Cornugon diceros, Hansson, Christer, 2011

Hansson, Christer, 2011, Cornugon (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Entedoninae) a new genus from tropical America including ten new species, Zootaxa 2873, pp. 1-26 : 12-13

Cornugon diceros sp. nov.

( Figs 23–27 , 53 , 76–79, 80, 81 )

Diagnosis. Upper part of frons with two "horns" and with frontal suture continuing up into apex of horns ( Figs 23– 25 ); scape, femora and tibiae white; scutellum with a deep and distinct median groove in anterior 2/3 ( Fig. 26 ); hind coxa conspicuously hairy on posterior surface; propodeum without median carina ( Fig. 27 ); petiole 2X as long as wide, narrow anteriorly and becoming wider posteriorly, and reticulate with isodiametric meshes ( Fig. 27 ); first gastral tergite 0.4X as long as gaster.

Similar to C. diabolos , but differing in shape of petiole; also similar to C. bicornis , but differing in having scape, femora and tibiae white and a large fovea medially between mesoscutum and scutellum ( Fig. 26 ).

Description. FEMALE. Length 0.9–1.2 mm. Antenna dark brown except scape white. Frons weakly metallic purple, golden-green along eyes. Vertex, mesoscutum, scutellum, propodeum and gaster metallic bluish-purple or bluish-green. Coxae dark and metallic; femora, tibiae and tarsi white. Wings hyaline.

Antenna as in Fig. 80 . Frons smooth and shiny, upper part of frons with two "horns" ( Figs 23–25 ); tentorial pits distinct ( Fig. 24 ); frontal suture incomplete, ending just below frontal horns. Vertex smooth and shiny ( Fig. 25 ); medially with a groove between occipital margin and anterior ocellus.

Mesonotum medially with a more or less round fovea between mesoscutum and scutellum ( Fig. 26 ). Mesoscutum smooth and shiny ( Fig. 26 ). Scutellum with engraved, weak reticulation of elongate meshes and with a distinct median groove in anterior 2/3 ( Fig. 26 ), and, posterior 1/3 with raised, strong, isodiametric meshlike reticulation. Dorsellum hidden under scutellum, not visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 26 ). Propodeum smooth and shiny between plicae ( Fig.27 ).

Petiole 2X as long as wide, reticulate with small isodiametric meshes ( Fig. 27 ). Gaster ovate with first tergite covering 0.4X length.

MALE. Length 1.1 mm. Frons metallic dark purple. Vertex golden or metallic red. Mesoscutum golden or metallic purple. Scutellum with anterior 2/3 golden and posterior 1/3 metallic dark purple, or completely metallic red. Propodeum golden-green or metallic purple. Fore femur completely white or with basal 2/3 pale brown with apical 1/3 white, remaining parts of legs distal to coxae white. Petiole black with metallic purple and blue tinges.

Gaster dark brown with metallic purple tinges and with a white spot in anteromedian ½ or 1/5. Antenna as in Fig. 81 . Structure otherwise as in female.

Type material. Holotype female ( INBio) labelled “ Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Bosque Nacional Diriá, Retallano, alrededor Torre Control de Incendio, 600–700 m, 14.viii–18.ix.2001, LN 238550/358650, I. Jiménez, #64578” ( INBio). Paratypes. 4Ƥ 23 on cards. COSTA RICA. Guanacaste: Parque Nacional Palo Verde, Sector Palo Verde, 250 m, 10–18.viii.2000, LN 385020/ 260952, I. Jiménez, #57716 (13, INBio); Heredia: 16 km SSE La Virgen, 450–550 m, 14.ii–22.iii.2003 (1Ƥ, INBio); Puntarenas: Reserva Privada Karen Mogensen, 09˚52'N 85˚03'W, 300 m, 11–21.ii.2005, C. Hansson (1Ƥ, CH); from same locality as previous but collected 24.ii.2007 (1Ƥ, BMNH). MEXICO. Guerrero: 6.2 miles southwest of Xochipala, 6.vii.1987, 87/017, J.B. Woolley (1Ƥ 13, TAMU).

Etymology. Named after the two “horns” on upper part of frons, from the Greek dikeros = “two-horned”.

Distribution. Costa Rica, Mexico.

Remarks. There are colour differences between the male from Costa Rica (mentioned first in the description) and the male from Mexico. This might indicate two different species, or intraspecific variation. The two specimens are otherwise very similar and until more material becomes available I regard the colour differences as variation within the species.

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 27. Cornugon diceros sp. nov. 23. Head frontal, female. 24. Head frontal, male. 25. Vertex, female. 26. Mesosoma dorsal, female. 27. Propodeum dorsal, female.

FIGURES 52 – 57. Cornugon spp. nov. females, wing interference patterns (WIPs) of right pair of wings. 52. C. bicornis, length of forewing 0.7 mm. 53. C. diceros, length of forewing 0.8 mm. 54. C. gibberum, length of forewing 0.9 mm. 55. C. leios, length of forewing 1.0 mm. 56. C. reticulatum, length of forewing 1.0 mm. 57. C. unicornis, length of forewing 1.2 mm.

FIGURES 74 – 88. Cornugon spp. nov., antenna lateral. 74. C. albicoxa, female. 75. C. anais, female. 76. C. bicornis, female. 77. C. bicornis, male. 78. C. diabolos, female. 79. C. diabolos, male. 80. C. diceros, female. 81. C. diceros, male. 82. C. gibberum, female. 83. C. leios, female. 84. C. leios, male. 85. C. unicornis, female. 86. C. reticulatum, male. 87. C. reticulatum, female. 88. C. petiolatum, female.