Amphibolips kinseyi Nieves-Aldrey & Castillejos-Lemus, 2020

Castillejos-Lemus, Dohuglas Eliseo, Oyama, Ken & Nieves-Aldrey, Jose Luis, 2020, Description of three new species of oak gallwasps of the genus Amphibolips Reinhard from Mexico (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae), ZooKeys 987, pp. 81-114 : 81

Amphibolips kinseyi Nieves-Aldrey & Castillejos-Lemus sp. nov. Figs 6 , 7 , 8 , 9B, D

Type material.

Holotype: 1♀ in the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Madrid, Spain, mounted (glued) on a card. Mexico, Oaxaca, Pozuelos, Ixtlán, 17°22.52'N, 96°26.88'W, ca. 3040 m alt., ex gall Quercus zempoaltepecana . Collected 21/04/2018; emerged 04/05/2018. D. Castillejos-Lemus leg. Paratypes: 4♂ and 2♀, same data as that of holotype; 1♀ and 1♂ paratype dissected and mounted on a stub for SEM observation. Additional material in ethanol: 3♂ and 1♀ (in the collection of Castillejos-Lemus, Morelia, Mexico), 1♂ (in MNCN). Eighteen galls, one dissected (in the collection of Castillejos-Lemus and the Colección Nacional de Insectos- UNAM).

Etymology.

Named after Dr Alfred Kinsey, one of the most prominent cynipidologists and the pioneer of the study of Amphibolips in Mexico.

Diagnosis and comments.

Amphibolips kinseyi is very similar to A. dampfi Kinsey, 1937. We collected the new species in sites near where collections by A. Dampf were made (near Ixtlán, Oaxaca), the material of which was later described by Kinsey ( Kinsey 1937). Both species share a strongly emarginate mesoscutellum and have a similar forewing colour pattern. However, after a close comparison with the male holotype, we found some diagnostic differences that allowed us to describe our specimens as different and new species. The forewings of the males of A. dampfi and A. kinseyi are similar, being predominantly black infuscate and have a reduced clear transversal band; however, in A. dampfi , the first radial abscissa (2r vein) is strongly angled and projected into the radial cell (Fig. 9C ), while it is weakly angled and not projected in A. kinseyi (Fig. 9D ). The postero-lateral projections of the mesoscutellum are more or less pointed or acute in the A. dampfi males (Fig. 9A ), but are more rounded and flatter in the case of the new species (Fig. 9B ). Additional distinguishing characters are given in the identification key provided herein. The female forewing of A. dampfi was not available for description, as it was apparently lost in the only female collected. However, the female forewing of this closely-allied new species is described here. Consistent with other Amphibolips species from Mexico, the female forewing is different from the male forewing. In this case, the female forewing has a clear transversal band, which is larger and more extended than that of the male (Fig. 8C ).

Description.

Body length: 6.3 mm (n = 1) for females; 5.7 mm (n = 3) for males.

Female. Body predominantly black (Fig. 8A ); head, except the red mandibles and the mesosoma, black; metasoma reddish postero-ventrally; antennal flagellum reddish in distal half; legs reddish except black basal part of coxae. Forewing (Fig. 8C ) predominantly black infuscate, but much less infuscate above the cubital veins and below the M+Cu1 vein. There is a wide, clear, transversal band, which starts in the apex of the radial cell and extends towards the discoidal and cubital cells to the Cu1a vein but does not reach the latero-ventral margin of the forewing.

Head, in dorsal view 2.1 × as wide as long; 0.8 × as wide as mesosoma. POL 0.7 × the OOL; lateral ocelli separated from inner margin of an eye for a distance of 3 × the diameter of a lateral ocellus. Head in anterior view (Fig. 6A ) 1.2 × wider than high, gena slightly broadened behind eye. Vertex, frons, lower face and gena, with strong coarsely-rugose sculpture. A medial frontal pit visible followed by a sulcus addressed to the median ocellus. Face with two longitudinal carinae visible, extending from ventral margin of toruli to converge towards the space between the anterior tentorial pits; irradiating carinae from clypeus virtually absent; head moderately pubescent, except in vertex and frons. Clypeus more or less hexagonal, ventral margin strongly projecting over mandibles and weakly sinuate on anterior margin. Anterior tentorial pits well visible; epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal lines visible. Gena slightly depressed basally and projected over the mandibles. Malar space 0.7 × height of a compound eye. Toruli situated mid-height of compound eye; transfacial line 1.7 × height of an eye; distance between antennal rim and compound eye 0.8 × width of antennal socket including rim. Ocellar plate slightly raised.

Mouthparts (Fig. 6A ), mandibles strong, exposed; with dense setae in base, right mandible with three teeth; left with two teeth.

Antenna (Fig. 6E ), about one half as long as body length; with 13 antennomeres; 12 and 13 incompletely separated ventrally. Flagellum not broadening towards apex; with relatively long, erect setae. Relative length/width of antennal segments as: 0.28(0.16):0.16(0.16):0.52(0.16): 0.38(0.16):0.3(0.17):0.24(0.16):0.24(0.17):0.2(0.17):0.2(0.17):0.2(0.16):0.18(0.16):0.16(0.15):0.3(0.14). Scape slightly longer than wide, flattened and smooth ventrally. Pedicel, short, small, as long as wide, 0.5 × as long as scape; F1 1.3 × as long as F2, F11 2.3 times as long as wide, 2 × as long as F10. Placodeal sensilla present on flagellomeres F3-F11, disposed in dense rows of 6-8 sensilla, only in half dorsal area of each flagellomere. Coeloconic and trichoidea sensilla are also present and visible (Fig. 6F ).

Mesosoma in lateral view 1.3 × as long as high. Pronotum, moderately pubescent; lateral surface of pronotum with strong irregular reticulate rugose sculpture (Fig. 6D ). Pronotum medially short; ratio of length of pronotum medially/laterally = 0.2. Pronotal plate indistinct dorsally.

Mesonotum. Mesoscutum (Fig. 6C ) barely pubescent and with strong coarse reticulate sculpture, the interspaces smooth and shining. Notauli shallow and crossed by the general sculpture, but well visible and almost complete; longitudinal median impression not visible. Anteroadmedian signa well marked, extended back to near one half of mesoscutum; parapsidal signa distinct. Transscutal fissure very narrow, sinuate. Mesoscutellum 1.3 × as long as wide; about 0.5 × as long as mesoscutum. Scutellar foveae ovoid elongated posteriorly, about 0.5 × as long as mesoscutellum, separated medially by a deep groove, the foveae are deep, crossed by irregular transversal rugae, the intervals smooth, posterior margins shallowly indicated. Mesoscutellum strongly coarsely rugose, with a deep and broad median longitudinal impression which makes the mesoscutellum strongly emarginate posteriorly (Fig. 6C ); the emargination reaches anteriorly the scutellar foveae. In lateral view, the posterior emargination of mesoscutellum appears as two rounded apically and slightly flat, curved upwards projections. In lateral view, the space between the mesoscutellar projections and the posterior limit of mesoscutellum is high. Axillula large, deep, heavily pubescent, with distinct margins. Mesoscutellum in lateral view with the posterodorsal extension of body of subaxillular strip long, nearly reaching upper margin of mesoscutellum. Mesopleuron coarsely reticulate rugose, the rugae not as strong as in mesoscutum.

Metanotum. Metapectal-propodeal complex. Metapleural sulcus obscured by the strong sculpture. Metascutellum weakly rugose; metanotal trough deep, smooth and pubescent. Median propodeal area with strong and coarse reticulate rugae; densely pubescent; lateral propodeal carinae distinct, subparallel anteriorly and converging posteriorly.

Legs. Densely pubescent; femora and tibiae robust. Femur 4 × as long as wide; metatibia 1.6 × as long as metatarsus; apical margin of metatarsomeres 1-4, with long strong erect setae. Metatarsal claws with strong triangular basal lobes or teeth.

Forewing (Fig. 8C ), about 1.2 × as long as body, radial cell 3.7 × as long as wide; open along anterior margin; areolet very small, but visible. All veins heavily infuscate. M and Cu1 veins nearly straight, not reaching wing margin. Rs+M reaching basalis, well-marked. First abscissa of radius (2r) slightly angled, not projected. Cu1 vein not branched in two veins. Apical margin with very short or obsolete hair fringe.

Metasoma (Fig. 7D ), in lateral view 1.3 × as long as high. Second metasomal tergite covering about 0.6 × length of metasoma. Anterior 2/3 smooth and shining; posterior one third with a band of micropunctures clearly visible; the punctate sculpture extended on subsequent tergites; ventral area of second metasomal tergite moderately pubescent, with a relatively dense patch of setae. Projecting part of hypopygial spine moderately long (Fig. 7D ); about 5 × as long as high in lateral view; laterally with long setae, longer than spine width, but not forming an apical tuft.

Male (Figs 6B , 7A, E , 8B, D ). Differs from the female as follows: smaller size, length 5.7 mm on average (n = 3). Body and wings almost completely black, except the mandibles, metasoma ventrally, tarsomeres of legs and half of the apical flagellomeres of antennae which are more or less reddish (Fig. 8B ). Antennae, legs and wings relatively longer. Antenna with 14 segments (Fig. 7A ). Antennal formula (mean of four measured individuals) as: 0.29(0.18):0.15(0.16):0.69(0.16):0.46(0.15):0.40(0.15): 0.41(0.15):0.38(0.14):0.36(0.14):0.34(0.14):0.34(0.14):0.31(0.14):0.32(0.13):0.29(0.12):0.25(0.11):0.23(0.11). F1 slightly curved, weakly enlarged apically and flattened ventrally, 1.5 × as long as F2; placodeal sensilla present in all the flagellomeres. Head 1.3 × as wide as high; apical part of gena slightly expanded. Frontal pit distinct, prolonged by a groove towards median ocellus. Pair of frontal longitudinal carinae more convergent towards epistomal line (Fig. 6B ). Projection of anterior margin of clypeus more incised. Forewing (Fig. 8D ) relatively longer 1.3 × as long as body. Almost completely black, except the distal transversal clear band that is much smaller and less extended.

Gall

(Fig. 8E, F ). The gall is similar to the gall of Amphibolips dampfi described by Kinsey (1937). A moderate to large "oak apple", irregularly spherical gall with spongy inner consistency. Some are slightly elongated towards the apex. The surface is slightly rough when intact, but may have more pronounced irregularities, which cause deformations on the surface or in the general shape. Monothalamic. They are light green without spots when they are fresh and light brown when they are dry. The epidermis is thin, at 0.4 mm thick; firmly attached to the internal spongy tissue when fresh; firm and brittle when dry. The consistency is relatively hard and fleshy when green and brittle when dry. Internally, the spongy tissue occupies the entire space between the epidermis and the larval chamber (Fig. 8F ). Diameter of 30 mm and height of 31 mm on average (diameter of 16 to 44 mm and height of 18 to 51 mm; n = 18). Rigid and oval larval cell, 0.4 mm thick and 6.5 mm long × 5 mm in diameter on average (n = 2). Galls are formed on the twigs of Quercus zempoaltepecana Trel. Galls are relatively common in the study area.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality along the route from Ixtlán to Tepanzacoalcos (Oaxaca State, Mexico).

Biology.

Sexual generation. The galls were collected in late April and the insects emerged shortly thereafter, in early May. It is normal to find galls deformed and/or attacked by inquilines and parasitoids; the deformed or attacked galls are usually relatively small.

Figures

Figure 6. Amphibolips kinseyi sp. nov. A female head, anterior view B male head, anterior view C-D female mesosoma, dorsal and lateral view E female antenna F detail of last flagellomeres in female antenna.

Figure 7. Amphibolips kinseyi sp. nov. A male antenna B female mesosoma, dorsolateral view C male mesosoma, dorsal view D female metasoma, lateral view E male metasoma, lateral view.

Figure 8. Amphibolips kinseyi sp. nov. A female habitus B male habitus C female forewing D male forewing E galls F section of a gall.

Figure 9. Comparison between Amphibolips dampfi and A. kinseyi sp. nov. A male mesoscutellum of A. dampfi B male mesoscutellum of A. kinseyi C radial cell of A. dampfi D radial cell of A. kinseyi.