Epitranus delvarei Soliman & Gadallah, 2020

Gadallah, Neveen S., Soliman, Ahmed M. & Dhafer, Hathal M. Al, 2020, First record of the subfamily Epitraninae from Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Chalcididae), with the description of three new species, ZooKeys 979, pp. 35-86 : 35

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.979.52059
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2B5B9363-B75C-4392-A23A-78186989B7F3
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FC3FE0A6-CA05-4FBC-A6B1-85EF87E13E0C
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:FC3FE0A6-CA05-4FBC-A6B1-85EF87E13E0C
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Epitranus delvarei Soliman & Gadallah
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Epitranus delvarei Soliman & Gadallah sp. nov. Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5

Type material.

Holotype ♀: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Asir, Abha, Garf Raydah Natural Reserve [18°11'41"N, 42°23'45"E, Alt. 1865 m], sweeping net, 12.IV.2019, leg. Ahmed M. Soliman [KSMA]. Paratypes: 1♀, same data as for holotype [KSMA]; 2♂, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Baha, Al Mikhwa, Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve [19°50'34.95"N, 41°18'40.04"E, Alt. 1679 m], sweeping net, 7.IV.2019, leg. Ahmed M. Soliman [KSMA].

Diagnosis.

Frontal lobe short, entire at free margin (Fig. 2B View Figure 2 ); frons finely reticulate (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ); supra-antennal surface absent (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ); OOL slightly longer than AOD, ca. 1.75 × OD (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 ); scape ends just below median ocellus (Fig. 1C View Figure 1 ); F1 hardly longer than wide, as long as F2 (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ); clava bi-segmented, sharply pointed apically (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ); post-orbital carina joining genal carina at a level of ventral edge of eye (Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ); pronotal humeral angle sharp, clearly 90° (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ); mesonotum densely punctured, bearing relatively long, golden lanceolate setae (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ); bottom of punctures on mesonotum and metepimeron and of areola of propodeum granulate (densely reticulate) and dull (Figs 2E View Figure 2 , 3B View Figure 3 ); propodeum with median areola complete, not much longer than adpetiolar areola, distinctly widened posteriorly (1.5 × as long as wide) (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ); metacoxa 2.5 × as long as wide, widened basally (Fig. 1C View Figure 1 ); metafemur ventrally with 10-12 small teeth following the stout basal one (Fig. 4A, B View Figure 4 ); tarsal scrobe deep and smooth throughout, reaching sub-basal prominence (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ); fore wing bare, only sparse white microtrichiae present on underside (Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ); STV evidently diverging from anterior margin of wing (Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ).

Description.

Female (holotype, Figs 1 View Figure 1 - 4 View Figure 4 ). Body length: 3.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm.

Head (Fig. 2A-E View Figure 2 ). Slightly wider than mesoscutum in dorsal view (1.1 ×), distinctly transverse (1.5 × as wide as high in frontal view), and ca. 2.8 × as wide as its length in profile. Frontovertex 1.6 × as wide as eye height. Vertex almost smooth along OOD, finely densely punctate between lateral ocelli; AOL 0.85 × OOL; OOL 1.75 × OD; POL 2.14 × OOL; discal surface not much expanded, squamosa reticulate, separated from orbit by 5-6 rows of piliferous points, and from median ocellus by three rows; orbital surface transversely alutaceous, laterally with fine upwardly directed long setae; preorbital carina extremely weak; malar area densely finely punctate; malar space 0.78 × as long as eye height in lateral view; malar carina absent; suborbital carina distinct; gena coarsely foveolate, with inwardly directed fine setae; post-orbital carina lamellate, joining genal carina at a level of ventral edge of eye, strongly converging to the higher edge of the eye (nearly touching it); occipital area finely densely reticulate (with raised network), with some very superficial punctures in between; occipital carina, just above formen magnum (or dorsally), relatively thick. Interantennal distance moderate (0.6 × as wide as torulus diameter); a weak longitudinal carina could be seen between antennal toruli. Frontal lobe very short, not masking clypeus, with free margin entire.

Antenna (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 ). 13-segmented (clava bi-segmented), with sparse short setae; scape relatively long (1.28 × as long as eye height), ends just below median ocellus; pedicel cylindrical, 1.65 × as long as wide; anellus transverse (0.28 × as long as wide); F1 1.1 × as long as wide, as long as F2, slightly shorter than F7 (0.78 ×); clava sharply tapered apically, 2.5 × as long as wide. Flagellomeres (except the first) bearing mostly a single row of MPS, two rows for preclaval.

Mesosoma (Figs 2E View Figure 2 , 3A, B View Figure 3 ). 1.5 × as long as mesoscutum width, with lanceolate setae. Pronotal collar 3.7 × as wide as long, finely punctate, with fine sparse setae (setae adpressed and short), its sides slightly convex; lateral panel of pronotum rugose; humeral angle clearly 90°. Mesoscutum 2.7 × as long as median length of pronotal collar, setiferous foveolate, the foveolae small anteriorly, with alutaceous interspaces, becoming larger with smooth interspaces posteriorly, widely spaced on scapula leaving smooth areas posteriorly. Notauli distinct, finely crenulate. Tegula broadly angulated posteriorly, smooth to finely alutaceous. Mesoscutellum hardly longer than wide (1.07 ×), densely setiferous foveolate, foveolae finely reticulate inside, with posterior margin broadly rounded. Axilla almost smooth. Propodeum with median areola distinctly widened posteriorly (1.5 × as long as wide), weakly transversely carinate inside, extends to reach adpetiolar areola; prestigmatic areola with lanceolate, rather dense setae. Mesopleuron with adscrobal area coarsely foveolate, foveolae finely punctate inside; femoral depression finely transversely striated, ventral shelf of mesepisternum finely punctate, with adpressed setae. Metepimeron densely, closely foveolate throughout, with fine, adpressed lanceolate setae; metepisternum micro-reticulate, with two median carinae ending on a transverse posterior carina with two large teeth; adpetiolar area concave, with a large irregular projection posteriorly.

Wings (Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ). Fore wing 2.77 × as long as wide, bare on upper and undersides; MV 0.68 × as long as costal cell; STV slightly longer than wide, forming with anterior margin an angle of ca. 45°. Hind wing bare, with three hamuli.

Hind leg (Figs 1C View Figure 1 , 4A, B View Figure 4 ). Metacoxa 2.5 × as long as wide, widened basally, slightly shorter than metafemur (0.92 ×), finely transversely alutaceous on outer-dorsal face, rest densely punctured with short setae more densely distributed basoventrally. Metafemur 1.97 × as long as wide, with dense setiferous punctures throughout, outer ventral margin with a stout tooth basally, followed by 12 smaller, similar teeth. Tarsal scrobe long, reaching sub-basal prominence; proximal fourth of metatibia finely punctate; edge of sub-basal prominence with four denticles concealed under white pubescence.

Metasoma (Figs 1A-C View Figure 1 , 3A View Figure 3 ). Petiole relatively short (4.5 × as long as wide, 0.92 × as long as dorsal length of Gt1, and 0.68 × as long as gaster), with a weak incomplete median carina, extending along its basal half, two (sublateral and lateral) ridges extending along its whole length, area between sublateral ridges faintly coriaceous (smooth apically). Gaster subcircular in lateral view (1.45 × as long as height), somewhat ovoid in dorsal view. Gt1 long, occupying most of gaster (0.75 × as long as the whole length of gaster in dorsal view), deeply concave posteriorly, mostly smooth (densely finely punctulate postero-laterally); remaining tergites short, densely finely punctulate, finely setose. Gt2 slightly concave posteriorly. Ovipositor slightly extended to apex of gaster.

Color (Figs 1A-C View Figure 1 , 3C View Figure 3 ). Head including antennal flagellomeres and clava are black, except a broad band around inner margin of eye, malar area, clypeus and antennal scape to anellus are reddish brown. Mesosoma including legs and metasoma reddish brown, except anterior third of mesoscutal middle lobe, antero-inner corner of scapula, posterior margin of mesoscutellum, dorsellum, most of propodeum and ovipositor are black; propodeum postero-laterally reddish brown; outer faces of fore and mid femora and tibiae, dorsal face of metacoxa, inner face of metafemur, basal two-thirds of petiole and Gt1 dorsally with blackish tint. Tegula glassy yellowish red. Wings hyaline, with pale brown to yellowish veins.

Male (Paratype, Fig. 5A-C View Figure 5 ). Differs from the female in the following: AOL slightly longer than OOL (1.16 ×); OOL 1.2 × as long as OD; POL 2.8 × as long as OOL; interantennal distance 1.2 × as long as antennal torulus diameter; F1 longer (1.4 × as long as wide, 1.06 as long as F7); mesoscutum length 3.3 × as long as pronotum median length; metacoxa shorter, ca. 1.18 × as long as width; petiole longer (5.7 × as long as wide), with medial carina extending along its whole length; head and mesosoma completely black (except clypeus and tegula); metacoxa and petiole mostly black.

Remarks.

Epitranus delvarei differs from all species of the genus in having small teeth on the metafemur; the presence of dense reticulation in the bottom of punctures on mesoscutellum, metepimeron, as well as areola of propodeum; tarsal scrobe of metatibia reaching sub-basal prominence.

Hosts.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Saudi Arabia (Al-Baha and Asir regions).

Etymology.

The new species is named delvarei , in honor of Gerard Delvare, for his kind efforts and help in the identification of several chalcid species.