Synergus beutenmulleri Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar 2021, sp. nov.

Synergus beutenmulleri Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov.

(Figures 5–6, 42a)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4D3D86BE-201C-4D63-A36D-01DF97AC8B02

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀ deposited in JP-V coll. (UB) with the following labels: ‘ MEX: P141, Sierra Fría (Aguascalientes, AGS), 22°11’51.1’’N, 102°35’29.5’’W’ (white label) / ‘Ex. Andricus sp., 2464m, Q. potosina, (14. ii.2011) 17.ii.2011, E. Estrada & A. Equihua leg.’ (white label) / ‘Holotype ♀ Synergus beutenmulleri Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar, IL-V desig-2020’ (red label). PARATYPES (1♂ & 1♀) deposited in JP-V coll. (UB) with the same data as the holotype.

Etymology. Named in honor of William Beutenmüller (1864–1934), American entomologist specializing in Lepidoptera, but also an active collector and taxonomist of all orders, including Hymenoptera and gall wasps.

Diagnosis. Synergus beutenmulleri, sp. nov. belongs to a group of species characterized by having the mesopleuron entirely sculptured, covered with non-parallel, transverse striae, somewhat reticulated anteriorly; hyaline wings and radial cell of fore wing at most 2.5 times as long as wide; gena not broadened behind eye; POL longer than OOL; F1 as long as F2 and female antenna with 14 segments; lateral pronotum wrinkled or carinated, at least ventrally; mesoscutum with transversal carinae, interspaces sculptured; notauli complete, reaching the posterior margin of pronotum; tarsal claws with a strong basal lobe; first metasomal segment completely sulcate dorsally and laterally; syntergum with a posterior wide band of micropunctures, weakly dorsodistally incised in females; and body of females at least with some dark surfaces, never completely yellowish. Synergus beutenmulleri, sp. nov. is morphologically close to S. linnei, sp. nov. (see below), from which differs by having the lower face with widely spaced striae (Fig. 6a) (dense in S. linnei, sp. nov., Fig. 22a); lateral frontal carinae thick and branched distally (Fig. 6a) (narrow and branched in their entire length in S. linnei, sp. nov., Fig. 22a); and flagellomeres, especially the first ones, slender and long, F1 about 9 times as long as wide (Fig. 6c) (not as slender and long, F1 about 5 times as long as wide in S. linnei, sp. nov., Fig. 22c), among others (see the identification key).

Description

FEMALE. Length. Body length 3.2–3.3 mm (n = 2).

Color (Fig. 5a, b, e). Body mainly yellow, with some dark surfaces. Frons and vertex medially, and occiput, black; lower face and gena, yellow. Antenna dark yellow to testaceous. Pronotum mainly yellow, anterodorsally black; mesoscutum mainly yellowish orange, tinged with some infuscate surfaces anteriorly and laterally; mesoscutellum yellowish orange; scutellar foveae black; mesopleural triangle black; mesopleuron yellowish orange dorsally and medially, black ventrally; propodeum black; tegulae pale yellow. Metasoma dorsally, anterolaterally and ventrally, dark chestnut to black, yellow laterally. Legs pale yellow, metatarsi dark. Wings hyaline, veins brown.

Head. In frontal view (Figs 5e, 6a) subquadrate, about 1.2 times as wide as high, gena not broadened behind eye. Face faintly pubescent, lower face with widely spaced striae radiating from clypeus, reaching eyes and toruli; medial striae also present. Clypeus indistinct, ventral margin almost straight, not projected over mandibles. Malar space about 0.5 times as long as height of eye. Anterior tentorial pits visible; pleurostomal and epistomal sulcus absent. Transfacial line about as long as height of eye. Toruli situated mid-height of eyes; distance between torulus and eye shorter than diameter of toruli; distance between toruli shorter than diameter of toruli. Frons coriaceous, with some wrinkles, without punctures; frontal carinae thick, branched distally and reaching lateral ocelli. Head in dorsal view (Fig. 6b) is 2.1 times as wide as long. Vertex coriaceous, with some wrinkles and a few scarce punctures. POL: OOL: LOL = 8: 5: 3.5 and diameter of lateral ocelli, 4. Occiput coriaceous.

Antenna (Fig. 6c). 14-segmented (6: 3.5: 13: 13: 13: 13: 13: 11: 9.5: 6.5: 5.5: 5: 4.5: 8); long, filiform and thin; pubescence dense and short; placodeal sensilla visible on flagellar segments F3–F12. Pedicel about 1.2 times as long as wide; F1 as long as F2 (F1 sometimes slightly longer), F2 as long as F3. Last flagellar segment 4.0 times as long as wide and almost 2.0 times as long as F11.

Mesosoma. About 1.1 times as long as high in lateral view including nucha, with short and not dense pubescence (Fig. 6g). Ratio of length of pronotum medially/laterally: 0.33. Pronotal plate only defined anteriorly, not reaching the pronotal margin. Lateral pronotum strongly coriaceous to imbricate, with weak carinae ventrally; lateral carina absent, pronotum rounded seen from above. Mesoscutum (Figs 5b, 6i) about 1.2 times as wide as long, weakly and densely discontinuously carinated, interspaces alutaceous; anterior parallel lines shallow but visible, extended somewhat more than 1/3 of the mesoscutal length; notauli complete and visible in their whole length, interrupted by carinae anteriorly, wider and slightly convergent posteriorly; median mesoscutal line absent; parapsidal lines weakly impressed, surpassing tegulae. Mesoscutellum (Figs 5b, 6i) rounded, about as long as wide, strongly wrinkled; circumscutellar carina weak but visible, obscured by wrinkles; scutellar foveae subtriangular to ovate, well impressed and defined, weakly sculptured bottom and separated by a narrow carina. Mesopleuron (Fig. 6g) densely and irregularly striated, reticulated anteriorly; slightly pubescent basally. Metapleural sulcus reaches about 3/4 parts of mesopleural height. Propodeum (Fig. 6d) weakly sculptured and densely pubescent; propodeal carinae thick, straight and convergent posteriorly. Nucha weakly sulcate dorsally and laterally.

Legs. Tarsal claws with a strong basal lobe (Fig. 6e).

Wings. Fore wing pubescent with short marginal setae, about as long as body length (Fig. 5a). Radial cell closed, about 2.5 times as long as wide; areolet small, only posterior vein well pigmented (Fig. 6f). Rs+M inconspicuous, not reaching the basal vein. Basal cell with moderately dense pubescence.

Metasoma. About as long as head plus mesosoma, 1.2 times as long as high in lateral view (Figs 5a, 6h). First metasomal segment sulcate dorsally and laterally. Syntergum smooth, with an anterolateral pubescence composed of a few setae and posteriorly with a complete wide band of micropunctures extended somewhat more than 1/2 of its length (Fig. 6h, dot line); dorsodistally incised (Fig. 6j), not pointed; following segments not visible, micropunctate. Hypopygial spine about as long as wide and with a few lateral setae; without apical setae (Fig. 6h).

MALE (Fig. 5c, d). Similar to female, except for the following: body length 2.3 mm (n = 1). Antenna 15-segmented (6: 3: 10.5: 11.5: 10: 9.5: 8: 7: 6: 5: 4.5: 4: 4: 4: 5.5) (Fig. 5c); F1 about as long as F2 or slightly shorter than F2; F1 straight, almost not incised medially, very slightly modified (Fig. 5d). POL: OOL: LOL = 7: 3.5: 3.5 and diameter of lateral ocelli, 2. Mesopleuron more strongly sculptured, the reticulated sculpture more conspicuous. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum more densely and strongly sculptured. Notauli weakly impressed anteriorly and obscured by the sculpture. Propodeal carinae not well defined. Metasoma shorter than head plus mesosoma and about as long as wide. Mesosoma completely black, metasoma chestnut, metatibiae infuscate (Fig. 5c).

Distribution. Mexico: Aguascalientes.

Biology. Reared from tuberous galls induced by an undetermined species of Andricus (Fig. 42a) on Q. potosina.