Sycophilodes moniliformis Joseph

Pramanik, Achintya & Dey, Debjani, 2014, Redescription of the fig wasp genus Sycophilodes Joseph (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Epichrysomallinae) with description of a new species from India, Zootaxa 3838 (3), pp. 310-322 : 313-316

Sycophilodes moniliformis Joseph

( Figs 1–20 )

Material examined. 14 ♀, 20 ♂ card mounted; series ♀, ♂ preserved in 70% ethanol: INDIA, New Delhi, IARI, Pusa campus, 28°38'28.9428"N 077°10'09.3936"E, 24.III.2012, ex Ficus benghalensis L., collector A. Pramanik, deposited in National Pusa Collection, IARI, New Delhi.

Diagnosis. Female. Postmarginal vein as long as stigmal vein ( Fig. 10 ); marginal vein 2.4× length of stigmal vein ( Fig. 9 ); stigmal vein arched with relatively narrow stalk and slightly swollen distal end ( Fig. 10 ). Axilla with one long seta on upper part of posterior half and two small setae at lower corner. Scape 3× as long as pedicel; pedicel as long as its maximum width; clava 2.5× longer than preceding funicular segment. POL 2× median ocellus diameter. Anterior margin of middle lobe of mesoscutum 5.2× wider than posterior margin ( Fig. 7 ). Propodeal spiracles separated from each other by 3.8× distance between posterior margin of spiracles and hind margin of propodeum.

Male. Stigmal vein arched with relatively narrow basal stalk 0.7× length of stigma and slightly swollen distal end ( Fig. 20 ). Torular-ocular distance 2.3× intertorular distance. Propodeum 2.8× as wide as long ( Fig. 18 ); interspiracular distance 4.3× distance between spiracle and posterior propodeal margin. Fore femur 2× as long as fore coxa ( Joseph 1961, pl. II, fig. 10).

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 1–10 ). Body 2.5 mm, length of head 0.2 mm, mesosoma 1.1 mm, metasoma 1.2 mm.

Colour. Body generally honey coloured; antenna pale brown; eyes red, ocelli translucent; interocellar area black; vertex darker than face; apical tooth of mandible dark brown; mesosoma dorsally brownish black, wings hyaline, veins dark brown; legs pale yellow, claws dark brown; first two gastral terga with median brownish black patches; ovipositor sheath brownish black.

General body sculpture and pilosity. Body moderately sclerotized, vertex finely carinated, sparsely setose with scattered setae but without median ridge ( Fig. 3 ); upper face finely carinated, pilosity relatively short and sparse; lower face, parascrobal area and malar space sparsely setose with fine carination; pronotum finely carinated, sparsely setose with short setae on lateral side; mesoscutum almost smooth, scapula finely reticulate, axilla almost smooth; gastral tergites largely bare, very finely carinated, with a transverse row of distinct setae arising from dark pits.

Head. Head in dorsal view 2.7× wider than long; in frontal view 1.3× wider than high across compound eyes; face relatively broad. Mandible ( Fig. 5 ) with 11 or 12 conspicuous setae. Clypeus not lying on same plane as supraclypeal area, 1.4× as broad as high ( Fig. 2 ); clypeus with 3 or 4 pairs of relatively long setae. Tentorial index 1.4. Supraclypeal area almost rectangular, 2× wider than torular diameter, well delineated by distinct, parallel subantennal grooves. Parascrobal area relatively flat. Distance from upper torular margin to median ocellus 1.5× distance from torulus to lower clypeal margin; intertorular distance 1× torular diameter; distance between torulus and inner eye margin 2× intertorular distance. Interantennal ridge present, exceeding torulus by about 0.5× torular diameter ( Fig. 2 ). Antennal formula 11173 ( Fig. 4 ); scape 3× as long as wide; funicular segments with single row of 14–16 plate sensilla; first funicular segment 0.8× as long as wide and 0.7× as long as pedicel; clava 1.3× as long as wide. Eye 1.4× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.3× eye width. POL 1.1× OOL.

Mesosoma. Pronotum bell shaped, 0.3× longer than wide, 0.4× as long as mesoscutum, with a few scattered long setae ( Fig. 7 ). Mesothorax at tegulae 0.9× as wide as head. Notauli finely cross-crenulated, complete but posteriorly shallow, and slightly convergent to each other ( Fig. 7 ). Scapula 1.5× wider than long, posterior-lateral quarter with 3 prominent setae. Axilla transverse, 0.8× as long as wide, 0.4× as long as scapula; axillar grooves distinct and complete but very shallow, finely cross-crenulated, converging at transscutellar line. Mesoscutellum 1.3× as long as mesoscutum ( Fig. 7 ). Propodeum 2.4× as wide as long and 0.5× as long as mesoscutellum, ( Fig. 8 ).

Wings. Fore wing 2.4× longer than wide; relative measurements of submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins in a ratio of 38:12:5:5 ( Fig. 9 ). Submarginal vein with 9 setae; marginal vein with 3 setae; postmarginal vein with 3 setae; stigmal vein ( Fig. 10 ) with 4 discrete sensilla and 3 setae. Hind wing 3.5× as long as wide, with single vein and 3 hamuli.

Legs. Fore leg: coxa 1.6× longer than wide; femur 2.1× longer than wide; tibia 0.8× as long as femur, tibial armature consisting of 1 bifid subapical ventral spur and a row of 2 axial spines between spur and apex; five tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 3:2:2:2:4. Mid leg: tibia with 1 subapical ventral spur; tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 5:4:3:2:4. Hind leg: coxa 1.7× longer than wide; femur 2.4× longer than wide and 1.2× as long as coxa; tibia pilose, 5× longer than wide and 1.1× as long as femur, tibia with 2 subapical ventral spurs in a ratio of 5:3, and a row of 5 axial spines between spur and apex plus 4 odontoid spines on posterior margin; tarsal segments in a ratio of 9:3:3:2:4 ( Fig. 1 ), basitarsus 0.4× tibia, densely pilose.

Metasoma. Gaster 1.4× longer than wide. Hypopygium 1.1× as long as hind tibia, apical quarter with 4 or 5 pairs of median setae.

MALE ( Figs 11–20 ). Males are similar to females except for the following characters. Body 2.1 mm, length of head 0.2 mm, mesosoma 1 mm, metasoma 0.9 mm.

Colour. Mesosoma mid-dorsally with brownish black patches; first three gastral terga deep brown.

General body sculpture and pilosity. Pronotum rather setose.

Head. Head in dorsal view 2.8× wider than long; in frontal view 1.3× wider than high across compound eyes. Mouth opening 0.7× broader than frons; mandible ( Fig. 15 ; Joseph 1961, pl. II, fig. 8), 2.2× longer than basal width, with 11 or 12 fine setae of variable length on outer side. Clypeus 1.2× as broad as high ( Fig. 12 ); clypeus with 3 or 4 pairs of relatively long setae. Tentorial index 1.8. Supraclypeal area well delineated by distinct, subparallel subantennal grooves ( Fig. 12 ). Parascrobal area convex. Distance between upper torular margin to median ocellus 1.3× distance from torulus to lower clypeal margin. Interantennal ridge exceeding torulus by 1× torular diameter. Antennal formula 11163 ( Fig. 14 ; Joseph 1961, pl. II, fig. 7); scape 3.3× times as long as wide, 2.5× as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.3× as long as its maximum width; funicular segments with single row of 14–16 plate sensilla hardly projecting beyond apical edge; first funicular segment 0.5× as long as wide and 0.5× as long as pedicel; clava 1.6× as long as wide and 4× longer than preceding funicular segment. Eye 1.5× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.4× eye width. POL 1.4× OOL; POL 1.8× median ocellus diameter.

Mesosoma. Anterior margin of middle lobe of mesoscutum 4.6× wider than posterior margin. Axilla transverse, 0.9× as long as wide, 0.5× longer than scapula. Mesoscutellum 1.2× as long as mesoscutum ( Fig. 17 ). Propodeum 0.4× as long as mesoscutellum.

Wings. Fore wing 2.3× longer than wide; relative measurements of submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins approximately in a ratio of 38:12:6:7 ( Fig. 19 ). Submarginal vein with 12 setae; marginal vein 1.7× longer than stigmal vein, with 18–23 setae; postmarginal vein with 11 or 12 setae; stigmal vein with 4 discrete sensilla and 4 or 5 setae. Hind wing 3.2× as long as wide.

Legs. Fore leg: coxa 1.7× as long as wide; femur 2.5× as long as wide; tibial armature consisting of one bifid subapical ventral spur and a row of 3 axial spines between spur and apex; five tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 3:2:2:1:4. Mid leg: tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 6:3:3:2:5 ( Joseph 1961, pl. II, fig. 11). Hind leg ( Joseph 1961, pl. II, fig. 12): coxa highly sclerotized, distinctly cross carinated, 1.7× longer than wide; femur inflated, 2.3× longer than wide and 1.2× as long as coxa; tibia 5× longer than wide and 1.2× as long as femur, tibia pilose with 2 subapical ventral spurs in a ratio of 5:3, and a row of 5 curved axial spines between spur and apex plus 4 odontoid spines; tarsal segments in a ratio of 9:4:3:2:5, basitarsus pilose, 0.4× tibia.

Metasoma. Gaster ( Fig. 18 ), 1.3× longer than broad; 1st tergite 0.4× as long as gaster.

Variation. Body length: 2.4–2.7 mm for female, 2.0– 2.4 mm for male. Mid-dorsal black patch on mesosoma sometimes relatively pale and narrow.

Distribution. India (New Delhi).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Sycophilodes moniliformis Joseph ♀. 1, habitus, lateral view; 2, head, frontal view; 3, head, dorsal view; 4, antenna; 5, mandible; 6, mesosoma, lateral view; 7, mesosoma, dorsal view; 8, propodeum; 9, fore wing venation; 10, postmarginal and stigmal vein of fore wing (enlarged).

FIGURES 11 – 20. Sycophilodes moniliformis Joseph ♂. 11, habitus, lateral view; 12, head, frontal view; 13, head, dorsal view; 14, antenna; 15, mandible; 16, mesosoma, lateral view; 17, mesosoma, dorsal view; 18, propodeum; 19, fore wing venation; 20, postmarginal and stigmal vein of fore wing (enlarged).