Dicopomorpha mohani Manickavasagam and Athithya, 2023

Athithya, Ayyavu & Manickavasagam, Sagadai, 2023, Descriptions of three new species of Dicopomorpha Ogloblin (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from India, with one new country record and a revised key to Indian species, Zootaxa 5284 (2), pp. 377-389 : 384

Dicopomorpha mohani Manickavasagam and Athithya sp. n.

( Figs 12–16 )

Description. FEMALE. (Holotype, Fig. 12 ) Body length 200 µm. Head dark brown to black, eye reddish brown, and antenna brown. Mesosoma paler with light brown shade more so dorsally; legs pale brown or yellow, with proand mesocoxae white, metacoxa and metatrochanter dark brown, all femora, tibiae, and tarsi paler. Metasoma dark brown.

Head ( Fig. 13 ) 1.2× as wide as high. Antenna ( Fig. 14 ) with scape 5.1× as long as wide, 2.7× as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.7× as long as wide; funicle 7-segmented, all segments longer than wide except Fl 2 (the shortest), with Fl 1 shorter than remaining segments, Fl 3 the longest, Fl 4 and Fl 6 equal in length, and Fl 5 and Fl 7 equal in length, all segments without mps; clava 3.7× as long as wide, longer than preceding three segments, and with 2 mps.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 15 ) 0.7× as long as metasoma and 1.2× as long as wide; scutellum shorter than frenum. Fore wing 13.3× as long as wide ( Fig. 16 ); longest marginal seta 5× maximum wing width; disc with a row of at least 4 microtrichia. Hind wing 21× as long as wide; longest marginal seta 6× maximum wing width; disc with one longitudinal row of microtrichia.

Metasoma ( Fig. 15 ) 0.9× as long as wide; ovipositor and ovipositor sheath (marked with arrow heads) 1.3× and 1.1× as long as mesotibia, respectively.

Measurements (µm): (length:width or length): head, 175:210; eye, 90; malar space, 80; antenna: scape, 115:23; pedicel, 43:25; Fl 1, 20:10; Fl 2, 10:8; Fl 3, 38:8; Fl 4, 33:13; Fl 5, 35:13; Fl 6, 33:18; Fl 7, 35:20; clava, 113:30; fore wing, 400:30; longest marginal seta, 150; hind wing, 420:20; longest marginal seta, 120; mesosoma, 158: 130; metasoma, 205:210; mesotibia, 150; metatibia, 150; ovipositor, 200; ovipositor sheath, 170.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype female [ EDAU /Mym43/2022] on slide labelled, “ India: Manipur 24°59’16.56”N; 93°29’43.05”E, 03.vii.2016, yellow pan trap, forest, coll. S. Palanivel.

Paratypes. Three females [ EDAU / Mym 43/2022], one on slide labelled, “ India: Assam 226°01’51.28”N; 91°34’24.42”E, 26.vi.2016 ” and two in ethanol with data as for holotype .

Distribution. India: Assam and Manipur.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the name of the ICAR National Fellow and Principal Scientist, Dr. Mohan at National Pig research station, Assam, who helped our survey team invaluably on many occasions in North-eastern region.

Remarks. Females of this species are similar to those of D. manickavasagami in having the mesosoma partly white and a 7-segmented funicle with an anelliform Fl 2, but among other features differ in having a uniformly brown flagellum ( Fig. 9 ).

Figures

FIGURES 7-‒9. Dicopomorpha manickavasagami sp. n. ♀ holotype: 7a, b, lateral habitus; 8, head, frontal view; 9, antenna.

FIGURES 12‒13. Dicopomorpha mohani sp. n. ♀ holotype: 12, dorsal habitus excluding apex of gaster; 13, head, frontal view.

FIGURES 14‒16. Dicopomorpha mohani sp. n. ♀ holotype: 14, antenna; 15, mesosoma and metasoma, lateral view; 16, fore wing.