Signiphora renuncula Woolley & Dal Molin, 2017

Woolley, J. B. & Dal Molin, A., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the flavopalliata species group of Signiphora (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae), Zootaxa 4315 (1), pp. 1-150 : 89-93

Signiphora renuncula Woolley & Dal Molin , n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:72BFF07C-5AEF-466F-B53A-B5322085230A Figures 329–344

Diagnosis. Fore wing with discal seta; ovipositor very long, extending anteriorly under propodeum; Mt1 or Mt2, and with ovipositor sheaths strongly exserted; Mt1 strongly bilobed with medial portion transverse; Mt8 with rounded medial incision; vertex finely and minutely reticulate.

This species is very similar to S. ensifera , which also has a long ovipositor extending anteriorly to the base of the metasoma, but it can be distinguished from it by the sculpture on the frons (minutely and transversely striate in S. ensifera ); the shape of Mt1 (rounded or barely transverse medially in S. ensifera ); and the shape of Mt8 (anterior margin transverse in S. ensifera ). In addition, the mandible of S. ensifera has a small dorsal truncation in addition to the two teeth, the mandible of S. renuncula does not. The relatively short fore wing marginal vein with long setae and the long discal seta are distinctive, as is the strongly pointed process on the medial sclerite of the propodeum.

Description. Female. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.56–0.72 mm (n=6). Face, frons and vertex pale yellow, occiput slightly darker tan. Antenna entirely pale brown or tan, clava somewhat darker. Pronotum and anterior ½–2/3 mesoscutum brown. Posterior portion of mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum and most of propodeum yellow; medial process of propodeum darker in posterior 1/5–2/3; lateral sclerites propodeum sometimes darker than scutellum but lighter than base of metasoma; Mt1–Mt4 brown; Mt5–Mt7 pale yellow, but darker in medial portions; Mt8, epiproct and ovipositor sheaths brown. Fore wing infuscated from base to apex of stigma vein or somewhat beyond, with hyaline area behind marginal vein typical of flavopalliata group species. Hind wing hyaline.

Head. Vertex and frons very finely and evenly reticulate, the reticulations about ¼ the diameter of the ocelli. Mandible bidentate, mandibular ducts enlarged apically. Pedicel length:scape length 0.66–0.78; 3 anelli, second anellus 1.5–2.0× length of first, third anellus 2.0–3.0× length of first; clava length:scape length 1.73–2.00.

Mesosoma. Pronotum and mesoscutum finely and transversely imbricate. Scutellum with 4 setae and 2 campaniform sensilla; medial propodeal sclerite narrowly rounded, process on medial sclerite pointed. Fore wing with discal seta, length:width 3.0–4.0; fore wing LMS:fore wing width 1.30–1.76; marginal vein:stigmal vein 2.4– 2.9; marginal vein with 6 dorsal and usually no ventral setae (1 ventral seta, BMNH(E) 990288); seta M3 length:marginal vein length 0.50–0.69; apical end of costal cell from setae M2–M3 to seta M4. Hind wing margins subparallel, hind wing length:width 7.0–8.2; hind wing width:fore wing width 0.40–0.50; hind wing LMS:hind wing width 2.1–2.9. Mesofemur with one long and one short spine on posteroapical margin; mesotibial spur with 6–8 teeth; mesotibial spur length:basitarsus length 0.80–1.00; basitarsus length:mesotibia length 0.58–0.74.

Metasoma. Mt1 strongly bilobed with medial portion transverse; Mt1 length:Mt2 length 1.0–1.8; ovipositor with anterior-most portion lying under propodeum, Mt1 or Mt2; ovipositor length:metasoma length 0.81–0.95; ovipositor sheath length:ovipositor length 0.21–0.32; Ms3–Ms6 with anterior projections long; Ms3 lying between medial and posterior ¾ of metasoma or less commonly between posterior ¾ and apex of metasoma and with 8 setae; Mt8 with anterodorsal margin with rounded, medial incision.

Male. Color and sculpture as described for female, except (in the one specimen examined): clava not noticeably darker, pronotum, mesoscutum, propodeum, and all of metasoma brown. Clava length:scape length 1.59. Digitus relatively short and wide, length about 1.3× its width, with a single, short and slightly curved laterally denticle at apex, and a pair of short and straight medial denticles between bases of digiti; Ms8 a very thin transverse strip, without a medial anterior projection.

Discussion. This species has a disjunct distribution in Brazil, with the holotype and two paratypes from NW Brazil (Fonte Boa, Amazonas) and the other two series of paratypes from SE Brazil (Nova Teutonia and Represa Rio Grande). It is similar to S. ensifera but appears to be a different species based on the features given in the diagnoses. Signiphora ensifera is also known from Nova Teutonia, but the collecting dates are different. Although the collecting date on the single male specimen (BMNH(E) 990295) does not match any of those of the females, the association is based on the long discal seta and long setae on the marginal vein of fore wing, shape of Mt1, and the process on the medial sclerite of the propodeum. The male specimen has a pair of large structures inside the head, above the mouthparts and under the frons ( Fig. 344 ), which appear to be glands of some sort. This has not been observed in other species of Signiphoridae . Finally, three slide-mounted specimens from Cuitlapetec, Veracruz, Mexico (UCRC ENT 299591) fit the diagnosis of this species, although the sculpture on the frontovertex is not clear, and the ovipositor sheaths are not quite as extended as in the Brazilian specimens.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀: mounted in balsam, [ Brazil], Fonte Boas [presumably Fonte Boa ], Amazonas, ix.1975, F.H. Oliveira, CNC HYMEN 0 0 122380 . Holotype deposited in CNC. PARATYPES: four ♀ in balsam, same data as holotype ( CNC HYMEN 0 0 122379, 0 0 122381, 0 0 122363, 00122364); one ♀ in balsam, Brazil, Repressa [sic] Rio Grande , [Sao Paulo], M. Alvarenga, vii.1972, sweep net ( CNC HYMEN 00122382 ). Three ♀ in balsam: Brazil, Nova Teutonia, 28.vii.1943, 23.vii.1943, 10.2.1944, 7.xii.1943, F. Plaumann, B.M. 1957-341 ( BMNH (E) 990288–990290 and 990295) . Paratypes deposited in CNC, BMNH, and TAMU.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. From renunculus, diminutive form of L. ren = kidney, referring to the enlarged, kidney-shaped structures, apparently glands, in the head of the male. The species epithet is an adjective.

Figures

FIGURES 329 – 332. Signiphora renuncula n. sp.: 329, head (BMNH (E) 990289); 330, female antenna (BMNH (E) 990288); 331, mandibles (BMNH (E) 990289); 332, male antenna (BMNH (E) 990295).

FIGURES 333 – 338. Signiphora renuncula n. sp.: 333, fore wing, female (CNC HYMEN 00122380); 334, venation of fore wing (CNC HYMEN 00122380); 335, hind wing, female (BMNH (E) 990288); 336, venation of hind wing (BMNH (E) 990288); 337, middle leg, female (BMNH (E) 990288); 338, Mt 8 of metasoma, female (BMNH (E) 990289).

FIGURES 339 – 344. Signiphora renuncula n. sp.: 339, female habitus (BMNH (E) 990288); 340, mesosoma of female (BMNH (E) 990288); 341, metasoma of female (BMNH (E) 990288); 342, male habitus (BMNH (E) 990295); 343, male genitalia (BMNH (E) 990295); 344, Enlarged glands in head of male (BMNH (E) 990295).