Sycophilodes uluberiaensis, Pramanik, Achintya & Dey, Debjani, 2014

Pramanik, Achintya & Dey, Debjani, 2014, Redescription of the fig wasp genus Sycophilodes Joseph (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Epichrysomallinae) with description of a new species from India, Zootaxa 3838 (3), pp. 310-322 : 316-320

Sycophilodes uluberiaensis sp. nov.

( Figs 21–40 )

Material examined. Holotype ♀: INDIA, West Bengal, Uluberia, 22°25'19.9452"N 088°02'35.6352"E, 21.IV.2012, ex Ficus benghalensis L., collector A. Pramanik. Paratypes 15 ♀, 9♂ card mounted; series ♀, ♂ preserved in 70% ethanol, same data as holotype. All type specimens have been deposited in National Pusa Collection, IARI, New Delhi.

Diagnosis. Female. Postmarginal vein half length of stigmal vein ( Fig. 30 ); marginal vein 1.8× length of stigmal vein; stigmal vein arched with relatively thick basal stalk and rounded knob. Axilla with one long seta on upper part of posterior half and a row of 5 setae on lower half; Scape 2× as long as pedicel; clava 3× length of preceding funicular segment ( Fig. 24 ). POL 2.6× median ocellus diameter. Anterior margin of middle lobe of mesoscutum 4.3× width of posterior margin. Propodeal spiracles separated from each other by 2.3× distance between posterior margin of spiracles and posterior margin of propodeum.

Male. Stigmal vein ‘J’ shaped with short and relatively thick basal stalk, about 0.6× length of stigma and a thickened knob ( Fig. 40 ). Torular-ocular distance 3× intertorular distance. Propodeum 2.2× wider than long; interspiracular distance 3× distance between hind edge of spiracle and posterior propodeal margin. Fore femur 1.6× longer than fore coxa.

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 21–30 ). Body 2.7 mm, length of head 0.3 mm, mesosoma 1.1 mm, metasoma 1.3 mm (holotype).

Colour. Body generally honey coloured; antenna yellowish brown; eyes red, ocelli translucent, interocellar area little darker than face; vertex almost honey coloured; apical tooth of mandible dark brown; mesosoma dorsally yellowish brown, wings hyaline, veins dark brown; legs pale brown, claws dark brown; first two gastral terga with median darker patches; ovipositor sheath brownish black.

General body sculpture and pilosity. Body moderately sclerotized, vertex finely carinated, sparsely setose with scattered setae but without median ridge; upper face finely carinated, pilosity relatively short and sparse ( Figs 23, 27 ); lower face, parascrobal area and malar space sparsely setose with fine carination; pronotum finely carinated, sparsely setose with short setae on lateral side; mesoscutum almost smooth, scapula finely reticulate, axilla almost smooth; gastral tergites largely bare, very finely carinated ( Fig. 21 ), with a transverse row of widely placed short setae arising from dark pits.

Head. Head in dorsal view 2.6× wider than long; in frontal view 1.4× wider than high across compound eyes ( Fig. 22 ); face relatively broad. Mandible ( Fig. 25 ) with 9 or 10 conspicuous setae. Clypeus not lying on same plane, 1.8× as broad as high ( Fig. 22 ); clypeus with 4 or 5 pairs of relatively long setae. Tentorial index 1.7. Supraclypeal area subrectangular, 2× wider than torular diameter, well delineated by only distally distinct, slightly convergent subantennal grooves. Parascrobal area relatively flat. Distance between upper torular margin to median ocellus 1.6× distance from torulus to lower clypeal margin; intertorular distance 1.3× torular diameter; distance between torulus and inner eye margin 1.8× intertorular distance. Interantennal ridge blunt, exceeding torulus by about 0.5× torular diameter. Antennal formula 11173 ( Fig. 24 ), scape 3.3× times as long as wide; pedicel 1.7× as long as its maximum width; funicular segments with single row of 16–18 plate sensilla projecting very slightly beyond apical edge; first funicular segment 0.7× as long as wide and 0.4× as long as pedicel; clava 1.5× as long as wide. Eye 1.3× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.2× eye width. POL 1.3× OOL.

Mesosoma. Pronotum bell-shaped, 0.3× as long as wide, 0.5× as long as mesoscutum, with few scattered, long setae. Mesothorax at tegulae 0.9× as wide as head. Notauli very finely cross-crenulated ( Fig. 27 ), complete and slightly convergent to each other. Scapula 1.3× wider than long, posterior-lateral quarter with 4 prominent setae. Axilla transverse, 0.8× as long as wide, 0.5× as long as scapula; axillar grooves distinct and complete but very shallow, finely cross crenulated, converging at transscutellar line. Mesoscutellum 1.2× as long as mesoscutum ( Fig. 27 ). Propodeum 2.6× wider than long and 0.4× as long as mesoscutellum.

Wings. Fore wing 2.5× longer than wide; relative measurements of submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins approximately in a ratio of 41:11:3:6 ( Fig. 29 ). Submarginal vein with 8 setae; marginal vein with 4 setae; postmarginal vein distinct, half length of stigmal vein and with 3 setae; stigmal vein with 5 discrete sensilla and 4 setae. Hind wing 3.8× as long as wide, with single vein and 3 hamuli.

Legs. Fore leg: coxa 1.3× longer than wide; femur 1.9× longer than wide; tibia 0.8× as long as femur, tibial armature consisting of 1 bifid subapical ventral spur and a row of 3 axial spines between spur and apex; five tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 2:2:2:2:5 ( Fig. 21 ). Mid leg: tibia with 1 subapical ventral spur; tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 6:3:3:2:4 ( Fig. 21 ). Hind leg: coxa 1.5× longer than wide; femur 2.4× longer than wide and 1.2× as long as coxa; tibia pilose, 4.2× longer than wide and as long as femur, tibia with 2 subapical ventral spurs in a ratio of 5:4, and a row of 6 axial spines between spur and apex plus 4 odontoid spines on posterior margin; tarsal segments in a ratio of 8:4:3:2:6 ( Fig. 21 ), basitarsus 0.3× tibia, densely pilose.

Metasoma. Gaster 1.6× longer than wide. Hypopygium 1.2× as long as hind tibia, apical quarter with 4 or 5 pairs of median setae.

MALE ( Figs 21–40 ). Males are similar to females except for the following characters. Body 2.2 mm, length of head 0.2 mm, mesosoma 1.1 mm, metasoma 0.9 mm.

Colour. Circum-ocellar area black; scutellum apically brownish black, first three gastral terga deep brown.

General body sculpture and pilosity. Pronotum rather setose.

Head. Head strongly transverse, in dorsal view 2.7× wider than long, in frontal view 1.3× wider than high across compound eyes ( Fig. 32 ). Mouth opening 0.7× as broad as frons; mandible 2.3× longer than basal width, with 8 or 9 fine setae of variable length on outer side. Clypeus 1.5× as broad as high, with 3 or 4 pairs of relatively long setae. Epistomal groove shallow. Tentorial index 1.8. Supraclypeal area almost rectangular, 1.7× wider than torular diameter. Parascrobal area convex. Distance between upper torular margin to median ocellus 1.8× distance from torulus to lower clypeal margin; intertorular distance 0.7× torular diameter. Interantennal ridge present ( Fig. 32 ), exceeding torulus by 1× torular diameter. Antennal formula 11163 ( Fig. 3 ), scape 3× times as long as wide, 2.3× as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.3× as long as its maximum width; funicular segments with single row of 12–14 sensilla plate hardly projecting beyond apical edge; first funicular segment 0.5× as long as wide and 0.5× as long as pedicel; clava 1.6× as long as wide and 4× longer than preceding funicular segment. Malar sulcus distinct but shallow ( Fig. 36 ). Eye 1.4× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.4× eye width. POL 1.4× OOL; POL 1.8× median ocellus diameter.

Mesosoma. Pronotum 0.5× as long as wide, 0.8× as long as mesoscutum. Anterior margin of middle lobe of mesoscutum 4.4× wider than posterior margin. Scapula 1.7× wider than long, posterior-lateral quarter with 3 prominent setae. Axilla transverse, 0.9× as long as wide, 0.5× longer than scapula, with one long seta on upper part of posterior half and 4 small setae at lower corner. Mesoscutellum 1.4× as long as mesoscutum.

Wings. Fore wing 2.3× longer than wide; relative measurements of submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins approximately in a ratio of 34:10:4:5 ( Fig. 39 ). Submarginal vein with 10 setae; marginal vein 2× longer than stigmal vein, with 14 or 15 setae; postmarginal vein with 10 or 12 setae; stigmal vein ( Fig. 40 ) with 4 discrete sensilla and 12 or 14 setae. Hind wing 3.2× as long as wide.

Legs. Fore leg: coxa 1.8× longer than wide; femur 2.3× longer than wide; tibial armature consisting of one bifid subapical ventral spur and a row of 4 axial spines between spur and apex; five tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 4:2:2:1:4. Mid leg: tarsal segments approximately in a ratio of 5:3:2:2:5. Hind leg: coxa highly sclerotized, distinctly cross-carinated 1.7× longer than wide; femur inflated, 2.6× longer than wide and 1.2× as long as coxa; tibia 4.6× longer than wide and 1.1× as long as femur, tibia pilose with 2 subapical ventral spurs in a ratio of 5:3, and a row of 6 curved axial spines between spur and apex plus 4 odontoid spines; tarsal segments in a ratio of 8:3:3:2:5, basitarsus pilose, 0.3× tibia.

Metasoma: Gaster 1.4× longer than broad; 1st tergite 0.3× as long as gaster.

Variation. Body length: 2.3–2.7 mm for female, 2.1–2.3 mm for male. Mesosoma sometimes with relatively darker mid-dorsal patches.

Distribution. India (West Bengal).

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 30. Sycophilodes uluberiaensis Pramanik & Dey sp. nov. ♀ paratype. 21, habitus, lateral view; 22, head, frontal view; 23, head, dorsal view; 24, antenna; 25, mandible; 26, mesosoma, lateral view; 27, mesosoma, dorsal view; 28, propodeum; 29, fore wing venation; 30, postmarginal and stigmal vein of fore wing (enlarged).

FIGURES 31 – 40. Sycophilodes uluberiaensis Pramanik & Dey sp. nov. ♂ paratype. 31, habitus, lateral view; 32, head, frontal view; 33, head, dorsal view; 34, antenna; 35, mandible; 36, mesosoma, lateral view; 37, mesosoma, dorsal view; 38, propodeum; 39, fore wing venation; 40, postmarginal and stigmal vein of fore wing (enlarged).

FIGURES 1 – 10. Sycophilodes moniliformis Joseph ♀. 1, habitus, lateral view; 2, head, frontal view; 3, head, dorsal view; 4, antenna; 5, mandible; 6, mesosoma, lateral view; 7, mesosoma, dorsal view; 8, propodeum; 9, fore wing venation; 10, postmarginal and stigmal vein of fore wing (enlarged).