Parasaphodes iceryae (Ashmead)

Mitroiu, Mircea-Dan, 2017, Revision of world Austroterobiinae and Parasaphodinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae), parasitoids of giant scales (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), Zootaxa 4301 (1), pp. 1-63 : 56-59

Parasaphodes iceryae (Ashmead)

( Figs 144–154 )

Parasaphes iceryae Ashmead, 1904: 328 ; lectotype in USNM, examined.

Parasaphodes iceryae (Ashmead, 1904) ; new combination by Bouček 1988: 346.

Amiscogaster ruskini Girault, 1917: 145 ; synonymy by Bouček 1988: 346; lectotype in USNM, not examined.

Diagnosis. Female (male unknown): clypeal margin subtruncate; genae long and not strongly converging towards mouth ( Fig. 147 ); scape short, not nearly reaching lower margin of median ocellus ( Figs 147, 149 ); funicular segments short, F1 length about 1.3× width, F7 length about 1.1× width ( Figs 149, 150 ); anterior corners of pronotal collar carinate ( Fig. 148 ); axillae strongly advanced ( Fig. 151 ); propodeum with median carina complete but irregular, median area smooth anterolaterally, central area with numerous irregular carinulae ( Fig. 153 ); gaster virtually sessile, petiole small, strongly transverse, with two lateral flanges and some longitudinal rugae on dorsal side ( Fig. 153 ).

Parasaphodes iceryae is very similar to P. townsendi , from which it can be separated mainly by the sculpture of the propodeum ( Fig. 153 ).

Material examined. Type material. Lectotype [designated by Z. Bouček 1988] ♀. AUSTRALIA: ‘From Icerya sp. Columba N. S. W. From Compère through A. Craw., St Frsco. Calif, Febr 28/901’, ‘ Type No 12729 U. S.N. M.’, ‘Lectotype’, ‘ Lectotypus ♀ Parasaphodes iceryae (Ashm.) , det. Z. Bouček, 1984’ ( USNM).

Paralectotypes. AUSTRALIA: 1♀, head missing, ‘ From Icerya sp., Columba. n. s. w. Mons. Compère’, ‘ St. Frisco . Calif., 28/90/.’, ‘ashm.’, ‘ Parasaphes iceryae ash.’, ‘Par. iceryae det. Ashmead Type’ (NMP).

Redescription. Female. Body length: 1.4 mm.

Colour. Body brown, without metallic reflections ( Figs 144, 145 ). Eyes and ocelli pale grey ( Figs 147, 148 ). Antenna ( Figs 149, 150 ) with scape and pedicel yellowish-brown, flagellum mostly brown, ventrally paler. Legs ( Fig. 144 ) with coxae yellowish-brown, the rest yellowish except for brown pretarsi. Wings hyaline, tegula and venation brown ( Fig. 154 ). Body and wing pilosity whitish-brown ( Figs 147, 151, 154 ).

Sculpture. Head smooth ( Figs 147–149 ). Mesosoma with pronotum and mesoscutum smooth to finely coriaceous; axillae and mesoscutellum smooth ( Fig. 151 ); propodeum with median area smooth anterolaterally, median carina complete, but irregular, and central area with numerous irregular carinulae ( Fig. 153 ); prepectus and metapleuron smooth; almost entire mesopleuron finely reticulate ( Fig. 152 ). Gaster smooth.

Structure. Head. Clypeal margin subtruncate. Genae buccate, moderately converging towards mouth ( Fig. 147 ). Scape short, not nearly reaching lower margin of median ocellus ( Fig. 147 ). Head width 2.35× length in dorsal view (40:17) and about 1.3× height in frontal view (40:30). POL about 1.2× OOL (8.5:7.0). Eye height 1.3× length (17:13) and 1.6× malar space (17.0:10.5). Scape length about half eye height (9:17) and 1.5× length of pedicel (9:6). Head width about 0.8× length of pedicel plus flagellum (40:51). F1 length about 1.3× width (6.0:4.5); F7 length about 1.1× width (4.5:4.0); clava length twice width (10:5).

Mesosoma. Anterior corners of pronotal collar carinate ( Fig. 148 ). Axillae strongly advanced ( Fig. 151 ). Mesosoma length 1.4× width (53:37), width subequal to height (37:36). Mesoscutum width about 2.2× length (37:17). Mesoscutellum length about equal to width (18:18). Propodeum length about 0.4× mesoscutellum length (8:18). Dorsellum length about 0.4× propodeum length (3.5:8.0). Fore wing length 2.3× width (104:45). MV length 6× SV (30:5); MV about 4.3× PV (30:7).

Metasoma. Petiole small, strongly transverse, with two lateral flanges and some longitudinal rugae on dorsal side ( Fig. 153 ). Gaster ( Figs 144, 145 ) long ovate in dorsal view, about 2.5× width (66:26) and longer than mesosoma; hypopygium exserted.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Australia ( Girault 1917).

Biology. Reared from Icerya sp. ( Girault 1917).

Remarks. Parasaphes iceryae Ashmead was briefly described only as part of a key to the genera of Asaphini (Ashmead 1904), but the name was made available. However, Girault considered both the genus and the species as nomina nuda and redescribed them under Amiscogaster ruskini Girault , based on the same material from the USNM. In the lectotype, the distal flagellar segments in both antennae are collapsed, so these measurements should be used with care. It is highly possible that P. townsendi is a junior synonym of P. iceryae , but more material should be examined before a final conclusion.

Figures

FIGURES 144 – 146. Parasaphodes iceryae, lectotype ♀: 144, habitus, lateral view; 145, habitus, dorsal view; 146, original labels.

FIGURES 147 – 154. Parasaphodes iceryae, lectotype ♀: 147, head, frontal view; 148, head, dorsal view; 149, head, lateral view; 150, antenna; 151, mesosoma, dorsal view; 152, mesosoma, lateral view; 153, propodeum, dorsal view; 154, fore wing.