Trichoteleia albidipes Kieffer

Talamas, Elijah J., Masner, Lubomir & Johnson, Norman F., 2011, Revision of the Malagasy genus Trichoteleia Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea, Platygastridae), ZooKeys 80, pp. 1-126 : 18-19

Trichoteleia albidipes Kieffer Figures 61-66Morphbank 8

Trichoteleia albidipes Kieffer 1910: 531 (original description); Kieffer 1926: 402 (description); Risbec 1956: 252 (description of male).

Notes.

In the introduction of the paper in which this species was described, Kieffer (1910) stated that the specimens would be deposited in the Königliche Zoologische Museum in Berlin. However, the curator of Hymenoptera reports that the type species of the genera of Scelioninae described by Kieffer are not present. We conclude that this material was probably lost as a consequence of damage to that institution in World War II. We believe that the establishment of a neotype for Trichoteleia albidipes is highly desirable in order to stabilize interpretation of the genus Trichoteleia . Kieffer’s original description contained three characters that, in combination, we believe enable us to identify this species among the examined specimens. These are: cheeks with striae meeting medially at vertex, T2-T3 finely longitudinally striate, and mesopleuron horizontally striate. The collection locality of the neotype is less than 50 miles from that of the original holotype specimen. No host data are known for Trichoteleia , therefore it is impossible to be certain that the neotype parasitizes the same host as the lost holotype. In accordance with article 75 of the Code, specimen CASENT 2132453 (deposited in CASC) is designated as the neotype of Trichoteleia albidipes .

Description.

Female body length: 2.57-3.25 mm (n=19). Male body length: 2.36-2.94 mm (n=6). Color of head: dark brown to black. Central keel of frons: present, extending onto interantennal process. Sculpture of medial frons in female: smooth. Sculpture of medial frons in male: smooth. Number of mandibular teeth: three. Basal node on mandible: present. Sculpture of frons below median ocellus: punctate throughout with a groove parallel to orbital carina. Sculpture of posterior vertex: concentrically rugose. Sculpture of gena: coarsely striate. Basiconic sensillum on A7: absent.

Color of mesosoma in female: dark brown to black. Color of mesosoma in male: dark brown to black. Sculpture along posterior pronotal sulcus: striate, striae reaching dorsal pronotum. Notaulus: percurrent, reaching suprahumeral sulcus as a smooth furrow. Sculpture of medial mesoscutum: moderately punctate in posterior half, becoming denser anteriorly. Sculpture of mesoscutellum: smooth with sparse fine punctures throughout. Postacetabular sulcus: comprised of small cells. Mesopleural carina: present; present only in anterior half. Sculpture along ventral half of prespecular sulcus: longitudinally striate. Sculpture of posterolateral mesepisternum: smooth; smooth except for 1 or 2 striae parallel to mesopleural carina. Sculpture of ventral surface of mesepisternum: smooth. Setation of ventral metapleural area: absent. Setation of metapleural triangle: sparse. Sculpture of metapleural triangle: smooth; finely punctate. Posterior margin of metapleuron below propodeal spiracle: with blunt kink near intersection with metapleural sulcus. Color of legs: coxae and trochanters yellow, otherwise pale brown, hindlegs the darkest.

Color of metasoma in female: dark brown to black throughout. Color of metasoma in male: dark brown to black throughout. Posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2: strongly convex. Sublateral tergal carina on T2: absent. Microsculpture on T2: present. Microsculpture on T3: present. Microsculpture on T4: absent. Horn on T1 in female: present as a large, apically rounded protuberance. Macrosculpture of T2 in female: longitudinally striate throughout; weakly longitudinally striate throughout. Macrosculpture of medial T3 in female: weakly longitudinally striate; longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of lateral T3 in female: longitudinally striate; weakly longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of medial T4 in female: absent. Macrosculpture of lateral T4 in female: weakly longitudinally strigose; absent. Punctation of T4 in female: absent in medial third, sparse laterally; sparse throughout. Macrosculpture of T5 in female: absent. Punctation of T5 in female: moderately dense throughout; dense throughout; absent along midline, otherwise dense. Shape of T5 in female: width of posterior margin greater than or equal to length. Microscupture on T6 in female: absent. Sculpture of T6 in female: smooth with sparse fine setigerous punctures throughout. Macrosculpture of T2 in male: longitudinally striate throughout. Macrosculpture of medial T3 in male: weakly longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of lateral T3 in male: longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of T4 in male: longitudinally strigose laterally; absent. Punctation of T4 in male: sparse throughout. Macrosculpture of T5 in male: absent. Punctation of T5 in male: moderately dense throughout. Sculpture of S2: longitudinally striate anteriorly, smooth posteriorly. Prominent longitudinal median carina on S2: absent.

Wings: macropterous, apex or forewing extending beyond posterior margin of T3. Color of forewing in female: slightly infuscate throughout. Color of forewing in male: slightly infuscate throughout. Color of hind wing: slightly infuscate throughout. Density of setation in fore wing: uniform throughout. Density of setation in hind wing: uniform throughout. Length of R1: more than 1.5 times as long as r. M+Cu and RS+M in forewing: nebulous.

Diagnosis.

The striae that extend from the posterior margin of the lateral pronotum to the mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus (Fig. 62) distinguish this species of Trichoteleia from all others. It is similar to Trichoteleia irwini and to Trichoteleia ketrona in the concentric rugosity of the posterior vertex and gena.

Link to Distribution Map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-large.html?id=5507]

Material Examined.

Neotype, female (present designation): MADAGASCAR: Toamasina Auto. Prov., parcel 3, littoral forest, BLF10730, Tampolo, 17°17'00"S, 49°26'00"E, 10m, 14.IV.2004, yellow pan trap, CASENT 2132453 (deposited in CASC). Other material: MADAGASCAR: 21 females, 7 males, CASENT 2043341, 2132454-2132457, 2132459-2132462, 2132464, 2132475, 2132484, 2132490, 2133925, 2135944, 2136863, 2137948, OSUC 215603 (CASC); OSUC 181020 (CNCI); CASENT 2042241, 2042287, 2132458, 2132463, 2132465, 2132501, 2134750 (OSUC); OSUC 181018-181019 (SCAU).