Pleurotroppopsis podagrica ( Waterston, 1925 )

Cao, Huan-Xi, Dale-Skey, Natalie, Burwell, Chris J. & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2022, Review of the genus Pleurotroppopsis Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with interspecific phylogenetic relationships based on morphological characters, Zootaxa 5190 (4), pp. 451-484 : 477

Pleurotroppopsis podagrica ( Waterston, 1925)

( Fig. 17 )

Cotterellia podagrica Waterston, 1925: 389 . Holotype ♀, NHMUK (B.M. TYPE HYM. 5.1340, examined).

Pleurotroppopsis podagrica ( Waterston, 1925) , Bouček, 1988: 711.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Antenna including scape dark brown. Fore wing broadly infuscate below MV, with speculum reduced ( Fig. 17a ). Frontovertex without a median groove below anterior ocellus. Face between frontal carina and toruli moderately depressed, with frontal carina sinuate (fig. 3E in Gumovsky 2007). Ocelli in a slightly acute (almost right-angled) triangle ( Fig. 17a ). MLM with weakly raised transverse reticulation in about anterior 1/2 and engraved reticulation elsewhere; MLM with a broad median groove that is a little more than 1/2 as broad as posterior margin of MLM ( Fig. 17b ). Scutellum with engraved reticulation between sublateral grooves, which are expressed as broad punctures; with a row of indistinct punctures outside sublateral grooves resulting in a narrow carina between the row of punctures and sublateral grooves ( Fig. 17b ). Axilla with numerous setae in posterior nonmetallic part. Dorsellum almost smooth but with longitudinal carinae medially and laterally ( Fig. 17b ). Propodeum with submedian areas with irregular transverse carinae. Gt 1 polished with dorsal surface having only one row of setae posterolaterally. Metafemur with teeth along ventral margin (fig. 3D in Gumovsky 2007).

MALE. Differs from female in the following characters. Fore wing hyaline. Upper margin of scrobes and frontal carina not incised or sinuate. Median depression of MLM reduced ( Fig. 17e ). Gt 1 polished, without setae posterolaterally in dorsal view ( Fig. 17d ).

Material examined. Type material. Holotype ♀, Africa , Gold Coast, Aburi, 8.XII.1925, G. S. Cotterell. No. 11, Pres. by. I.B.E, ex. pupa of Coelaenomenodera elaeidis, Maul. var. (pupa) ( NHMUK, B.M. TYPE HYM. 5.1340); paratypes 2♀ 1♂, same data as holotype ( NHMUK).

Other material examined. 1♀, South Africa, Port St. Johns , Pondoland, XII.1923, coll. R. E. Turner ( NHMUK) ; 2♀, W. Ghana: Pretsea ex. Coel. elaeidis , 30. I. 1967, G. Bernon, Bouček 1988 det. ( NHMUK) ; 1♀, Cameroun, Ndian dist, Lobe Estate, 30.XI.1988, ex. larva of oil palm, leaf miner sp. 11 CIE A20112, det. Z. Bouček 1988 ( NHMUK) .

Biology. A total of two host species records are known for P. podagrica —a primary parasitoid of Coelaenomenodera elaeidis Maulik and Dorcathispa bellicosa (Guérin-Méneville) ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ).

Distribution. Benin; Cameroon; Ghana; Ivory Coast; South Africa ( Bouček 1976).

Remarks. There is a variation in body color for the examined specimens, predominantly metallic blue or metallic green, but always with more or less violet or purple tinges. Usually, metallic blue individuals have a stronger purple tinge. Most examined specimens have a broad and distinct posterior median depression on the MLM, occasionally slightly narrowing posteriorly but always at least 1/2 as broad as the posterior margin of the MLM. This breadth of the median depression distinguishes P. podagrica from P. dactylispae . In P. podagrica , the median depression is usually as long as or slightly longer than the notaular depressions, but sometimes it is reduced to a sub-rounded fovea posteriorly that is slightly shorter than the notaular depressions. In the examined specimens there is also a variation in the color of the tarsi, the first 3 tarsomeres being white in most specimens or occasionally slightly infuscate, but some specimens have tarsomeres 1–3 of the fore leg brown. See also remarks under P. dactylispae .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Pleurotropposis podagrica (Waterston). a‒c, holotype female: a, habitus in dorsal view; b, mesosoma in dorsal view; c, labels. d‒e, paratype male: d, habitus in dorsal view; e, mesosoma and head with antenna in dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. ©The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, and made available under Creative Commons License 4.0 (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)