Synaldis cauca, Papp, 2012

Papp, Jeno, 2012, Five new braconid species from Colombia (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 28, pp. 67-84 : 69-72

Synaldis cauca sp. n. Figures 10-16

Holotype ♀:

COLOMBIA, Valle del Cauca, PNN Farallones de Cali, Anchicaya, 3°26'S, 76°48'W, 900 m, Malaise trap, 1 August - 10 October 2000, leg. S. Sarria. - Holotype is in good condition: (1) glued on a card point by its right mesopleuron, (2) right antenna broken, with 15 antennomeres, (3) right fore wing creased apico-posteriorly.

Etymology.

The new species is named after the type locality, ”Cauca”.

Description.

Body 2.6 mm long. Antenna as long as body and with 21 antennomeres. First flagellomere three times as long as broad apically, further flagellomeres gradually shortening and indistinctly attenuating so that penultimate flagellomere 2.5 times as long as broad. Head in dorsal view less transverse or subcubic ( Fig. 10 ), 1.7 times as broad as long, eye almost 2.9 times as long as temple, temple rounded. Ocelli medium-sized, OOL almost three times as long as POL. Eye in lateral view nearly 1.5 times as high as wide and nearly 1.6 times as wide as temple, temple beyond eye evenly widened ( Fig. 11 , see arrows). Lower tooth of mandible somewhat small, mandible twice as long as broad between upper and lower teeth ( Fig. 12 ). Paraclypeal pit short, i.e. distance between pit and eye as long as length of paraclypeal pit itself ( Fig. 13 ). Maxillary palp one-sixth longer than height of head.

Mesosoma in lateral view stout, somewhat longer than high, polished. Mesoscutal dimple before prescutellar furrow. Precoxal suture medially on mesopleuron, crenulate. Propodeum with medio-longitudinal carina and with areolation (areola basalis, etc., Fig. 14 ). Hind femur 4.1 times as long as broad distally ( Fig. 15 ). Hind tibia and tarsus equal in length. Hind basitarsus as long as tarsomeres 2-3 combined.

Fore wing: venation " Synaldis -form", i.e. 2-SR missing hence first and second submarginal cells confluent; r + 3-SR as long as SR1, CU1a issuing from middle of outer side of subdiscal cell.

First tergite ( Fig. 16 ) 2.8 times as long as broad posteriorly, moderately broadening posteriorly. Pair of keels merging into fine striation; spiracles close beyond middle of tergite. Tergites 2-3 fused and as long as first tergite, together with further tergites polished. Ovipositor sheath as long as mid tibia.

Scape and pedicel brownish yellow, flagellum darkening brown. Head, mesosoma and first tergite brownish black, rest of metasoma brown. Mandible and mouthparts yellow. Tegula brownish yellow. Legs yellow, hind tarsus greyish fumous. Wings hyaline, pterostigma and veins opaque brownish yellowish.

Male and host

unknown.

Distribution.

Colombia.

Diagnosis.

The new species, Synaldis cauca , is near to Synaldis acutidens Fischer as both have a mandible with three spiky teeth, SR1 more than twice as long as r + 3-SR combined and dark bodies; the two species are distinguished as follows ( Synaldis acutidens is known by its original description: Fischer 1967: 434):

1(2)	Head in dorsal view 1.5 times as broad as long; eye as long as temple. Propodeum polished and with medio-longitudinal carina, spiracles fairly large. Antenna with 16-18 antennomeres. Hind femur 3.5 times as long as broad distally (Abb. 2 in Fischer 1967: 434). First tergite twice as long as broad posteriorly, widening more posteriorly. Lower tooth of mandible of usual size (Abb. 1 l.c in Fischer, 1967) . Head and mesosoma black, metasoma brown, first tergite yellow. ♀: 1.7 mm. - U.S.A. (Michigan, Wisconsin)	Synaldis acutidens Fischer, 1967
2(1)	Head in dorsal view 1.7 times as boad as long; eye almost 2.9 times as long as temple (Fig. 10). Propodeum with medio-longitudinal carina and with areolation, spiracles small (Fig. 14). Antenna with 21 antennomeres. Hind femur 4.1 times as long as broad distally (Fig. 15). First tergite 2.6 times as long as broad, widening less posteriorly (Fig. 16). Lower tooth of mandible somewhat small (Fig. 12). Head, mesosoma and first tergite brownish black, metasoma brown. ♀: 2.6 mm. - Colombia	Synaldis cauca sp. n.

Taxonomic remark.

The single distinctive generic feature of the genus Synaldis Foerster that differentiates it from Aspilota Foerster (the confluent first and second submarginal cells of the fore wing, or absence of vein 2-SR) has been questioned since more than a century. Wharton (1980: 34) points out: "There are undoubtedly species of Aspilota in which only the Synaldis -type venation occurs. But the grouping of such species at a subgeneric level would be misleading, since it is based on a single character strongly subject to convergence." Fischer is the first specialist consistently maintaining Synaldis as a valid genus. To confirm and support his taxonomic standpoint he states ( Fischer 1993: 453): "Da diese Gattungen [of the genus-group Aspilota ] überwiegend diagnostischen Charakter haben und auch Übergänge aufweisen (und es übrigens auch keine objektiven Kriterien für das Aufstellen von Taxa der Gattungs-Gruppe gibt), erscheint mir das Beibehalten der verhältnismäßig leicht abgrenzbaren Synaldis Foerster gerechtfertigt und für die praktische Arbeit zweckmäßig.” A second expert, Belokobylskij (2002), also considers Synaldis as a valid genus: in his key to the species of the Russian Far East the species are arranged under this genus. I am quite convinced that the species with Synaldis -form fore wing venation is evolving in our present epoch (in geochronological sense). In this conception the missing vein 2-SR is an unambiguous character for the Synaldis species, consequently this feature is a "true generic" alar formation. The loss of vein 2-SR is a convergent feature within the subfamily Alysiinae and also in the family Braconidae . The other convergent feature of Synaldis species (sensu Fischer) is the ”long” versus ”short” tentorial pit (occurring in several alysiine genera). The species with a ”short” tentorial pit (i.e. pit not reaching compound eye) are in a small majority over the species with a ”long” pit (i.e. pit reaching compound eye). I consider this feature also as an evolutionary process. There are evolving the Synaldis species with common generic feature: missing the vein 2-SR (apomorphic) and forming the tentorial pit in two forms: in ”short” and ”long” pits. This taxonomic standpoint corresponds unambiguously with Fischer’s one: Synaldis is a valid genus. However, several American (and also some European) specialists refute the validity of the genus Synaldis ,emphasizing the complexity of these features and giving less evolutio nary significance to the presence / absence of vein 2-SR. Currently it seems difficult to decide whether the presence or absence of the ”short” and ”long” tentorial pit is plesiomorphic or apomorphic, respectively. In the case of vein 2-SR it is generally considered that its presence is plesiomorphic and its absence is apomorphic. By the way, there are rarely occurring " Synaldis " specimens (one versus hundred to thousand specimens) which show transitional status: vein 2-SR is (very) faintly present (considered as atavistic feature) -- confirming the viewpoint that this venational mark is on the course to be stabilized. If we accept the hypothesis that the primary process within Synaldis species is the process of the loss of 2-SR and the formation of the tentorial pit is the secondary process in the evolution of this genus then Synaldis is evidently tenable as a ”good” genus.

The above short essay is but a viewpoint in the taxonomic treatment of the genus Synaldis . My conception is expounded in a traditional form - the morphological data matrix and molecular analysis will, presumably, unambiguously solve this taxonomic problem.

Figures

Figures 10 - 16. Synaldis cauca sp. n.: 10 head in dorsal view 11 head in lateral view 12 mandible 13 paraclypeal pit 14 propodeum 15 hind femur 16 tergites 1 - 2.