Paraphytis pseudovittatus Chen & Li, 2021

Chen, Ye, Chen, Hai-feng & Li, Cheng-de, 2021, Two new species of Paraphytis (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) from Southwest China, ZooKeys 1021, pp. 53-63 : 53

Paraphytis pseudovittatus Chen & Li sp. nov. Figs 11-22

Type material.

Holotype: ♀ [on slide, A-Pa2020020], China, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town (21°54.55'N, 101°16.31'E, elevation ca 570 m), 14.v.2019, Zi-long Bai, Zhi-gang Chen, Cheng Wang, Hao Yu leg ; deposited in LFNU. Paratypes : 1♀ [on slide, A-Pa2020021, LFNU], CHINA, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town (21°53.68'N, 101°17.41'E, elevation ca 539 m), 8.v.2019, Zi-long Bai, Ye-jie Lin, Cheng Wang, Yan-feng Tong, Hao Yu leg. 1♀ [on slide, A-Pa2020022, LFNU], CHINA, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town (21°54.34'N, 101°16.79'E, elevation ca 618 m), 2.v.2019, Zi-long Bai, Zhi-gang Chen, Cheng Wang, Yan-feng Tong leg. 2♀♀ [on slides, A-Pa2020023, A-Pa2020024, LFNU], CHINA, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town (21°54.37'N, 101°16.71'E, elevation ca 623 m), 6.v.2019, Zi-long Bai, Ye-jie Lin, Cheng Wang, Yan-feng Tong, Hao Yu leg. 1♀ [in alcohol, LFNU], CHINA, Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Menglun Town (21°53.59'N, 101°17.29'E, elevation ca 546 m), 4.v.2019, Zi-long Bai, Zhi-gang Chen, Cheng Wang, Yan-feng Tong, Hao Yu leg. 1♀ [on slide, A-Pa2020025, LFNU], same data as holotype .

Diagnosis.

Paraphytis pseudovittatus can be distinguished from other species in this genus by the following combination of characters: antenna with 6 antennomeres; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum each with four dark stripes; forewing with “F” shaped pattern in delta area and intricate mottled pattern posterior to linea calva (Fig. 18 ); F3 obviously longer than wide, clava more than 3.0 × as long as wide; and posterior margin of propodeum with 6+5 to 6+6 crenulae.

Description.

Female. Holotype. Length 0.8 mm.

Coloration (Fig. 11 ). Head mostly pale yellow, with upper margin and lateral margins of occipital foramen brown. Ocelli orange red. Setae on head dark. Antenna generally yellow, funicle segments with brownish suffusion, clava brown. Mandible (Fig. 13 ) with distal proximal brown to dark brown. Pronotum yellow except posterior margin dark. General coloration of mesosoma pale yellow, but with a distinctive pattern of dark markings as followings: midlobe of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum each with a pair of submedian longitudinal stripes and two stripes on lateral sides (Figs 11 , 16 ); central region of metanotum with a transverse band; propodeum with a broad “V” shaped band along posterior margin. Forewing (Fig. 18 ) with delta area having “F” shaped pattern formed by dark and hyaline setae and dark membrane; disc with intricate pattern posterior to linea calva formed by a transparent round patch and other irregular transparent and dark patches (Fig. 18 ). Legs (Fig. 20 ) mostly pale yellow; coxae and femur more pale brown; tibiae with two brown rings, with basal rings at protibiae opened on dorsal surface; tarsomeres yellowish brown and with basitarsi darker. Metasoma mostly pale yellow, except the following: petiole dark except sides, with a dark band along posterior margin of Gt1, Gt2-5 with a dark patch on each side; Gt2 with two brownish blotches on sides interior to the dark patches; cercal plates brown; ovipositor brown.

Head (Fig. 12 ), in frontal view 0.7 × as high as wide; weakly reticulated. Frontovertex 0.3 × head width, with about 30 coarse and brown setae. Ocellar triangle with apical angle 76°. Mandible bidentate (Fig. 13 ). Antenna (Fig. 15 ) with 6 antennomeres, scape 5.5 × as long as wide, slightly longer than clava; pedicel 1.6 × as long as wide, about as long as F3; F1 triangular, ventral margin longer than dorsal margin, about as long as wide; F2 with dorsal margin a little longer than ventral margin, 0.5 × as long as wide, as long as F1; F3 cylindrical, 1.3 × as long as wide, 3.4 × as long as and 1.2 × as wide as F2; clava 3.2 × as long as wide, 2.8 × the length of F3. F3 and clava each with 2 and 6 longitudinal sensilla. Measurements, length (width): scape 137.5 (25); pedicel 40 (25); F1 12.5 (15); F2 12.5 (27.5); F3 42.5 (32.5); clava 120 (37.5).

Mesosoma (Figs 16 , 17 ). Dorsum of mesosoma faintly reticulate, with sculpture on dark areas more evident. Mesoscutum with midlobe 0.6 × as long as wide, about as long as mesoscutellum, and with 14 setae in 4 lines; lateral lobe of mesoscutum with 4 setae; axilla with 1 seta; mesoscutellum 0.5 × as long as wide, with 2 pairs of setae. Distance between anterior pair of scutellar setae 1.3 × that between posterior pair. Placoid sensilla just mesad of and slightly posterior to anterior scutellar setae, and distance between sensilla equal to distance between posterior scutellar setae. Propodeum with a thin seta (Fig. 16 , inset) anterior to propodeal spiracle, 2.6 × length of metanotum, and bearing 6+5 crenulae (Fig. 17 ) on posterior margin.

Wings. Forewing (Fig. 18 ) 2.6 × as long as wide; marginal setae 0.1 × wing width. Costal cell 0.6 × the length of marginal vein, with a row of fine setae and 4 coarse setae near apex; submarginal vein (Fig. 19 ) with 5 setae and 17 bullae; marginal vein with 10 setae along anterior margin; basal cell with about 40 dark setae. Hind wing hyaline, 4.7 × as long as wide, with marginal setae 0.4 × wing width. Measurements, length (width): forewing 870 (340); costal cell 170; submarginal vein 150; marginal vein 280; stigma vein 17.5; hind wing 660 (140); marginal setae of hind wing 50.

Legs (Fig. 20 ). Mesotibial spur slightly shorter than corresponding basitarsus. Length measurements: mesotibia 210; mesotibial spur 80; mesobasitarsus 85.

Metasoma (Fig. 21 ). Petiole strongly reticulated on central pigmented area just below the crenulae. Gt1-5 with reticulations on lateral sides, and bearing some setae on each reticulated area, setation as followings: Gt1 with 3 setae on each side, Gt2-5 with 4 setae on each side respectively, Gt6 with 10 setae between spiracles, Gt7 with 17 setae, Gt8 with 14 setae. Ovipositor originating from Gt2, 1.9 × as long as mesotibia, and slightly exerted. Second valvifer 3.9 × as long as third valvula; the latter with some hyaline setae apically, and slightly shorter than mesobasitarsus. Length measurements: ovipositor 390; second valvifer 310; third valvula 80.

Male. Unknown.

Variation.

Mandible bidentate, but a paratype specimen with mandible having a small denticulation attached to ventral tooth (Fig. 14 ). Scape 5.0-5.7 × as long as wide, clava 3.0-3.6 × as long as wide. Midlobe of mesoscutum bearing 12-15 setae. Forewing 2.4-2.7 × as long as wide, hind wing 4.5-4.9 × as long as wide. Posterior margin of propodeum with 6+5 to 6+6 crenulae (Figs 17 , 22 ). Gt8 bearing 10-14 setae. Ovipositor 1.6-2.1 × as long as mesotibia.

Remarks.

This species is similar to Paraphytis vittatus Compere in having a similar body colour. It can be separated from the latter by differences listed in the key. Apart from these differences, the new species has F3 obviously longer than wide (vs as long as or slightly wider than long), clava relatively slender, more than 3.0 × (3.0-3.6 ×) as long as wide (vs about 2.5 × as long as wide), propodeum bearing 6+5 to 6+6 crenulae on the posterior margin (vs only 4+4 to 4+5 crenulae).

Host.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From the Latin prefix pseudo -, and Paraphytis vittatus reference to the fact that this species is easily confused with P. vittatus .

Distribution.

China (Xishuangbanna of Yunnan Province).

Figures

Figures 11 - 22. Paraphytis pseudovittatus sp. nov., holotype female (except Figs 14, 22) 11 body, dorsal view 12 head, frontal view 13 mandible 14 mandible, paratype 15 antenna 16 mesosoma and propodeal seta 17 crenulae 18 forewing 19 submarginal vein 20 legs 21 gaster 22 crenulae, paratype.