Ooctonus zolnerowichi Huber

Huber, John T., 2013, Revision of Ooctonus in the Neotropical region and comparison with Boudiennyia (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), Zootaxa 3701 (1), pp. 1-23 : 10-11

Ooctonus zolnerowichi Huber , sp. n.

( Figs 6 , 11, 17, 21, 25)

Ooctonus sp.: Huber, 2012: 104 (barcoded).

Type material. Holotype ♀ in CNC, on slide ( Fig. 25 ) with two labels: 1. “ Mexico: Oaxaca Llano de las Flores, 15 mi NE. Ixtlan de Juarez 21.vii.1985, J. Woolley & G. Zolnerowich”. 2. “ Ooctonus zolnerowichi Huber ♀ holotype ”.

Paratypes (6 ♀, 1 ♂). MEXICO. Oaxaca. Same data as holotype (2♀, 1♂, CNC— 2 specimens barcoded: CNCHYM07520 and CNCHYM07521); Santiago Comaltepec, hwy 17 km 108, Cerro Humochico, 2948 m, 17.58º N 96.51º W, H. Clebsch, dense oak/pine forest, YPT (3♀, CNC, UCRC); Cerro Pelón, km 108.5, 2945m, 17º34.73'N 96º30.43'W, 27–28.vi.2006, alpine fir (1♀, CNC).

Diagnosis. Clava with one cluster of 2 bullae just beyond midpoint and at least 240 Μm long.

Females of O. zolnerowichi are very similar to those of O. clebschi , as discussed under the later species. Body length and colour of the male are described from the single, card-mounted male whose barcode matches that of the female (CNCHYM07521 [Genebank Accession Number KC 157693 ]). The specimen was soaked in a solution to extract DNA for barcoding prior to colour description so its colour may have been modified slightly. The only female that gave a useful barcode was slide mounted so its colour is not described.

Description. Female. Head. Width 348–387 (n=5). Vertex without stemmaticum ( Fig. 6 ). Mid ocellus diameter 22–27. Antenna. Measurements (length/width, n=7): scape 262–286/37–44, pedicel 70–78/41–44, fl1 73– 101/21–24, fl2 88–107/23–25, fl3 75–89/26–30, fl4 58–67/27–37, fl5 70–79/35–40, fl6 52–65/30–40, fl7 62–72/38– 46, fl8 63–71/43–52, clava 244–272/73–79. Flagellum (Fig. 11) total length 550–634; with 2 mps (exceptionally 1 on one antenna) on fl5, 1 mps (sometimes 2, exceptionally 0 on one antenna) on fl6, 2 mps on fl7 and fl8; fl2 the longest funicle segment; fl1–fl6 length/width ratios (n=6): fl1 3.80–4.36, fl2 3.75–4.67, fl3 2.95–3.15, fl4 1.82–2.46, fl5 1.74–2.11, fl6 1.36–1.74; clava 3.12–3.68× as long as wide, and longer than fl6– fl8 and sometimes even fl5–fl8, with 7 mps and one cluster of 2 bullae submedially. Mesosoma. Pronotum ( Fig. 17 ) with collar moderately short, with well defined transverse carina. Mesonotum midlobe with reticulate sculpture; scutellar seta long, extending posteriorly slightly past medially fairly straight frenal line; axilla reticulate, lateral panel of axilla and axillula smooth; frenum entirely reticulate. Metanotum with dorsellum smooth and lateral lobes with 1–3 longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 17 ). Propodeum ( Fig. 17 ) smooth between carinae; anterior margin with a stub slightly lateral to lateral margin of dorsellum; median areole separated from dorsellum by a short carina; plica slightly curved anteriorly, its anterior limit in line with apex of stub. Wings. Fore wing ( Fig. 21 ) length 1438–1738, width 507–674, length/width 2.58–2.82, and longest marginal setae 98–116, about 0.16–0.22× as long as greatest wing width (n=7). Hind wing ( Fig. 21 ) length 1078–1338 (n=7), width 66–80, and longest marginal setae 134–157. Metasoma. Petiole shorter than metacoxa + metatrochantellus. Gaster with ovipositor length 518–603 (n=5), 0.09–1.16× as long as metatibia length (498–575) and projecting slightly beyond gastral apex.

Male. Body length 1280 Μm (critical point dried, barcode CNCHYM07520 [Genebank Accession Number KC157694 ]). Head except mouthparts and mesosoma very dark brown, almost black, metasoma and procoxa brown; antenna dark brown except scape and pedicel laterally and ventrally yellow; petiole and legs except procoxa, yellow with a little brown on most of femora dorsally and laterally and on tibiae and apical tarsomere. Mid ocellus diameter 30. Antenna. Length (slide mounted after barcoding): scape 205, pedicel 70, fl1 135, fl2 140, fl3 140, fl4 140, fl5 140, fl6 135, fl7 135, fl8 130, fl9 130, fl10 130, fl11 135. Total flagellar length 1490; fl6 length/width 4.5.

Etymology. The species is described in honour of Greg Zolnerowich, a colleague at Kansas State University who collected some of the specimens.

Hosts and Habitat. Hosts are unknown. Specimens were collected in dense oak/pine forest and one was from a habitat with alpine fir.

Discussion Although the number and distribution of mps on one or two funicle segments of the left and right antenna can differ in the same specimen, this does not happen with the bullae of the clava. The distribution and number of claval bullae thus seem to be reliable features for distinguishing females of some Ooctonus species. In fact, females of two of the species treated here, O. clebschi and O. zolnerowichi , can only be separated reliably based on the distribution of bullae. Claval length is the only other feature that might be used to separate them. The two species are sympatric, having been collected together in at least two different Mexican localities. Ooctonus woolleyi was also collected in the same localities as O. clebschi . Again, the fact they are sympatric suggests they are good species. Had this not been the case the value of bullae numbers and distribution would be compromised, because it could be argued that the different locations and habitat in which the specimens were collected may be the reason for the differences. Additional barcoding of freshly collected females should confirm that O. clebschi and O. zolnerowichi are distinct species.

At least 14 Ooctonus species from outside the Neotropical region (Afrotropical, Nearctic, Palearctic) also have claval bullae. However, except for O. vulgatus , which has a row of several bullae, the bullae were not noticed by Huber (2012) or other authors because they are almost always only two of them, located together medially or submedially. Exceptions are O. novickyi Soyka with 3 bullae and O. triapitsyni Huber with 2–4 bullae. Two South African species are unusual. In O. capensis Huber the two bullae are U-shaped, different from the spherical bullae of most other species, whereas in O. infuscatus Huber there are 3 bullae so close together at the claval apex that they appear to be one large bulla. It would be interesting to find out more about their structure and function, and whether their number and distribution is always constant within a species.

Three Mexican specimens that yielded barcodes are clearly different morphologically and genetically from species found north of Mexico (Huber 2012, fig. 200). Two of the specimens [CNCHYM07520, CNCHYM07521] are included in O. zolnerowichi . The third specimen [CNCHYM07518] yielded a 121 bp barcode. When the two barcodes from O. zolnerowichi and CNCHYM07518 were aligned, five differences in base pairs were found. This indicates the presence of two species, which is supported by morphology. The pentagonal alveole in CNCHYM07518 abuts the dorsellum, as in O. costaricensis , but it is clearly a different species. Unfortunately, it is known only from males: from Puebla, 3.7 mi S. Zacapoaxtla (1 ♂, CNC), and Michoacan, 2 mi. S. Carapan (10 ♂, CNC) and 6 mi. S. Cheran (12 ♂, CNC). It cannot be described meaningfully until females are collected. Two other specimens [CNCHYM07517, CNCHYM07519] yielded no barcode and a trace barcode, respectively.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Ooctonus spp., head, holotypes. 1, O. clebschi, anterior; 2, O. clebschi, posterior; 3, O. costaricensis, anterior; 4, O. costaricensis, internal, showing tentorium, base of labrum with torma, and sitophore; 5, O. woolleyi, anterior; 6, O. zolnerowichi, anterior. ata = anterior tentorial arm. Scale bars are 100 µm.

FIGURES 18 – 25. Ooctonus spp., 18 – 21, wings; 22 – 25, type slides. 18, O. clebschi, holotype; 19, O. costaricensis, holotype; 20, O. woolleyi, holotype; 21, O. zolnerowichi, holotype; 22, O. clebschi; 23, O. costaricensis; 24, O. woolleyi; 25, O. zolnerowichi. Scale bars are 500 µm.

FIGURES 15 – 17. Ooctonus spp., mesosoma, dorsal. 15, O. clebschi, holotype; 16, O. woolleyi, holotype; 17, O. zolnerowichi, holotype. Scale bars are 100 µm.