Glyptapanteles alexwildi Arias-Penna, sp. nov.

Arias-Penna, Diana Carolina, Whitfield, James B., Janzen, Daniel H., Winifred Hallwachs,, Dyer, Lee A., Smith, M. Alex, Hebert, Paul D. N. & Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., 2019, A species-level taxonomic review and host associations of Glyptapanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with an emphasis on 136 new reared species from Costa Rica and Ecuador, ZooKeys 890, pp. 1-685 : 1

Glyptapanteles alexwildi Arias-Penna, sp. nov. Fig. 9

Male.

Body length 3.23 mm, antenna length 4.69 mm, fore wing length 3.53 mm.

Type material.

Holotype: ECUADOR • 1♀; EC-37439, YY-A162; Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station, Río Pumayacu, Plot 424; cloud forest; 2163 m; - 0.5833, -77.8833; 06.iii.2009; CAPEA leg.; caterpillar collected in third instar; cocoons formed on 12.iii.2009; adult parasitoid emerged on 01.iv.2009; ( PUCE).

Diagnosis.

Nucha surrounded by very short radiating carinae ( Fig. 9G ), proximal half of propodeum weakly curved ( Fig. 9G ), antenna longer than body, mesoscutum punctation proximally distinct, but distally absent/dispersed ( Fig. 9F ), axillary trough of metanotum with small punctation throughout ( Fig. 9G ), inner margin of eyes diverging slightly at antennal sockets ( Fig. 9B ), petiole on T1 virtually parallel-sided, but narrowing over distal 1/3, completely smooth and polished, with faint, satin-like sheen ( Fig. 9H, I ), propodeum without median longitudinal carina ( Fig. 9G ), lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 clearly defined and reaching the distal edge of T2 ( Fig. 9H, I ), and fore wing with outer side of junction of r and 2RS veins not forming a stub ( Fig. 9L ).

Coloration

( Fig. 9 A–M ). General body coloration dark brown except clypeus, scape and pedicel (with some areas brown), propleuron, ventral edge from proximal to distal of mesopleuron, parts of dorsal and ventral furrows of pronotum, and epicnemial ridge yellow-brown; labrum, maxillae, maxillary and labial palps yellow. Eyes gray and ocelli yellowish. Fore and middle legs yellow except claws brown; hind legs yellow except a tiny brown dot at the apex of femora, tibiae medially yellow-brown and both ends brown, all tarsomeres brown. Petiole on T1 yellow-brown with the entire inner edge dark brown; T2 with median and wide adjacent areas light brown, and lateral ends yellow-brown; T3 completely light brown and distally with a narow whitish transparent band; T4 and beyond dark brown; distally each tergum with a narrow whitish transparent band. In lateral view, T1-3 completely yellow; T4 and beyond completely light brown. S1-3 completely yellow; S4 yellow, but medial brown; penultimate sternum and hypopygium completely brown.

Description.

Head ( Fig. 9 B–D ). Head triangular with pubescence long and dense. Proximal three antennal flagellomeres longer than wide (0.27:0.11, 0.29:0.11, 0.29:0.11), distal antennal flagellomere longer than penultimate (0.19:0.07, 0.16:0.07), antenna longer than body (4.69, 3.23); antennal scrobes-frons shallow. Face flat or nearly so, with dense fine punctations, interspaces wavy and longitudinal median carina present. Frons punctate. Temple wide, punctate and interspaces wavy. Inner margin of eyes diverging slightly at antennal sockets; in lateral view, eye anteriorly convex and posteriorly straight. POL shorter than OOL (0.10, 0.13). Malar suture present. Median area between lateral ocelli without depression. Vertex laterally rounded and dorsally wide.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 9 F–G, J ). Mesosoma dorsoventrally convex. Mesoscutum with narrow grooves/dents taking the place of notauli, punctation distinct proximally, but absent/dispersed distally, and interspaces wavy/lacunose. Scutellum triangular, apex sloped and fused with BS, scutellar punctation distinct throughout, in profile scutellum slightly convex, but on same plane as mesoscutum, phragma of the scutellum completely concealed; BS only very partially overlapping the MPM; ATS demilune with short stubs delineating the area; dorsal ATS groove with carinae only proximally. Transscutal articulation with small and homogeneous foveae, area just behind transscutal articulation depressed centrally, sculpture on area just behind transscutal articulation smooth and shiny. Metanotum with BM wider than PFM (clearly differentiated); MPM semicircular without median longitudinal carina; AFM without setiferous lobes and not as well delineated as PFM; PFM thick and smooth; ATM small punctate throughout. Propodeum without median longitudinal carina, proximal half weakly curved with medium-sized sculpture and distal half with a shallow dent at each side of nucha; distal edge of propodeum with a flange at each side and without stubs; propodeal spiracle without distal carina; nucha surrounded by very short radiating carinae. Pronotum with a distinct dorsal furrow, dorsally with a defined smooth band only proximally; central area of pronotum and dorsal furrow smooth, but ventral furrow with short parallel carinae. Propleuron with fine rugae and dorsally without a carina. Metasternum flat or nearly so. Contour of mesopleuron straight/angulate or nearly so; precoxal groove deep and with faintly lineate sculpture; epicnemial ridge elongated, more fusiform (tapering at both ends).

Legs. Ventral margin of fore telotarsus entire without seta, fore telotarsus almost same width throughout and longer than fourth tarsomere (0.15, 0.08). Hind coxa with punctation only on ventral surface, dorsal outer depression present. Inner spur of hind tibia much longer than outer spur (0.42, 0.31). Entire surface of hind tibia with dense strong spines clearly differentiated by color and length. Hind telotarsus longer than fourth tarsomere (0.20, 0.16).

Wings ( Fig. 9L, M ). Fore wing with r vein curved; 2RS vein straight; r and 2RS veins forming a weak, even curve at their junction and outer side of junction not forming a stub; 2M vein slightly curved/swollen; distally fore wing [where spectral veins are] with microtrichiae more densely concentrated than the rest of the wing; anal cell 1/3 proximally lacking microtrichiae; subbasal cell with a small smooth area; veins 2CUa and 2CUb completely spectral; vein 2 cu-a present as spectral vein, sometimes difficult to see; vein 2-1A proximally tubular and distally spectral, although sometimes difficult to see; tubular vein 1 cu-a curved and complete, but junction with 1-1A vein spectral. Hind wing with vannal lobe narrow, subdistally and subproximally straightened, and setae evenly scattered in the margin.

Metasoma ( Fig. 9H, I, K ). Metasoma laterally compressed. Petiole on T1 completely smooth and polished, with faint, satin-like sheen, virtually parallel-sided over most of length, but narrowing over distal 1/3 (length 0.40, maximum width 0.19, minimum width 0.10) and with scattered pubescence concentrated in the first distal third. Lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 clearly defined and reaching the distal edge of T2 (length median area 0.21, length T2 0.21), edges of median area polished, lateral grooves deep, median area as broad as long (length 0.21, maximum width 0.20, minimum width 0.07); T2 with scattered pubescence only distally. T3 longer than T2 (0.27, 0.21) and with scattered pubescence only distally.

Cocoon ( Fig. 8E ). Dark oval cocoon with silk fibers messy/disordered/fluffy.

Comments.

The pronotum is elevated in the middle part (convex) and distally at different level that mesopleuron, there forming a deep hollow.

Female.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Alexander (Alex) L. Wild, is an American entomologist and photographer who worked on ant evolution. His photographs appear in numerous natural history museums, magazines, books, television programs, and other media. Currently, he works at the University of Texas, Austin, USA.

Distribution.

Parasitized caterpillar was collected in Ecuador, Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station ( Río Pumayacu), during March 2009 at 2,163 m in cloud forest.

Biology.

The lifestyle of this parasitoid species is solitary.

Host.

Undetermined species of Noctuidae feeding on Diplazium costale var. robustum ( Dryopteridaceae ). Caterpillar was collected at third instar.

Figures

Figure 8. Glyptapanteles alexborisenkoi sp. nov. male 02 - SRNP- 23217 DHJPAR 0000025 A Habitus B-D Head B frontal view C lateral view D dorsal view E, I Mesosoma E Dorsal view I Lateral view F Scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, dorsal view, G T 1 - 3, dorsal view H, J Metasoma H Dorsal view J Lateral view K, L Wings K Fore L Hind.

Figure 9. Glyptapanteles alexwildi sp. nov. male EC- 37439 YY-A 162 A Habitus B, D Head B Frontal view D Dorsal view C Head, pronotum, propleuron, lateral view E Cocoon F Mesonotum, dorsal view G Scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, dorsal view H T 1 - 3, dorsal view I, K Metasoma I Dorsal view K Lateral view J Mesosoma, lateral view L, M Wings L Fore M Hind.