Oxyscelio aciculae Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2013, Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), part II: the Australian and southwest Pacific fauna, ZooKeys 331, pp. 1-266 : 21-24

Oxyscelio aciculae Burks sp. n. Figures 2-7; Morphbank26

Description.

Female. Body length 3.1-4.15 mm (n=20).

Radicle color and shade: darker than scape. Pedicel color: same as scape. A3: shorter than pedicel. A4: broader than long. A5: broader than long.

Ventral clypeal margin: with slightly convex median lobe. Interantennal process: not elongate. Lower frons at dorsal margin of interantennal process: without transverse carina. Transverse curved rugae extending from frontal depression to eye: absent. Median longitudinal carina in frontal depression: absent. Ventral portion of frontal depression: with medially interrupted transverse carinae. Dorsal portion of frontal depression: without transverse carinae. Submedian carina: present. Frontal depression dorsally: not hood-like, open dorsally. Upper frons major sculpture: umbilicate foveate; transversely rugose. Upper frons microsculpture: absent. Hyperoccipital carina: indicated by a set of irregular elevations. Carina connecting occipital carina to hyperoccipital carina: present. Occipital carina: present laterally, absent medially. Occiput sculpture: irregularly sculptured. Extra carina ventral to occipital carina: absent. Gena length: shorter than eye. Major sculpture of gena anteroventrally: umbilicate foveate; rugose; umbilicate punctate. Major sculpture of gena posteroventrally: rugose; umbilicate punctate. Microsculpture of gena anteroventrally: absent. Microsculpture of gena posteroventrally: absent.

Lateral pronotal area sculpture: irregularly sculptured. Posterior border of central pronotal area: directed posteriorly, epomial carina absent or meeting transverse pronotal carina at arch on lateral surface of pronotum. Mesoscutum anteriorly: not steep, forming less than a right angle. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Mesoscutal midlobe sculpture at midlength: not different from nearby sculpture. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Median mesoscutal carina: present as a ruga. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: umbilicate foveate; umbilicate punctate. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate; umbilicate punctate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: absent. Mesoscutellar rim: not expanded. Mesoscutellar rim medially: without notch. Mesofemoral depression: longitudinally striate dorsally, smooth ventrally. Metascutellum shape: not emarginate, concave but elevated posteriorly. Metascutellar setae: absent. Metascutellum sculpture: with large smooth posterior fovea. Postmarginal vein: present. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching middle of T5; reaching near apex of T5; reaching middle of T6. Coxae color brightness: same color as femora. Spines along tibiae: absent. Lateral propodeal carinae: broadly separated, not parallel anteriorly. Setae in metasomal depression: absent. Anterior sculpture of metasomal depression: absent. Median propodeal carina: absent.

T1 horn: present. Number of longitudinal carinae of T1 midlobe: obscured by other raised sculpture. T1 lateral carina: straight. T2 sculpture: densely foveolate, longitudinal sculpture irregular. T2 sublateral longitudinal foveae: absent. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 sculpture: densely foveate, longitudinal sculpture irregular. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 sculpture: densely foveate, longitudinal sculpture irregular. T5 metasomal flanges: absent. T6: longer than broad; broader than long. Major sculpture of T6: umbilicate punctate. Microsculpture of T6: absent. T6 medially: flat and tapering to a rounded apex, not separated from apical rim. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 raised peripheral rim: absent. S4 sculpture: longitudinally striate or rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 median carina: absent. S6 peripheral carina: absent. S6 apex in relation to T6: not exposed to dorsal view. S6 apex: rounded or acuminate.

Male. Body length 2.95-3.6 mm (n=20). A3: longer than pedicel. A5 tyloid shape: narrow, linear. A6: broader than long. A11: longer than broad. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: absent. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching middle of T5. T1 midlobe longitudinal carinae: 5. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T7: truncate.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes: Frontal depression flat, with oblique interrupted carinae and sometimes with an incomplete longitudinal carina; submedian carina weak. Hyperoccipital carina indicated by sharp rugae. Occipital carina connected to hyperoccipital carina by a weak longitudinal carina or irregular ruga, laterally with strong corners and medially sinuate; area between occipital and hyperoccipital carinae densely sculptured. Mesoscutellum densely foveolate. Metascutellum flat, rugose. Postmarginal vein present. Coxa not darker than rest of leg. T1 lateral carina not expanded laterally. Metasomal flanges absent. Female: A3 not longer than pedicel. A4 slightly longer than broad, A5 broader than long. T1 with slight horn obscuring longitudinal carinae. Fore wing long enough to reach middle of T6. T6 broader than long. Male: A4 slightly longer than broad, A11 longer than broad. T1 midlobe with 3 longitudinal carinae. Fore wing long enough to exceed metasomal apex. T7 truncate or slightly emarginate apically. Oxyscelio aciculae is very similar to Oxyscelio radii , but has a shorter metasoma in males and females, with T6 broader than long in females. The metasoma in males of Oxyscelio radii is also very narrow compared with that of Oxyscelio aciculae .

Etymology.

Latin noun, genitive case, meaning “needle.”

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=307063]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: AUSTRALIA: QLD, Mount Glorious, 1977, malaise trap, OSUC 368117 (deposited in QMBA). Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: 37 females, 37 males, Australian Museum K245256, K245257, K245263, K245273, K245275 (AMSA); ANIC DB 32-020074, 32-020886, OSUC 368113, OSUC 368114, OSUC 368135, OSUC 368137, OSUC 368138, OSUC 368142, OSUC 368159 (ANIC); OSUC 227551, 227611, 462583-462584 (CNCI); OSUC 368141, 368143, 368156, 368158, QDPC 0-165753 (QDPC); OSUC 368111 (QMBA); OSUC 448965 (UQIC); OSUC 368107-368110, 368112, 368115-368116, 368118-368123, 368131-368134, 368136, 368139-368140, 368145-368150, 368152-368155, 368157, 368160-368165, 368172, 368174, 448946-448948, 448951-448953, 448961-448964 (WINC).