Opius pipitae Wharton

Wharton, Robert & Norrbom, Allen L., 2013, New species and host records of New World, mostly Neotropical, opiine Braconidae (Hymenoptera) reared from flower-infesting, stem-galling, and stem-mining Tephritidae (Diptera), ZooKeys 349, pp. 11-72 : 54-57

Opius pipitae Wharton sp. n. Figs 28, 75-78

Type locality.

Mexico, Morelos, Huitzilac.

Type material.

Holotype. Female (UNAM), first label, first line: MEXICO: Morelos second line: Huitzilac, 22.X. third line: 1991, A.L.Norrbom Second label, first line: reared ex. lateral second line: stem gall on Montanoa third line: frutescens (91M5A) Third label, first line: ex. Tephritidae second line: n. gen., n. sp.

Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype (USNM). 2 females, 3 males, Mexico: Morelos, 2 km W of Huitzilac, 29.ix.1987, A.L. Norrbom & V. Hernandez O., reared ex. stem gall Montanoa frutescens Mairet ex. DC. ( M– 21) (TAMU, USNM). 2 females, Mexico: Morelos: ridge above Sto. Domingo Ocotitlan, 21.ix.1991, A.L. Norrbom & L. Quiroz, reared ex. lateral stem gall on Montanoafrutescens (91M5) (TAMU, USNM).

Description.

Eyes in dorsal view very slightly bulging beyond temples, temples weakly but distinctly receding. Clypeus 1.7-1.9 × wider than high, weakly punctate, more deeply and densely so along ventral margin; nearly hemispherical in outline with epistomal sulcus almost evenly rounded, slightly more triangular in outline in female; somewhat bulging in profile, slightly protruding ventrally; ventral margin weakly convex in anterior view with dorsal margin of mandible weakly curved, mandibles weakly deflected, exposing part of labrum; base of mandible not expanded ventrally to form a basal tooth or lobe. Malar sulcus distinctly impressed throughout, deeper near eye. Antenna with 38-40 flagellomeres. Mesosoma 1.35-1.4 × longer than high. Pronotum laterally with vertical groove usually crenulate to rugulose dorsally and ventrally, weakly wrinkled medially posteriorad distinct vertical carina, carina weaker, evanescent dorsally and ventrally. Notaulus a short groove weakening posteriorly, extending nearly to level of anterior margin of tegula, widely separated from anterior margin, not margined anteriorly by carinae. Propodeum unsculptured, with a few weak carinulae along posterior margin. Fore wing 3RSa 1.25-1.4 × longer than 2RS; (RS+M)a usually weakly sinuate. T1 1.85-2.2 × wider at apex than at base, length 0.9-1.0 × apical width; smooth, unsculptured basally, striate to strigose over apical 0.6-0.7, more densely sculptured apical-medially; dorsal carina distinct, elevated basally, extending to apex but largely obscured by sculpture posteriorly, indicated primarily as lateral margin of very weakly elevated median area. Ovipositor (total length) 1.3 × longer than mesosoma; ovipositor sheath 0.8 × length of mesosoma. Color: Head similar in general color pattern to that of Opius nablus but dark facial spot sometimes (20%) more diffuse and not extending ventrally to epistomal sulcus; pale orbital ring in two specimens almost interrupted near torulus by traces of dark band extending to eye from dark patch on frons. Mesosoma black to dark red-brown except propleuron at least ventral-laterally, anterior declivity of mesoscutum near notaulus, subalar elevation, tegula and basal wing sclerite white to very pale yellow; most of mesoscutum, axilla, mesopleuron ventrally, and small spot on mesopleuron immediately dorsad mid coxa yellow; meso- and metanotum laterally, especially adjacent wing bases, varying from yellow to light brown, mesoscutum medially with narrow, faint to distinct dark median line in nearly all specimens. Metasomal terga dark reddish brown to black, with posterior margins of T3-T6 broadly white to hyaline and anterior margins of T4-T6 with broad white band medially; T7 white. Fore and mid tibiae and all femora pale yellow; hind tibia brown with basal 0.2 dark brown. Body length 3.3-3.9 mm; wing length 4.15-4.55 mm; mesosoma length 1.35-1.55 mm. Otherwise having all the characteristics described above for the pipitae species group.

Diagnosis.

This species is much lighter in color than Opius stecki . The mesosoma is completely dark in the latter species. The pronotum laterally also has a little more sculpture medially in Opius pipitae than in Opius stecki . Opius pipitae is very similar to Opius townesi , a previously described species for which no host information is available. Opius townesi is smaller, with significantly fewer flagellomeres (30), is slightly darker, without the pale orbital ring dorsally, and T1 is not as heavily sculptured. Although Fischer (1977) placed Opius townesi in the subgenus Opius , the labrum is exposed in the small but distinct gap between the ventral margin of the clypeus and the dorsal margin of the mandibles. Opius townesi is therefore included in the pipitae species group as defined here. Opius townesi was described from Maryland (USA).

Biology.

All specimens of Opius pipitae were reared from stem galls formed by an undescribed species in what may be an undescribed genus of Tephritidae attacking the asteracean Montanoa frutescens . One specimen of Opius gabriellae was reared from a species of Neotephritis infesting flower heads of his same host plant. Rate of parasitization by Opius pipitae was 50, 62.5, and 100% from the three sample sites, though overall the numbers were low with only 4 flies and 9 wasps reared.

Etymology.

The species is named for Pipit Godefroy, daughter of the senior author.

Remarks.

Color is somewhat variable in the type series. Some of the color differences are natural, but others are due to postmortem changes. There is natural variation in the degree of weak infumation on the propleuron and the presence of a faint median dark line of the mesoscutum. Postmortem changes include subcuticular darkening in some specimens and metasomal pale patches darkening from white to yellow.