Pediobius anomalus ( Gahan, 1920 )

Cao, Huan-Xi, Salle, John La & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2017, Chinese species of Pediobius Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Zootaxa 4240 (1), pp. 1-71 : 49-50

25. Pediobius anomalus ( Gahan, 1920)

( Fig. 22 )

Pleurotropis anomala Gahan, 1920: 348 ; ♀³. Holotype ♀, USNM, not examined. Pediobius anomalus ( Gahan, 1920) , Kerrich, 1973: 171 –172.

Diagnosis. Vertex shining, almost smooth, with inconspicuous sculpture, but some weak sculpture fans out from the fine median groove, which running from the median ocellus right back to the occipital carina; and also with a fine suture running from the postero-lateral corner of each ocellus running back to the occipital carina ( Fig. 22 a). Notauli extending to a straight, deep, transverse fold across the middle connecting the lateral lobes; foreparts before this fold with comparatively fine, concentrically arranged striation; behind this fold, the deep, broad, rectangular notaular depressions separated by a fine median longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 22 a). Scutellum with longitudinal striation at sides that merge to reticulation posteriorly, shining and almost smooth but with very weak reticulation in anterior median part.

Material examined. CHINA, Hainan: 1♀, Bawangling, Donger Forest , 08.IV.1984, coll. Chang-Fang Li . Determined specimens compared ( ANIC): 3♀, BUNTAL, 17.II.1998, coll. Drahman, det. John La Salle.

Biology. This species has been recorded as both a primary parasitoid and a secondary parasitoid ( Kerrich 1973; Noyes 2016).

Distribution in China. Hainan.

Remarks. Newly recorded from China. Compared with three females loaned from ANIC, the single female of P. anomalus collected from Hainan, China, is more polished in vertex and anterior median part of scutellum ( Fig. 22 a). Although only one female is found in China till now, additional specimens of this species wait to be collected in the tropical area of China. Pediobius anomalus is a very distinctive species by having the vertex with sutures running from median ocellus and posterior ocelli to occipital carina, transverse notauli across the middle connecting the lateral lobes, a fine longitudinal ridge between broad and deep notaular depressions, and a smooth median area on anterior scutellum ( Fig. 22 a).

By considering the characters above, P. anomalus is close to P. carinatiscutum (Girault) ( Kerrich 1973, pages 170–171). They mainly differ in the following: in P. anomalus , the suture runs from median ocellus to occipital carina on vertex, which is fine and complete; while in P. carinatiscutum , it is incomplete and does not reach the occipital carina; in P. anomalus , the longitudinal ridge dividing notaular depressions are very fine, while that is rather broad in P. carinatiscutum ; female Gt1 of P. anomalus has reticulation posteriorly, while that of P. carinatiscutum is almost smooth; tibia of P. anomalus is metallic, while that of P. carinatiscutum is dull stramineous, with some darkening above. See also the key of Kerrich (1973) (couplet 14).

Further, both species above are closely related to P. soror Kerrich and P. stenochoreus Kerrich by vertex with sutures running from each posterior ocellus to eye and occipital carina and similar sculpture of scutellum. On this basis, these four species probably can be assigned to the same species group. If only consider sutures running from each posterior ocellus to eye and occipital carina on vertex, P. anomalus appears close to P. bifoveolatus (Ashmead) and P. koebelei Kamijo , which the latter two species seem also close to P. soror and P. stenochoreus . Based on their similarities, P. anomalus has a possible relationship with the other five species mentioned above, which requires more data to test. Pediobius anomalus can be separated from P. bifoveolatus , P. koebelei , P. soror and P. stenochoreus by transverse notauli across the middle connecting the lateral lobes and a fine longitudinal ridge between broad and deep notaular depressions. Moreover, these species are similar to P. bethylicidus and P.

foveolatus in the transverse vertex, narrow space between notaular depressions, and scutellum at least with longitudinal reticulation. However, P. bethylicidus and P. foveolatus possibly belong to the other species group, as the vertex without sutures running from posterior ocelli to occipital carina (see also remarks under P. bethylicidus and P. foveolatus ). We leave the assumptions of their relationships as open questions before we get other evidence from further studies (e. g., molecular and biology information). See also remarks under P. saulius .

Figures

FIGURE 22. Pediobius anomalus (Gahan, 1920), female. a: body in dorsal view; b: body in dorso-lateral view; c: body in lateral view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.