Sycophila melanopoda Zhang & Xiao, 2021

Xiao, Hui, Zhang, Rui & Gao, Mengqing, 2021, Three new species of the genus Sycophila (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) from China, ZooKeys 1029, pp. 123-137 : 123

Sycophila melanopoda Zhang & Xiao sp. nov. Figs 14-18

Material examined.

Holotype. ♀, China: Hainan: Danzhou , 19.31°N, 109.34°E, VI.2006, reared form Ficus microcarpa L., leg. Haoyuan Hu. Paratypes. ♀, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis.

Body length 1.6-1.8 mm, head and mesonotum brownish black, pronotum yellow, gaster dark brown; antenna with pedicel and flagellum combined as long as head width, Fu1 1.6 × as long as broad. Fore wing with maculae expending backward to disc, marginal vein 2.5 × as long as postmarginal vein, postmarginal vein shorter than stigmal vein. Hind femur enlarged, 1.5 × as long as broad, gaster compressed.

Description.

Female (holotype). Body length 1.8 mm (Figs 14 , 15 ). Head and mesonotum brownish black, pronotum yellow, gaster dark brown; forehead black, gena yellow, eyes red-black; antennal yellow except clava dark brown; legs yellow except hind tibia concolorous with gaster; wings hyaline, venation yellow-brown; marginal vein enlarged, maculae expanded backward. Head and thorax with sparsely shallower umbilicate puncturation.

Head in frontal view 1.17 × as wide as high. Face with white pubescens sparse; eyes separated by 0.94 × their height; malar space 0.35 × eyes height; malar sulcus space 1.33 × malar space. Antennal insertion slightly above lower ocular line, at 3/4 of head height. Lower margin of clypeus emarginated and with a small tooth on both sides; mandible three teethed. Head in dorsal view 2.15 × as wide as high, occipital carina inconspicuous; temple length 0.33 × eyes length; POL 2.25 × OOL, OOL 4.0 × ocellus diameter. Antennal formula 11153 (Fig. 16 ); scape not reaching anterior ocellus, 5.5 × as long as broad, 0.65 × eyes height, 3.67 × pedicel length; length of pedicel and flagellum combined as long as head width; pedicel in lateral view 2.0 × as long as broad, as long as Fu1; anellus 0.5 × as long as broad; Fu1 1.6 × as long as broad, following funiculars sincrease gradually on length and width; clava length 1.75 × width, shorter than the following three funiculars combined; each funicular with a single row of sensilla; ventral surface of clava without micropilose area.

Mesosoma 1.62 × as long as broad, with reticulation and sparsely umbilicate puncturation in dorsal view. Pronotum near rectangle, 0.42 × as long as broad. Mesoscutum 0.58 × as long as broad; notauli deep and complete. Scutellum as long as broad, medially protuberate. Propodeum (Fig. 17 ) 0.47 × as long as mesoscutum, with small and dense sculpture; with an inverted V-shaped carina and a V-shaped carina, plica distinct, median carina absent. Fore wing (Fig. 18 ) 2.34 × as long as broad, maculae expending backward to disc, marginal vein subparallel; ratio of marginal vein: postmarginal vein: stigmal vein as 5:2:3. Fore tibia with a ventral split spur at apex; mid tibia slim, with a ventral spur at apex. Hind coxa enlarged, 2.5 × as long as broad; hind femur enlarged, 1.5 × as long as broad; hind tibia ventrally with single apical spur.

Metasoma 1.19 × as long as mesosoma. Gaster petiolate; gaster near rhombus, 2.33 × as long as broad; gastral tergum smooth; Gt4 longest, 1.25 × as long as Gt3. Ovipositor exposed, 0.17 × as long as gaster.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin ' melano ' (black) and ' podus ' (foot), referencing the character of hind tibia black.

Remarks.

The species is similar to S. maculafacies Chen, 1999 from Taiwan ( Chen et al. 1999) but noticeably different by pedicel and flagellum combined as long as head width (shorter than head width in S. maculafacies ), hind tibia black (yellow-brown in S. maculafacies ), gaster dark brown (yellow-brown in S. maculafacies ).

Host.

Ficus microcarpa L.

Distribution.

China (Hainan).

Figures

Figures 14 - 18. Sycophila melanopoda sp. nov., female holotype 14 body in dorsal view 15 body in lateral view 16 head in frontal view 17 mesosoma and metasoma in dorsal view 18 fore wing in dorsal view.