Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar, 2024

Pujade-Villar, Juli, Savall-Roig, Gabriel, Equihua-Martínez, Armando, Estrada-Venegas, Edith G., Barrera-Ruiz, Uriel M., Cibrián-Tovar, David, Vera-Ortiz, Alexis, Silvia Romero-Rangel, Cuesta-Porta, Víctor, Cazorla-Vila, Júlia & Melika, George, 2024, Description of Neuroandricus a new genus of gall wasp (Hym.: Cynipidae) and a new species of associated Sycophila (Hym.: Eurytomidae), Zootaxa 5538 (2), pp. 177-193 : 187-191

Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CF7E463A-47EE-47FA-BC0D-2DF398D4D242

( Figs 6–8 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀ deposited in UB ( JP-V col) with the following labels: ‘ MEX 344 : San Lorenzo (Puruandiro. Michoacán), 19°59′21″N 101°38′45″W (white label), Ex Neuroandricus pustulatus Pujade-Villar & Melika on Q. obtusata , (9.vii.2016) vii.2017 ’ (white label), ‘ Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar sp. nov., desig. Savall_Roig, 2024’ (red label). Paratypes (1♂ & 4♀): with the same label of holotype: 1♀; MEX 490 : Mazamitla (Jalisco), on Q. obtusata , (14.6.2019) vii.2019: 1♂ & 2♀; MEX 301 : Fraccionamiento Bosques de Santa Fe (Cuajimalpa, Ciudad de Mexico), 19°21'09.78''N 99°15'55.02''W, 1585 msnm, in Q. laeta , (28.vi.2016) vii.2016: 1♀.

Etymology. In honor of Walter Valentine Balduf (September 28, 1889 – December 13, 1969) who in the middle of the last century studied the Sycophila in northern Mexico, describing several species and gave the first key to species.

Diagnosis. This species bears chromatic and morphological similarities to Sycophila batatoides and S. gracilis . Like these species, it has yellow sides on the pronotum, along with a yellow band that crosses its posterior border transversely. Additionally, specimens exhibit a black dorsal band of variable shape, width, and length on the anterior border of the pronotum, though this band does not connect to the black area of the mesoscutum. However, the species can be distinguished from S. batatoides by, first, the yellow area on the face is less extensive, with a thin yellow circumocular band, whereas in S. batatoides , the circumocular band is thicker. The yellow markings on the pronotum and mesoscutum are also less prominent compared to S. batatoides , where these yellow areas are more extensive, even extending to the mesoscutellum. The coxae of the hind legs are black or partially black and yellow, while in S. batatoides , the legs and coxae are uniformly yellow. The body size is also different, with this species measuring 2.1–2.5 mm in length, compared to approximately 3.8 mm in S. batatoides . The submarginal band on the forewing is short and lacks a defined shape, located between the stigmal and marginal veins, and occasionally extends slightly beyond the stigmal vein. In contrast, S. batatoides has a dot-shaped stigma. Other distinguishing features include a superficial notaulus, while in S. batatoides , the notaulus is strongly impressed, and the third metasomal tergum (T3) is the longest, whereas in S. batatoides , the fourth tergum (T4) is the longest.

The males of this new species can also be differentiated from those of S. gracilis (only the male of S. gracilis is known) by several traits. In this species, the legs are predominantly yellow, with only a weak brown mark on the hind femora, while in S. gracilis , there are black marks on the mid and hind femora and tibiae. This species has a completely black face, whereas S. gracilis exhibits a yellow area around the oral fossa. The third antennal segment in this species does not cover the following segments, while in S. gracilis , it does. Moreover, this species has irradiating carinae extending from the clypeus to the compound eye, which are absent in S. gracilis . Finally, the third metasomal segment in this species is alutaceous, while in S. gracilis , it is smooth.

Description

Female

Length: 2.1–2.5 mm (n = 9)

Colour ( Figs 8a, 8c, 8d ). Body black except parts of pronotum and, sometimes, notaulus. Pronotum mostly yellow, lateral margins with a black band on ventral margin; pronotum with black dorsal band of variable shape, width and length, placed in its anterior border, not connected with the black of mesoscutum. Some individuals have two yellow bands in the anterior part of notaulus. Rest of mesosoma black. Face black, some individuals present yellow coloration of variable intensity in its lower half. Yellow circumocular bands weakly marked. Vertex and occiput black. Mandibles yellow to light brown. Scape yellowish; pedicel darker, from yellow to brown, basally and dorsally obscured; flagellum darker than scape, yellowish to brown. First two pairs of legs, including coxae, completely yellow except part of tarsi close to tarsal claws. Some individuals with light brown marks in central areas of femur and tibiae of legs. Coxae of hind legs completely black or half black-half yellow, coloration split in a transversal or sagittal way. Peduncle and metasoma completely black.

Head ( Figs 6a–c , 7b ). Umbilicate, with short white pubescence. 2.0× as broad as long in dorsal view, as wide as mesoscutum; concave between eyes. POL 4.0× OOL; LOL is 1.5× OOL; diameter of lateral ocelli equal OOL. Head 1.3× as broad as high in frontal view, umbilicate in its upper half, lower half of face with irradiating carinae from clypeus to eye. Transfacial distance 1.3× as long as height of eye. Distance between eyes 2.7× as broad as width of eye. Antennal foveae on the same level as ventral margin of eye, separated by a scrobal carina that represents 1/3 of scrobal sulcus height. Gena shorter than half the diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space 0.7× as long as height of eye. Malar sulcus present, sculpture after it longitudinally weakly carinated and umbilicate before it. Occiput umbilicate.

Antennae ( Fig. 6b ) with 5 flagellomeres and 3–segmented clava, with whitish pubescence. Distal end of scape at same height as medial ocellus. Pedicel 2.0× as long as broad, 1.5–1.6× as long as F1. F1 1.2× as long as F2 and 1.5× as long as broad. F2–F5 equal in length, broader than F1; F3–F5 as long as broad. Antennal clava with 3 segments of decreasing length, 2.0× as long as broad, broader than flagellum, longer than F4–F5 together, with a circle of setae in distal end. Placodeal sensilla on each segment of funicle, less abundant on F1 and F2.

Mesosoma ( Figs 6e , 7a , 8c ) 1.6× as long as broad in dorsal view, umbilicate, with white pubescence. Pronotum (without neck) 1.8× as broad as long, umbilicate; lateroposterior part coriaceous-carinate. Neck coriaceous-carinate. Length of mesoscutum 1.3× length of pronotum. Mesoscutum 1.5× as broad as long. Notaulus visible, superficial. Mesoscutellum umbilicate, pubescent, rounded; marginal edge present, with glabrous cells. Prepectus smooth and glabrous, same length as tegula. Mesopleuron glabrous; pleural suture present, incomplete; mesepisternum transversally carinate and mesepimeron with umbilicate-carinate sculpture, sub-alar area feebly carinate. Metapleura umbilicate and pubescent. Dorsellum smooth. Metanotal foveae longitudinally carinate, almost glabrous. Propodeum reticulate, two central carinae delimit a row of central vertical cells, feebly defined.

Legs. Coxae I and II transversally carinate; hind coxae carinate-reticulate. Spines of hind tibiae with the same length or slightly shorter than half of its width.

Forewing ( Fig. 8a ) with short submarginal band between marginal and stigmal veins, occasionally shortly extending beyond stigmal vein. Marginal vein shorter than stigmal vein. Submarginal vein with 12–14 setae. Basal cell scarcely pubescent. Speculum closed basally by a line of setae, scarcely pubescent.

Metasoma ( Figs 7c–d ). Petiole around 3.0× as long as high, carinate laterally and reticulate dorsally. Metasoma smooth with third segment alutaceous basally, laterally compressed, shorter than mesosoma, as long as high, with six visible terga, the last only slightly exposed. In lateral view, tergum I strongly curved, terga 3–4 almost flat. Dorsal length of tergum I is shorter than length of T2, T3 the longest tergum, T4 is similar in length to T2, T5 1/3× T 4 in length. Tergites I–V glabrous, without pubescence; T6 with scarce pubescence on sides. Ovipositor sheath very short.

Male

Length 2.3 mm. (n = 1)

Same as female in its non-sexual characters ( Figs 7b, 7e ), except the following: POL 4.5× OOL; LOL 2.0× as long as OOL; diameter of lateral ocellus 1.5× of OOL distance; antennae ( Fig 5d ), funicle with 4 segments, F1 shorter than pedicel, F1 1.2–1.3× as long as F2 and F2–F4 subequal in length; sculpture in third metasomal segment more extended.

Remarks. After examining the pictures provided by Zhang et al. (2022) depicting the high intra-specific colour variability, the new species does not match with any of the illustrated species colour patterns.

Host. Parasitoid in Neuroandricus pustulatus Pujade-Villar & Melika asexual galls on section Quercus host plants.

Distribution. Mexico (Ciudad de Mexico, Michoacán and Jalisco states).

Biology. A single host is known, small-sized galls located on the underside of white oak leaves ( Fig. 4 ). Adults emerge in July.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Galls of Neuroandricus pustulatus Pujade-Villar & Melika, sp. nov.: (a) leaf with galls, (b-d) details of the galls.

FIGURE 5. Differentiation of the three color patterns in Sycophila: (a-g) predominantly black, (h-j) predominantly yellow, and (k-m) intermediate or yellow with more extensive black markings.

FIGURE 6. Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov.: (a) female head, frontal view, (b) female antenna, (c) female head, dorsal view, (d) male antenna, (e) female propodeum.

FIGURE 7. Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. (female): (a) head and mesosoma, lateral view, (b) detail of head, (c) metasoma, lateral view, (d) details of ovipositor sheath.

FIGURE 8. Sycophila baldufi Savall-Roig & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov.: (a) female, lateral view, (b) male, lateral view, (c–d) female mesosoma, dorsal view, (e) male mesosoma, dorsal view.