Allorhogas caulinarius Samacá-Sáenz, Zaldívar-Riverón et Egan, 2020

Samacá-Sáenz, Ernesto, Egan, Scott P. & Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro, 2020, Species Diversity in the Braconid Wasp Genus Allorhogas (Doryctinae) Associated With Cynipid Galls on Live Oaks (Quercus: Fagaceae) Using Natural History, Phylogenetics, and Morphology, Insect Systematics and Diversity 4 (2020), No. 3, pp. 1-20 : 7-9

Allorhogas caulinarius Samacá-Sáenz, Zaldívar-Riverón et Egan sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 A–F).

( urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:28422F42-EB75-4F1F-B66A-353AB16A0A85 ).

Diagnosis. Al. caulinarius can be distinguished from the remaining described species of Alllorhogas that have been reared from cynipid galls on Quercus subsection Virentes in southeastern United States by having: 1) head, metasoma, and legs whitish-yellow (honey yellow to dark brown in the remaining species), 2) prescutellar furrow with 7–8 transverse carinae (4–6 in the remaining species) and 3) a smooth and polished sculpture on the fifth and subsequent tergites (slightly punctate, slightly costate or slightly coriaceous in the remaining species). Additionally, Al. caulinarius differ from the other species by its association with stem galls of D. quercusvirens and C. quercusbatatoides on Q. geminata and Q. virginiana .

Female. Body size 3.0 mm ( Fig. 4A ), forewing 2.6 mm. Color: head whitish-yellow to light brown; mesosoma brown to light brown; metasoma and legs whitish-yellow, first metasomal terguite whitish-yellow to light brown; tarsal claws dark brown; wings hyaline, stigma and veins brown; ovipositor sheath dark brown to black, ovipositor honey yellow.

Head: transverse in dorsal view, 1.9 times wider than its median length (dorsal view) ( Fig. 4B ), and 1.1 times wider than high (lateral view); occipital carina complete and reaching hypostomal carina; post ocellar line (POL) as long than ocellar diameter (OD), 0.5 times ocular ocellar line (OOL); frons, vertex and gena pilose-coriaceous; frons excavation distinct but not defined by sharp lateral margins; eye 1.3 times longer than wide; eye width 2.1 times longer than the temple in dorsal view; malar space 0.2 times eye height and as long as width of hypoclypeal depression; mandibles bidentate; antenna with 31 flagellomeres, first flagellomere about 3.3 times longer than wide, as long as second flagellomere.

Mesosoma: 1.4 times longer than high ( Fig. 4C ) and 1.3 times longer than wide; pronotal collar short, visible in dorsal view, pronotal furrow scrobiculate; mesoscutum not transverse in dorsal view, its median length 0.8 times its width; median mesoscutal lobe rugose along edges, with a deep median, scrobiculated longitudinal furrow; mesoscutal lobes coriaceous, notauli present, complete and scrobiculate, running along the end of mesoscutum on a strongly rugose area; scutellar disc coriaceous, prescutellar furrow with eight transverse carinae; propodeum strongly rugose-areolate, with two distinct diverging carinae; mesopleuron coriaceous-transversely costated anteriorly, remaining area entirely coriaceous; subalar sulcus scrobiculate; precoxal sulcus wide deep and scrobiculate, running along two-thirds of mesopleuron.

Wings: forewing 3.0 times longer than wide ( Fig. 4D ). Pterostigma 3.0 times as long as wide and 0.8 times as long as R. Vein r 0.4 times as long as 3RSa, 0.4 times as long as 3RSb, and 0.8 times as long as r-m. Vein 2RS interstitial with m-cu, vein RS+Mb absent. Hind wing vein M + CU 0.9 times as long as 1 M, m-cu slightly curved towards wing apex.

Legs: fore tibia with a row of spines along anterior margin. Hind coxa with distinct basoventral tooth. Hind femur 3.7 times longer than wide.

Metasoma: first tergite 1.6 times wider than long, longitudinally costate-rugose; anteriorly delimited by a transverse carina ( Fig. 4E ). Second and third tergite entirely costate-slightly coriaceous. Fourth tergite costate-slightly coriaceous. Remaining tergites smooth and polished. Ovipositor about as long as metasoma.

Variation. Body color whitish-yellow to light brown. Body size 2.1– 3.0 mm. Antenna with 28–31 flagellomeres. Prescutellar furrow with 7–8 transverse carinae.

Male. Similar to female. Body size 2.1–2.3 mm ( Fig. 4F ). Antenna with 24–26 flagellomeres. Hind femur swollen, about 3.1 times longer than wide.

Biology. Reared from stem galls of asexual generations of C. quercusbatatoides and D. quercusvirens on Q. geminata and Q. virginiana in various localities along Florida. Gall harvest was made between 12-X-2015 to 16-XII-2017; emergence occurred 10 d to approximately 6 mo after the galls were collected, from 21-X- 2015 to 22-VII-2018.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the stem, the plant organ from which it was reared.

Material Examined. HOLOTYPE (IB UNAM): one female, Oak Hill, FL, ex. galls of Disholcaspis quercusvirens on Quercus virgininana, The Egan Lab at Rice University. PARATYPES (IB UNAM): one female, Archbold, FL, 21-X-2015, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus geminata, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN3392. Two females, Caloosa Hato, FL, 20-IV-2018 and 18-VII-2018, ex. galls of Disholcaspis quercusvirens on Quercus virgininana, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN4156. One female, Amelia Island, FL, 18-X1-2016, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus virginiana, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN3395. One female, Lake Lizzie, FL 20-IV-2018, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus geminata, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN4153. One female, Lake Griffin, FL, 18-VII-2018, ex. galls of Disholcaspis quercusvirens on Quercus virgininana, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN4155. One female, Ft George, FL, 22-VII-2018, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus virginiana, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN4157. One male, Amelia Island, FL, 1-XI-2016, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus virginiana, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN3948. 1 male, Archbold, FL, 22-X-2015, ex. galls of Callirhytis quercusbatatoides on Quercus geminata, The Egan Lab at Rice University, DNA voucher number CNIN3393.

Figures

Fig. 4. Allorhogas caulinarius sp.nov. Female, Holotype: (A) habitus, lateral, view; (B) head and mesosoma, dorsal view; (C) head and mesosoma, lateral view; (D) forewing; (E) metasoma, dorsolateral view. Male, Paratype:(F) habitus, lateral view.