Glyptapanteles meganmiltonae Arias-Penna, sp. nov.

Arias-Penna, Diana Carolina, Whitfield, James B., Janzen, Daniel H., Winifred Hallwachs,, Dyer, Lee A., Smith, M. Alex, Hebert, Paul D. N. & Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., 2019, A species-level taxonomic review and host associations of Glyptapanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with an emphasis on 136 new reared species from Costa Rica and Ecuador, ZooKeys 890, pp. 1-685 : 1

Glyptapanteles meganmiltonae Arias-Penna, sp. nov. Figs 158 , 159

Female.

Body length 2.17 mm, antenna length 2.37 mm, fore wing length 2.58 mm.

Type material.

Holotype: COSTA RICA • 1♀; 06-SRNP-9041, DHJPAR0012683; Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Alajuela, Sector San Cristóbal, Finca San Gabriel ; rain forest; 645 m; 10.87766, -85.39343; 05.xi.2006; Elda Araya leg.; caterpillar collected in third instar; cocoons adhered to the leaf substrate; adult parasitoids emerged on 16.xi.2006; ( CNC) . Paratypes. • 21 (4♀, 4♂) (0 ♀, 13♂); 06-SRNP-9041, DHJPAR0012683; same data as for holotype; ( CNC) .

Other material.

Reared material. COSTA RICA: Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Sector Del Oro, Quebrada Raiz : • 1 (1♀, 0 ♂) (0 ♂, 0 ♀); 04-SRNP-55920, DHJPAR0004238; dry-rain intergrade forest; 280 m; 11.02865, -85.48669; 15.xi.2004; Lucia Ríos leg. ; caterpillar collected in fourth instar; elongate ridged white bud-like cocoons adhered to the leaf substrate and formed on 20.xi.2004; adult parasitoids emerged on 27.xi.2004.

Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Alajuela, Sector San Cristóbal, Finca San Gabriel : • 16 (5♀, 2♂) (9♀, 0 ♂); 09-SRNP-6146, DHJPAR0038065; rain forest; 645 m; 10.87766, -85.39343; 20.xi.2009; Elda Araya leg. ; caterpillar collected in fifth instar; medium fluffy white cocoons adhered together and adhered to the leaf substrate; adult parasitoids emerged on 01.xii. 20069.

Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Sector Mundo Nuevo, Vado Miramonte : • 16 (3♀, 1♂) (12♀, 0 ♂); 10-SRNP-57267, DHJPAR0041715; dry-rain intergrade forest; 305 m; 10.77175, -85.43400; 14.xi.2010; José Cortéz leg. ; caterpillar collected in fifth instar; cocoons formed on 19.xi.2010; adult parasitoids emerged on 30.xi.2010. • 12 (0 ♀, 3♂) (0 ♀, 9♂); 10-SRNP-57355, DHJPAR0041650; same data as for preceding except: 15.xii.2010 ; caterpillar collected in fourth instar; cocoons formed on 20.xii.2010; adult parasitoid emerged on 28.xii.2010.

Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Alajuela, Sector Rincón Rain Forest, Camino Albergue Oscar : • 5 (2♀, 1♂) (2♀, 0 ♂); 10-SRNP-6685, DHJPAR0041625; 560 m; 10.87741, -85.32363; 10.xi.2010; Carolina Cano leg.; caterpillar collected in fifth instar; cocoons adhered to the leaf substrate and formed on 16.xi.2010; adult parasitoids emerged on 23.xi.2010. • 11 (1♀, 3♂) (0 ♀, 4♂); 10-SRNP-6687, DHJPAR0041834; same data as for preceding except: multiple white cocoons adhered in host cocoon; date of cocoons not reported; adult parasitoid emerged on 22.xi.2010. • 11 (3♀, 3♂) (3♀, 2♂); 10-SRNP-6688, DHJPAR0041620; same data as for preceding except: multiple white cocoons adhered in host cocoon; date of cocoons not reported. • 12 (3♀, 1♂) (8♀, 0 ♂); 10-SRNP-6689, DHJPAR0041839; same data as for preceding except: adult parasitoids emerged on 26.xi.2010 .

Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Alajuela, Sector Rincón Rain Forest, San Lucas : • 1 (0 ♀, 0 ♂) (0 ♀, 1♂); 11-SRNP-41426, DHJPAR0043167; 320 m; 10.91847, -85.30338; 24.iii.2011; Anabelle Córdoba leg.; caterpillar collected in fourth instar; cocoons adhered to the leaf substrate; adult parasitoids emerged on 08.iv.2011. • 8 (2♀, 1♂) (5♀, 0 ♂); 11-SRNP-41427, DHJPAR0042884; same data as for preceding .

Diagnosis.

Fore telotarsus basally narrow, apically wide ( Fig. 158A ), ventral margin with a tiny curved seta, medioposterior band of scutellum not overlapping the medioanterior pit of metanotum ( Fig. 159B, C ), phragma of the scutellum widely visible ( Figs 158B , 159C ), fore wing with vein 2 cu-a absent, r vein straight, outer side of junction of r and 2RS veins forming a stub ( Figs 158G , 159H ), median area on T2 broader than long ( Fig. 159D ), edges of median area on T2 obscured by weak longitudinal stripes ( Figs 158C , 159D ), and lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 distally losing definition on T2, vertex in dorsal view wide ( Fig. 159E ), in lateral view, metasoma laterally compressed ( Figs 158F , 159F ), T3 longer than T2 ( Fig. 159G ), inner margin of eyes diverging slightly at antennal sockets, petiole on T1 evenly narrowing distally (wide base to a narrow apex) and finely sculptured ( Fig. 159D, G ), and propodeum without a median longitudinal dent ( Fig. 159C ).

Coloration

( Fig. 158A ). General body coloration dark brown except scape and pedicel yellow-brown with inner sides brown; first four-five proximal antennal flagellomeres dorsally lighter (light brown) than ventrally (dark brown), remaining flagellomeres dark brown on both sides; clypeus and labrum light brown; mandibles and tegulae dark yellow; glossa, maxillary and labial palps yellow; propleuron and both dorsal and ventral furrows of pronotum lighter than mesosoma coloration. Eyes and ocelli reddish (in preserved specimen). Fore and middle legs yellow except claws brown; hind legs yellow except coxae proximally with a edge light brown forming a irregular shape, a tiny brown spot in femora, tibiae distally light brown, and tarsomeres yellow-brown. Petiole on T1 with two colorations, proximal 1/3 reddish/yellow-brown and distal 2/3 brown, contours darkened and sublateral areas yellow; T2 with median and adjacent areas brown, and lateral ends yellow; T3 almost completely brown, but with a tiny yellow area in proximal corner; T4 and beyond completely brown; distally each tergum with a narrow yellowish transparent band. In lateral view, T1-2 completely yellow; T3 yellow with a small dorsodistal brown area; T4 and beyond brown. S1-4 yellow; penultimate sternum and hypopygium light brown/brown.

Description.

Head ( Fig. 158A, E ). Head rhomboid with pubescence long and dense. Proximal three antennal flagellomeres longer than wide (0.22:0.07, 0.18:0.07, 0.18:0.07), distal antennal flagellomere longer than penultimate (0.11:0.07, 0.08:0.07), antenna longer than body (2.37, 2.17); antennal scrobes-frons sloped and forming a shelf. Face flat or nearly so, with dense fine punctations, interspaces with microsculpture and longitudinal median carina present. Frons smooth. Temple wide, punctate and interspaces clearly smooth. Inner margin of eyes diverging slightly at antennal sockets; in lateral view, eye anteriorly convex and posteriorly straight. POL shorter than OOL (0.10, 0.12). Malar suture present. Median area between lateral ocelli without depression. Vertex laterally pointed or nearly so and dorsally wide.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 158A, B, E ). Mesosoma dorsoventrally convex. Mesoscutum proximally convex and distally flat, punctation distinct throughout, interspaces smooth. Scutellum long and slender, apex sloped and fused with BS, scutellar punctation indistinct throughout, in profile scutellum flat and on same plane as mesoscutum, phragma of the scutellum widely visible; BS not overlapping the MPM; ATS demilune inner side with a row of foveae; dorsal ATS groove with semicircular/parallel carinae. Transscutal articulation wih large and heterogeneous foveae, area just behind transscutal articulation smooth, shiny and depressed centrally. Metanotum with BM wider than PFM (clearly differentiated); MPM proximally circle and distally straight with a short distal carina; AFM with a small lobe and not as well delineated as PFM; PFM slim and smooth; ATM proximally with a groove with some sculpturing and distally smooth. Propodeum finely sculptured, without median longitudinal carina, proximal half curved; distal edge of propodeum with a flange at each side and without stubs; propodeal spiracle without distal carina; nucha surrounded by very short radiating carinae. Pronotum with a distinct dorsal furrow, dorsally with a well-defined smooth band; central area of pronotum and both dorsal and ventral furrows smooth. Propleuron with fine punctations throughout and dorsally without a carina. Metasternum flat or nearly so. Contour of mesopleuron convex; precoxal groove smooth, shiny and shallow, but visible; epicnemial ridge elongated more fusiform (tapering at both ends).

Legs. Ventral margin of fore telotarsus entire, but with a tiny curved seta, fore telotarsus proximally narrow and distally wide, and longer than fourth tarsomere (0.10, 0.05). Hind coxa with dorsal half sparsely punctate, ventral half densely punctate, and dorsal outer depression present. Inner spur of hind tibia longer than outer spur (0.21, 0.16), entire surface of hind tibia with dense strong spines clearly differentiated by color and length. Hind telotarsus as equal in length as fourth tarsomere (0.12, 0.11).

Wings ( Fig. 158G, H ). Fore wing with r vein straight; 2RS vein straight; r and 2RS veins forming an angle at their junction and outer side of junction forming a slight stub; 2M vein slightly curved/swollen; distally fore wing [where spectral veins are] with microtrichiae almost homogeneously distributed as the rest of the wing; anal cell 1/3 proximally lacking microtrichiae; subbasal cell with microtrichiae virtually throughout; veins 2CUa and 2CUb completely spectral; vein 2 cu-a absent; vein 2-1A proximally tubular and distally spectral, although sometimes difficult to see; tubular vein 1 cu-a straight, incomplete/broken and not reaching the edge of 1-1A vein. Hind wing with vannal lobe very narrow, subdistally and subproximally straightened, and setae evenly scattered in the margin.

Metasoma ( Fig. 158A, C, D, F ). Metasoma laterally compressed. Petiole on T1 finely sculptured throughout, evenly narrowing distally (length 0.30, maximum width 0.15, minimum width 0.09) and with scattered pubescence on distal half. Lateral grooves delimiting the median area on T2 clearly defined and reaching the distal edge of T2 (length median area 0.15, length T2 0.15), edges of median area obscured by weak longitudinal stripes, median area broader than long (length 0.15, maximum width 0.23, minimum width 0.07); T2 with scattered pubescence only distally. T3 longer than T2 (0.20, 0.15) and with scattered pubescence throughout. Pubescence on hypopygium dense.

Cocoons. White bud-like cocoons with medium fluffy silk fibers. Cocoons adhered to the leaf substrate or in host cocoon

Comments.

The antennal scrobes (frons) form a shelf-shaped, so this area is strongly sloped; the scape is very swollen with inner sides curved. Some specimens body with lighter pale brown coloration, although the color pattern can de distinguished, maybe they emerged early. In other females, the epicnemial ridge is lighter than mesosoma coloration. The penultimate sternum and the hypopygium are yellow-brown. Some females (e.g., 04-SRNP-55920) exhibit coxae completely dark brown and the hypopygium brown, but medially yellow-brown.

Male

( Fig. 159 A–I ). In some specimens (e.g., 10-SRNP-57355), the mesoscutum is reddish/dark yellow-brown, coloration taking the place of notauli; the coloration on these specimens is more reddish than yellow; in some specimens the hind coxa is completely light brown.

Etymology.

Megan Milton currently is a data and communication lead at Barcode of Life Data Systems ( BOLD).

Distribution.

The parasitized caterpillars were collected in Costa Rica, ACG, Sector Mundo Nuevo (Vado Miramonte), Sector Rincón Rain Forest (Camino Albergue Oscar and San Lucas), Sector San Cristóbal (Finca San Gabriel), and Sector Del Oro (Quebrada Raíz), during November 2004, 2006, and 2009; November-December 2010; and March 2011 at 280 m, 305 m, 320 m, 560 m, and 645 m in dry-rain intergrade forest and rain forest.

Biology.

The lifestyle of this parasitoid species is solitary/gregarious.

Host.

Herpetogramma sp. Lederer ( Crambidae : Spilomelinae) feeding on Achyranthes aspera , A. indica and Alternanthera pubiflora ( Amaranthaceae ). Caterpillars were collected in third, fourth and fifth instar.

Figures

Figure 158. Glyptapanteles meganmiltonae sp. nov. female 06 - SRNP- 9041 DHJPAR 0012683 A Habitus B Scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, laterodorsal view C T 1 - 2, dorsolateral view D Genitalia: hypopygium, ovipositor, ovipositor sheaths, lateral view E Head, mesosoma, lateral view F Metasoma, lateral view G, H Wings G Fore H Hind.

Figure 159. Glyptapanteles meganmiltonae sp. nov. male 06 - SRNP- 9041 DHJPAR 0012683 A Habitus B, E Head, mesosoma B Dorsal view F Lateral view C Scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, dorsal view D T 1 - 2, dorsal view F, G Metasoma F Lateral view G Dorsal view H, I Wings H Fore I Hind.