Embolemus kheeli, Olmi, 2004

Olmi, M., 2004, Embolemus kheeli: a new species of Embolemidae (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea) from the Dominican Republic, Zootaxa 500 (1), pp. 1-6 : 2-5

2) Embolemus kheeli sp. nov.

Female ( Fig. 1 ). Brachypterous; length 2.25 mm. Testaceous, with eyes brown, mesosoma testaceous­brown and gaster brown; antenna geniculate, not distally thickened, without rhinaria; antennal segments in following proportions: 18:4:6:7:8:8:6:7:7:9; antennae shorter than body, articulated to two strong contiguous frontal processes; antennal toruli very far from the upper margin of the clypeus. Head pyriform, shiny, alutaceous, with dorsum flat, covered with fine short setae; occipital carina complete; ocelli absent, but trace of anterior ocellus is visible; frontal line absent; eyes very small, much shorter than head (2.5:24); frontal region from clypeus to antennal toruli with two convergent, incomplete longitudinal and median sutures; sutures are not visible near antennal toruli. Maxillary palpi with 4 segments; labial palpi with 2 segments; 3rd segment of maxillary palpi very broad ( Fig. 2 ); second segment of labial palpi very broad ( Fig. 3 ). Mesosoma much longer than head (35:24). Pronotum dull, granulated, covered with fine short setae, crossed by strong transversal impression (but impression not dorsally visible, because hidden behind the occiput); anterior collar of pronotum very short, hidden behind the occiput; disc of pronotum long; pronotal tubercles reaching the tegulae; posterior margin of pronotum curved; pronotum slightly longer than scutum (8:6). Scutum shiny, granulated, covered with fine short hairs, broader than scutellum (10:7.5); notauli invisible; parapsidal lines present, but short. Scutellum shiny, granulated, as broad as metanotum (7.5:7.5), more than twice as broad as long (7.5:3). Metanotum shiny, granulated, transverse, distinctly developed, shorter than scutellum (2:3). Meso­metapleural suture complete. Mesopleura and metapleura dull, granulated and transversely striate; metapleura fused with the propodeum. Propodeum shiny, with slightly prominent spiracles, without two lateral pointed apophyses; dorsal surface of propodeum separated from posterior surface by transversal keel; dorsal surface of propodeum with anterior half shiny and without sculpture and posterior half dull, granulated and rugose; posterior surface of propodeum dull, granulated and rugose. Forewing very reduced, much longer than tegulae (27:2); hind wings very reduced, approximately as long as tegulae. Petiole short. Tibial spurs 1, 2, 2.

Male. Unknown. Only male specimens are known of E. subtilis , the second species of Embolemus known from the Dominican Republic. However, the present status of the systematics of Embolemidae and the sexual dimorphism characteristic of the family do not permit to consider E. kheeli as the opposite sex of E. subtilis , though this possibility cannot be rejected.

Type material. Female holotype: Dominican Republic, Alta Gracia, Punta Cana Resort, 18°30’16’’N 68°22’37’’W, 24.VII–5.VIII.2002, Berlese sample, DR 2002.30, K. Will & C. Chaboo coll. ( EMEC) .

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Mr. Theodore Kheel, owner of the land where the holotype was collected and sponsor of a research program on insect fauna.

Remarks. Because the forewings are much longer than the tegulae and the metanotum is distinctly developed and as broad as scutellum, E. kheeli resembles E. bestelmeyeri Olmi 1997 .

After the description of the female of E. kheeli , the key to the females of the world Embolemus published by Olmi (1997) can be modified by replacing the couplets 2 and 3 with the following new couplets:

1 Forewing at least twice as long as tegulae (Fig. 27 in Olmi, 1995a; fig. 1); metanotum distinctly developed (Fig. 27 in Olmi, 1995a) ............................................................. 2

­ Forewing shorter, approximately as long as tegulae ( Fig. 5 in Olmi, 1995a); metanotum less developed, invisible or hardly visible ( Fig. 5 in Olmi, 1995a) ....................... 4

2 Metanotum as broad as scutellum (Fig. 15 in Olmi, 1997); palpal formula 3/2 or 4/2. ......................................................................................................................................2’

­ Metanotum broader than scutellum (Fig. 27 in Olmi, 1995a); palpal formula 4/2, 5/2 or 6/2 ................................................................................................................................. 3

2’ Hind wings absent; 3 rd segment of the maxillary palpi slender ( Fig. 4 ); palpal formula 3/2; second segment of the labial palpi slender ( Fig. 5 ) ........... bestelmeyeri Olmi 1997

­ Hind wings present but reduced ( Fig. 1 ); 3 rd segment of the maxillary palpi very broad ( Fig. 2 ); palpal formula 4/2; second segment of the labial palpi very large ( Fig. 3 ) ...... .................................................................................................................. kheeli sp. nov.

3 Palpal formula 5/2 or 6/2; notauli at least partly visible (Figs 27 in Olmi, 1995a); scutellum approximately as long as broad; hind wings absent .. zealandicus Olmi 1995

­ Palpal formula 4/2; notauli absent; scutellum approximately twice as broad as long; hind wings present and reduced ................................................ notogeicus Olmi 1995

Figures

FIGURE 1. Embolemus kheeli sp. nov. (female holotype; length 2.25 mm).

FIGURES 2–5. Embolemus kheeli sp. nov. (female holotype). 2. Maxillary palpi (scale bar: 0.037 mm); 3. Labial palpi (scale bar: 0.032 mm). Embolemus bestelmeyeri Olmi (female holotype). 4. Maxillary palpi (scale bar: 0.022 mm); 5. Labial palpi (scale bar: 0.022 mm).