Synopeas psychotriae Buhl, 2013

Awad, Jessica, Bremer, Jonathan S., Butterill, Philip T., Moore, Matthew R. & Talamas, Elijah J., 2021, A taxonomic treatment of Synopeas Foerster (Platygastridae, Platygastrinae) from the island of New Guinea, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 5-65 : 5

Synopeas psychotriae Buhl, 2013

Description.

Body length 1.3-1.4 mm. Body color: dark brown. Color of legs: coxae brown, otherwise yellow. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: circular; slightly ovoid. Central keel: complete and weakly developed. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: minute rugulae; reticulate microsculpture. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: medial setae closer to each other than to lateral setae. Shape of mandible: bidentate. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): less than 1 ocellar diameter. Hyperoccipital carina: complete. Hyperoccipital carina strength: uniformly weak. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: less than 1 ocellar diameter; approximately 1 ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present dorsally, absent ventrally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: 1/4 to 1/2. Mesoscutellar spine: short and pointed. Mesoscutellar spine in lateral view: pointing posteriorly; angled posterodorsally. Posterior margin of lateral propodeal carina in lateral view: pointed dorsally and ventrally. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: well impressed. Setation of mesoscutum: sparse. Mesoscutal lamella: broad and square. Setation of mesoscutellum: laterally dense, medially sparse.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: narrow band at posterior margin. Sculpture of T2: absent; narrow transverse band of microsculpture at posterior margin. Length of T2: shorter than mesosoma; approximately as long as mesosoma.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of forewing: shorter than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: sparse. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: setose distally, glabrous proximally. Forewing marginal setae: approximately uniform in length on anterior and posterior margins.

Diagnosis.

The parapsidal lines of S. psychotriae are well impressed (Fig. 20A ), distinguishing it from the similar S. luli , which has unmarked or very faint parapsidal lines. The metasomal microsculpture of S. psychotriae is minimal, being absent or restricted to very narrow bands at the posterior margins of each segment, whereas S. sanga , S. occultum , and S. kira have more extensive metasomal sculpturing (Fig. 6 ). There is no central keel, but rather an impressed line running from the toruli to the median ocellus. The mesoscutellar spine may be angled posteriorly or posterodorsally.

Comments.

The female types of S. psychotriae have a posterodorsally pointed mesoscutellar spine. The male specimen has a posteriorly pointed mesoscutellar spine, while that of the female from the same gall is posterodorsally pointed. The angle of the mesoscutellar spine may be sexually dimorphic in this species, but more specimens are needed for confirmation.

Plant associations.

Reared from galls on Psychotria ramuensis ( Rubiaceae ).

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, 5°08'S, 145°47'E, 27.I-5.IV.2011, Philip Butterill leg., Psychotria ramuensis (USNMENT01335972) . Paratype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, 5°08'S, 145°47'E, 27.I-5.IV.2011, Philip Butterill leg., Psychotria ramuensis (USNMENT01335982) . Other material: Papua New Guinea: ♀ ♂, Morobe, Ohu , 5.233°S, 145.686°E, 22.II.2011, Philip Butterill leg., Psychotria ramuensis , (FSCA 00090261, 00094619) .

Figures

Figure 6. Sculpture of metasomal sternite 2 A S. sanga (FSCA 00000399) B S. occultum (FSCA 00090403) C S. roncavei (FSCA 00090249) D S. kira (FSCA 00000398) E S. codex (FSCA 00034030) F S. luli (FSCA 00090412). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 20. Dorsal mesosoma showing parapsidal lines A S. psychotriae (FSCA 00090261) B S. butterilli (FSCA 00090264). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.