Gonatocerus morgani S. Triapitsyn

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2006, A key to the Mymaridae (Hymenoptera) egg parasitoids of proconiine sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the Nearctic region, with description of two new species of Gonatocerus, Zootaxa 1203, pp. 1-38 : 9-12

Gonatocerus morgani S. Triapitsyn , sp. n.

( Figs 3–7 )

Type material

Holotype female on slide [ UCRC]: USA. CALIFORNIA: Orange Co., Irvine, Irvine Ranch (Old Irvine Ranch Rd.), 17.ix.2003, L. Higgins, ex. egg mass of Homalodisca coagulata (Say) on lemon leaf, emerged at CDFA GWSS biocontrol facility (i.e., the California Department of Food and Agriculture Mt. Rubidoux Field Station in Riverside, California, date of emergence 26.ix.2003, preserved by D.J.W. Morgan). Paratypes: same data as the holotype [1 female on slide as well as 1 female on card, 1 male on slide, and 2 females in 95% ethanol stored in a freezer at ­20°C for use in molecular studies, UCRC]; Riverside Co., Riverside, 45 Glenwood Drive, California Department of Food and Agriculture Mt. Rubidoux Field Station, 14.x.2003, D.J.W. Morgan [8 females and 4 males on points, 1 female on slide (except mesosoma on stub for SEM), as well as 1 male on slide (first generation progeny of holotype and paratypes, CNCI, CSAC, UCRC, USNM].

Additional material examined

USA. CALIFORNIA, San Diego Co., San Marcos, 20.iv.2005, J. Nichols [5 females, ex. H. coagulata eggs, preserved in ethanol for molecular studies, California Department of Food and Agriculture Mt. Rubidoux Field Station, Riverside, California]. Because these specimens are likely to be destroyed and are not kept in a museum collection, they are not designated as paratypes.

Description

FEMALE (holotype and paratypes). Body length 1420–1760. Body mostly dark brown except for face (mostly brown but yellow around and above toruli), petiole (light brown), gastral sterna, and first gastral tergum (brown). Inner surface of scape brown, outer surface brownish yellow; pedicel and flagellum brown to dark brown except for F5 (brown basally and whitish or light brownish apically) and F6 (pale light brownish). Coxae brown basally as well as metatibia, metatarsus, and apical tarsomeres of foreleg and middle leg; remainder of leg segments yellow to yellowish brown.

Antenna ( Fig. 3 ) with radicle about 2.2 x as long as wide, scape about 2.7 x as long as wide, almost smooth; pedicel longer than F1; F1–F4 narrower than F5–F8, F3 longest, F1 and F8 shortest of funicle segments; F1 without sensilla, F2 usually with 1 longitudinal sensillum but sometimes without sensilla, F3–F8 each with 2 longitudinal sensilla; all funicle segments densely setose; clava with 8 longitudinal sensilla, 3.0–3.3 x as long as wide, longer than combined length of F1–F3, its ventral surface covered with numerous minute, short setae and placoid sensilla, its dorsal surface densely covered with longer setae.

Mesosoma. Pronotum reticulate; mesoscutum, scutellum, axillae, and dorsellum almost smooth. Each lobe of pronotum with 2 strong dorsal and 2 weak lateral setae. Mesoscutum wider than long, a little shorter than scutellum; midlobe of mesoscutum with a pair of strong setae. Dorsellum rhomboidal. Propodeum ( Fig. 4 ) with well­developed lateral carinae and submedial carinae, almost smooth between submedial carinae and notably wrinkled between submedial and lateral carinae and also lateral to lateral carinae. Foretibia with 2 or 3 conical sensilla. Forewing ( Fig. 5 ) 3.2–3.3 x as long as wide; marginal cilia short, the longest marginal cilia about 1/5 maximum wing width. Forewing blade hyaline, bare behind venation except for several scattered microtrichia behind stigmal and apex of marginal veins, remainder of blade densely setose. Submarginal vein with 1 macrochaeta and 2 microchaetae, marginal vein with 4 or 5 strong setae between proximal and distal macrochaetae; hypochaeta about half way between these macrochaetae. Hind wing 17–18 x as long as wide; blade bare except for complete rows of microtrichia along margins and several scattered discal setae beyond tip of venation.

Metasoma. Petiole short, a little wider than long, trapezoidal. Ovipositor about 7/10 length of gaster, barely exserted beyond its apex. Ovipositor: mesotibia ratio about 1.2:1.

Outer plates of ovipositor each with 1 distal seta.

Measurements of the holotype. Body: total body length: 1760; head 198; mesosoma 646; petiole 61; gaster 861; ovipositor 640. Antenna: radicle 82; scape 203; pedicel 76; F1 67; F2 85; F3 94; F4 88; F5 88; F6 79; F7 82; F8 61; clava 297. Forewing 1556:473; longest marginal cilia 100. Hind wing 1113:64; longest marginal cilia 127.

MALE (paratypes). Body length 1350–1650. Similar to female in coloration except vertex pale or yellowish brown (ocellar triangle dark brown), flagellum entirely dark brown, and petiole brown. Antenna ( Fig. 6 ) with scape about 2 x as long as wide; pedicel very small, F1 notably shorter than following flagellar segments, all flagellomeres with numerous longitudinal sensilla. Genitalia ( Fig. 7 ) typical of the morrilli subgroup of the ater species group.

Diagnosis

This new species does not match with any species of Gonatocerus described from South America by A.A. Ogloblin (J.T. Huber, personal communication). The dark body color and the color of the flagellar segments of the female antenna distinguishes G. morgani from the other described species from the morrilli subgroup of the ater group, such as G. annulicornis (Ogloblin) , G. morrilli , and G. walkerjonesi sp. n., all of which have more or less yellow­orange bodies with some dark spots. However, G. morgani is somewhat similar to several undetermined and apparently undescribed species from Central America, which suggests that it could be self­introduced into California from that region following establishment of H. coagulata in southern California in the 1990s, when huge numbers of unparasitized egg masses of this host became easily available for any accidentally introduced Gonatocerus egg parasitoid of Proconiini . This species had never been collected in California before its type series was first reared in 2003. However, it might also be a native species that just had been missed by collectors.

Host

Homalodisca coagulata (Say) . Gonatocerus morgani successfully reproduced under laboratory conditions (in cages at the California Department of Food and Agriculture Mount Rubidoux Field Station, Riverside, California) on eggs of this host (D.J.W. Morgan, personal communication).

Figures

FIGURES 3, 4. Gonatocerus morgani (female). 3. Antenna. 4. Propodeum.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Gonatocerus spp. 5 – 7. G. m o rg a n i. 5. Forewing (female). 6. Antenna (male). 7. Genitalia (male). 8. Propodeum of G. morrilli (female).