Gonatopus similis Brues, 1906

Olmi, Massimo, Copeland, Robert S. & Noort, Simon Van, 2019, Dryinidae of the Afrotropical region (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea), Zootaxa 4630 (1), pp. 1-619 : 437-438

18. Gonatopus similis Brues, 1906

( Figs 173E , 174 J–L, 176 D)

Gonatopus similis Brues 1906: 107 ; Guglielmino & Olmi 1997: 220, 221; Olmi 1998c: 62; 2006: 45; Guglielmino & Olmi 2006: 44; 2007: 124; Olmi 2009b: 459; Azevedo et al. 2010: 899; Olmi et al. 2015: 365; Muru et al. 2017: 112.

Pseudogonatopoides mauritianus Williams 1956: 90 (synonymized by Olmi 1984); type locality: Palmyre ( Mauritius); Williams 1958: 116, 120; Williams & Mamet 1962: 3; Williams 1974: 11; 1978: 2, 3; 1980: 14; Prinsloo 1983: 6; Ganeshan & Williams 2000: 16, 22; Ganeshan 2001: 15; Guerrieri & Viggiani 2005: 310.

Pseudogonatopus similis (Brues) : Olmi 1984: 1234; 1987c: 54.

Description. ♀. Apterous; body length 2.5–2.8 mm. Head yellow-testaceous; antenna brown, except scape and flag- ellomere 8 white or yellow; occasionally flagellomere 8 brown; mesosoma yellow-testaceous; petiole black; metasoma brownish or yellow-testaceous; legs yellow-testaceous. Head ( Fig. 174L ) excavated. Palpal formula 3/2 or 4/2. Pronotum crossed by strong transverse impression. Mesoscutum without lateral pointed apophyses ( Fig. 174J ). Metanotum transversely striate, about coplanar to mesoscutellum ( Fig. 174K ), with sides protruding ( Fig. 174J ); in holotype lateral protrusions of metanotum rounded ( Fig. 174J ); in specimen from South Africa, 26°45.58’S 27°48.22’E, lateral protrusions of metanotum pointed. Metapectal-propodeal disc shiny, unsculptured. Mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeal declivity transversely striate. Meso-metapleural suture distinct and complete. Protarsomere 1 slightly longer than 4 (12:11). Enlarged claw ( Fig. 176D ) with one large subapical tooth and one row of 8–11 lamellae. Protarsomere 5 ( Fig. 176D ) with two rows of 16–19 lamellae; apex with 9–13 lamellae. Tibial spurs 1/0/1.

♂. Fully winged; body length 1.1 mm. Head brown; antenna testaceous; mesosoma and metasoma brown; legs testaceous and partly darkened. Antenna filiform; antennomeres in following proportions: 3.5:3:4:3:3:3.5:3.5:3:4:6; third antennomere 4 × as long as broad (4:1). Head shiny, granulate, with two smooth areas on sides of lateral ocelli; frontal line absent; occipital carina absent; POL = 5; OL = 2; OOL = 3. Palpal formula 4/2. Mesoscutum shiny, granulate. Notauli complete, posteriorly joint. Mesoscutellum and metanotum shiny, finely punctate, unsculptured among punctures. Metapectal-propodeal disc shiny, dorsally unsculptured, laterally rugose. Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands; distal part of 2r-rs&Rs vein longer than proximal part (10:5). Dorsal process of paramere ( Fig. 173E ) long and slender. Tibial spurs 1/1/2.

Material examined. Types: ♀ holotype of G. similis : SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Algoa Bay, 25.V.1898, Brauns leg. ( MCPM); ♀ holotype of P. mauritianus : MAURITIUS: Palmyre, IV.1955, ex nymphs of Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy, J.R. Williams reared ( NHMUK). Paratypes of P. mauritianus : same locality label as holotype, 2♀♀ ( NHMUK). Other material: GAMBIA: Lower River Division, Upper Baddibu, Farafenni, 1♀ ( KJHC). KENYA: Rift Valley Prov., Nguruman, Oloibortoto River irrigation scheme, 01°48’S 36°04’E, 12–16.VI.1999, MT, R. Copeland leg., 1♀ ( NMK). LA REUNION: La Reunion, 1♀ ( AMNH). LESOTHO: Mamathes, 1♀ ( AMNH). MOZAMBIQUE: Gaza Prov., 2 km E of Incomati River bridge, along road EN1 between Macia and Palmeira, 1♀ ( AMNH); Maputo Prov., 6 km N of Palmeira, along road EN1 between Maputo and Macia, 1♀ ( AMNH). SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Port St. Johns, 1–17.III.1924, R.E. Turner leg., 1♀ ( NHMUK); Eastern Cape, about 16 km E Port Elizabeth, S. George’s Strand, 1♀ ( AMNH); Free State, Sasolburg, Wonderwater Colliery, 26°45.58’S 27°48.22’E, 1450 m, 23.XI.1999, D-Vac, IS 09b, seeded rehabilitation, east burm, slope, M. Stiller leg., 1♀ ( SANC); KwaZulu-Natal, Port Edward, along road from R61 to Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, C. 13.IV.2007, B. 15.IV.2007, M. Olmi reared from adults of Sogatella kolophon (Kirkaldy) , 1♀ ( MOLC); same locality label, C. 13.IV.2007, B. 17.IV.2007, 1♀ ( MOLC); Limpopo: 15 km E Klaserie, Guernsey Farm, 1♀ ( CNC); Western Cape, Mossel Bay, 10–12.1938, R.E. Turner leg., 1♀ ( NHMUK).

Hosts. Delphacidae ( Guglielmino et al. 2013) : in La Reunion: Peregrinus maidis Ashmead ; in Mauritius: Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy and Numata muiri (Kirkaldy) (= Dicranotropis muiri Kirkaldy ); in Mozambique: unidentified Delphacidae ; in South Africa: Sogatella kolophon (Kirkaldy) .

Biology. The biology of this species was partly studied in Mauritius by Williams (1956). The pupal stage in Mauritius lasts 18–24 days in March-April.

Natural enemies. In Mauritius this species may be parasitized by Cheiloneurus gonatopodis R. Perkins 1906 (Encyrtidae) ( Williams 1956, 1958; Prinsloo 1983; Ganeshan & Williams 2000; Guerrieri & Viggiani 2005).

Distribution. Gambia, Kenya, La Reunion, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa.

Remarks. Gonatopus similis Brues and Pseudogonatopoides mauritianus Williams were considered synonyms by Olmi (1984) after comparison of ♀♀. However, only the study of ♂ specimens from Mauritius can confirm this synonymy.

Figures

FIGURE 173. ♂ genitalia of Gonatopus species. A: G. festivus Olmi, paratype. B: G. harteni (Olmi), paratype. C: G. niassensis Olmi, paratype. D: G. ruens (Olmi), paratype. E: G. similis Brues, ♂ from La Reunion. F: G. vannoorti Olmi, paratype. Scale bar: A, F: 0.11 mm; B: 0.08 mm; C: 0.06 mm; D: 0.09 mm; E: 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 174. Gonatopus species of group 2. A, B: G. fisheri Olmi, mesosoma of ♀ holotype in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) view. C: G. harteni (Olmi), head in frontal view of ♂ paratype. D–F: G. jacksoni Olmi, ♀ holotype: head in frontal view (D); mesosoma in dorsal (E) and lateral (F) view. G, H: G. perkinsiellavorus Benoit, ♀ holotype: mesosoma in dorsal (G) and lateral (H) view. I, M: G. ruens (Olmi): mesosoma of ♀ holotype in dorsal view (I); ♂ paratype in dorsal view (M). J–M: G. similis Brues: mesosoma of ♀ holotype in dorsal (J) and lateral (K) view; head of ♀ holotype in frontal view (L). Scale bar: A, B, F: 0.75 mm; C: 0.10 mm; D: 0.33 mm; E, I: 0.77 mm; G, H: 0.87 mm; J, K: 0.67 mm; L: 0.23 mm; M: 1.15 mm.

FIGURE 176. Chelae of Gonatopus species holotypes. A: G. pilosoides Olmi. B: G. polli (Benoit). C: G. ruens (Olmi). D: G. similis Brues. E: G. spiracularis (Benoit). F: G. vannoorti Olmi. Scale bar: A: 0.12 mm; B: 0.07 mm; C: 0.08 mm; D, F: 0.06 mm; E: 0.10 mm.