Synopeas csoszi Buhl, 2004

Awad, Jessica, Bremer, Jonathan S., Butterill, Philip T., Moore, Matthew R. & Talamas, Elijah J., 2021, A taxonomic treatment of Synopeas Foerster (Platygastridae, Platygastrinae) from the island of New Guinea, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 5-65 : 5

Synopeas csoszi Buhl, 2004

Description.

Body length 1.7-2.3 mm. Body color: brown. Color of legs: coxae brown, legs otherwise yellow to brown. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: distinctly ovoid. Central keel: absent. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: minute rugulae. Number of clypeal setae: unknown. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: unknown. Arrangement of clypeal setae: unknown. Shape of mandible: bidentate. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): approximately 1 ocellar diameter. Hyperoccipital carina: complete. Hyperoccipital carina strength: uniformly robust. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: approximately 1 ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present anterodorsally, absent posteroventrally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: unknown. Mesoscutellar spine: long and thin. Mesoscutellar spine in lateral view: pointing posteriorly. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: uncertain, absent medially, present laterally. Mesoscutal lamella: broad and rounded; roughly triangular. Setation of mesoscutellum: laterally dense, medially sparse.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: narrow band at posterior margin. Sculpture of T2: narrow transverse band of microsculpture at posterior margin. Length of T2: longer than head and mesosoma combined.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of forewing: shorter than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: dense. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: uniformly setose distally, proximally glabrous with linea setosa. Forewing marginal setae: approximately uniform in length on anterior and posterior margins.

Diagnosis.

Synopeas csoszi is easily recognized by the extraordinary length of the second metasomal segment, which is longer than the head and mesosoma combined. The metasoma is narrow anteriorly, expanding posteriorly to become wider than the rest of the body at the junction between metasomal segments 2 and 3. The shape of the antennal scape is unusually expanded distally forming a club, then contracting into a narrowly curved apex (Fig. 29 ).

Comments.

The forewing disc is setose distally and glabrous proximally, with a broad linea setosa.

Plant associations.

Unknown.

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Mt. Wilhelm , alt. 3900 m, 1324. IX.1968, Janos Balogh leg. Paratypes: Papua New Guinea: ♀ ♂, Mt. Wilhelm , alt. 3900 m, 1324. IX.1968, Janos Balogh leg. (deposited in HNHM) .

Figures

Figure 29. Holotype of Synopeas csoszi.