Spalangia stictocephala, Gibson, 2009

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2009, 2259, Zootaxa 2259, pp. 1-159 : 144-146

28. Spalangia stictocephala n. sp.

(Figs 345, 423–428)

Type material. HOLOTYPE (♀, CNC no. 23893). “ MEXICO: Quintana Roo, 3 km S. Puerto Morelos, jardin botanica, 14.XII.1993, L. Masner /CNCI, LB-specm 2007-028”. Condition: point-mounted, entire.

PARATYPE (1♀). MEXICO: Tamazunchale, S.L.P. [San Luis Potosi], 23.XI.46, F. E. Skinner ( EMEC) .

Etymology. A combination of the Greek words stiktos, meaning “punctured”, and kephale, meaning “head”, in reference to the completely micropunctate-reticulate head of this species.

Description. Female. Length = 1.6–2.2 mm. Legs dark with knees slightly lighter in color and at least basal tarsal segment yellow, the subsequent 2 or 3 segments yellowish or increasingly dark. Head in anterior view about 1.2x as high as wide; in dorsal view about 1.7x as wide as long; in lateral view (Fig. 424) with malar space about 0.9–1.0x eye height and about 1.3–1.5x eye width. Head capsule (Figs 423, 424) dull and uniformly micropunctate-reticulate except as follows: with complete though variably distinct median sulcus extending ventrally to elongate-triangular scrobal depression; interantennal region except for inclined lateral surface strongly coriaceous-granular and bare, but not distinctly smoother or shinier than rest of face; gena with malar sulcus (Fig. 424). Antenna (Fig. 428) with scape about 6.4–6.6x as long as wide, the inner and outer surfaces uniformly setose and reticulate-rugulose; pedicel about 1.6–2.4x as long as apical width and about 1.4–2.9x as long as fu 1; funicle with fu 1 sometimes up to about 1.3x as long as wide but at least very slightly longer than wide and subsequent segments subquadrate to distinctly transverse; clava about 1.7–2.2x as long as wide.

Figs 423–428. Spalangia stictocephala Gibson ♀. 423 & 424, head: 423, frontolateral view, 424, lateral view; 425, pronotum and mesoscutum, dorsolateral view; 426, pronotum – petiole, posterodorsal view; 427, mesopleuron; 428, antenna.

Pronotal collar in lateral view only very low convex behind neck, without distinct circumpronotal band anterolaterally and anteriorly smoothly rounded to neck; smooth and shiny near posterior margin but otherwise very finely mesh-like coriaceous and uniformly setose over sculptured area except mediolongitudinally (Fig. 425). Mesoscutal median lobe (Figs 425, 426) with anterior convex region smooth and shiny anteriorly and finely coriaceous posteriorly; internotaular region also coriaceous laterally but more distinctly punctaterugulose medially. Axillae (Fig. 426) smooth and shiny or only extremely obscurely coriaceous and with a few pinprick-like setiferous punctures. Scutellum (Fig. 426) uniformly but very finely mesh-like coriaceous and with scattered pinprick-like setiferous punctures paramedially; frenum (Fig. 426) differentiated only by oblique lateral puncture and similarly coriaceous as scutellum. Mesopleuron (Fig. 427) completely sculptured as follows: pectal region coriaceous and bare except for 1 posteroventral seta; acropleuron longitudinally carinate, the carinae extending posteriorly onto alar shelf; subalar scrobe a vertical, crenulate-rugose furrow; episternal scrobe a shallow depression connected to subalar scrobe by distinct but linear sulcus and to shallow precoxal scrobe by more obscure sulcus; upper and lower mesepimeron variably finely and distinctly obliquely alutaceous or sometimes more mesh-like coriaceous on lower mesepimeron; upper and lower mesepisternum differentiated only by ventral line of setae rather than distinct transepisternal line, the upper mesepisternum variably mesh-like coriaceous to obliquely alutaceous. Fore wing hyaline; mediocubital fold with 3 or 4 setae and basal cell/fold distally with 1 or 2 setae. Propodeum (Fig. 426) with distinct postspiracular sulcus; callus reticulate-rugulose anteriorly but smoother, coriaceous to shiny posteriorly anterior to metacoxal flange; plical region with only slightly widened paramedian crenulate furrows delimiting median carina, and either with anterior-most cells not differentiated in size from more posterior cells (Fig. 426) or with irregular sculpture anteriorly; supracoxal band separated from paramedian crenulate furrows by distinct smooth band at nucha; propodeal panels smooth and shiny.

Petiole (Fig. 426) at most 2x as long as medial width (exact measurements not possible); microreticulate between longitudinal carinae; with or without 1 short seta anterolaterally. Gaster with Gt 1 smooth and shiny, Gt 2 smooth or with only extremely obscure coriaceous sculpture, and Gt 3 very finely coriaceous.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Mexico (Fig. 345).

Biology. Unknown, but based on presumed relationships with S. attae very likely a parasitoid of Diptera associated with ant nests.

Recognition. I include S. stictocephala as one of four species in the attae species group as discussed under S. attae .