Archaeoteleia karere Early

Early, John W., Masner, Lubomír & Johnson, Norman F., 2007, Revision of Archaeoteleia Masner (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Scelionidae), Zootaxa 1655, pp. 1-48 : 13-15

Archaeoteleia karere Early , new species

Figures 12–15

Description: Female. Length 3.0– 3.7 mm. Color: upper frons, dorsal head and mesosoma, metapleuron and entire metasoma dark brown; lower frons, genae, lateral pronotum, mesopleuron and legs pale yellowish.

Head ( Figs. 13–15 ): occipital carina weakly crenulate medially, without crenulae in genal region; striation of cheeks distinct but fine, strongest in malar region and up inner orbits; posterior gena smooth, with sparse setigerous punctures; A1 4.0–4.5 times longer than wide; A2 2.4–3.0 times longer than wide; A3 3.7–3.9 times longer than A2; flagellum with setae appressed, not conspicuously bristly in appearance.

Mesosoma ( Figs. 14–15 ): dorsal pronotum with transverse pronotal carina bowed in front of anterior margin of mesoscutum, epomial corners sharp; pronotal humeral carina distinct, shoulders moderately broad, at widest point 0.64 times tegula width; vertical epomial carina absent; lateral pronotum glabrous medially; netrion smooth, with sparse fine setigerous punctures; admedian lines usually distinct, V-shaped, 2.8–3.0 times longer than their posterior separation; notaulus incomplete, well indicated and foveolate in basal 0.6– 0.8, becoming faint anteriorly and indicated by line of foveae, trajectory ending at or between epomial corners; parapsidal line weak; scutellum very weakly bilobate, a faint median longitudinal depression between the two lobes, posterior corners rounded, without spines; mesopleural carina absent or indicated anteriorly by faint aciculate line, becoming weaker posteriorly; mesepisternum below mesopleural depression with moderately dense fine setigerous punctulae; upper half of metapleuron with small glabrous triangular area; fore wings hyaline, cloud of pigmentation under marginal vein and stigmal vein usually absent, at most very faintly indicated; postmarginal vein 3.9–5.6 times longer than marginal vein, tubular through most of its length; basal vein strong, subtracheate.

Metasoma ( Figs. 12, 15 ) 3.6–4.0 times longer than wide; T1 about as long as wide, ovipositor horn almost raised to level of mesoscutum; T2–T5 wider than long, T6 1.8–2.4 times longer than wide; T1 with complete longitudinal costae, strongest around base of horn, horn weakly coriarious laterally, posterior face highly polished from base to tip; T2–T5 coriarious, with strongly costate anterior margins, costae strongest and longest on T2, becoming progressively shorter and less well developed on posterior tergites; T2–T5 coriarious medially, sculpture strongest anteriorly, becoming weaker on posterior tergites; T6 finely coriarious, without longitudinal sculpture; S2 with anterior lens-shaped region almost flat, never conspicuously rounded or tooth-like in profile.

Male. Differs from female as follows: Length: 2.6–3.2 mm; A1 3.1–3.5 times longer than wide; A2 1.3– 1.7 times longer than wide; A3 5.1–6.0 times longer than A2; A5 laterally expanded at apex of basal carina.

Notauli almost complete; scutellum even less distinctly bilobate; dorsellum clearly differentiated, smooth and shiny posteriorly; propodeum completely areolate-rugose, without medial excavation and carinae.

Metasoma 3.4–3.7 times longer than wide; anterior margin of T1 only slightly raised, anterior corners acute but not distinctly produced or spinelike.

Diagnosis: Recognized by the combination of the following characters: small size, female body length 3.2–3.7 mm, male 2.6–3.2 mm, scutellum without spines, no strong pigment cloud under marginal vein, notaulus not complete, female T6 about twice as long as wide, and male antenna with only A5 carinate, the basal carinal region being laterally expanded.

Distribution: Found only in parts of the North Island of New Zealand (AK, BP, WO, TK, TO) where it is sometimes sympatric with A. chambersi .

Link to Distribution Map. [http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu:210/hymenoptera/eol_scelionidae.content _page?page_level=3&page_id=taxon_page_data&page_version= 190982 &page_option1=M]

Biology: Hosts unknown but presumed to be eggs of a macropathine rhaphidophorid.

Etymology: In the Māori language karere means 'messenger'. Named for Mt. Messenger from which a number of specimens were taken.

Material Examined: Holotype female. NEW ZEALAND, TK, Mt Egmont, E side, 850 m, 16.XII.1983, J.W. Early, swept in kamahi forest, AMNZ 64325. Deposited in AMNZ.

Paratypes (35 males, 13 females): NEW ZEALAND: 2 females with same data as holotype, OSUC 163656, 163657 (CNCI, LUNZ); AK, Titirangi, Atkinson Park, Zigzag Track, 40 m, 2–6.IX.2006, S.E. Thorpe, Damp gully, on plants above small stream, 4 males, female, AMNZ 75168 (AMNZ, NZAC); TK, Mt Egmont West, 29.I.1977, 24.XII.1981, F. Chambers, 3 males, AMNZ 64326–63428 (AMNZ); TK, Mt Egmont, Dawson Falls, 820 m, 3–11.XII.2005, J.W. Early, kamahi-podocarp forest, yellow pan trap, female, AMNZ 71468 (AMNZ); TK, Mt Egmont North, 950 m, 20.III.2005, J.W. Early, R.F. Gilbert, swept in forest, male, AMNZ 73895 (AMNZ); TK, Mt Egmont, Stratford Mtn House, 860 m, 4–11.XII.2005, J.W. Early, kamahi forest, yellow pan trap, 3 females, AMNZ 74165–74167 (AMNZ); TK, Egmont National Park, Kaitake Ra., Lucy's Gully, 14.IV.1983, F. Chambers, male, AMNZ 64334 (AMNZ); TK, Mt Messenger, 15.XII.1983, L. Masner, screen sweep, male (CNCI); TK, below Mt. Messenger; 15.XII.1983, L. Masner, male, OSUC 151833 (AEIC); TK, Mt Messenger, S side, 90 m, 15.XII.1983, J.W. Early, sweeping grass, sedges and ferns in damp gully, 2 males, OSUC 163659, 163660 (LUNZ); TK, Mt Messenger, 11.III.1985, F. Chambers, damp fern gully S end, 3 males, female, AMNZ 64329–64331 (AMNZ); TK, Whangamomona Saddle, 25.III.1985, F. Chambers, 2 males, AMNZ 64332, 64333 (AMNZ); TK, 21 km N of Ohura, 14.XII.1983, L. Masner, screen sweep undergrowth in Nothofagus forest, 2 males (CNCI); TK, Tangarakau Gorge, Morgans Grave, 200 m, 6–10.XII.2005, J.W. Early, forest, yellow pan trap, male, 2 females, AMNZ 74169–74171 (AMNZ); TK, 23 km S of Aria, Pukerewe Scen. Res., 14.XII.1983, L. Masner, screen sweep, male (CNCI); TK, Waitewhena Forest, 220–250 m, 2–10.XII.2005, J.W. Early, yellow pan trap in forest, 10 males, 2 females, AMNZ 74159–74164, OSUC 179076–179078 (AMNZ, NZAC, OSUC); WO, Pirongia, Hihikiwi Track, 350 m, 1.IX.1986, A.R. Plant, swept mossy bank under mixed bush, male, OSUC 163661 (LUNZ); BP, Kaimai Forest, Wairere Track, 350 m, 22.III.1988, A.R. Plant, swept from low foliage under 15– 20 m canopy bush, female (LUNZ); BP, Kaimai Ra., 4.XI.1982, F.D. Chambers, male, AMNZ 64335 (AMNZ); TO, Pureora Forest Park, 2.II.1995, B.J. Sinclair, podocarp, yellow pan trap, male, OSUC 146524 (CNCI).

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 15. Archaeoteleia karere, n. sp., holotype female (AMNZ 64325). 12, Lateral habitus; 13, head, frontal view; 14, head and mesosoma, lateral view; 15, head and mesosoma, dorsal view. Scale bars in millimeters.