Tuberepyris nihilus Azevedo et Mugrabi

Azevedo, Celso O. & Mugrabi, Daniele F., 2014, Three new species of Tuberepyris Lanes et Azevedo (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), with amended diagnosis of the genus, Zootaxa 3794 (4), pp. 556-564 : 557-561

Tuberepyris nihilus Azevedo et Mugrabi , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 , 10–19 )

Description. Female (macropterous form). Body length 2.5 mm. LFW 1.1 mm. Color. Head, mesosoma, scape dark castaneous almost black; antenna, mandible, legs (except tarsi), metasoma dark castaneous; wing venation castaneous; palpi, tarsi light castaneous; wings subhyaline.

Head ( Figs 1–3 ). Mandible with three apical teeth; lower and median teeth broad and rounded, upper teeth narrow and sharpened. Clypeus short; slightly projected, median lobe trapezoidal, apical margin angularly concave; median elevation and carina absent. Suture fronto-clypeal absent. Eye flat. First four antennomeres in ratio of about 9:5:3:4; flagellomere I 1.0x as long as wide; flagellomere IX 1.3x as long as wide. Frons slightly coriaceous with small and sparse punctures. WH 0.80x LH; WF 1.08x HE; VOL 1.0x HE; OOL 2.06x WOT. Frontal angle of ocellar triangle right; posterior ocellus distant from vertex crest 1.0x DAO. Vertex straight; corner rounded. First two maxillar palpomeres distinctly shorter and wider than others, III-IV distal ones progressively wider apicad. Labial palpomeres shorter than maxillar ones.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Pronotal disc 0.62x as long as wide; anterior and posterior carina absent. Anterior margin of pronotal collar without groove. Mesoscutum with parapsidal furrow 0.43x as long as mesoscutum. Mesoscutummesoscutellar sulcus absent. Forewing fully developed; 3.5x as long as wide; subcostal vein 0.26x as long as LFW; anal vein 0.4x subcostal vein; pterostigma small and triangular ( Fig. 11 ). Hind wing with tree distal hamuli ( Fig. 12 ). Propodeal disc areolate, anterior portion with elongated cells, 1.18x as long as wide; lateral margin convergent in dorsal view; transverse posterior and lateral carinae absent; median carina absent; lateral of propodeum coriaceous with spiracles circular; declivity of propodeum coriaceous without median or lateral carinae. Propleuron reaching anterior margin of pronotal disc in dorsal view. Mesopleuron ( Fig. 10 ) bulging; subtegular groove defined only by the upper margin; lower and anterior foveae opened, lower margin of both foveae fused and not surpassing half of mesopleuron length; mesopleural pit inconspicuous and shallow. Profemur 2.25x longer than wide.

Metasoma. Polished, shining, first sternite short, not visible beyond petiole. Tergite II slightly shorter tergite I, posterior margin slightly excavated medially.

Female (brachypterous form). Similar to macropterous form, except by: body length 1.67 mm. LFW 0.73 mm. First four antennal segments in ratio of 7:4:2:3; flagellomere I 0.6x as long as wide. WH 0.85x LH; WF 1.16x HE; OOL l. 54x WOT. Forewing ( Fig. 18 ) short; subcostal vein 0.23x as long as LFW; anal vein 0.2x subcostal vein; pterostigma very small and triangular. Hind wing with two hamuli ( Fig. 19 ). Propodeal disc 1.15x as long as wide, without median discal carina. Profemur 2.12x longer than wide. Metasoma 1.13x mesosoma; tergite II shorter tergite I, with posterior margin evenly convex.

Male. Body length 1.98 mm. LFW 1.18 mm. Color. Head, mesosoma, scape dark castaneous almost black; antenna, mandible, legs (except tarsi), metasoma dark castaneous; wing venation castaneous; palpi, tarsi light castaneous; wings hyaline.

Head ( Fig. 13 ). Mandible with three apical teeth; median tooth narrow and sharp; lower and upper teeth broad and rounded. Clypeus short; slightly projected, median lobe trapezoidal, apical margin angularly concave; median elevation and carina absent. Carina fronto-clypeal present. Eye flat. First four antennomeres in ratio of about 8:8:5:7; flagellomere I 1.25x as long as wide; flagellomere IX 2.0x as long as wide. Frons slightly coriaceous with small and sparse punctures. WH 0.92x LH; WF 1.25x HE; VOL 0.92x HE; OOL 1.08x WOT. Frontal angle of ocellar triangle obtuse; posterior ocellus distant from vertex crest 0.40x DAO. Vertex straight. First two maxillar palpomeres distinctly shorter and wider than others, III-IV distal ones progressively wider apicad. Labial palpomeres shorter than maxillar ones.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 13 ). Pronotal disc 0.48x as long as wide; anterior and posterior carina absent. Anterior margin of pronotal collar without groove. Mesoscutum with parapsidal furrow 0.42x as long as mesoscutum. Scutellum without groove neither pits. Forewing fully developed ( Fig. 14 ); subcostal vein 0.25x as long as LFW; anal vein 0.25x subcostal vein; pterostigma small and triangular. Hind wing with three distal hamuli ( Fig. 15 ). Propodeal disc areolate, 1.15x as long as wide; lateral margin convergent in dorsal view; transverse posterior and lateral carinae present; median carina absent; lateral of propodeum imbricate with spiracles circular; declivity of propodeum imbricate without median or lateral carinae. Propleuron reaching anterior margin of pronotal disc in dorsal view. Mesopleuron bulging; subtegular groove defined only by the upper margin; lower and anterior foveae opened, lower margin of both foveae fused and not surpassing half of mesopleuron length; mesopleural pit inconspicuous and shallow. Profemur 2.27x longer than wide.

Metasoma. Polished and shining. Tergite II shorter tergite I, with posterior margin evenly convex. Genitalia ( Figs 16–17 ) with paramere slightly shorter than basiparamere, very wide, overlapping each other, dorsal half membranous and translucent, apical margin somewhat truncate, dorsal and ventral margins convex in lateral view; digitus wide, progressively narrowing apicad, apex rounded; cuspis slightly longer than digitus; aedeagus diamond-shaped, with pair of rounded apical lobes, apex surpassing cuspis apex and not reaching paramere apex; genital ring with dorsal half projected basad medially.

Material examined. Holotype. ♀. MADAGASCAR. Toliara Prov[ince], California Acad[emy] of Siences, Parc National d’Andohahela, Forêt de Manantalinjo, 150 m, 33.6 km 63º ENE Amboasary, 7.6 km 99º E Hazofotsy, spiny forest thicket, 24º49’1”S 46º36’36”E, 12–16.I.2002, sifted litter, Fisher, Griswold et al. coll., California Acad[emy] of Siences, BLF4810 [code] (CASENT 2111681). Allotype: ♂, MADAGASCAR: Tulear Province, Andohahela Nat’l Park, Ihazofotsey Parcelle III, 24º49.85’S 46º32.17’E, 20 May-3 June 2003, California Acad[emy] of Science, colls: M. Irwin, F. Parker, R. Harin’Hala, elev[ation] 80 m, Malaise trap in dry spiny forest, MA– 02–21–20 (CASENT 2112271). Paratype: ♀, Fiherenana, 100 m, gallery forest, 23º10’37”S 43º57’39”E, 3–7.XI.2002, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), Frontier Wildemess Project colls., MGF 043 code (CASENT 2111003).

Remarks. Both macropterous and brachypterous forms are very similar to each other. They have VOL 1.0x HE, the forewing are 3.5x as long as wide.

Distribution. Madagascar.

Etymology. The specific epithet nihilus refers to the reduction integument texture and sculpture.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. 1 – 3, Tuberepyris nihilus sp nov., 1, body in dorsal view, 2 – 3, head and propleuron 2, ventral view; 3, lateral view; 4 – 6, T. codex sp nov., 4, body in dorsal view; 5, body in lateral view; 6, mesosoma in ventral view; 7 – 9, T. hamus sp nov., 7 – 8, body in dorsal view; 8, body in lateral view; 9, head and propleuron in ventral view. Scale bars = 250 µm.

FIGURES 10 – 19. Tuberepyris nihilus sp nov., 10 – 12, female macropterous, holotype, 10, mesopleuron in lateral view; 11, forewing; 12, hind wing; 13 – 17, male, allotype, 13, body in dorsal view; 14, forewing; 15, hind wing; 16 – 17, genitalia, 16, dorsal view; 17, ventral view; 18 – 19, female brachypterous 18, forewing; 19, hind wing. Scale bars = 250 µm.