Paranastatus verticalis 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 : 72

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Eupelmidae

Paranastatus verticalis Eady, 1956 Figs 5, 6, 15-18

Paranastatus verticalis Eady, 1956: 64-65.

Material examined.

Holotype female, dry pinned, deposited in BMNH (Hym Type 5.1625a). Label data: "HWY 976 FIJI Suva Suva VI.1954 B.A. O’Connor. ex eggs of Graeffea crouani C.I.E.Coll. 13792."

Allotype male, dry pinned, deposited in BMNH. Label data: "HWY 976 FIJI Suva Suva VI.1954 B.A. O’Connor. ex eggs of Graeffea crouani C.I.E.Coll. 13792."

Paratype females (7), dry pinned.

(6, deposited in BMNH, includes JBWM Photo 2015-04). HY 976 FIJI Suva Suva VI.1954.

(1, deposited in USNM). HY 976 FIJI Suva Suva VI.1954 B.A. O’Connor.

Other material.

Females (2), dry pinned.

(1, deposited in BPBM). FIJI. Taveuni, Cakaudrove Prov., 5.5 km SE Tavuki Vlg., Devo Pk. 1188m, 30. VI– 14.VIII.2004 Malaise 1, Schlinger, M. Tokota’a. 16.843°S, 179.966°W. FBA 152624. JBWM Photo 2015-06.

(1, deposited in CNC). FIJI. Vanua Levu, Bua Prov., 6 km NW Kilaka, 15. VI– 24.VI.2004 Batiqere Range. Malaise. 98m ǁ Schlinger, Tokota’a FJVN58b_M05_07 _16.8067, 178.9914 FBA174462.

Diagnosis.

Females of Paranastatus verticalis are differentiated by the following combination of features: vertex raised between eyes, and temple flat such that temple and occiput form almost a right angle (Fig. 5); vertex granulate; lower face with fringe of setae below toruli (Fig. 6); mandible tridentate; mesoscutum smooth and convex or flat, not concave (Fig. 16). Males of Paranastatus verticalis are differentiated by the following combination of features: vertex granulate; mandible tridentate; in dorsal view occipital margin deeply excavate; colouration darker than that of females.

Distribution.

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

Biology.

Parasitoids of Graeffea crouanii eggs.

Variation.

The two specimens collected in 2004 differ in several features compared to the type series described by Eady (1956). The specimen from Taveuni Island has a body length of 2.85 mm, whereas all specimens in the type series range from 2.4-2.5mm. Unfortunately, an accurate measurement of body length was not possible in the specimen from Vanua Levu because the body is contorted. The scutellar-axillar complex in the new material is dark black-brown (Fig. 18) not light orange-brown (Fig. 16), and the legs are darker than in the type series (Fig. 17). Other slight variations in colour include: temple green-purple laterally, not blue-purple; lower face metallic blue-green, not coppery-green; and pronotum purple-blue dorsally, not purple-coppery. The new material has gastral tergite 1 white, tergite 6 light orange-brown, and remaining tergites dark brown, not gastral tergite 1 white and remaining tergites light brown, or gastral tergite 1 white, tergites 2 and 3 dark brown, and remaining tergites grading to light brown at gastral apex.