedicel 1.31–1.45x as long as broad. Flagellum 1.08–1.29x as long as breadth of head. Anellus 0.31–0.38x as long as broad. F1 1.16–1.97x, F2 1.3–1.76x, F3 1.22–1.71x, F4 1.22–1.69x, F5 1.11–1.70x, F6 1.111.50x, F7 1.08–1.52x as long as broad. POL 3.00–4.08x OOL, OOL 0.5–0.71x POD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum 0.89–0.95x as broad as mesoscutum and 0.51–0.67x as long as mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum 1.07–1.15x as long as broad, with frenal area covering about 0.28–0.33x of mesoscutellum length. Metatarsus 0.57–0.65x as long as metatibia. Fore wing 2.55–2.76x as long as broad; marginal vein 2.72–3.80x as long as postmarginal vein and 5.83–6.86x as long as stigmal vein.

Metasoma. Metasoma 0.89–1.15x as long as mesosoma. OI = 6.1–7.4.

MALE (N = 1): Length of body 2.69 mm. Similar to females except as follows: pedicel only 1.29x as long as broad, F1 1.10x, F2 1.15x, F3 1.40x, F4 1.10x, F5 1.15x, F6 1.05x, F7 1.05x as long as broad.

Distribution. Australia (Western Australia, South Australia).

Biology. Unknown.

Taxonomic remarks. The holotype of P. virescens is in fairly good condition. The specimen is complete but the wings are crumbled and seem to be covered by some sort of varnish–like layer ( Figure 10d ). All specimens initially grouped into morphospecies 1 group B match the holotype of P. virescens . The holotype as well as the non-type material shows all generic characters of Lasallegrion . Accordingly, the above redescribed species is transferred into Lasallegrion . Beside above discussed characters, L. virescens is recognisable from the other two species by dense white pilosity covering especially the lower face of females. Those setae are slightly longer and slightly lanceolate and sometimes so dense that the lower margin of clypeus and oral fossa are hidden ( Figure 11b ).

Figures

Figure 5. Volume renders of the µ-CT scans of Lasallegrion gen. n.; (a), L. virescens, lateral; (b), L. koebelei, lateral. Midsagittal sections showing the inner anatomy. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 7. Metepisternum, posteroventral, females. (a), Lasallegrion koebelei; (b), L. virescens; (c), L. washingtoni; (d), Podagrion idomene sp. gr.; (e), P. pachymerum; (f), Mantiphaga gongylusae Risbec.

Figure 10. (a), Lasallegrion koebelei, heteromorph male habitus, lateral; (b), syntype of P. holbeini, syn. n.; (c), syntype of P. metatarsum, syn. n.; (d), holotype of L. virescens.

Figure 11. Lasallegrion virescens, female. (a), head, dorsal; (b), head, frontal; (c), right hind leg, outer aspect; (d), mesosoma, dorsal (arrows indicate notauli in their posterior part); (e), mesoscutellum and propodeum, dorsal; (f), left fore wing, ventral.