Sycidiphaga cyrtophyllae Liu, Rasplus & Huang, 2017

Liu, Yang, Rasplus, Jean-Yves, Noort, Simon Van, Li, Zi & Huang, Dawei, 2017, Sycidiphaga, a new genus of Sycophaginae Walker, 1975 (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae) associated with Ficus subgenus Sycidium in southern China, Zootaxa 4306 (1), pp. 91-107 : 99-103

Sycidiphaga cyrtophyllae Liu, Rasplus & Huang n. sp.

( Figs 13–30 )

Material examined. Holotype. ♀, China: Yun Nan: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden, Tropical Ravine Rainforest Area , 1.vii.2009, Baofa Sun , ex Ficus cyrtophylla ( IZCAS) . Paratypes. 5♀, 1♂, same data as holotype ( IZCAS) ; 3♀, China: Yun Nan: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden, Tropical Ravine Rainforest Area, 20.vi.2009, Baofa Sun , ex Ficus cyrtophylla ( IZCAS) . 19♀, ethanol-preserved, China: Gui Zhou: Li Bo county , 18.ix.2005, ex Ficus cyrtophylla ( IZCAS; CBGP; SAMC) .

Description. Female. Body length 1.76 – 1.87 mm. Ovipositor length 1.64–1.91 mm. Body black except scapes, legs and ovipositor brownish-yellow; eyes reddish-brown ( Fig. 13 ).

Head in frontal view subtriangular, about 1.3× as wide as long, 1.5× as wide as distance between inner margin of eyes, and about 1.8× as high as eye ( Fig. 14 ); in lateral view oblong, about 1.4×as high as long. POL 1.8×OOL. Antenna with two cylindrical anelli ( Fig. 14 ); F1 about 1.4× as wide as long, F2 trapezoidal, as long as wide at the apex and about 1.1× as long as wide at base; F3 basal width, apical width and length in ratio of 5:9:10; F4 to F8 longer than F3; longitudinal sensilla as long as funicular segment; clava about 3.5× as long as wide ( Fig. 14 ). Distance between toruli approximately equal to torulus diameter; interantennal projection conspicuous and long, blade-like ( Fig. 14 ). Head conspicuously engraved-reticulate, with exception of clypeus and supraclypeal area smooth; torulus surrounded by conspicuous carina ( Fig. 14 ).

Mesosoma engraved-reticulate, except dorsal part of pronotum (collar) and anterior margin of mesoscutum smooth ( Fig. 17 ). Notauli crenulated ( Fig. 17 ). Scutellum faintly engraved-reticulate with irregular meshes ( Fig. 17 ). Propodeum engraved-reticulate, with smaller meshes than on scutellum, and about 2.8× as wide as long ( Fig. 20 ). Prosternum engraved-reticulate, with anterior half triangular and posterior half semicircular, about 1.1× as long as wide ( Fig. 18 ). Mesopleural sulcus conspicuous, with transverse crenulation in its anterior half and obliquely engraved sculpture in its posterior half ( Fig. 18 ). Pronotum about 2.1× as wide as long and as long as mesonotum; mesonotum about 2× as wide as long; scutellum trapezoidal, anterior margin, posterior margin and length in ratio of 26:32:35. Fore wing marginal vein, posterior marginal vein and stigmal vein in ratio of 18:13:20 ( Fig. 23 ). Hind wing narrow, about 5.3× as long as wide; with three curving hamuli inserted distally on marginal vein. Fore leg femur, tibia and tarsus in ratio of 1:1:1, tarsal ratio 3:1:1:1:3. Mid leg femur, tibia and tarsus in ratio of 1:2:2, tarsal ratio 2:2:1:1:2. Hind leg femur, tibia and tarsus in ratio of 11:16:15, tarsal ratio 4:1:1:1:2.

Mesosoma about 1.4× as long as metasoma. Petiole short and conic ( Figs 17 , 19 ); in dorsal view respective ratio of anterior width, posterior width and length in ratio of 11:9:3; in lateral view, respective ratio of anterior height, posterior height and length 12:9:4. Gaster about 2.1× as long as wide ( Fig. 22 ). Ovipositor as long as or a little shorter than body ( Fig. 13 ).

Male. Body brownish-yellow, with anterior part of head and mandibles black ( Fig. 25 ).

Head in dorsal view trapezoidal; anterior margin, posterior margin and length in ratio of 19:26:28 ( Fig. 26 ); in lateral view wedge shaped ( Fig. 27 ); about 7.3× as long as median diameter of eye; sparsely and finely punctured, each puncture with a short seta ( Figs 26, 27 ). Antenna 5-segmented; scape nearly semicircular, about 1.6× as long as wide; pedicel with narrow base and swollen apex, apex about 3.5× as wide as base; F1 flattened and trapezoidal, basal margin, apical margin and length in a ratio of 5:9:4; F2 flattened, subquadrate, about 1.1× as long as wide; F3 club-like, flattened and triangular.

Mesosoma and metasoma smooth. Pronotum about 1.3× as wide as long medially, with a longitudinal groove not reaching posterior margin ( Fig. 28 ). Mesonotum about 1.1× as wide as long ( Fig. 28 ). Fused metanotum + propodeum about 1.6× as long as wide, with spiracle located on lateral-posterior margin ( Fig. 29 ). Legs with dense spines on external side of tibiae ( Fig. 30 ); fore leg tarsal ratio 3:1:1:1:2; mid leg tarsal ratio 5:2:2:2:5; hind leg tarsal ratio 3:1:1:1:2.

Petiole about 1.5× as wide as long and about 0.6× as wide as metanotum + propodeum.

Etymology. The species is named after its host plant Ficus cyrtophylla .

Biology. Reared from figs of Ficus cyrtophylla .

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 18. Sycidiphaga cyrtophyllae Liu, Rasplus & Huang ♀. 13, habitus, lateral view; 14, head and clypeal area, anterior view; 15, head in latero-ventral view, 16, head, ventral view; 17, mesosoma, dorsal view; 18, mesosoma, ventral view.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Sycidiphaga cyrtophyllae Liu, Rasplus & Huang ♀. 19, mesosoma, lateral view; 20, scutellum and propodeum, dorsal view; 21, metasoma, lateral view; 22, metasoma, dorsal view; 23, fore wing; 24, hind wing.

FIGURES 25 – 30. Sycidiphaga cyrtophyllae Liu, Rasplus & Huang ♂. 25, habitus, lateral-dorsal view; 26 & 27, head: 26, dorsal view, 27, lateral view; 28, pronotum and mesonotum; 29, metanoto-propodeum and petiole; 30, metasoma in dorsal view and legs.