Synopeas valavala Awad, 2021

Awad, Jessica, Bremer, Jonathan S., Butterill, Philip T., Moore, Matthew R. & Talamas, Elijah J., 2021, A taxonomic treatment of Synopeas Foerster (Platygastridae, Platygastrinae) from the island of New Guinea, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 5-65 : 5

Synopeas valavala Awad sp. nov.

Description.

Body length 1.3-1.5 mm. Body color: black. Color of legs: coxae brown, otherwise yellow. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: triangular. Central keel: absent. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: reticulate microsculpture. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: evenly spaced. Shape of mandible: bidentate. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): less than 1 ocellar diameter. Hyperoccipital carina: absent. Hyperoccipital carina strength: unknown. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: unknown. Postgenal region: medially impressed.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present dorsally, absent ventrally, smooth band anterior to tegula. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: 1/2 to 2/3. Mesoscutellar spine: absent or inconspicuous. Posterior margin of lateral propodeal carina in lateral view: rounded. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: moderately dense. Mesoscutal lamella: short, projecting less than its width beyond margin. Setation of mesoscutellum: laterally dense, medially sparse.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: narrow band at posterior margin. Sculpture of T2: uncertain, absent. Length of T2: shorter than mesosoma; approximately as long as mesosoma.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of forewing: longer than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: dense. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: uniformly setose distally, proximally glabrous with linea setosa. Forewing marginal setae: setae on posterior margin distinctly longer than setae on anterior margin.

Diagnosis.

Synopeas valavala has an exceptionally large, triangular head, unlike any other known species of Synopeas . The malar space is long, about equal to the height of the compound eye, and the mesoscutellar spine is inconspicuous to absent.

Comments.

A similar head shape is found in Inostemma macarangae Buhl, 2013 (Fig. 44 ), which has also been reared from Macaranga galls, suggesting convergent evolution. There is no central keel, but the angle of the frons may give the impression of a keel when viewed at certain angles.

Etymology.

The epithet " Synopeas valavala " is Maenge for " Macaranga " (Ross, 2008) and refers to the identity of the gall host plant. The name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Plant associations.

Reared from round, fuzzy galls on Macaranga strigosa ( Euphorbiaceae ) [GALL357].

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Morobe, Yawan , 6.14141°S, 146.87415°E, 21.XI.2012, Philip Butterill leg., Macaranga strigosa (FSCA 00033890) . Paratypes: Papua New Guinea: 2♀, Morobe, Yawan , 21.XI.2012, Philip Butterill leg., Macaranga strigosa (FSCA 00000259-00000350) .

Figures

Figure 44. Inostemma macarangae (male specimen; FSCA 00090262) A lateral habitus B dorsal habitus C anteroventral habitus.