Signiphora tridentata Woolley & Dal Molin, 2017

Woolley, J. B. & Dal Molin, A., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the flavopalliata species group of Signiphora (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae), Zootaxa 4315 (1), pp. 1-150 : 93-96

Signiphora tridentata Woolley & Dal Molin , n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6B9868A6-9E27-4A75-8A49-F55BC0A0B252 Figures 345–360

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from all other species in the flavopalliata group by the tridentate mandibles. The combination of a discal seta on the fore wing, the length of Mt1 relative to Mt2 (0.66–0.86 in females) and 4 setae on the scutellum are also diagnostic.

Description. Female. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.43–0.66 mm (n=9). Vertex tan with medial brown patch at occipital margin in most specimens, frons, face and gena yellowish–tan; clypeus dark brown. Antennal clava pale brown, dusky in distal 1/3–1/2, pedicel and scape tan. Pronotum and anterior 2/3 mesoscutum dark brown, posterior 1/3 mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum and lateral sclerites of propodeum pale yellow. Medial sclerite propodeum pale yellow in anterior 1/3 to entirely pale yellow, remainder brown, Mt1–Mt4 brown, Mt5 and anterior 1/3 of Mt6 yellow, posterior 2/3 of Mt6 to apex of metasoma brown, or metasoma entirely light brown in some specimens. Fore wing infuscated from base to distal end stigmal vein with normal hyaline areas behind submarginal vein. Hind wing faintly infuscated behind marginal vein.

Head. Vertex and frons minutely and transversely striate with four longitudinal rows of minute punctations. Mandible tridentate or rarely bidentate with a transverse, dorsal truncation, mandibular ducts enlarged apically. Pedicel length:scape length 0.56–0.75; 3 anelli, the second from 1.0–2.0× length of the first, the third from 2.5– 3.0× length of the first; clava length:scape length 1.4–1.7.

Mesosoma. Pronotum and mesoscutum transversely imbricate. Scutellum, metanotum and medial sclerite propodeum weakly imbricate. Scutellum with 4 setae and 2 campaniform sensilla; medial propodeal sclerite rounded, process on medial sclerite narrowly rounded or pointed apically. Fore wing with discal seta, length:width 2.9–4.2; fore wing LMS:fore wing width 1.3–2.0; marginal vein length:stigmal vein length 2.5–3.1; marginal vein with 6 dorsal and 0–2 ventral setae; seta M3 length:marginal vein length 0.39–0.90, apical end of costal cell from seta M2 to between setae M3 and M4, or costa cell does not meet marginal vein. Hind wing with subparallel margins, length:width 6.3–9.3; hind wing width:fore wing width 0.33–0.50; LMS hind wing:hind wing width 2.5– 4.1. Mesofemur with 1 long and 1 short spine on posteroapical margin; mesotibial spur with 4 or 5 teeth; mesotibial spur length:basitarsus length 0.86–1.0; basitarsus length:mesotibia length 0.47–0.64.

Metasoma. Mt1 strongly bilobed with medial portion rounded or transverse (see discussion); Length Mt1:length Mt2 2.0–3.2; ovipositor with anterior–most margin lying under propodeum to Mt3; ovipositor length:metasoma length 0.63–0.97; ovipositor sheath length:ovipositor length 0.16–0.25; Ms3–Ms6 with anterior projections short to long; Ms6 location variable, ranging from posterior ¼ to apex of metasoma; Ms6 with 6 setae; Mt8 with anterodorsal margin transverse or with a very shallow medial incision, occasionally with a deep, rounded medial incision.

Male. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.39 mm (n=1). Color and sculpture as described for female. Clava length:scape length 1.79. Ms8 with a short, pointed, anteromedial projection. Genitalia normal for flavopalliata group, digitus with one apical denticle, length of digitus approximately 3× its width, distal third and medial surface of digitus more strongly sclerotized than lateral portion of proximal two thirds.

Discussion. The female specimens from Barro Colorado Island have a distinct, rounded medial incision in the anterior margin of Mt8; all other females examined have the anterior margin of Mt8 transverse, without a medial incision. Mt1 is bilobed with the medial portion rounded in the holotype and paratype (both from Costa Rica) and the specimens from Barro Colorado Island (USNM ENT 0 0 763125 and 00763126). In other material Mt1 is strongly bilobed with the medial portion of Mt1 transverse. The metasoma is uniformly brown in most specimens; however, in the holotype female Mt5 and the anterior 1/3 Mt6 are yellow, and in one series from Trinidad (Curepe, USNM ENT 00763127); Mt4–Mt7 are yellow.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀: in balsam ( UCRC ENT 299577 ); COSTA RICA, Prov. Heredia, 6 km N. San Jose de Montana, Hotel el Portico, sweeping, coll. J.B. Woolley, 5.xi.1980 . Holotype deposited in UCR. PARATYPE: ♀ in balsam ( UCRC ENT 299576 ); COSTA RICA, Prov. Puntarenas, 8 km S. Miramar, at crossing of Rio Naranjo and Pan American Highway, sweeping, coll. J.B. Woolley, 7.xi.1980 . Paratype deposited in TAMU.

Other material examined. BRAZIL: Santa Catarina : 6 ♂, 7 ♀, BMNH (E)

990227–990229, 990231–990235, 990237, 990239–990242 (BMNH). PANAMA: 2 ♀, USNM ENT 763125 – 763126 (USNM). PUERTO RICO: 1 mixed series. INHS 72506 ( INHS) .

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 1 ♀, 1 mixed series. USNM ENT 763127–763128 ( USNM).

Discussion. Two additional female specimens from Santa Catarina , Brazil (BMNH(E) 990230 and 990238) are probably this species, but the mandibles are not visible. They were collected on different dates than the other species from Santa Catarina , which may well indicate a different locality.

Biology. All material for which host records are available were reared from or were associated with the eggs of Horiola Fairmaire , Tylopelta Fowler or Erecthia Walker, and Clastoptera Germar ( Hemiptera : Heteroptera). Egg parasitism in Signiphoridae is known for one other species, an undescribed species of Thysanus ; however, the latter has been reared from the eggs of Agrilus anxius (Gory) ( Coleoptera : Buprestidae ).

Etymology. The species name refers to the tridentate mandibles; it is an adjective.

Figures

FIGURES 345 – 348. Signiphora tridentata n. sp.: 345, head (BMNH (E) 990227); 346, female antenna (BMNH (E) 990232); 347, mandibles (BMNH (E) 990227); 348, male antenna (BMNH (E) 990239).

FIGURES 349 – 354. Signiphora tridentata n. sp.: 349, fore wing, female (BMNH (E) 990230); 350, venation of fore wing (BMNH (E) 990230); 351, hind wing, female (BMNH (E) 990230); 352, venation of hind wing (BMNH (E) 990230); 353, middle leg, female (UCRC ENT 299577); 354, Mt 8 of metasoma, female (BMNH (E) 990230).

FIGURES 355 – 360. Signiphora tridentata n. sp.: 355, female habitus (BMNH (E) 990230); 356, mesosoma of female (BMNH (E) 990230); 357, metasoma of female (BMNH (E) 990230); 358, male habitus (BMNH (E) 990234); 359, male genitalia (BMNH (E) 990227); 360, Ms 8 of metasoma, male (BMNH (E) 990227).