Gonatocerus (Lymaenon) vidanoi (Viggiani & Jesu, 1986)

(Figs 199, 200)

Lymaenon vidanoi Viggiani & Jesu 1986: 29 –31.

Type locality: Susa, Turin Prov., Piedmont, Italy.

Lymaenon vidanoi Viggiani & Jesu: Viggiani & Jesu 1988: 1023 (host association).

Gonatocerus vidanoi (Viggiani & Jesu): Zeya & Hayat 1995: 121 (considered very close to G. delhiensis (Narayanan & Subba Rao) from India).

Type material examined. Holotype female [DEZA] on slide labeled: “ Lymaenon: Ƥ vidanoi sp. n. olotipo ex. uova Gargara genistae su: Susa (La Brunetta) 18.VII.85 det. G. Viggiani prep. R. Jesu”. It was examined and photographed during a brief visit of DEZA but unfortunately measurements could not be taken.

Distribution. PALAEARCTIC: Italy (Viggiani & Jesu 1986 [as Lymaenon vidanoi]).

Redescription. FEMALE. Body length and coloration as described by Viggiani & Jesu (1986).

Antenna (Fig. 199) with radicle about 0.34× total length of scape, rest of scape about 2.8× as long as wide; pedicel longer than F1; F1–F3 short, F4 a little longer than preceding funicle segments and a little shorter than following ones, F1–F4 without mps, F5–F8 more or less subequal in length, each with 2 mps; clava with 10 mps, 3.4× as long as wide, a little shorter than combined length of F6–F8.

Fore wing (Fig. 200) about 3.3× as long as wide; longest marginal seta about 0.31× maximum wing width. Fore wing disc hyaline, bare behind submarginal vein, sparsely setose between marginal vein and cubital row of setae, and densely setose elsewhere.

Metasoma longer than mesosoma. Ovipositor occupying about 0.8× length of gaster, exserted slightly beyond its apex; ovipositor length: mesotibia length ratio about 2.4:1 according to Viggiani & Jesu (1986), more recently confirmed by Riccardo Jesu (personal communication).

MALE. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Gonatocerus vidanoi is characterized by F5–F8 each with 2 mps. It differs from G. africanus in having F3 shorter than F4 (Fig. 199) (about as long as F4 or slightly longer in G. africanus, Figs 58, 61) and from that of G. longior in having 2 mps on F6 (0 or 1 in G. longior).

Host. Gargara genistae (Fabricius) (Membracidae) (Viggiani & Jesu 1986, 1988) [as Lymaenon vidanoi].

Comments. The following three females are tentatively attributed here to G. vidanoi although they also could represent a separate, undescribed species: ITALY. LAZIO: Roma Prov., Caldara di Manziana, 42°05.607’N 12°05.906’E, 305 m, 10.vi.2003, M. Bologna, J. Munro, A. Owen, J.D. Pinto [2 Ƥ, UCRC]. Viterbo Prov., Roccaccia, 42°19.809’N 11°45.671’E, 125 m, 10.vi.2003, M. Bologna, J. Munro, A. Owen, J.D. Pinto [1 Ƥ, UCRC]. They differ from the holotype of G. vidanoi in several minor features as follows. Body length about 1000 µm (dry-mounted specimen). Body (Fig. 202) mostly brown, with some light brown; scape, pedicel, and legs light brown to brown, flagellum brown. Antenna (Fig. 201) with radicle somewhat longer, and scape narrower; mps on F6–F8 (2), and clava (10). Fore wing (Fig. 203) 3.1–3.2× as long as wide, with disc more or less uniformly setose behind marginal vein. Hind wing (Fig. 203) about 21× as long as wide. Ovipositor 1.8–1.9× as long as mesotibia.

I disagree with Zeya & Hayat’s (1995) opinion that G. vidanoi may be very close to, if not the same as, G. (Lymaenon) delhiensis (Narayanan & Subba Rao) from India because the latter species has a notably shorter ovipositor (1.0–1.3× length of mesotibia).