Gasteruption agrenum van Achterberg

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Talebi, Ali Asghar, 2014, Review of Gasteruption Latreille (Hymenoptera, Gasteruptiidae) from Iran and Turkey, with the description of 15 new species, ZooKeys 458, pp. 1-187 : 47-51

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Gasteruptiidae

Gasteruption agrenum van Achterberg sp. n. Figs 14-28

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), "N. Iran: Qazvin, Zereshk Road, MT5, 28.vii.-18.viii.2011, M. Khayrandish, RMNH’12”. Paratypes (34 ♀ + 25 ♂): 1 ♀ (RMNH), "N. Iran: Tehran, Shahriar, MT25, 11-18.v.2010, M. Khayrandish, RMNH’12”; 1 ♀ (TMUT), id., but MT 24, 1-8.vi.2010, A. Nadimi; 1 ♀ (MZL) [Lausanne], "Iran, Tehran"; 1 ♂ (BZL), "Iran: Azer. e Sh. prov., Sis, 10 km E [of] Shabestar, N38°26', E45°86', 1540 m, 19.vi.2010, Mi. Halada"; 1 ♀ (BZL), "Iran cent., env. Nain, 5.v.1999, K. Deneš sen."; 1 ♂ (BZL), "Jordan E., Rawayshid, 24.iv.1996, Marek Halada"; 1 ♂ (RMNH), "Jordan W., 10 km N [of] Petra, 3.v.1996, Marek Halada"; 3 ♂ (BZL, RMNH), "Syria, 40 km NE of Damascus, 13.v.1996, Mi. Halada ing."; 1 ♂ (BZL), "Syria west, 50 km S [of] Homs, 24.v.1996, Ma. Halada"; 1 ♂ (BZL), "Syria N, Marbij, 9.v.1996, Marek Halada"; 1 ♀ (BZL, RMNH), "Turkey east, 20 km W [of] Van, 5.vii.1997. Ma. Halada"; 3 ♂ (BZL, RMNH), "Turkey east, 10 km N [of] Tatvan, 24.vi.1997, Ma. Halada"; 1 ♀ + 1 ♂ (BZL), "TR. or., env. Agri, 27.vi.[19]93, Jiroušek”; 1 ♀ + 2 ♂ (BZL), "Turkey E., 40 km NE [of] Muradiye, 2200 m, 5.vii.2000, M. Halada"; 1 ♀ (BZL), “Türkei, Konya: Sille, 12.vi.1978, Max Schwarz", " Gasteruption psilomma Kieff., ♀, det. Madl, 1988"; 1 ♀ (CSC), “Türkei, Konya: 10 km S [of] Karaman, 19.vi.1985, Max Schwarz", det. id.; 1 ♂ (BZL), “Türkei, Konya: Obruk, 7.vi.1978, Max Schwarz", det. id. but ♂; 23 ♀ + 7 ♂ (BZL, RMNH), "TR, Burdur, 20 km SW [of] Burdur, N37°37', E30°9 ', 940 m, 7.vii.2006, M. Halada"; 1 ♂ (BZL), "TR. or., env. Tatvan, 30.vi.[19]93, K. Deneš”; 1 ♂ (BZL), "Turkey, Hakkari prov., Akcali, 35 km S [of] Hakkari, N37°71', E44°3', 1700 m, 21.vi.2010, M. Halada"; 1 ♂ (BZL), “Türkei mer. or., Halfeti env., 3-5.v.1994, Mi. Halada"; 1 ♂ (CSC), “Türkei, Nevsehir: Ürgüp, 4.vi.1978, Max. Schwarz"; 1 ♀ (Beograd University Collection), "[Greece], Creta, Iraklion, 25.ix.[19]59, Stancic"; 1 ♀ (MHNG), "[S. Russia,] Sarepta, Becker", (Sarepta is a former German colony of Moravian Brothers founded in 1765 near Astrakhan, Volga Delta in South Russia).

Diagnosis.

Head moderately convex dorsally in lateral view (Fig. 14), in front of occipital carina without medio-posterior depression; face medium-sized (Fig. 18); frons and vertex shiny and superficially finely punctulate mixed with some fine punctures (Fig. 19); occipital carina narrow, non-lamelliform; propleuron 0.8 times as long as mesoscutum in front of tegulae and large smooth and shiny; pronotal side mainly punctate and shiny ventrally (Fig. 15); antesternal carina narrow and non-lamelliform; middle and lateral lobe of mesoscutum coarsely transversely reticulate-rugose and shiny (Fig. 16); mesopleuron and metapleuron conspicuously white pilose (Fig. 15); middle lobe rounded antero-laterally (Fig. 16); fore coxa close to mesopleuron (Fig. 15); hind basitarsus entirely dark brown; hind tibia rather swollen and entirely dark brown (Fig. 17); fifth sternite of female orange brown (Fig. 21); apical 0.4-0.5 of hypopygium of female incised; ovipositor sheath 1.1-1.2 times as long as body, 1.6-1.8 times as long as metasoma, 5.0-5.7 times as long as hind tibia and 3.7-4.3 times as long as hind tibia and tarsus combined; pale brown or ivory apical part of ovipositor sheath 0.2-0.5 times as long as hind basitarsus; paramere of male black apically (Fig. 25); third antennal segment of male 1.3 times as long as second segment, fourth segment 1.8 times third segment and as long as second and third segments combined, fifth segment as long as fourth segment (Fig. 28); hind tibia of both sexes entirely dark brown or blackish; length of body 10-17 mm. Some of the paratypes has been identified as Gasteruption psilomma Kieffer or Gasteruption schlettereri . The new species disagrees from Gasteruption schlettereri by the length of the short pale apical part of the ovipositor sheath (long in Gasteruption schlettereri ), smaller ocelli (larger), hind basitarsus dark brown (partly ivory), propleuron largely smooth (distinctly sculptured) and sternites (except hypopygium) orange or reddish brown (dark brown). The interpretation of the Spanish Gasteruption psilomma Kieffer, 1904, is problematical. The male holotype of Gasteruption psilomma from Spain (Ribas, Catalonia) could not be found in the Mercet Collection (Madrid), as reported before by Madl (1988b). According to his redescription Gasteruption psilomma is close to Gasteruption trichotomma from which it could be separated according to Kieffer (1904a) by having the ovipositor slightly longer than the metasoma and the distance between the posterior ocelli equal to the distance from the ocelli to the eyes. However, in 1904 Kieffer did not mention the ovipositor in the description; he had only the male holotype! For the interpretation of Gasteruption psilomma is better to examine carefully Spanish male specimens which agree with the original description. Most striking in the original description is the combination of red second and third metasomal tergites with a black hind leg, a short third antennal segment (1.3 times as long as second segment) and a shiny line in front of the anterior ocellus. Males of Gasteruption forticorne Semenov, 1892, fit well and, therefore, we synonymise Gasteruption psilomma with Gasteruption forticorne (syn. n.). The new species differs by the short malar space (distinctly developed in Gasteruption forticorne ), the reticulate mesoscutum (transversely rugose), the short pale apical part of the ovipositor sheath (medium-sized) and dark brown hind basitarsus (partly ivory). Among the East Palaearctic species the new species is rather similar to Gasteruption argentatum Semenov & Kostylev, 1928. The new species has the temple distinctly shorter than the eyes in dorsal view (about as long in Gasteruption argentatum ), the mesoscutum coarsely reticulate, sparsely setose and no smooth interspaces (punctate, densely setose and with smooth interspaces), the hind basitarsus 0.8 times as long as remainder of tarsus without claws (about of equal length) and length of ovipositor sheath 1.1-1.2 times as long as body and 5.0-5.7 times as long as hind tibia (0.7-0.8 times as long as body and 3.1-3.3 times as long as hind tibia).

Description.

Female, length of body 13.0 mm (of fore wing 6.1 mm).

Head. Head moderately convex dorsally in lateral view, in front of occipital carina without medio-posterior depression; face, frons anteriorly and temples conspicuously silvery pilose; occipital carina non-lamelliform (Fig. 14); third and fourth antennal segments 1.7 and 2.5 times as long as second segment; face medium-sized (Fig. 18); frons and vertex shiny and superficially finely punctulate mixed with some fine punctures; temples gradually narrowed behind eyes (Fig. 19); ventrally head not enlarged in anterior view, malar space 0.2 times length of pedicellus.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.7 times its height; propleuron 0.8 times as long as mesoscutum in front of tegulae, stout and shiny, with long silvery setae and some punctures; pronotal side mainly punctate and shiny ventrally, remainder reticulate-punctate but with nearly smooth patch, sparsely setose except long setae dorsally and posteriorly; side of pronotum with a distinct acute tooth antero-ventrally; antesternal carina narrow lamelliform; middle and lateral lobe of mesoscutum coarsely transversely reticulate-rugose and shiny (Fig. 16); scutellum coarsely transversely rugose and with some coarse punctures; mesopleuron and metapleuron conspicuously silvery pilose (Fig. 15); propodeum without distinct median carina.

Legs. Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 4.4, 4.5 and 5.2 times their width, respectively; hind tibia rather slender and ventrally moderately curved (Fig. 17); fore coxa close to mesopleuron; hind coxa coarsely transversely rugose antero-dorsally, silvery pilose and ventrally coriaceous; hind basitarsus rather stout and 0.8 times as long as remainder of tarsus without claws (Fig. 17), widened basally in dorsal view.

Metasoma. Ovipositor sheath 1.1 times as long as body, 1.8 times as long as metasoma, 5.7 times as long as hind tibia and 3.6 times as long as hind tibia and tarsus combined; dark ivory apical part of ovipositor sheath 0.3 times as long as hind basitarsus.

Colour. Black; tegulae pale yellowish; mandible (including base except dorsal corner), clypeus largely, pronotum, propleuron, mesoscutum, scutellum posteriorly, fore coxa mainly, mesopleuron dorsally, second-fifth tergites, sternites (but hypopygium dark brown except basally) orange brown; bases and apices of fore and middle tibiae ivory; fore and middle tarsi, base of hind tibia and pterostigma medially brown; remainder of legs and first tergite dark brown; pterostigma laterally and veins dark brown; fifth and following antennal segments (except apical dark brown segment) brownish ventrally; wing membrane subhyaline.

Male. Very similar to female, but mandible and sternites medially dark brown or black. Third antennal segment 1.6 times as long as second segment, fourth segment twice as long as third segment and 1.2 times as long as second and third segments combined, fifth segment 0.9 times as long as fourth segment (Fig. 28); hind tibia and basitarsus entirely dark brown or blackish; apex of paramere black (Fig. 24).

Variation. Length of body of ♀ 12.5-17.3 mm (of ♂ 10.3-14.1 mm); mandible yellowish or orange brown or dark brown basally; mesosoma entirely black to anterior half largely orange brown; ovipositor sheath 1.1-1.2 times as long as body, 1.6-1.8 times as long as metasoma, 5.0-5.7 times as long as hind tibia and 3.6-4.3 times as long as hind tibia and tarsus combined; pale brown or ivory apical part of ovipositor sheath 0.2-0.5 times as long as hind basitarsus.

Distribution.

Iran, Greece, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Russia.

Biology.

Unknown. Collected in April-September.

Etymology.

Named after “agrenon”, (Greek for “net”) because of the reticulate sculpture of the mesoscutum.

Notes.

Examined from Turkey a pale specimen with frons and vertex with satin sheen, hind tibia subbasally and hind basitarsus largely ivory, ovipositor sheath about 4 times as long as hind tibia and middle and hind coxae reddish brown which may belong to this species.