Panteliella Kieffer, 1901

Nastasi, Louis F. & Deans, Andrew R., 2024, New herb gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aulacideini) from Kyrgyzstan, with description of a new genus and a review of the genus Panteliella Kieffer, 1901, Zootaxa 5537 (4), pp. 511-526 : 516-518

Panteliella Kieffer, 1901

( Figs. 7–14 )

Pantelia Kieffer, 1901a

Panteliella Kieffer, 1901b

Vetustia Belizin, 1959

Endocaulonia Ionescu & Roman, 1960

Historical overview. Panteliella previously included two valid species: P. bianchii Vyrzhikovskaya, 1962 and P. fedtschenkoi ( Rübsaamen, 1896) . Panteliella was first described to accommodate Aulax fedtschenkoi ( Rübsaamen, 1896) , a species inducing small galls on leaves of Phlomoides tuberosa (L.) Moench ( Lamiaceae : Lamioideae ; synonym Phlomis tuberosa L.) ( Kieffer 1901a, 1901b). Kieffer (1901a) first described this genus under the name Pantelia , but this name was preoccupied by an orthopteran genus; Kieffer (1901b) thus applied the replacement name Panteliella shortly thereafter.

In the following century, several authors described additional genera and species of herb gall wasps associated with Phlomoides tuberosa (L.) Moench, all of which have since been synonymized with Panteliella fedtschenkoi . Belizin (1959) described a morphologically similar species, Vetustia investigata , from galls in the inflorescence. Ionescu & Roman (1960) described another similar species, Endocaulonia bicolor , from cryptic stem galls. Quinlan (1968) examined Panteliella along with other cynipids then associated with Phlomis L., providing a brief redescription of Panteliella fedtschenkoi and treating Vetustia investigata , but did not include Endocaulonia . Nieves-Aldrey (1994) synonymized Endocaulonia with Panteleilla, without establishing synonyms at the species level. Melika (2006) synonymized Vetustia investigata and Panteliella bicolor with P. fedtschenkoi ; the latter synonymy was not discussed beyond mentioning P. bicolor as a synonym of P. fedtschenkoi , although some discussion was given regarding the synonymy of Vetustia investigata .

No comprehensive revision has yet addressed all names included in Panteliella . After synonymies by Melika (2006) and Nieves-Aldrey (1994), only the species P. bianchii and P. fedtschenkoi remain valid, although the former species has not been mentioned in the literature aside from its original description ( Vyrzhikovskaya, 1962). Considering the biologies of synonymized species, P. fedtschenkoi is currently hypothesized to induce galls on the leaves and in the stems and inflorescences ( Melika 2006), which is highly atypical for a gall wasp species. Melika mentions several adult morphological characters that seem to differ depending on the plant organ from which the specimen was reared, particularly the body coloration and the distinction of the notauli. Melika also states that the number of antennomeres in the female varies from 13 to 14 in some specimens, and other characters, such as the dimensions of the marginal cell (there termed the radial cell), vary considerably.

Further complicating the taxonomy of Panteliella is differential treatments of synonymous taxa in phylogenetic studies. Liljeblad & Ronquist (1998) included Panteliella bicolor and Vetustia investigata in their morphological phylogenetic analysis, but they did not treat the type species P. fedtschenkoi . Ronquist et al. (2015) based their morphological analysis on Liljeblad & Ronquist’s character set, apparently without considering the synonymies published by Melika (2006). The “ P. bicolor ” specimens studied in these analyses were reared from stems of the known host plant species in Hungary; the same stems apparently also yielded specimens of Aulacidea phlomica Belizin, 1959 (Ronquist, pers. comm.).

Altogether, P. fedtschenkoi requires further revision, to determine the conspecificity of species currently treated as synonyms, and we presently expect that multiple valid species will be identified among the broad concept of P. fedtschenkoi employed in prior studies (e.g., Melika 2006). The synonymy of Panteliella , Endocaulonia , and Vetustia should also be verified through further study. To facilitate continuing work on Panteliella , we redescribe the genus below, and also provide a redescription of P. fedtschenkoi . The specimen collected in Kyrgyzstan substantially differs from the P. fedtschenkoi we examined, justifying its establishment as a new species. We describe it here as P. rugosa Nastasi sp. nov. Additionally, the species P. bianchii has only been mentioned in its original description and has not been treated by any further studies despite several subsequent works concerning Panteliella (e.g., Melika 2006, Nieves-Aldrey 2022). We have not examined the type material, but based on its original description, P. bianchii appears to represent a valid species. To assist in resolving taxonomic issues in Panteliella , we provide a key to the three known species, including P. bianchii based on characters present in its original description. We also provide a translation of the original description of P. bianchii (see below species treatment). Lastly, we provide a table of diagnostic characters for the three valid species we recognize as well as the two species presently synonymized with P. fedtschenkoi ( Table 1 ). Given the high degree of morphological divergence of Vetustia investigata (currently placed as a synonym of P. fedtschenkoi ; see below species treatment and Table 1 ), it is evident that our description and diagnosis for Panteliella will likely require revision after type material of these species can be examined.

More broadly, the diagnostic characters for Panteliella given in the literature vary substantially and complicate the recognition of the genus. For instance, in the last published generic key ( Nieves-Aldrey 2022), a diagnostic character for Panteliella is the lack of defined lateral propodeal carinae. However, in all specimens we examined here, there are distinct lateral propodeal carinae. To address these conflicting elements, we provide a redescription, based on the material we examined in this study, particularly isotypic specimens of P. fedtschenkoi (see below). As mentioned above, further studies will be needed to resolve the generic and specific limits of Panteliella .

Diagnosis. Panteliella , as presently circumscribed, can be easily distinguished from other Aulacideini genera by the following combination of characters: Fore wing with marginal cell open; mesopleuron sculpture almost entirely striate ( Fig. 13 ); second metasomal tergite without conspicuous patch of setae ( Fig. 9 ); clypeus large, broadly projecting over base of mandibles and with clypeo-pleurostomal lines strongly divergent ventrally ( Fig. 10 ); notauli incomplete, poorly impressed, more or less indistinct ( Figs. 8 ; 11 ), apparent only as short longitudinal rugae in posterior mesoscutum.

Panteliella is closest morphologically to Liposthenes Förster, 1869 ( Nieves-Aldrey 2022), but is easily separated by the notauli (complete and distinctly impressed in Liposthenes ). Panteliella is also morphologically similar to some Antistrophus species based on the state of the notauli, open marginal cell, and lack of a distinct setose patch on the second metasomal tergite ( Nastasi et al. 2024a, 2024b). However, the two genera are easily differentiated by the mesopleuron sculpture (always with some amount of perceptible reticulate sculpture in Antistrophus ) and by the clypeus, which is smaller and does not strongly project ventrally in Antistrophus .

Redescription. Head mostly orangish brown or entirely black, mesosoma black, and metasoma dark brown to black. Head subtrapezoidal in anterior view, conspicuously wider than tall. Facial radiating striae always poorly impressed and incomplete, only reaching slightly beyond clypeus. POL much longer than OOL. Malar space much shorter than height of compound eye. Clypeus large, broadly projecting over base of mandibles, and with clypeo-pleurostomal lines strongly divergent ventrally. Female antennae with 13 or 14 antennomeres; males (not examined here) reportedly with 14 or 15. Female F1 equal to F2 (apparently also in males). Mesosoma in lateral view convex to conspicuously angled posteriorly. Lateral pronotum without rugose sculpture (strong rugose sculpture often present in other Aulacideini such as some Antistrophus or Liposthenes ). Pronotal plate incomplete but with lateral sutures terminating only shortly before reaching mesoscutum. Mesopleuron almost entirely striate, with a very small ventral area of reticulate sculpture. Mesoscutum coriaceous to reticulate, occasionally with some degree of perceptible rugose sculpture. Notauli incomplete, narrow, and poorly impressed, most apparent in posterior third of mesoscutum. Median mesoscutal impression not apparent. Mesoscutellar foveae ovate to subquadrate, about one quarter as long as mesoscutellar disc and with posterior margins poorly defined. Propodeum with or without a conspicuous pair of lateral carinae (lateral carinae absent in specimens examined by Nieves-Aldrey [2022], in which only a strong median carina is apparent). Fore wing with marginal cell open, with vein R1 indistinctly reaching fore wing margin, and with conspicuous marginal setae. Areolet absent. Metasoma with conspicuous micropunctation at least on third and following metasomal tergites. Second metasomal tergite without setose patch, at most with a few scattered setae.

Biology. Panteliella fedtschenkoi induces galls on Phlomoides tuberosa ( Lamiaceae ). The genus was originally described for a species inducing monothalamous galls on the leaves, but genera currently synonymized with Panteliella were described from galls in the inflorescence and cryptic galls in the stems ( Belizin 1959, Ionescu & Roman 1960). The host plants of P. bianchii and P. rugosa sp. nov. are unknown.

Distribution. Panteliella has been recorded throughout Europe and parts of continental Asia including Mongolia ( Nieves-Aldrey 1994, Belizin 1959, Quinlan 1968, Melika 2006). We document the genus from Kyrgyzstan for the first time (see treatment of P. rugosa Nastasi sp. nov. below).

Figures

FIGURES 7–8. Panteliella fedtschenkoi (Rübsaamen, 1896), female USNMENT 01823223. (7) Lateral habitus. (8) Dorsal mesosoma.

FIGURES 9–14. Panteliella rugosa Nastasi sp. nov. All images show holotype female INHS Insect Collection 288137. (9) Lateral habitus. (10) Head in anterior view; dotted line indicates ventral margin of clypeus. (11) Mesoscutum in dorsal view. (12) Scutellum in dorsal view. (13) Mesopleuron in lateral view. (14) Fore wing.