Synopeas maximum Awad & Talamas, 2023

Melotto, Gloria, Awad, Jessica, Talamas, Elijah J., Koch, Robert L. & Lindsey, Amelia R. I., 2023, Synopeas maximum Awad & Talamas (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae): a new species of parasitoid associated with soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagne (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96, pp. 181-205 : 181

Synopeas maximum Awad & Talamas sp. nov.

Figs 5 , 6

Description.

Females. Body length: 1.4-1.7 mm. Body color: black. Color of legs: coxae dark brown, otherwise yellow to dark brown. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: ovoid. Central keel: absent; present only between toruli. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: reticulate microsculpture; minute rugulae. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: evenly spaced. Shape of mandible: bidentate. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): approximately 1 ocellar diameter. OOL: LOL: 1:2. Lateral ocellar depression: present posterolaterally. Hyperoccipital carina: present between lateral ocelli. Hyperoccipital carina strength: fine, laterally weakened. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: approximately 1 ocellar diameter. Female antenna with 3 clavomeres, claval formula 1-1-1.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete, or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present anterodorsally, absent posteroventrally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: more than ¾. Setation of lateral pronotum: anteroventrally glabrous, otherwise uniformly sparse (Figs 5 , 6D ). Mesoscutellar spine: short and pointed. Mesoscutellar spine in lateral view: pointing posteriorly; slightly upcurved at tip. Posterior margin of propodeal carina in lateral view: rounded. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: slightly convex. Scuto-scutellar sulcus: deep, causing mesoscutum to be elevated relative to mesoscutellum. Notauli: unmarked or faintly indicated. Parapsidal line: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: sparse (Fig. 6B ). Mesoscutal lamella: broad and rounded. Setation of mesoscutellum: anteromedially absent, posterolaterally dense.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: absent; faint narrow bands in lateral portion of posterior margin. Shape of S2: medioventrally expanded. Sculpture of T2: absent. Length of T2: approximately as long as mesosoma. Sculpture of S3 to S5: reticulate. Sculpture of S6: entirely reticulate. Sculpture of T6: entirely reticulate. Shape of T6: triangular, longer than wide.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of fore wing: shorter than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of fore wing: moderately dense. Arrangement of setae on disc of fore wing: uniformly setose distally, proximally glabrous with linea setosa. Fore wing marginal setae: uniformly very short.

Males. Body length: 1.1 to 1.3 mm. Identical to females except for metasoma and antenna.

Antenna. Setation: A1 and A2 with few scattered setae, A3 to A10 with long, uniformly dense setae. A2 in lateral view: slightly longer than wide, distally widened forming a “teardrop” shape. A3: round, about half the size of A2 or A4. A4: roughly cylindrical, about twice as long as wide. A5 in lateral view: about half as long as A4, proximally widened. A6 to A9: roughly ovoid, wider in lateral view than in anterior view, A6 slightly smaller than following antennomeres. A10: about twice as long as wide.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: narrow band at posterior margin. Sculpture of T2: absent; narrow transverse band of microsculpture at posterior margin. Length of T2: approximately as long as mesosoma, or shorter.

Material examined.

Holotype: USA • ♀; Minnesota, Luverne ; 43.605889°N, 96.275111°W; 30.VI-30.VII.2021; Gloria Melotto leg.; Resseliella maxima on soybean; FSCA 00095883 (FSCA).

Paratypes: USA • 1♀ 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; VI-VII.2021; FSCA 00095881 to 00095882 (CNCI) • 3♀ 3♂; same collection data as for preceding; VI-VIII.2021; FSCA 00060750 to 00060754 (FSCA) • 1♀ 3♂; same collection data as for preceding; VI-VII.2021; FSCA 00095876 to 00095878, 00095885 (UMSP) • 1♀ 2♂; same collection data as for preceding; VIII-XII.2021; FSCA 00060755 to 00060757 (UMSP) • 1♀ 1♂; same collection data as for preceding; VI-VII.2021; FSCA 00095879 to 00095880 (USNM) .

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to the ecological association with soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné, and soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Diagnosis.

Synopeas maximum can be separated from other species in the Synopeas rhanis group by the following combination of characters: scuto-scutellar sulcus deep, causing mesoscutum to be elevated relative to mesoscutellum; hyperoccipital carina present between lateral ocelli, laterally weakened; mesoscutellar spine short, pointing posteriorly, sometimes with a slight upturn at the tip, but always originating from below the dorsal apex of the mesoscutellum (separating it from S. gibberosum , S. prospectum , and S. rhanis ); female S2 expanded ventromedially, with microsculpture absent or very faint; female S6 and T6 entirely sculptured, triangular, about 2 times as long as wide. The latter character is very useful for separating S. maximum from S. cynipsiphilum and S. flavicorne , in which female T6 is wider than long.

Figures

Figure 5. Synopeas maximum Awad & Talamas, sp. nov., holotype, female (FSCA 00095883), lateral habitus.

Figure 6 A-E. Synopeas maximum, female A head, anterior view (FSCA 00095883) B head and mesosoma (FSCA 00095881) C mesosoma, dorsolateral view (FSCA 00095883) D mesosoma, lateral view (FSCA 00095883) E metasoma, dorsal view (FSCA 00095881).