Glyptapanteles juanvargasi Arias-Penna, sp. nov.

Glyptapanteles juanvargasi Arias-Penna, sp. nov.Fig. 136

Male.

Body length 2.73 mm, antenna length 4.06 mm, fore wing length 3.63 mm.

Type material.

Holotype: ECUADOR • 1♀; EC-30777, YY-A173; Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station, Río Pumayacu, Quebrada Pumayacu; cloud forest; 2,000 m; - 0.604722, -77.880833; 26.iv.2008; CAPEA leg.; caterpillar collected in third instar; cocoon formed on 30.iv.2008; adult parasitoid emerged on 14.vi.2008; (PUCE).

Diagnosis.

Edges of median area on T2 obscured by weak longitudinal stripes (Fig. 136H, I), scutellar punctation scattered throughout (Fig. 136F, G), in lateral view, metasoma curved (Fig. 136A, K), inner margin of eyes straight throughout (Fig. 136B), oetiole on T1 with rugae all over except antero-median depression (Fig. 136H, I), propodeum with a median longitudinal dent (Fig. 136G), lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 clearly defined and reaching the distal edge of T2 (Fig. 136H, I), and fore wing with outer side of junction of r and 2RS veins not forming a stub (Fig. 136L).

Coloration

(Fig. 136 A–M). General body coloration polished black except scape, pedicel, and all antennal flagellomeres (on both sides) dark brown; labrum and mandibles yellow-brown; glossa, maxillary and labial palps, and tegulae yellow; apex and dorsal furrow of pronotum with brown-red/reddish tints. Eyes black and ocelli reddish (in preserved specimen). Fore and middle legs yellow except brown claws; hind legs yellow except black coxae with apex yellow, femora with a small brown area in the apex, tibia with 1/3 distal and proximally with a small band brown, and tarsomeres brown. Petiole on T1 black and sublateral areas yellow; T2 with median and adjacent areas brown, and lateral ends yellow-brown; T3 completely brown except a small area in the proximal half of lateral ends; T4 and beyond brown; distally each tergum with a narrow yellowish translucent band. In lateral view, T1-2 yellow; T3 yellow, dorsally with an extended brown area; T4 and beyond brown. S1-4 yellow and remaining sterna brown.

Description.

Head (Fig. 136 A–D). Head rhomboid with pubescence long and dense. Proximal three antennal flagellomeres longer than wide (0.31:0.09, 0.31:0.09, 0.31:0.09), distal antennal flagellomere longer than penultimate (0.20:0.06, 0.15:0.07), antenna longer than body (4.06, 2.73); antennal scrobes-frons sloped and forming a shelf. Face with depression only laterally, punctations barely noticeable, interspaces smooth and longitudinal median carina present. Frons smooth. Temple wide, punctations barely noticeable and interspaces clearly smooth. Inner margin of eyes straight throughout; in lateral view, eye anteriorly convex and posteriorly straight. POL subequal in length with OOL (0.11, 0.12). Malar suture absent or difficult to see. Median area between lateral ocelli without depression. Vertex laterally rounded and dorsally wide.

Mesosoma (Fig. 136A, F, G, J). Mesosoma dorsoventrally convex. Distal 1/3 of mesoscutum with lateral margin slightly dented, punctation distinct throughout, interspaces smooth. Scutellum triangular, apex sloped and fused with BS, but not in the same plane, scutellar punctation scattered throughout, in profile scutellum flat and on same plane as mesoscutum, phragma of the scutellum partially exposed; BS only very partially overlapping the MPM; ATS demilune with complete undulate/reticulate carinae; dorsal ATS groove with carinae only proximally. Transscutal articulation with small and heterogeneous foveae, area just behind transscutal articulation nearly at the same level as mesoscutum (flat) and with same kind of sculpture as mesoscutum. Metanotum with BM convex, MPM oval/circular with a short proximal carina; AFM with a small lobe and not as well delineated as PFM; PFM thick, smooth and with lateral ends rounded; ATM proximally with sculpture distally without a well delimited smooth area. Propodeum with medium-sized sculpture and with a median longitudinal dent, but no trace of median longitudinal carina, proximal half weakly curved; distal edge of propodeum with a flange at each side and without stubs; propodeal spiracle distally framed by a short concave carina; nucha surrounded by long radiating carinae. Pronotum with a distinct dorsal furrow, dorsally with a well-defined smooth band; central area of pronotum and both dorsal and ventral furrows smooth. Propleuron with fine punctations throughout and dorsally without a carina. Metasternum convex. Contour of mesopleuron convex; precoxal groove deep, smooth and shiny; epicnemial ridge convex, teardrop-shaped.

Legs. Ventral margin of fore telotarsus entire without seta, fore telotarsus proximally narrow and distally wide and longer than fourth tarsomere (0.16, 0.07). Hind coxa with dorsal half sparsely punctate, ventral half densely punctate, and dorsal outer depression present. Inner spur of hind tibia longer than outer spur (0.30, 0.23), entire surface of hind tibia with dense strong spines clearly differentiated by color and length. Hind telotarsus as equal in length as fourth tarsomere (0.15, 0.15).

Wings (Fig. 136L, M). Fore wing with r vein curved; 2RS vein straight; r and 2RS veins forming a weak, even curve at their junction and outer side of junction not forming a stub; 2M vein straight; distally fore wing [where spectral veins are] with microtrichiae more densely concentrated than the rest of the wing; anal cell 1/3 proximally lacking microtrichiae; subbasal cell with microtrichiae virtually throughout; veins 2CUa and 2CUb completely spectral; vein 2 cu-a present as spectral vein, sometimes difficult to see; vein 2-1A proximally tubular and distally spectral, although sometimes difficult to see; tubular vein 1 cu-a straight and complete, but junction with 1-1A vein spectral. Hind wing with vannal lobe very narrow, subdistally and subproximally straightened, and setae evenly scattered in the margin.

Metasoma (Fig. 136A, H, I, K). Metasoma curved. Petiole on T1 with rugae all over except antero-median depression, virtually parallel-sided over most of length, but barely narrowing over distal 1/3, apex truncate (length 0.47, maximum width 0.19, minimum width 0.14), and with scattered pubescence on distal half. Lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 clearly defined and reaching the distal edge of T2 (length median area 0.18, length T2 0.18), edges of median area obscured by weak longitudinal stripes, median area broader than long (length 0.18, maximum width 0.29, minimum width 0.13); T2 scarce pubescence throughout. T3 longer than T2 (0.21, 0.18) and with scattered pubescence throughout.

Cocoon (Figs 4B, 136E). Beige oval cocoon with messy/disordered/fluffy silk fibers and body of cocoon with disorganized and tangled silk.

Comments.

Body with dense pubescence.

Female.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Juan Manuel Vargas Rojas is a Colombian entomologist. His research is focused mainly on Hymenoptera (Bethylidae) and Hemiptera (Cicadellidae) and he works at the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), Bogotá, Colombia.

Distribution.

Parasitized caterpillar was collected in Ecuador, Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station (Río Pumayacu and Quebrada Pumayacu), during April 2008 at 2,000 m in cloud forest.

Biology.

The lifestyle of this parasitoid species is solitary.

Host.

Undetermined species of Pyralidae feeding on Boehmeria sp. (Urticaceae). Caterpillar was collected in third instar.