Gasteruption smitorum 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 : 118-119

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Gasteruptiidae

Gasteruption smitorum van Achterberg sp. n. Figs 493-506

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), "Turkey; (Van), Van, 1800 m, 13.vii.1987, R. Hensen". Paratypes (2 ♀ + 5 ♂): 1 ♂ (BZL), "Turkey, 15 km E Malatya, 27.vi.2000, M. Halada"; 2 ♂ (BZL, RMNH), "Turkey E., Muradiye, 3.vii.2000, M. Halada"; 1 ♀ + 1 ♂ (BZL), "Turkey mer. or., Halfeti env., 3-5.v.1994, Mi. Halada"; 1 ♂ (RMNH), "Turkey; (Agri), 30 km W [of] Eliskirt, 2200 m, 14.vii.1987, R. Hensen"; 1 ♀ (CSC), "TR-Kayseri, Göreme, 1000 m NN, 9.vii.[19]88, Schmid-Egger".

Diagnosis.

Head slightly convex dorsally, in front of occipital carina without medio-posterior depression; face moderately wide (Fig. 497); frons and vertex with satin sheen and densely and finely punctulate (Figs 497, 498); occipital carina narrowly lamelliform and dark brown (Fig. 493); vertex with some obsolescent punctures between punctulation (Fig. 498); mandible dark brown basally; propleuron stout, coriaceous and 0.8 times as long as mesoscutum in front of tegulae; antesternal carina narrow and non-lamelliform; mesoscutum coarsely spaced punctate, with punctulate interspaces and with distinct satin sheen, medio-posteriorly densely coarsely punctate (Fig. 495); scutellum punctulate, with some punctures and with satin sheen; mesosoma laterally (except pronotal side medially and ventrally) silvery pilose (Fig. 494); hind basitarsus blackish brown; hind tibia slender and dark brown subbasally (Fig. 496); ovipositor sheath 0.9 times as long as body, 1.5 times as long as metasoma, 2.5 times as long as hind tibia and tarsus combined and 4.2 times hind tibia; ivory apical part of ovipositor sheath 1.0-1.4 times as long as hind basitarsus; length of body 10-13 mm. Very similar to Central European Gasteruption hungaricum , but Gasteruption smitorum lacks the steep medio-posterior part of the vertex, the mesoscutum is somewhat less shiny and the hind femur and tibia are slenderer. Also similar to the East Palaearctic Gasteruption sinarum Kieffer, 1911, but differs as follows: the head less narrowed in dorsal view (more trapezoid in Gasteruption sinarum ), the mesoscutum with separate punctures medio-posteriorly (reticulate-punctate), the hind femur black (dark brown) and the lateral lobe of the mesoscutum distinctly convex in lateral view (rather flat). Differs from the North and Central European and East Palaearctic Gasteruption subtile (Thomson, 1883) by the rather shiny vertex and mesoscutum (matt in Gasteruption subtile ), the mesoscutum with separate punctures medio-posteriorly (reticulate-punctate), the pronotum largely rugulose antero-ventrally and largely smooth (except some punctures) postero-ventrally (mainly densely coriaceous) and the hind tibia and basitarsus black or dark brown (partly white or ivory).

Description.

Female, length of body 11.2 mm (of fore wing 5.5 mm).

Head. Head slightly convex dorsally, in front of occipital carina without medio-posterior depression; face and frons anteriorly conspicuously silvery pilose; occipital carina narrowly lamelliform, dark brown (Fig. 493); third and fourth antennal segments 2.0 and 2.4 times as long as second segment, apical segment twice as long as penultimate segment; face moderately wide (Fig. 497); frons and vertex with satin sheen and densely and finely punctulate (Fig. 498); 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 stout and 0.8 times as long as mesoscutum in front of tegulae, with satin sheen and coriaceous; laterally pronotum largely rugulose antero-ventrally and largely smooth (except some punctures) postero-ventrally; side of pronotum with medium-sized obtuse tooth antero-ventrally; antesternal carina narrow and non-lamelliform; mesoscutum spaced coarsely punctate, with punctulate interspaces and with satin sheen, medio-posteriorly densely coarsely punctate (Fig. 495); notauli narrow and moderately impressed; scutellum punctulate, with some punctures and with satin sheen; mesosoma laterally (except largely pronotal side) silvery pilose (Fig. 494).

Legs. Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 4.1, 4.6 and 5.2 times their width, respectively; hind femur and tibia rather slender (Fig. 496); hind coxa mainly transversely rugulose dorsally; hind basitarsus moderately slender and 1.1 times as long as remainder of tarsus and basally widened in dorsal view.

Metasoma. Ovipositor sheath 0.9 times as long as body, 1.5 times as long as metasoma, 2.5 times as long as hind tibia and tarsus combined and 4.2 times hind tibia; ivory apical part of ovipositor sheath 1.2 times as long as hind basitarsus.

Colour. Black; mandible, antenna mainly, tegulae, palpi, pterostigma, fore and middle legs largely (except blackish coxae) and metasoma (including hypopygium, but second-fourth tergites largely yellowish brown), dark brown; hind tibial spurs yellowish brown and distinctly paler than base of hind basitarsus; hind basitarsus blackish brown; apex of ovipositor sheath yellowish ivory; wing membrane subhyaline.

Male. Very similar to female, but mesoscutum coarser punctate than in female (Fig. 502). Third antennal segment 1.2-1.3 times as long as second segment, fourth segment 2.1-2.2 times as long as third segment and 1.2 times as long as second and third segments combined, fifth segment slightly shorter than fourth segment (Fig. 504); hind tibia white, ivory or dark brown subbasally; hind basitarsus entirely dark brown; apex of paramere black or narrowly pale brown (Fig. 506).

Variation. Length of ovipositor sheath 4.2-4.3 times as long as hind tibia, its ivory apex 1.2-1.3 times as long as hind basitarsus; length of body 10.3-11.9 (female) or 11.0-13.3 (male) mm; hind tibia dark brown or narrowly ivory basally in both sexes.

Distribution.

Turkey.

Biology.

Unknown. Collected in May-July.

Etymology.

Named in honour of the hymenopterist Jan Smit (Duiven) for his contribution to our knowledge of Dutch Hymenoptera and of his son (and dipterist) John Smit (Leiden) for his contribution to our knowledge of European Diptera and for collecting Hymenoptera in South America.