Pediobius erinaceus Gumovsky, 2021

Gumovsky, Alex, 2021, Review of the species of Pediobius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) having extreme dorsal setation and description of a new species from East Africa, Zootaxa 4999 (5), pp. 423-438 : 432-435

Pediobius erinaceus Gumovsky , sp. n.

( Figs 6 , 7 )

Diagnosis. Pronotum with 6 thin setae; mesoscutum with groups of strong bristles: one row along anterior margin (about 10 bristles), another (also about 10 bristles) along each notaulus, and yet another group (about 16 bristles) on the lateral panel of the mesoscutum (‘shoulder’), also two pairs of bristles in the median area of the mesoscutum; notauli traceable as distinct sulci; mesoscutum and scutellum mostly smooth, the latter with one pair of bristles, anteriorly with two tooth-like protrusions bordering deep anterior notch; propodeum with two weakly curved submedian carinae diverging posteriorly ( Fig. 6C ); metasomal petiole short, gaster ovate, mostly about 1.5× as long as broad, Gt 1 occupying about 1/2 of length of gaster.

Additionally, head in dorsal view slightly more than 2.0× as broad as long, with light alutaceous sculpture ( Fig. 6C ), medially flat, propodeum with two weakly curved submedian carinae diverging posteriorly; angle of ocelli about 85˚; metatibial spur nearly 1.3× as long as breadth of metatibia, nearly as long as metabasitarsus; subcosta of submarginal vein with two short setae; forewing speculum open below; fore wing transparent; WIP with wide violet field along apical margin ( Fig. 6E ); metasomal petiole short, gaster long ovate, about 2.0× as long as broad, Gt 1 occupying about 1/2 of length of gaster.

Type material. Holotype ♀ ( Fig. 6 ), Uganda, Kawanda , V.1943, T.997, T.H.C. Taylor leg., Brit. Mus. 1956-25, the card data ‘T.997, EUL, ENT., Ex mines of Parectopa aletreuta (Gracillariidae) in leaves of a climbing Asclepiad (? Chlorocodon sp. ) in forest’ ( Fig. 7E ) (deposited in NHMUK); 2 paratypes: ♀, ♂ ( Fig. 7A–D ), same data as holotype (deposited in NHMUK).

Description. Female. Body ( Fig. 6A, G ) about 2.3–2.6 mm long, dark with blue tint on smooth areas of gastral tergites and bright green metallic luster on face and mesosterna; antenna dark metallic, legs dark metallic, apart from pale posterior tips of tibiae and terminal tarsomere; wings transparent, veins very pale brown.

Head smooth dorsally, with stronger bristles on occipital margin, between ocelli and on anterior frontovertex; with light or distinct reticulation below frontal sulcus. Head 1.2–1.3× as broad as mesosoma, about 2.0× as broad as long in dorsal view, with very short sparse bristles on vertex. Occipital margin with sharp carina. POL about 1.5× OOL ( Fig. 6C ), angle of ocelli about 85˚.

Head in frontal view ( Fig. 6D ) about 1.3–1.4× as broad as high. Eye with short sparse hairs; eye height about 3.7× as long as malar space. Mouth opening about 1.5× as long as malar space; mandible with two teeth. Upper margins of antennal toruli situated slightly above level of lower eye margins. Combined length of pedicel and flagellum about 0.8× maximum head breadth. Scape about 8.0× as long as broad, and nearly 0.6× as long as head height; pedicel nearly 1.8× as long as broad. Funicular segments of about same length and shape, about 1.7-1.8× as long as broad, F3 broadly attached to clava, which is about 3.0× as long as broad ( Fig. 6B, D ).

Mesosoma about 1.6–1.7× as long as broad. Pronotum narrow, its collar situated somewhat lower than level of convex mesoscutum, visible as a wide strip in dorsal view, bearing a sharp transverse carina. Mesoscutum weakly convex in lateral view, smooth medially and lightly reticulate laterally (on shoulders), covered with protruding strong bristles (see diagnosis above). Notauli deeply channeled throughout. Anterior margin of mesoscutellum notably advanced medially, with a notch bordered by two tooth-like protrusions. Mesoscutellum nearly evenly convex, mostly smooth. Axilla smooth, with a notch on its posterior margin on borderline with mesoscutellum. Dorsellum (metascutellum) rectangular, with two foveae on sides ( Fig. 6F ). Propodeum smooth and shiny, with anterior groove, its submedian areas about 1.5× as broad as long; with two weakly curved, posteriorly diverging submedian carinae continued laterally into costulae; propodeal nucha short and distinctly delimited ( Fig. 6C, F ). Propodeal callus with two setae. Fore wing about 2.0× as long as broad, with speculum open below and with short cubital setal line of about 6 short setae at underside of wing; subcosta of submarginal vein with two short setae; marginal vein 1.3× as long as narrow costal cell, stigmal vein not narrowed basally, without distinct stigma, slightly (apparently about 1.3×) longer than postmarginal vein, about 2.6× longer than marginal vein in its broadest part ( Fig. 6E ). WIP with wide violet field along apical margin and a green-yellow subtriangular field behind it ( Fig. 6G ).

Metatibial spur nearly 1.3× as long as breadth of metatibia, slightly shorter than metabasitarsus, which is 1.3× as long as breadth of metatibia; the latter slightly longer than metatarsus.

Metasoma slightly longer than mesosoma, and about 0.8× as long as head plus mesosoma ( Fig. 6A ). Metasomal petiole short, robust and coriaceous, slightly shorter than propodeum. Gaster ovate, about 2.0× as long as broad; Gt 1 smooth, polished, occupying approximately 1/2 of length of gaster, often with a discernible narrow patch of reticulation covered with short hairs laterally, Gt 7 in shape of a short triangle in dorsal view, about 1.4× as long as broad basally.

Male ( Fig. 7 ). Very similar to female, except for: antennal scape wider, about 6.0× as long as broad. Metasoma short, about 0.6× as long as head plus mesosoma, with subpentagonal gaster, which is about 1.2× as long as broad; Gt 1 occupying more or less most of gaster; metasomal petiole about 1.5× as long as broad, slightly longer than propodeum.

Comparative notes. The strong bristles are restricted to four main areas in P. erinaceus : the anterior (about 10 bristles along anterior margin of mesoscutum), the notaular (about 10 bristles) along each notaulus, the lateral (about 16 bristles on mesoscutal ‘shoulder’), and the median (4 bristles) ( Figs 6B, C , 7B ), whereas the smooth mesoscutellum is bearing two setae only ( Figs 6C , 7B ). Otherwise, in both P. setigerus and P. multisetis , the mesoscutellum is sculptured and each of its lateral areas bears 15–20 bristles, and the lateral areas of the mesoscutum with a few bristles ( Fig. 5 ). Additionally, in both P. setigerus and P. multisetis the pronotal collar possesses bristles, vs. only simple setae in P. erinaceus ( Fig. 6B, C ). The notauli are not sulcate and the bristles on the median mesoscutum are not restricted to the notaular sulci in P. setigerus and P. multisetis ( Fig. 5 ). The anterior notch on the mesoscutellum is weakly traceable in P. setigerus and P. multisetis ( Fig. 5 ), whereas it is deep and bordered by prominent, sharp protrusions in P. erinaceus ( Figs 6C , 7B ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Latin “erinaceus” meaning “hedgehog”. The name reflects the tufts of strong, spiky bristles on the mesoscutum.

Distribution. Uganda.

Host. A leaf miner associated with a woody climber (see discussion below).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Pediobius setigerus, female paratypes (A, NHMUK; C, RMCA) and P. multisetis, female paratype, NHMUK (B): A, B, in dorsal view; C, lateral view.

FIGURE 6. Pediobius erinaceus, female holotype: A, G, habitus; B, C, head and mesosoma: B, lateral view; C, dorsal view; D, head in frontal view; E, wings; F, propodeum. Tufts of bristles on the dorsal and lateral shoulders of mesoscutum are indicated by red and yellow arrows, respectively.

FIGURE 7. A–D, Pediobius erinaceus, male paratype:A, C, habitus:A, dorsal; C, lateral; B, mesosoma in dorsal view; D, head in frontal view; E, the card “T.997” from the Taylor’s card directory. Tufts of bristles on shoulders of mesoscutum indicated by red arrows.