Spalangiopelta rameli, Mitroiu, 2016

Mitroiu, Mircea-Dan, 2016, Review of world genera of Ceinae, with the description of two new Palaearctic species of Spalangiopelta Masi (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 251, pp. 1-15 : 5-8

Spalangiopelta rameli sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7EA6FFD7-46B8-44A6-A686-EF8C01136E3B

Fig. 3 A–E

Diagnosis

Female

Head and mesosoma mostly with moderately strong bronze-green metallic reflections, metasoma dark brown ( Fig. 3 A–B); antenna dark brown ( Fig. 3C ); coxae, trochanters and femora dark brown, tibiae and tarsi lighter ( Fig. 3A ); gena without white maculation ( Fig. 3C ); mesosoma moderately robust, length about 1.7× width; malar sulcus present but hardly visible; scape linear in lateral view ( Fig. 3C ); F1 length 1.60–1.85× width; mesosoma width 0.95× head width; midlobe of mesoscutum with imbricate sculpture; fore wing with admarginal setae, parastigma without hyaline break ( Fig. 3D ); metascutellum slightly longer than frenum ( Fig. 3E ); petiole transverse; ovipositor sheaths moderately protruding, slightly less than ½ length of hind tibia ( Fig. 3A ).

Male

Unknown.

Etymology

The species epithet is dedicated to Gordon Ramel, who collected the specimens during an extensive entomological survey in Kerkini, Greece.

Type material

Holotype

GREECE: 1 ♀, Kerkini lake near Vironia, Malaise trap, Ramna Site, 41°17ʹ42.5″ N; 23°11ʹ33.1″ E, 750 m asl, 13 Oct. –19 Oct. 2008, leg. Gordon Ramel ( BMNH).

Paratypes

GREECE: 1 ♀, as holotype, except 29 Oct.–5 Nov. 2008 ( MICO); 1 ♀, Kerkini lake near Promahonas; Malaise trap 31 Mar.–6 Apr. 2008, 41°22ʹ38.1″ N; 23°21ʹ58.8″ E, Leg. Gordon Ramel ( BMNH); 1 ♀, as previous, except 17–23 Mar. 2008 ( MICO).

Description

Female holotype

BODY LENGTH. 1.8 mm.

COLOUR. Head black, with bluish reflections ( Fig. 3B ); mandibles reddish brown, palpi brown; antenna dark brown ( Fig. 3C ); eyes and ocelli pale grey ( Fig. 3 A–B). Mesoscutum with bronze-green reflections; mesoscutellum except frenum dark brown, with slight greenish metallic reflections; frenum, metascutellum and propodeum with bronze-green reflections ( Fig. 3B , cf. Fig. 3E ); coxae, trochanters and femora dark brown, tibiae and tarsi lighter ( Fig. 3A ); tegula and wing venation brown, parastigma without hyaline break; fore wing disc broadly and moderately infumate; hind wing hyaline ( Fig. 3D ). Metasoma mainly dark brown, slightly metallic basally, distal third lighter; ovipositor sheaths dark brown ( Fig. 3 A–B). Body setation light brown.

HEAD. In dorsal view moderately transverse, HW/HL = 1.7. Sculpture imbricate, except scrobal cavity mainly smooth with striate lateral sides. MS/EH = 0.4. Malar sulcus present but hardly visible ( Fig. 3C ). Antenna ( Fig. 3C ): A3 wider than long, length about equal to A1+A2; F1 conical, length 1.85× width, distally wider than anelli. F2–F5 distinctly longer than wide, subequal in length to F1, but wider than the latter. Clava about as wide as distal funicular segments, length about 5.5× width, about 1.1× longer than F3–F5. C1 subequal to F5, C2–C3 gradually increasing in length.

MESOSOMA. Length about 1.7× width. Dorsum moderately arched in lateral view ( Fig. 3A ). Sculpture imbricate, almost indistinct on disc of mesoscutellum. Notauli distinct, complete. Pronotum about 0.8× length of mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum subequal in length to mesoscutum.Axillula with one longitudinal costa in the middle. Frenum distinct (cf. Fig. 3E ). Metanotum about ¼ length of mesoscutellum. Metascutellum distinctly delimited, width about 2.5× length, slightly longer than frenum (cf. Fig. 3E ). Propodeum about 0.6× as long as mesoscutellum, distinctly reticulate, reticulation coarser on nucha; propodeum raised along median line but without distinct carinae, with two elongate foveae laterad along metanotum and one very shallow depression posterior to each spiracle (cf. Fig. 3E ). Prepectus narrowly triangular, with imbricate sculpture. Mesopleuron mostly with very fine imbricate sculpture except on shallowly reticulate mesepisternum. Fore wing ( Fig. 3D ) length about 2.8× width, the longest apical setae (fringe) shorter than stigmal vein, with 4 admarginal setae below marginal vein. Parastigma without hyaline break. SM: M: S: P = 63: 48:14: 27. Stigmal vein almost straight, stigma hardly enlarged, uncus long. Hind wing length about 4.8× width, longest apical setae slightly less than half width of hind wing.

METASOMA. Ovate-acuminate ( Fig. 3B ). Petiole transverse, mostly concealed under nucha, with longitudinal costae. Gaster mostly smooth, shiny, with at most extremely fine imbricate sculpture on

distal tergites, length without ovipositor sheaths slightly more than twice width. GT1 longer than GT2– GT3 combined. Ovipositor sheaths about 0.4× as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 3 A–B).

Male

Unknown.

Variation

Females

Body length: 1.6–1.8 mm. F1 length 1.60–1.85× width, distally slightly to distinctly wider than A3. Each of the following funicular segments subequal to or longer than F1. Clava length about 5.0–5.5× width. Fore wing length about 2.8–2.9× width, with 4–8 admarginal setae arranged in 1–2 rows. M about 1.6–1.9× P and 3.4–4.0× S. Gaster length about 1.8–2.1× width. The specimens collected near Vironia differ from those collected near Promahonas in being larger and having the F1 subequal in length to any of the following funicular segments; the latter specimens are smaller, and F1 is distinctly shorter than any of the following segments; these differences are regarded as intraspecific variability.

Distribution

Greece.

Hosts

Unknown.

Remarks

This species appears to be intermediate between S. procera and S. dudichi , due to its moderately robust mesosoma. From both species it differs mainly in having distinctly shorter ovipositor sheaths and a different general body colour. Additionally, from S. dudichi it differs in having a longer F1.

Figures

Fig. 3. Spalangiopelta rameli sp. nov. A. ♀, holotype, habitus in lateral view. B. ♀, holotype, habitus in dorsal view. C. ♀, holotype, head and anterior part of mesosoma in lateral view. D. ♀, holotype, wings. E. ♀, paratype, mesosoma in dorsal view (MICO).