Horismenus elisae Pikart

Pikart, Tiago G., Costa, Valmir A., Hansson, Christer, De Cristo, Sandra C. & Vitorino, Marcelo D., 2017, A survey for potential biological control agents of Pereskia aculeata Miller (Cactaceae) in Brazil reveals two new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4272 (3), pp. 430-438 : 431-433

Horismenus elisae Pikart , Costa & Hansson, sp. nov.

Figs 1–2, 5 , 7–12

Type material. Holotype female (MZSP) point mounted, with label “BRASIL-SC-Itajaí, [26°54'29"S, 48°39'43"W], Ex Adetus analis em Pereskia aculeata , col. SC Cristo, 10.vi.2013 ”. Paratypes. 6♀ (3♀ MZSP, 3♀ BMNH) with same label data as holotype.

One specimen with head, without antennae, glued separately to the point. Some specimens with expanded gaster and/or ballooned wings.

Diagnosis. Antennal scrobes join below frontal suture ( Fig. 7 ); upper frons with two spots of raised reticulation running from frontal suture to anterior ocellus ( Fig. 8 , arrows); malar sulcus present ( Fig. 7 , arrow); mesoscutum with engraved and strong reticulation, midlobe anterolaterally with raised and strong reticulation, and remaining parts with engraved reticulation ( Fig. 10 ), lateral lobes with outer margin with raised and strong reticulation ( Fig. 10 ); mesoscutum metallic dark blue, and scutellum shiny black ( Fig. 2 ); propodeal callus with three setae ( Fig. 11 ); femora dark brown with dark blue tinges with yellowish-white apex ( Fig. 1 ), mid and hind tibiae pale brown to brown with yellowish-white apex, fore tibia pale brown to brown with brownish-white apex; propodeum with anterolateral foveae large and rounded laterally, almost reaching plicae ( Fig. 11 ); petiole dorsomedially with a weak and narrow reticulate longitudinal carina ( Fig. 12 , arrow); first gastral tergite 0.9× as long as wide.

Similar to Horismenus steirastomae (Girault) , but with upper frons with engraved reticulation and with two areas of raised reticulation running from frontal suture to anterior ocellus ( Fig. 8 , arrows), malar sulcus present ( Fig. 7 , arrow), mesoscutum and scutellum with stronger reticulation ( Fig. 10 ) and different color ( Fig. 2 ). Also similar to H. vitorinoi , described herein, but with scutellum shiny black ( Fig. 2 ), midlobe of mesoscutum with strong and raised reticulation only anterolaterally and remaining parts with engraved reticulation ( Fig. 10 ), scutellum with weaker reticulation ( Fig. 10 ), propodeum with median carina narrower and submedian grooves wider ( Fig. 11 ), fore wing with fewer admarginal setae, and gaster with first tergite shorter and less reticulate ( Fig. 12 , arrows).

Description. Female. Length 1.8–2.1 mm.

Color. Antenna dark brown with dark blue to golden-green tinges ( Fig. 1 ). Lower frons and area just above frontal suture shiny black, upper frons metallic dark blue with two shiny black areas ( Fig. 5 , arrows), remaining parts metallic dark blue. Vertex metallic dark blue. Mesoscutum metallic dark blue, midlobe anteriorly and lateral lobes with raised-reticulate parts shiny black ( Fig. 2 ). Scutellum shiny black with dark blue tinges, posterior margin metallic dark blue ( Fig. 2 ). Dorsellum metallic dark blue to metallic dark blue with green tinges, anterior foveae shiny black. Propodeum metallic blue to metallic blue with green to golden-green tinges, reticulate parts shiny black ( Fig. 2 ). Fore coxa dark brown with dark blue to greenish-blue tinges, mid and hind coxae dark brown with dark blue tinges; femora dark brown with dark blue tinges with apex yellowish-white, mid and hind tibiae pale brown to brown with apex yellowish-white, tarsi yellowish-white with 4th tarsomere brown ( Fig. 1 ); fore tibia pale brown to brown with apex brownish-white, fore tarsus brownish-white to pale brown with 4th tarsomere brown ( Fig. 1 ). Wings hyaline. Petiole shiny black. Gaster with first tergite shiny black, with dark blue tinges in anterior one-half and along posterior margin; remaining tergites shiny black with dark blue tinges along posterior margins.

Head. Antenna as in Fig. 9 . Frons ( Fig. 8 ) with interscrobal area smooth and shiny, lower frons with raised and strong reticulation, area just above frontal suture smooth and shiny to very weakly reticulate, upper frons engravedreticulate with two areas of raised reticulation running from frontal suture to anterior ocellus ( Fig. 8 , arrows), clypeal area very weakly reticulate, area below antennal toruli weakly reticulate; frontal suture V-shaped and not reaching eyes; antennal scrobes joining below frontal suture. Malar sulcus present ( Fig. 7 , arrow). Vertex with engraved reticulation ( Fig. 8 ); median groove indicated posteriorly. Occipital margin rounded.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum with engraved and strong reticulation, midlobe anterolaterally with raised and strong reticulation, lateral lobes with outer margins with raised and strong reticulation ( Fig. 10 ); notauli complete. Scutellum with engraved and very weak reticulation, smooth and shiny close to median groove and along posterior margin ( Fig. 10 ); median groove not reaching posterior margin. Dorsellum convex, smooth and shiny; with two large anterior foveae strongly reticulate ( Fig. 11 ). Propodeum smooth and shiny, submedian grooves, posterior onefourth to one-third of median carina, nucha and plicae raised-reticulate ( Fig. 11 ); anterolateral foveae large and with rounded sides, almost reaching plicae ( Fig. 11 , arrow); propodeal callus with three setae ( Fig. 11 ). Coxae smooth and shiny to very weakly reticulate. Fore wing with speculum closed below; with 13‒15 admarginal setae; costal cell bare.

Metasoma. Petiole dorsomedially with a weak and narrow, smooth longitudinal carina. Gaster with first tergite 0.9× as long as wide, smooth and shiny and with a reticulate band close to posterior margin ( Fig. 12 , arrows).

Ratios. DE/DO 5.2; WH/DE 1.8; HE/MS/WM 2.4/1.0/1.3; POL/OOL/POO 8.8/3.0/1.0; WH/WT 1.2; LW/LM/ HW 1.8/1.2/1.0; PM/ST 1.1; LC/WC 3.7; WG/WC 1.1; LS/LT 0.2; LP/WP 0.9; MM/LG 0.7.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. Named after Elisa Ciriaco de Cristo Bernabé, daughter of the fourth author (SCC).

Distribution. Brazil (Itajaí, SC).

Hosts. Specimens reared from larvae of Adetus analis ( Coleoptera : Cerambycidae ) on Pereskia aculeata (Cactaceae) .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Horismenus spp., females. 1 – 2, H. elisae, paratype: 1, habitus, lateral; 2, mesosoma, dorsal. 3 – 4, H. vitorinoi, paratype: 3, habitus, lateral; 4, mesosoma, dorsal. 5, H. elisae, paratype, vertex, showing two black areas (white arrows). 6, H. vitorinoi, paratype, vertex, showing two black areas (white arrows). Scale bars: 1, 3 = 500 µm; 2, 4 – 6 = 100 µm.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Horismenus elisae, female, paratypes: 7, head, frontal, with detail of malar sulcus (black arrow); 8, vertex, showing area of raised reticulation running from frontal suture to anterior ocellus (black arrows); 9, antenna, lateral; 10, mesosoma, dorsal, showing area of raised reticulation; 11, propodeum, showing anterolateral foveae with rounded sides almost reaching plicae (black arrow); 12, first gastral tergite, dorsal, showing a reticulate band close to posterior margin (black arrows) and petiole with a median carina (white arrow). Scale bars: 7 – 8, 10, 12 = 100 µm; 9, 11 = 50 µm.