Euplectrus catocalae Howard

Hansson, Christer, Smith, M. Alex, Janzen, Daniel H. & Hallwachs, Winnie, 2015, Integrative taxonomy of New World Euplectrus Westwood (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with focus on 55 new species from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, ZooKeys 485, pp. 1-236 : 99-100

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Eulophidae

Euplectrus catocalae Howard Figures 669-675

Euplectrus catocalae Howard, 1885: 27. Lectotype ♂ (USNM), designated here, examined.

Material.

Type material: 2♀ 3♂ syntypes of Euplectrus catocalae (USNM). Additional material: 6♀ 1♂ (USNM) with same label data as syntypes, but not mentioned in the original description - see remarks below.

Diagnosis.

Lower face predominantly pale, medially yellowish-brown and laterally yellowish-white but with a black area the width of the width of scape between pale spot and eye margin (Figs 670, 671); vertex with parts lateral to ocellar triangle dark reddish-brown; gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-white with dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown with apex reddish-brown (female, Fig. 672), or dark brown with a large white spot in anterior ½ (male, Fig. 673); legs yellowish-white, hind coxa slightly darker (Fig. 669); petiole 0.8 × as long as wide.

Description.

Female. Length of body 2.3 mm. Antenna with scape yellowish-white, pedicel yellowish-brown, flagellomeres pale brown (Fig. 674). Mandibles and palpi yellowish-white. Head black and shiny, vertex with parts lateral to ocellar triangle dark reddish-brown, lower face predominantly pale, medially yellowish-brown and laterally yellowish-white, with a black area the width of the width of scape between pale spot and eye margin (Fig. 670). Frons close to eyes with two rows of setae. Vertex with very weak reticulation inside ocellar triangle, smooth outside ocellar triangle. Occipital margin with a weak carina behind ocellar triangle.

Mesosoma black and shiny (Fig. 669). Each sidelobe of mesoscutum with 11 setae. Scutellum 1.0 × as long as wide; with engraved rather strong reticulation, meshes isodiametric. Dorsellum anteriorly with a narrow groove, reaching ¼ the length of dorsellum. Propodeum with very weak reticulation; anteromedially with a semicircular cup; propodeal callus with 13 setae. Legs yellowish-white, hind coxae slightly darker(Fig. 669). Wing veins and setae transparent; submarginal vein with four setae; costal cell with two irregular and sparse rows of setae on ventral surface, and margin with four setae close to marginal vein; with 12 admarginal setae, in one row.

Gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-white with dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown with apex reddish-brown (Fig. 672).

Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 2.0/1.0/1.3; POL/OOL/POO = 6.8/3.8/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.3; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.4/4.6/3.0; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.3; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 3.3/1.8/6.7/2.1/1.3/1.0/2.0; LP/WP = 0.8; MM/LG = 0.9.

Male. Length of body 2.0 mm. Scape narrow and widest medially (Fig. 675); sensory area with same colour as remaining scape (yellowish-white). Otherwise similar to female.

Ratios. LC/WS = 4.8; MM/LG = 0.9.

Hosts and biology.

From a larva of Catocala sp. ( Erebidae ) ( Howard 1885).

Distribution.

USA (Missouri) ( Howard 1885).

Remarks.

The description of Euplectrus catocalae was based on two females and three males reared from a larva collected July 5 1873, in Saint Louis, Missouri. In the USNM there is a card with five points, each point with a specimen - two females and three males. These specimens are labeled "411 L. Par on Catocala", "Type No. 2656 U.S.N.M.", but there is no information on locality or collection date. However, as the number of specimens of each sex, the host, and the specimens agree with the description, these are strong indications that these specimens are the type material. The five specimens are from left to right: a female with head missing, a male with antennae missing, a female with antennae missing, a male with antennae missing, a male with left antenna missing. The male on the far right is designated lectotype and the remaining specimens are paralectotypes. In the USNM there is also another card with seven points, each point with a specimen - six females and one male, and with same label data as as the syntypes. There is no mention of these seven specimens in the original description and even though they are conspecific with the syntypes and probably from the same collecting event they are not type material. Six of these specimens lack the head, and the 7th specimen, a female, lacks the flagellum on the right antenna.