Zaischnopsis tubatius (Walker)

Peng, Lingfei, Xiang, Jiawei & Liu, Qifei, 2018, Three new species of Zaischnopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae) from Southern China, with redescription of Zaischnopsis tubatius (Walker), Zootaxa 4524 (2), pp. 200-212 : 207-211

Zaischnopsis tubatius (Walker)

( Figs 30–39 , 43 , 47 , 59–63 )

Eupelmus Tubatius Walker, 1852: 41 .

Zaischnopsis tubatia, Gibson, 2005: 111 . Incorrect emendation.

Material examined. Holotype ♀ ( BMNH): [ Hong Kong, China] ( NHMUK010835113 ); 4♀, all BMNH: Tien Fong Mts, Hainan Prov., 15.V.1983, Bouček ( NHMUK010353625 ); Haikou , Hainan Prov., 25.V.1983, Bouček ( NHMUK010353626 ); Tien Fong Mts , Hainan Prov., 12.V.1983, Bouček ( NHMUK010353635 ); Guangzhou , Guangdong Prov., VI. 1983, Bouček ( NHMUK010353636 ).

Description. FEMALE. Length about 4.2–4.5 mm. Head with coppery-green metallic luster, vertex dark green ( Figs 30, 32 ); setae of face, gena and occiput white, parascrobal region with one row of white setae ( Fig. 30 ), setae of vertex black ( Fig. 32 ). Maxillary and labial palpi black ( Fig. 30 ). Antennal scape with yellowish-green metallic luster, pedicel and flagellum very dark brown to black ( Fig. 33 ). Pronotum with coppery, purple and green metallic luster, setae dark brown ( Fig. 35 ); mesoscutum with coppery-blue metallic luster, and with white hair-like setae ( Fig. 35 ); prepectus and tegula brown; tegula with dark brown setae ( Fig. 35 ); mesopectus dark bluish green, with long white setae arranged linearly along acropleural sulcus, extending to level of about middle of tegula; acropleuron black with dark blue and purple metallic lusters; scutellar-axillar complex black with dark green metallic luster, setae black ( Fig. 36 ). Fore wing infuscate beyond level of parastigma and gradually lightened distally, but with hyaline cross-band behind apex of marginal vein with white setae ( Fig. 34 ). Legs with femora and tibiae dark brown, protarsus brown, mesotarsus pale yellowish brown with rows of pegs and spur black, metatarsus pale yellowish brown ( Fig. 38 ); metatibia dark brown, with white hair-like setae and additionally densely setose with white setae along dorsal surface. Metanotum and propodeum black with dark green metallic luster; propodeum with a patch of white hair-like setae mesad to spiracle and callar region setose lateral to spiracle ( Fig. 39 ). Gaster elongate-lanceolate, dark purple with metallic luster; apex of syntergum and ovipositor sheath pale yellowish brown ( Fig. 38 ).

Head in frontal view ( Fig. 30 ) 1.34× wider than high; in dorsal view ( Fig. 32 ) width 1.87× length, with interocular distance 0.20× head width and less than width of eye; in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ) with face almost straight, 1.51× higher than long. Eye height 1.51× eye width in lateral view ( Fig. 31 ); distance between eyes below 3.74× distance between eyes above ( Fig. 30 ); malar space 0.49× eye height ( Fig. 31 ); distance between toruli greater than distance between torulus and clypeal margin, and greater than distance between torulus and orbit. OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 1: 6: 9: 11. Vertex coriaceous around ocelli, and transversely imbricate posteriorly ( Fig. 32 ); lower face reticulate-rugose; gena longitudinally reticulate ( Fig. 30 ); parascrobal region very narrow; scrobal depression reticulate and transversely imbricate; interantennal region transversely reticulate-imbricate ( Fig. 30 ). Scrobal depression deep, separated from anterior ocellus by distance equal to 0.63× diameter of anterior ocellus. Lower orbit above ventral margin of torulus. Antenna with scape foliaceously dilated ( Fig. 33 ); relative length (width) of scape = 40(16); pedicel 9(5); 1 st to 8 th funiculars: 5.5(5.5), 18(5), 18(6), 21(9), 15(10), 12(11), 10(11), 9(11); clava 25(12).

Pronotum in dorsal view divided medially, pentagonal, transversely imbricate ( Fig. 35 ). Mesoscutum almost flat but slightly convex anteriorly, lateral lobe carinate posteriorly ( Fig. 35 ). Scutellar-axillar complex flat, longitudinally, coarsely reticulate, with black setae; scutellum 1.24× longer than broad ( Fig. 36 ). Mesopectus meshlike reticulate, acropleuron with very fine longitudinally aligned coriaceous sculpture. Fore wing extended near apex of gaster, with SMV: MV: PMV: STV = 25: 31: 22: 8. Mesotibial spur shorter than basitarsus; mesotarsus with row of pegs on either side of basal four segments. Hind leg with basitarsus as long as following two tarsomeres combined ( Fig. 37 ). Propodeum with anterior margin broadly convex ( Figs 39 , 47 , indicated by arrows); plical region sublinear; callar region smooth and shiny ( Figs 36, 39 , 47 ).

Gaster longer than mesosoma, elongate-lanceolate ( Figs 38 , 43 ); Gt 1 and Gt 2 deeply V-like emarginate, Gt 3 broadly U-like emarginate, Gt 4 –Gt 6 shallowly emarginate, syntergum tapered to rounded apex ( Fig. 43 ); ovipositor sheath exserted for very short distance, as long as 1/2 of basal metatarsomere ( Fig. 38 ).

Distribution. CHINA: Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong.

Remarks. The dorsal margin of the metatibia of Z. tubatius females appears white ( Fig. 37 ), but it is actually black ( Figs 37 , 60 ) except dorsally it is densely setose with white setae. The holotype is in very poor condition, with only the mesosoma, four legs and part of one fore wing remaining ( Figs 59–63 ). Actually, the head was missing already when Walker (1852) described the species. The middle of the propodeum of the holotype has a very narrow plical region ( Fig. 62 ), and the metatibia is densely setose dorsally as described above.

Gibson (2005), when transferring the species from Eupelmus to Zaischnopsis , changed the specific epithet to tubatia . However, tubatius is a noun in apposition as indicated by the use of a capital letter for the species epithet in the original description. According to ICZN Art. 31.2.1 the species name should remain unchanged.

Figures

FIGURES 30‒39. Zaischnopsis tubatius. 30, head, frontal; 31, head, lateral; 32, head, dorsal; 33, antenna; 34, fore wing; 35, mesosoma, dorsal; 36, scutellar-axillar complex, dorsal; 37, hind leg, lateral; 38, gaster, dorsal; 39, propodeum, dorsal (arrow points to broadly convex anterior margin of propodeum).

FIGURES 40‒43. Gaster. 40, Zaischnopsis candetibia; 41, Z. fumosa; 42, Z. nivalinota; 43, Z. tubatius.

FIGURES 44‒47. SEM images of propodeum. 44, Zaischnopsis candetibia; 45, Z. fumosa; 46, Z. nivalinota; 47, Z. tubatius. Arrows point to anterior margin of propodeum.

FIGURES 59‒63. Holotype specimen of Z. tubatius (collection number: NHMUK010835113).