Amphibolips turulli Pujade-Villar & Cuesta-Porta 2020, n. sp.

Amphibolips turulli Pujade-Villar & Cuesta-Porta n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F51F1267-B3D4-4703-AD94-F03E9F16C400

Type material. HOLOTYPE. ♀ (deposited in UB) with the following labels: “ MEXICO, Predio La Victoria, Aco-caxoithlan, Hidalgo ” (white label), “ Q. affinis, (12.vi.2012) 1–7.vii.2012 U. Barrera-Ruiz leg.” (white label). Holo-type Amphibolips turulli Pujade Villar & Cuesta-Porta n. sp., desig. Cuesta-Porta, 2020” (red label).

Additional material. Deposited in UB with the following labels: “S318, MEXICO, Propiedad la Victoria, Bar-rio la Tlazintla, Acaxochitlán, Hidalgo, (08.vi.2010) only galls (UB), Ex Quercus sp., leg. U. Barrera-Ruiz ”.

Etymology. Named in honour of Jordi Turull i Negre.

Diagnosis. The new species is characterized by the forewing colouration completely infuscate except for two hyaline zones: one incomplete clear cross band on distal third not reaching posterior margin of wing, and a second clear basal half of discoidal cell; the female is characterized by a strong emarginate mesoscutellum, forming a Vshaped depression; mesoscutellum with two posterolateral horn-like projections bent upwards. Closely resembles A. dampfi. The new species differs from A. dampfi by the laterad coriaceous area of parapsidal lines (rugose in A. dampfi) and turgescent leaf gall (large fragile subglobose bud gall in A. dampfi). It is the only species in Mexico and Central America with turgescent galls.

Description. (Figs 10 A–10F).

Female. Body length: 7.5 mm (N=1)

Colour. Head black, except chestnut brown mandibles; antennae black on basal half and chestnut to brown distally, mesosoma black, coxae and femur black, tibiae and tarsi brown, metasoma black.

Head (Figs 10 B–10C) quadrangular in anterior view, 2.6x as broad as long from above, 1.2x as broad as high in anterior view and slightly narrower than mesosoma; frons and lower face uniformly rugose with alutaceous interspaces; frons with scattered setae, lower face with white setae. Gena faintly rugose with alutaceous interspaces, broadened behind eye, visible behind eyes in anterior view, 1.2x as broad as cross diameter of eye; malar space dull, faintly rugose; height of eye 1.3x as long as length of malar space. POL subequal to OOL; diameter of lateral ocellus 1.7x as long as LOL; ocelli ovate. Transfacial distance 1.6x as broad as height of eye; diameter of antennal torulus 3.3x as long as distance between toruli, distance between torulus and inner margin of eye 1.2–1.3x as long as diameter of torulus, faint irregular carina going from ventral margin of toruli to tentorial pits. Clypeus smooth, ovate, projected over mandibles, with ventral margin slightly sinuate; anterior tentorial pits deep, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal lines obscured, hardly traceable. Frons, vertex, interocellar area and occiput uniformly rugose with alutaceous interspaces. Occiput with dorsal faint carina. Labial palpus 3-segmented, maxillary palpus 5-segmented.

Antenna (Fig. 10E) with 11 flagellomeres; slightly longer than head+mesosoma, scape 1.6x as long as pedicel; pedicel subglobose, slightly broader than long; F1 1.5x as long as scape+pedicel and 1.6x as long as F2; F2 1.2x as long as F3; F3 nearly equal in length to F4 and F5 respectively, subsequent flagellomeres shorter, F11 2.6x as long as F10; placodeal sensilla visible on F4–F11, absent on F1–F3.

Mesosoma (Figs 10 C–10D) 1.2x as long as high. Pronotal plate smooth, rugate laterally; propleuron black. Mesoscutum uniformly rugose with alutaceous interspaces; round, 0.9x as long as broad in dorsal view (largest width measured across mesoscutum on the level of tegulae base). Notauli incomplete, almost reaching anterior margin, distinct under rugose sculpture, sulci sculptured as rest of mesoscutum, rugae forming subparallel transverse carinae; anterior parallel lines visible under sculpture, elevate, surrounded by alutaceous sculpture, extending to almost half of mesoscutum length; parapsidal lines distinct, originating from posterior margin and extending to nearly half length of mesoscutum, elevated, alutaceous; median mesoscutal sulcus absent; parascutal carina short, extending to level of tegula. Mesoscutellum 0.5x as long as mesoscutum, coarsely dull rugose, quadrangular, as broad as long, overhanging metanotum, emarginate laterally, with posterolateral horn-like projections pointing upwards; scutellar foveae round, deep, and dull with transversal carinae, lateral sides of foveae, limited posteriorly by coarsely rugate sculpture. Longitudinal median depression crossing the mesoscutellum including foveae, narrow anteriorly, broadening posteriorly, emarginate laterally by irregular carinae, dull rugose; transversal carina crossing depression at half height in posterior view, depression continues to posterior margin of mesoscutellum. Mesopleuron uniformly rugose with alutaceous interspaces and sparse pubescent, some rugae orientated into transverse subparallel striae. Mesopleural triangle rugose; dorsoaxillar area rugose; lateral axillar area and axillula faintly rugose, with few short, white setae; subaxilular bar smooth, shining, with parallel sides on anterior part, its height less than height of metanotal trough, most posterior part extending to half height of mesoscutellum; postalar process long, with parallel striae; metapleural sulcus hidden under dull rugose sculpture. Metascutellum uniformly faintly rugoso-coriaceous, metanotal trough smooth, with sparse white setae; ventral impressed area alutaceous, slightly shorter than height of metascutellum; central propodeal area rugate, shining; lateral propodeal carinae distinct, partially covered by sculpture, subparallel, curves outwards medially, extended posteriorly to lateral sides of nucha; lateral propodeal area with irregular strong wrinkles and dense white setae; nucha short, alutaceous with faint wrinkles.

Legs with coxae and femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown, with sparse short white setae; tarsal claws with basal lobe.

Forewing (Fig. 10A) longer than body, with short dense cilia on margin; completely infuscate, except from transversal stripe covering basal half of discoidal cell; distal third with clear longitudinal stripe extended posteriorly not reaching margin of wing, covering distal third of radial medial to half-height of discoidal cell; veins dark brown; radial cell narrow, heavily infuscate basally, long, opened on margin, 3.3x as long as broad; R1 nearly reaching wing margin; areolet visible, elongate towards basalis, closed; Rs+M reaching basalis at its half height.

Metasoma (Fig. 10F) as long as head+mesosoma, slightly longer than high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum reaching 2/3 of length of metasoma, smooth, shining, with short sparse setae laterally; conspicuous punctuation on almost posterior half, punctures becoming progressively fainter on anterior part, posterior margin with a very narrow smooth band, without punctures; all subsequent terga dorsally and laterally uniformly and entirely micropunctate, with a narrow smooth band posteriorly on each tergum. Ventral spine of hypopygium robust, short, needle-like, prominent part 3.3x as long as broad, with two rows of white setae each side, extending beyond apex of spine.

Gall (Figs 14 F–G). A turgescent spherical gall located on the underside of leaves. The body of the gall is globose, with greatest diameter near middle of the gall measured from base to apex, up to 20–25 mm. The gall is thin-walled, olive green when mature and turns wrinkled when dry, with smooth and naked surface, succulent, with central ovate hard-walled larval chamber, with largest length of 5.0– 6.5 mm.

Hosts. Quercus affinis.

Biology. Only females are known. The mature galls were collected in late June; adults emerged in early July.

Distribution. Mexico: Hidalgo State.

Remarks. The gall of this new species is not usual for Mexican Amphibolips species, but two North American species have similar galls on the underside of leaves: A. quercusracemaria (Ashmead, 1881) from Florida (USA) on Q. laurifolia and A. nubilipennis (Harris, 1841) from Massachusetts on several species of red oaks. Nevertheless, the sculpture of the mesoscutum and the colour pattern of wings are different in A. quercusracemaria and A. nubilipennis.