Astymachus lasallei, Noyes & Higashiura, 2020

Noyes, John S. & Higashiura, Yoshimitsu, 2020, The species of Astymachus Howard (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) ı potentially important parasitoids of Aclerdidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) associated with grasses (Poaceae) ı with descriptions of three new species, Journal of Natural History 54 (9), pp. 665-679 : 672-674

6. Astymachus lasallei sp. nov.

( Figures 2h – l )

Astymachus japonicus Howard ; Kaneko 2004: 331 – 336; 2005a: 323 – 326; 2005b: 555 – 561. Misidentification.

Diagnosis. Female (Habitus Figure 1 ). Length, including ovipositor, 1.27 – 1.73 mm (1.69 mm). Body generally yellow, dorsal part of inflexion of frontovertex margined brown; antenna pale yellow, apical part of clava dusky; apical three-fifths of gaster dorsally slightly dusky; fore wing ( Figure 2j ) generally hyaline with a small, weakly infuscate area below marginal vein and proximal part of stigmal vein that does not quite reach level with apex of stigmal vein and a very faint, elongate streak parallel to posterior margin between linea calva and base of wing; head ( Figure 2i ) about 2.0 – 2.2× (2.2×) as long as eye; palp formula 4 – 3; antenna ( Figure 2h ) with F1 subquadrate, F2 – F5 subequal, strongly transverse, F6 largest and transverse; linear sensilla only on F6; clava entire; scutellum with 6 setae; wings not shortened, fore wing ( Figure 2j ) about 3.0 – 3.3× (3.0×) as long as broad and 4.0 – 4.2× (4.0×) as long as mid tibia, reaching well past cercal plates; marginal vein not appearing to reach anterior wing margin and only about 0.6× as long as stigmal vein; stigmal vein ( Figure 2l ) slender, about 4.0 – 4.5× (4.5×) as long as depth of uncus; discal setae below apex of venation ( Figure 2k ) less than about onethird as long as distance between sockets or hardly longer (<1.5×) than diameter of socket; ovipositor about 1.8 – 1.9× (1.8×) mid tibia and 2.2 – 2.4× (2.2×) gonostylus. Male. Length 0.91 – 1.31 mm. Antenna with funicle segments subequal, subquadrate with F1 and F6 slightly larger, linear sensilla only on F6; aedeagus about 0.9 – 1.1× as long as mid tibia, about 16× as long as broad, very slightly constricted about halfway between base of apodemes and apex becoming very slightly wider towards apex.

Biology. Reared from Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Kuwana) ( Hemiptera : Aclerdidae ) on Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Poaceae) ( Kaneko 2004; 2005a, 2005b as Astymachus japonicus ).

Distribution. USA (Louisiana), Japan and possibly also China (Shanghai, Beijing).

Material examined

Holotype ♀. USA, Louisiana, Plaquemines Parish, Venice , 29.0455°N, 89.3306°W, ex Nipponaclerda biwakoensis / Phragmites australis , 14.v.2017 (R. Diaz, J. Cronin, N. Harms). Paratypes: USA, 31♀, 31♂, same data as holotype, NHM-AMC 2-17-0288; JAPAN, 5♀, 1♂, Kyushu, Fukuoka Pref., Imazu , Fukuoka, ex Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Kuwana) , em. February 1997 (Y. Higashiura). Holotype and paratypes in BMNH, paratypes in USNM and ELKU.

Comments. This species is named in honour of John La Salle, an extraordinary person, friend and colleague who will be sorely missed.

Females of Astymachus lasallei can be generally recognised by the combination of dark brown anterior margin of the frontovertex, relatively naked fore wing and long, slender stigmal vein.

The species recorded as Astymachus japonicus from China by Xi et al. (2010) and by Ma et al. (2014) as a parasitoid of Nipponaclerda biwakoensis on Phragmites australis in Shanghai, China, is very likely a misidentification of this species.

Figures

Figure 1. Astymachus lasallei habitus ♀ (critical point dried, card-mounted specimen).

Figures 2. Astymachus saccharum sp. nov.: (a) head (holotype); (b) antenna ♀ (holotype); (c) apex of fore wing venation (paratype); (d) fore wing (paratype). Astymachus felix Singh and Hayat: (e) apex of fore wing venation. Astymachus phainae Sugonjaev: (f) fore wing; (g) apex of fore wing venation. Astymachus lasallei sp. nov. (holotype) (h) antenna ♀; (i) head; (j) fore wing; (k) discal setae below marginal vein, enlarged (differential interference contrast); (l) apex of fore wing venation. Asymachus phragmitis Trjapitzin: (m) head; (n) antenna ♀. (Figures e-g courtesy of Mohammad Hayat).