Pseudochalcura carinata, Torréns, Javier, 2016

Torréns, Javier, 2016, A new species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae) from Argentina with descriptions of alternate sexes of two other species, Zootaxa 4067 (2), pp. 239-245 : 241-242

Pseudochalcura carinata sp. nov.

( Figs 1–8 )

Diagnosis. Both sexes with head transverse, 1.6 – 1.7× as broad as high ( Fig. 3 ), eyes bare, mesocoxa with lateral carina, metacoxa with small setae laterally, metatibial spur present, fore wing disc with very short setae, and submarginal vein with dorsal setae; female with Gs1 smooth; male with basal four flagellomeres pectinate ( Fig. 5 ). Differs from P. f r u s t r at a (most similar species) by males having the mesopleuron and metapleuron crossed by irregular transverse carinae, head striate (versus costate), antenna with apical two flagellomeres fused, much longer than broad and subdivided (clv, Fig. 5 ), and with dorsal branch of F2 (db) 0.5× as long as head height (versus 0.6×).

Description. Female. Length 2.5 mm. Dark brown; antenna, mandibles and legs light brown to yellowish ( Fig. 1 ).

Head 1.7× as broad as high. POL 3.1 – 3.2× LOL; POL 2.8 – 2.9× OOL ( Fig. 3 ). Frons and face striate; gena with transverse striae, frons with striae around scrobal depression reaching to vertex, vertex with transverse striae; clypeus and supraclypeal area slightly striate. Genal bridge not or slightly emarginate. Eyes separated by 2.0× their height. Malar space 0.7 – 0.8× height of eye. Labrum with 7 short digits, each digit with a terminal seta. Antenna 10- segmented, three basal flagellomeres bluntly serrate, rest of flagellomeres lobate; clava bisegmented ( Fig. 4 ). Flagellum 1.4 – 1.5× as long as head height; basal length of F2 as long as scape, dorsal projection of F2 0.6 – 0.7× as long as basal length of flagellomere.

Mesosoma carinate to rugose-areolate with smooth interstices and short, decumbent setae ( Figs 2, 8 ). Pronotum and prepectus areolate-rugose, with a few transverse, irregular carinae. Mesoscutum 1.7 – 1.9× as broad as long, midlobe (mlm) with transverse carinae across anterior vertical aspect, irregularly transverse carinate dorsally, with carinae continuing onto lateral lobes (llm) ( Fig. 8 ). Mesoscutellum 1.1 – 1.2× as long as maximum width of scutellar disc, dorsally longitudinally carinate ( Fig. 8 ). Propodeal disc slightly rounded, areolate-rugose laterally and smooth with a few longitudinal carinae medially. Propleuron mostly smooth, with a few irregular and weak carinae across the surface; mesopleuron and metapleuron crossed by irregular transverse carinae, mesepisternum with irregular carinae near prepectus and between mesocoxa and metacoxa, femoral groove slightly impressed, callus and metapleuron near metacoxa with irregular carinae; callus with a few semi-erect setae ( Fig. 2 ). Metacoxa semi-globose to globose, 1.2 – 1.4× as long as broad, with a few short, erect setae; mesocoxa with a lateral carina. Metafemur expanded medially, 5.0 – 6.0× as long as broad; with short, sparse, appressed setae laterally. Metatibia with appressed setae; one metatibial spur present. Fore wing 2.4× as long as broad; costal cell 0.3 – 0.4× long as wing; submarginal vein with a row of setae dorsally; disc of wing with microtrichia ventrally; wing veins slightly discernible; stigma round. Hind wing 4.0 – 5.0× as long as broad.

Petiole 3.3 – 3.4× as long as broad and 1.4 – 1.6× as long as metacoxa; slightly curved in profile and smooth ( Fig. 2 ). Gaster semi-globose, Gt1 smooth with a few scattered short setae. Gs1 smooth.

Male. Length 2.8 mm. Similar to female except for following: slightly darker color; pedicel and five basal flagellomeres, coxae and basal half of femora dark brown ( Fig. 6 ). Head 1.6× as broad as high. POL 2.8× LOL; POL 2.5× OOL. Eyes separated by 2.1× their height. Malar space 0.6× eye height. Antenna 11-segmented, clava bisegmented ( Fig. 5 ), four basal flagellomeres pectinate; branches slightly flattened, dorsal branch of F2 6.6× as long as broad, 3.3× as long as basal length and 0.5× as long as head height; branch of F3–F5 decreasing in length; F6 serrate, with acute apex; rest of flagellomeres serrate to lobate. Mesoscutum with irregular areolate-rugose sculpture, with subcircular arrangement of carinae in dorsal view ( Figs 6, 7 ). Mesoscutellum as long as maximum width of scutellar disc ( Fig. 7 ). Propodeal disc areolate-rugose. Petiole 4.7× as long as broad and 2.4× as long as metacoxa; gaster smaller than female ( Fig. 6 ).

Etymology. Named for the sculpture of mesosoma, almost completely carinate. Distribution. Argentina: Mendoza, San Luis.

Material examined. Holotype ♀: ARGENTINA: Mendoza: Potrerillo, i.56, M. A. Fritz ( AMNH). Paratypes, 1♀ and 1♂: Mendoza: Potrerillo, same data as holotype (1 ♂, AMNH); San Luis, Lobos, 7.ii.51, Ross & Miehelbacher (1 ♀, AMNH).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Pseudochalcura carinata sp. nov.: 1, habitus (♀); 2, mesosoma (♀, lateral); 3, head (♀, frontal); 4, antenna (♀, lateral); 5, antenna (♂, lateral); 6, habitus (♂); 7, mesosoma (♂, dorsal); 8, mesosoma (♀, dorsal). ax, axilla; db, dorsal branch; clv, clava; F 2, basal flagellomeres; llm, lateral lobe of mesoscutum; LOL, lateral ocellar line; mlm, midlobe of mesoscutum; msctl, mesoscutellum; OOL, ocular ocellar line; ped, pedicel; POL, posterior ocellar line; scp, scape; scd, scutellar disc.