Cleruchus funiculatus Manickavasagam & Palanivel, 2018

Manickavasagam, Sagadai, Triapitsyn, Serguei V. & Palanivel, Selvaraj, 2018, Five new species of Cleruchus from the Oriental region and report of Anaphes quinquearticulatus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from India, Zootaxa 4387 (1), pp. 134-156 : 138-143

Cleruchus funiculatus Manickavasagam & Palanivel , sp. n.

( Figs 7–15 )

Cleruchus sp.: Triapitsyn 2014b: 40 (male specimens from Karnataka).

Description. FEMALE (holotype, Fig. 7 ). Eye reddish, metanotum and propodeum dark brown, rest of body and appendages light brown.

Eye normal; ocelli present ( Fig. 9 ). Antenna with scape ( Fig. 10a, b ) curved and finely longitudinally striate, scape minus radicle 4.0 × as long as wide; pedicel longer than fl1; fl1 and fl5 the shortest, fl5–fl6 quadrate, all funicle segments without mps; clava 3.3× as long as wide, with 5 mps.

Mesosoma as long as gaster ( Fig. 13 ), with midlobe of mesoscutum faintly reticulate, its side lobes and axilla longitudinally striate; frenum smooth; propodeum smooth, 1.15× as long as mesoscutum.

Macropterous. Fore wing ( Fig. 11 ) 10.1× as long as wide; venation 0.37× as long as wing length; parastigma with both macrochaetae (30–45 µm) and seta on stigmal vein equally long; disc with one incomplete median row of setae, one row of admarginal setae along anterior and posterior margins, the latter incomplete; longest marginal seta 3.9× wing width. Hind wing ( Fig. 12 ) 15.6× as long as wide; disc with one irregular median row of setae and one complete admarginal row of setae along anterior and posterior margins; longest marginal seta 4.6× wing width.

Petiole 1.7× as wide as long. Ovipositor almost 0.9× as long as metatibia ( Fig. 13 ).

Measurements in µm (holotype, as length or length/width): Body, 588. Head, 125/135. Antenna: radicle, 13/ 10; rest of scape, 100/25; pedicel, 38/23; fl1, 20/13; fl2, 30/18; fl3, 25/18; fl4, 25/18; fl5, 20/20; fl6, 23/23; clava, 110/ 33. Fore wing, 505/50; longest marginal seta, 195. Hind wing, 470/30; longest marginal seta, 138. Mesosoma, 193/ 125; mesoscutum, 65/110; anterior scutellum, 25/58; frenum, 25/85; propodeum, 75/115. Gaster, 213/105; ovipositor, 108. Metatibia, 125.

Variation (paratypes): body length 525–588 µm.

MALE (paratype, Fig. 8 ). Similar to female except for antenna (flagellum 11-segmented, scape more curved than in female, Fig. 14 ) and genitalia (0.5× as long as metatibia, Fig. 15 ).

Measurements in µm (paratype, as length or length/width): Body, 575. Antenna: radicle, 13/10; rest of scape, 75/20; pedicel, 33/23; fl1, 28/17; fl2, 33/15; fl3, 30/18; fl4, 33/15; fl5, 30/18; fl6, 30/15; fl7, 33/15; fl8, 33/18; fl9, 38/ 20; fl10, 38/18; fl11, 45/15. Genitalia, 78. Metatibia, 138.

Diagnosis. This species is very similar to the eastern Palaearctic species C. mikhail in having a curved scape, fl1–fl4 longer than wide, and ovipositor about 0.8× as long as metatibia. It can be differentiated from C. mikhail based on the different funicular proportions, particularly fl5 and fl6 being quadrate, and clava being 1.2× as long as combined length of fl3–fl6.

Type material. Holotype female, dissected on slide under 4 cover slips ( EDAU; registration No. Mym /25/ 2017): INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Yercaud , 11°48’884’’ N 078°12’ 881’’E, 16.ii.2014, S. Palanivel, YPT, coffee ecosystem . Paratypes: 3 ♀, 4 ♂, (1 ♀ on slide and 2 ♂ on slides, and 2 ♀ and 2 ♂ on cards, EDAU), 23.i.2014, remainder of data as in the holotype.

Additional material examined. INDIA, Karnataka, Nandi Hills , 13°22’09’’N 77°41’11’’E, 1462 m, 21.xi.2003, J.M. Heraty (2 ♂, UCRC). These specimens, mentioned as a Cleruchus sp. by Triapitsyn (2014b), are not included in the type series because they are incomplete (lacking parts of the antennae). Body length of one of them (prior to being slide-mounted) was 430 µm.

Distribution. India: Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Etymology. The species name is derived with reference to the unique funicle characters of the female antenna.

Figures

FIGURES 7, 8. Cleruchus funiculatus sp. n., habitus: 7, ♀ holotype; 8, ♂ paratype.

FIGURES 9–11. Cleruchus funiculatus sp. n., ♀ holotype: 9, head, frontal view; 10, antenna; 11, fore wing.

FIGURES 12, 13. Cleruchus funiculatus sp. n., ♀ holotype: 12, hind wing; 13, mesosoma and metasoma.

FIGURES 14, 15. Cleruchus funiculatus sp. n., ♂ paratype: 14, antenna; 15, part of gaster showing genitalia.