Paranastatus nigriscutellatus Eady, 1956

Scallion, Melanie L., Gibson, Gary A. P. & Sharanowski, Barbara J., 2016, Revision of Paranastatus Masi (Eupelmidae, Eupelminae) with descriptions of four new species, ZooKeys 559, pp. 59-79 : 65-68

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Eupelmidae

Paranastatus nigriscutellatus Eady, 1956 Figs 3, 4, 12, 23

Paranastatus nigriscutellatus Eady, 1956: 61-64.

Material examined.

Holotype female, dry pinned, deposited in BMNH (Hym Type 5.1624a). Label data: "HY 976 FIJI Savu Savu II.1954 B.A. O’Connor. Ex Graeffea crouani eggs. Com. Inst. Ent Coll. No. 13599."

Allotype male, dry pinned, deposited in BMNH. Label data: "HY 976 FIJI Savu Savu II.1954 B.A. O’Connor. Ex Graeffea crouani eggs. Com. Inst. Ent Coll. No. 13599."

Paratype females (6), dry pinned.

(2, deposited in BMNH). HY 975 FIJI Taveuni XI.1953 B.A. O’Connor Ex eggs of Graeffea crouani in coconut crowns.

(3, deposited in BMNH). HY 976 FIJI Savu Savu II.1954 B.A. O’Connor Ex Graeffea crouani eggs.

(1, deposited in USNM). HY 975 FIJI Taveuni XI.1953 B.A. O’Connor Ex eggs of Graeffea crouani in coconut crowns.

Other material.

Females (11), dry pinned, deposited in BPBM and CNC. Collecting data for all specimens examined are listed below. However, date ranges are provided when multiple specimens were collected from the same locality with the full label data for each specimen listed in Suppl. material 1: " Paranastatus Label Data".

(5). FIJI, Viti Levu, Namosi Prov., 2 km SE Nabukavesi Vlg., Ocean Pacific Rsrt, 40m. Dates collected range from 13. III– 11.XII.2003 by E. Schlinger, M. Tokota’a and W. Naisilisili.

(2, includes JBWM Photo 2015-03). FIJI: Viti Levu, Vuda Prov., Koroyanitu Pk, 1 km E Abaca Vlg., SavuioneTrl, 800m. 22. IV– 6.V.2003 by E. Schlinger and M. Tokota’a.

(1). FIJI: Kaduva I., 0.25 km SW Solodamu Vlg., Moanakaka Bird Sanctuary, 60m. Collected 9-30.V.2003 by E. Schlinger and M. Tokota’a.

(1). FIJI: Viti Levu, Sigatoka Prov., Sigatoka Sand Dunes Nat. Pk, 44m. Collected 12. II– 12.III.2003 by E. Schlinger and M. Tokota’a.

(1). FIJI: Levu Is., Maitaesiri Prov., Hakobalevu Mt, 340m. Collected 12-24.III.2003 by M. Irwin et al.

(1). FIJI: Viti Levu, Naitasiri Prov., Bakobalevu logging rd. Collected 17. III– 9.IV.2003 by E. Schlinger and M. Tokota’a.

Diagnosis.

Females of Paranastatus nigriscutellatus are differentiated by the following combination of features: face alutaceous to coriaceous centrally; mandible quadridentate (Fig. 3); pronotum smooth dorsally (sometimes coriaceous along anterior margin), alutaceous laterally; mesoscutum purplish-coppery, slightly bluish-green posteriorly, alutaceous to coriaceous posteromedially, distinctly concave posteromedially (Fig. 12). Males of Paranastatus nigriscutellatus are differentiated by the following combination of features: head entirely coriaceous; mandible quadridentate; scutellar-axillar complex coriaceous; colouration darker than that of females.

Distribution.

Islands of Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa ( Noyes 2015).

Biology.

Parasitoids of Graeffea crouanii eggs.