Zelomorpha arizonensis Ashmead, 1900.

Meierotto, Sarah, Sharkey, Michael J., Janzen, Daniel H., Hallwachs, Winnie, Hebert, Paul D. N., Chapman, Eric G. & Smith, M. Alex, 2019, A revolutionary protocol to describe understudied hyperdiverse taxa and overcome the taxonomic impediment, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 66 (2), pp. 119-145 : 119

Zelomorpha arizonensis Ashmead, 1900. Figure 3

Molecular diagnosis.

Nucleotides 515 C, 648 T

Biology.

Adults of this species have characteristics associated with nocturnal habits: pale coloration, large compound eyes and large ocelli. All individuals were reared from Bulia mexicana ( Erebidae ) caterpillars feeding on mature leaves of Prosopis juliflora ( Fabaceae ) at the edge of ACG mangrove swamps in the month of July.

Notes.

The host of Z. arizonensis from the type locality in the southwestern United States is unknown. However, the range of Prosopis juliflora extends northwards through Mexico and into the United States, where it is fed upon by several species of Bulia. P-distances between specimens from Costa Rica and the US are close to 1.5% ( Fig. 2 ), which is more than separates many morphologically and ecologically distinctive ACG species ( Hebert et al. 2004; Burns et al. 2007; Janzen et al. 2017), including Z. johnchemsaki and Z. bobandersoni . We have elected to identify this ACG species as being Z. arizonensis because of its morphological similarity to Z. arizonensis and because its DNA barcode differs from that species by only 1.5% in the sample of six ACG specimens and two Arizona specimens (NJ tree in Appendix 1). However, because there are hundreds of morphologically and ecologically distinctive ACG sympatric or parapatric insect species pairs that show similar or less divergence (e.g., Hebert et al. 2004; Burns et al. 2007; Janzen and Hallwachs 2016; Janzen et al. 2017), it is possible that two cryptic species will eventually be confirmed within this name, with the Costa Rican species being new.

Material examined.

Figured specimen ♀: DHJPAR0052709 (ASHYM2063-13), Costa Rica, Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Sector Santa Rosa, Argelia, GPDS: 10.78004, -85.66405, 5 m elevation, Guillermo Pereira coll., reared from Bulia mexicana 13-SRNP-17758, host collected 13 July 2013, wasp eclosed 29 July 2013, (EMUS). Other specimens: Costa Rica: DHJPAR0052704 (ASHYM2058-13), DHJPAR0052702 (ASHYM2056-13), DHJPAR0052703 (ASHYM2057-13), DHJPAR0052708 (ASHYM2062-13; EMUS), DHJPAR0052705 (ASHYM2059-13), DHJPAR0052707 (ASHYM2061-13; HIC). Arizona: HICH015113 (GBMIN73766-17; HIC), HICH015114 (GBMIN142474-18; HIC), BIOUG02486-B12 (BBHYA1354-12), BIOUG02486-C01 (BBHYA1355-12), BIOUG02486-C02 (BBHYA1356-12), BIOUG02580-A06 (BBHYA1778-12), BIOUG02580-B07 (BBHYA1791-12), BIOUG02580-C06 (BBHYA1802-12), BIOUG02580-C08 (BBHYA1804-12), BIOUG02580-C09 (BBHYA1805-12), BIOUG02587-B02 (BBHYA2356-12), BIOUG02587-B03 (BBHYA2357-12), BIOUG02644-H11 (BBHYA3007-12), BIOUG02645-A09 (BBHYA3016-12), BIOUG02645-D12 (BBHYA3055-12), BIOUG02645-E02 (BBHYA3057-12), BIOUG02645-E09 (BBHYA3064-12), BIOUG02645-E10 (BBHYA3065-12), 10BBHYM-0795 (BBHYG795-10), 09BBHYM-158, 09BBHYM-159, 09BBHYM-1106, 09BBHYM-1107, 09BBHYM-1108, 09BBHYM-1109, 09BBHYM-1110, 09BBHYM-1111 (BIOUG). New Mexico: BIOUG02644-G07 (BBHYA2991-12; BIOUG). Texas: 09BBHYM-1112 (BIOUG).

Etymology.

Zelomorpha arizonensis was named for its holotype locality.

Figures

Figure 2. Lateral image of Zelomorpha angelsolisi holotype female.

Figure 3. Lateral image of Zelomorpha arizonensis female.