Odontepyris telortis Lim and Lee, 2009

Lim, Jongok, Shin, Sangchul & Lee, Seunghwan, 2009, New species of Odontepyris Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), an ectoparasitoid of Telorta divergens (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae, Zootaxa 2052, pp. 49-54 : 50-52

Odontepyris telortis Lim and Lee , New Species

( Figs. 1–13 )

Description. Female (Holotype) ( Fig. 1 ). Alate, TL 6.20mm, LFW 3.88mm ( Fig. 1 ).

Color. Head black; anterior margin of mandible dark brown. Mesosoma black; forewing hyaline, wing veins testaceous; legs yellow with black coxae, dark brown trochanter, femora, and tarsal claws. Metasoma black.

Morphology. Head ( Fig. 2–4 ). 1.1X as wide as long with concave posterior margin in dorsal view; dorsolateral corner forming round angle; frons and vertex micro-reticulate with many shallow punctures. Mandible with four teeth; clypeus projected sharply with continued median carina into frons ( Fig. 3 ). First antennal segments in ratio of 2.4: 1.0: 1.3: 1.1: 1.1 in length; from scape to 5th, 11th and 13th antennal segments 2.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.3, 1.4, 1.8 and 2.1X as long as wide, respectively ( Fig. 4 ). Compound eye 0.61mm long; LE 1.5X as wide as OOL; WF 3.3X as wide as WOT; WF 1.4X as wide as LE; WF 1.3X as wide as HE; WH 1.6X as wide as WF; ocelli forming obtuse angle; POL 1.3X as wide as AOL; OOL 1.5X as wide as WOT ( Fig. 2 ).

Mesosoma ( Figs. 1, 5, 6–7 ). Pronotum 0.4X as long as wide, 1.28mm in maximum width with round antero-lateral corners in dorsal view, lateral margin not carinate; disc micro-reticulate with shallow sparse punctures; scutellar pits ellipsoid, separated at least by 4.0X as their maximum diameter; propodeal disc 0.5X as long as wide with distinct three discal carinae; median discal carina straight and reaching transverse carina, paramedian carinae 0.7X as long as LPD and distally convergent, median area with a small smooth basal triangle area, not reticulate, and remaining median area depressed with irregular rugae; sublateral area microreticulate except distal irregular rugae, transverse carina concave, propodeal declivity without median longitudinal carina ( Fig. 7 ); forewing with ellipsoid areolet, 2.0X as long as wide.

Metasoma. Smooth and shining with more distal dense setae.

Variation. Mandible and femora dark brown to black; TL 4.25 to 6.67mm; LH 0.88 to 1.23mm; WH 1.00 to 1.44mm; LP 0.35 to 0.50mm; LPD 0.42 to 0.60mm; WPD 0.75 to 1.12mm; LFW 2.75 to 3.89mm; LM 1.57 to 2.23mm.

Biology ( Figs. 8–13 ). An alate female wasp was observed laying nineteen elongate oval eggs on the larva of Telorta divergens (Butler) on the leaf of Magnolia sp. ( Magnoliales : Magnoliacea) ( Figs. 8–10 ) (14.vi.2008). In three days, nine young ectoparasitoid larvae hatched on the skin of the host caterpillar (17.vi.2008). Two days later, the fully grown larvae were found (ca. 4.5mm long, ca. 1.5mm wide; purple with many small white spots, dorsum with longitudinal smooth area). Among the nine larvae, three (males) were distinctly smaller than the others ( Fig. 11 ) (19.vi.2008). One day later, all mature larvae pupated in the cocoons, apart from the host larva ( Fig. 12 ) (20.vi.2008). Maternal care of the parent wasp was observed until the pupation of the offspring. The parent wasp was dead on 27.vi.2008, thirteen days after her oviposition.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d. H O L O T Y P E: f e m a l e, B a e k j a –r i, S u s i n –m y e o n, C h e o n a n– s i, Chungcheongnam–do, South Korea, 36°41'58"N, 127°18'05"E, Altitude 132m, 6.vi.2008, sweeping, leg. Sangwook Park. PARATYPES: 2 females, Goyang–dong, Deokyang–gu, Goyang–si, Gyeonggi–do, South Korea, 26.vi.2007, 37°42'33"N, 126°53'39"E, Altitude 200m, by yellow sticky trap, leg. Jongok Lim; 2 females, ditto, 11–23.vii.2007, by M.T., leg. Jongok Lim; 2 females, Bongui–san, Soyang–dong, Chuncheon–si, Gangwon–do, South Korea, 22–29.vi.2007, by M.T., leg. Jongok Lim; 2 females, Surak–san, Nowon–gu, Seoul, South Korea, 37°40'45"N, 127°05'28"E, Altitude 200m, 18.vii–24.viii. 2007, by M.T., leg. Jongok Lim; 2 females, Pocheon–si, Gyeonggi–do, South Korea, 29.x.1988, leg. Seongbok Ahn (NAAS); 1 female, Kwanak arboretum, Anyang–dong, Manan–gu, Anyang–si, Gyeonggi–do, South Korea, 37°25'25.2"N, 126°56'59.6"E, Altitude 148m, 13.vi.2008, on the larva of Telorta divergens ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ), leg. Seunggwan Shin.

Distribution. South Korea (Gangwon–do, Chungcheongnam–do, Gyeonggi–do, Seoul).

Remarks. This species is similar to O. ovatus Xu and He, 2006 from China by 'legs black except brown trochanters, tibiae and tarsi; forewing with an ellipsoidal areolet; scutellar pits separated by about 4.0X as long as wide; a pair of paramedian discal carinae on propodeal disc conversing posteriorly'. However, it is distinguished from the latter by 'mandible reddish brown (black in O. ovatus ); third antennal segment relatively short, 1.7X as long as wide (2.2X as long as wide in O. ovatus ); median clypeus broad (very narrow in O. ovatus ); paramedian discal carinae on propodeal disc extending only 7/10 of length of disc (extending nearly transverse carina in O. ovatus ); propodeal disc 0.5X as long as wide (0.64X as long as wide in O. ovatus )'.

Discussion. The members of Odontepyris have been known as the ectoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae ( Kurian, 1954, 1955; Georgiev et al., 2001), however, the relationship between bethylid wasp and host insect are poorly known. According to our observation, the female wasp laid multiple eggs on the skin of fully grown caterpillar of a noctuid host, Telorta divergens , and the ectoparasitic larvae grow very fast and pupated in three days after hatching. Further studies on its host ranges and life cycle are requisite.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the genus name of the host insect, " Telorta ".

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Adult female of Odontepyris telortis sp. nov. 1, whole body; 2, head; 3, mandibles and clypeus; 4, antennae (from scape to 5 th antennal segment); 5, left wing; 6, pronotum and mesonotum; 7, propodeal disc.

FIGURES 8 – 13. Development of Odontepyris telortis sp. nov. 8, eggs on T. divergens (Butler) (14. vi. 2008); 9, oviposition (14. vi. 2008); 10, maternal care of eggs (15. vi. 2008); 11, maternal care of larvae (19. vi. 2008); 12, making a cocoon (20. vi. 2008); 13, maternal care of cocoons (21. vi. 2008).