Aulacidea irani MELIKA et GHARAEI, 2006

Melika, G. & Gharaei, B., 2006, New Species Of Herb Galling Cynipids (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aylacini) From Iran, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (4), pp. 385-399 : 393-398

Aulacidea irani MELIKA et GHARAEI , sp. n.

( Figs 11–20 )

Description – Female. Body black, except light brown legs and grey compound eyes. Head black, except brown mandibles; with very few short white setae on vertex and frons; lower face, gena, malar space, occiput, postocciput and postgena more densely pubescent. Head 2.5 times as broad as long from above, only 1.1 times as broad as high in front view ( Fig. 11 ); slightly broader than mesosoma. POD 1.35 times as long as OOD; LOD 0.5 times as long as POD, 0.65 times as long as OOD and 1.8 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; frons with small depressed area under frontal ocellus ( Fig. 12 ). Vertex, interocellar area, frons and occiput delicately coriaceous, vertex rounded, without occipital carina; frons and interocellar area with very distinct punctures; transfacial distance 1.2 times as long as height of eye, 2.0 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal socket and ventral margin of clypeus); distance between antennal rims 0.2 times as long as distance between antennal rim and inner margin of eye and 0.4 times as long as diameter of antennal socket ( Fig. 11 ). Gena uniformly finely coriaceous, very slightly broadened behind eye, malar space without sulcus, 0.6 times as long as height of eye; anterior tentorial pit indistinct, epistomal sulcus only slightly impressed, distinct; median elevated area of lower face coriaceous, with few distinct punctures. Gena, malar space and lower face, except median elevated area, with very delicate, hardly traceable radiating striae ( Fig. 11 ). Postgena finely coriaceous, postocciput impressed, finely coriaceous, posterior tentorial pits deep. Antenna uniformly black, with very short white setae on flagellomeres, 13-segmented, scape longer than F1, pedicel 1.5 times as short as F1; F1-F5 nearly equal in length, F6-F10 nearly equal in length, very slightly shorter than F1-F5, F11 1.5 times as long as F10 ( Fig. 13 ). In some specimens suture between F10 and F11 indistinct and giving a false view of 12-segmented antenna. Mesosoma black, 1.3 times as long as high in lateral view ( Fig. 17 ). Pronotum measuring prolong dorsomedian line 1.8 times as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin; uniformly delicately coriaceous, with some distinct punctures and parallel striae laterally ( Fig. 17 ); very densely pubescent laterally along anterior edge, less pubescent dorsolaterally and with few short setae dorsomedially on pronotal plate, which is indistinctly delimited; submedian pronotal pits transverse, distinct, separated by narrow carina ( Fig. 15 ). Propleuron black, finely coriaceous, with transverse wrinkles, postero-lateral quarter bulging out. Scutum 1.24 times as long as broad, finely coriaceous, with scattered distinct punctures, with very minutely transverse sculpturing, especially in internotauli area. Notauli narrow, complete, reaching pronotum, finely broadened in posterior 1/3, shining smooth; median mesoscutal line deep, extending at least to 2/3 of scutum length; anterior paralellel lines reaching to 1/3 of scutum length; parapsidal line indistinct, very narrow, reaching to half of scutum length ( Fig. 16 ). Scutellum black, with nearly parallel sides, nearly as long as broad, slightly overhanging metanotum, dull rugose, with more minute sculpture in between large, ovate, smooth and shining scutellar foveae, which separated by very narrow carina ( Fig. 16 ). Dorso-axillar area finely coriaceous ( Fig. 16 ). Mesopleuron black, with strong anterodorsal longitudinal impression under tegula, finely transversely striated, except coriaceous and densely pubescent lower ventral part, acetabular carina delimiting a very narrow area antero-ventrally ( Fig. 17 ). Forewing margin with very indistinct cilia, veins distinct, dark brown, except marginal vein prolong radial cell; radial cell distinctly or obsoletely closed (in some specimens the marginal vein very indistinct, without pigmentation) or partially closed, 2.8 times as long as broad; areolet distinct, very small, rounded; Rs slightly curved; Cu1b curved strongly outwards wing margin ( Fig. 18 ). All coxae, basal half of femurs black, rest of leg light brown, tarsal claws simple, without basal lobe. Propodeum black, laterally coriaceous, with dense white long setae; lateral propodeal carinae distinct, uniformly broad; central propodeal area with transverse parallel fine striae, uniformly densely pubescent; metanotal trough with dense white setae ( Fig. 19 ). Dorsellum in posterior 2/3 impressed with transverse very delicate striae, in anterior 1/3 behind scutellum finely coriaceous; propodeal spiracle transverse, with strong raised carina along anterior border; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron in upper 1/3 of its height; axillula finely coriaceous with dense white setae hidding the sculpture; nucha black with strong longitudinal parallel ridges ( Fig. 19 ). Metasoma black to dark brown, metasomal tergite 2 smooth, without punctures, with antero-lateral patch of white setae; subsequent tergites uniformly and densely punctated; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium very short, with sparse short white setae ( Fig. 20 ). Body length 2.8–3.2 mm.

Male similar to female but antenna 14-segmented, F1-F6 equal in length, F7-F11 also equal in length and very slightly shorter than F1-F6; F12 longest flagellomere, 1.5 times as long as F11; pedicel 1.8 times as short as F1; scape nearly equal to F1 ( Fig. 14 ).

Type material – Holotype female: “ Iran, Ilam Province, Ilam, 2003.V.08. Leg. Babak Gharaei”, “sweeping on Echinops robostus ( Asteraceae )”, 9 female and 1 male paratypes with the same labels as the holotype.

Holotype and 2 female paratypes in the Hungarian Natural History Museum ( HNHM), Budapest, Hungary, 2 female paratypes in the Natural History Museum (British Museum), London ( NHML), 4 female and 1 male paratypes in the cynipid collection of Systematic Parasitoid Laboratory, Plant Protection and Soil Conservation Service of County Vas ( SPL), Kőszeg, Hungary; 1 female paratype in the collection of the Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology , National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine.

Etymology – The species is named after the country, Iran, where it was collected.

Diagnosis – Most closely resembles Aulacidea hieracii (LINNAEUS, 1758) and A. subterminalis NIBLETT, 1946 , known to induce stem galls on Hieracium spp. ( Asteraceae ).

In A. hieracii the female antenna is much lighter, F1 equal F2; the frons and interocellar area are uniformly finely coriaceous, without punctures, the lower face and gena with distinct radiating striae; the radial cell only 2.5 times as long as broad, Rs straight; the pronotum measuring prolong the dorsomedian line is longer, 2.0 times as short as the greatest length on the outer lateral margin; the scutum without piliferous punctures. In A. irani , sp. n. the female antenna is black, F1 very slightly longer than F2; the frons and interocellar area are uniformly finely coriaceous, with distinct piliferous punctures, the lower face and gena with indistinct very minute radiating striae; the radial cell 2.8 times as long as broad, Rs slightly curved; the pronotum measuring prolong the dorsomedian line is shorter, only 1.8 times as short as the greatest length on the outer lateral margin; the scutum with piliferous punctures, the median mesoscutal line usually longer and deeper.

Aulacidea subterminalis is very closely related to A. hieracii , differs mainly in lighter colouration, stronger radiating striae on the lower face ( NIEVES-ALDREY 2001). Aulacidea irani , sp. n. differs from A. subterminalis by the same characters, mentioned for A. hieracii above. Aulacidea pilosellae (KIEFFER, 1901) , known to induce galls on Hieracium sp. , also very closely related or even conspecific with A. subterminalis ( NIEVES-ALDREY 1994, 2001) and differs from A. irani , sp. n. by the same main characters as the two previous species.

Aulacidea serratulae DIAKONTSCHUK, 1984 is also somehow similar to A. irani , sp. n. in its entire habitus, colouration, sculpture of the scutum, the same length of the median mesoscutal line, the shape and size of scutellar foveae, the central propodeal area and lateral propodeal carinae. However, in A. serratulae the head is more transverse in front view ( Fig. 21 ), and longer from above ( Fig. 22 ), the frons, interocellar area and pronotum laterally without distinct piliferous punctures; scutellar foveae are shallower, the radial cell of the forewing only 2.5 times as long as broad ( Fig. 23 ), and punctures are on metasomal tergite 4 and further, while in I. irani , sp. n. punctures present on metasomal tergite 3 also.

Aulacidea irani , sp. n. differs from typical Aulacidea in that the frons, interocellar area with very distinct piliferous punctures, the lower face, malar space and gena are finely coriaceous and radiating striae on the lower face are very delicate; cilia on the forewing margin are very short, indistinct. Also the radial cell of the forewing in some female paratypes obsoletely closed or only partially obsoletely closed, the marginal vein of the radial cell sometimes very indistinct, only very slightly pigmented.

Gall – unknown.

Biology – The sexual generation is known. Adult wasps were swept in mid-May on Echinops robostus (BUNGE) ( Asteraceae ).

Comments – The adult wasps were swept on Echinops robostus , and supposedly induce stem galls on this plant, like some other Aulacidea species. DIAKONTSCHUK (1984, 1988) described two species, Aulacidea discolor and A. parvula , both of which induce stem galls on Echinops ritro L.

Aulacidea discolor DIAKONTSCHUK, 1988 was described from Turkmenistan and Tadzhikistan, reared from stem galls on Echinops ritro L. (holotype female), Centaurea radians BGE. , Centaurea sp. and Cousinia polycephala RUPR. (paratypes) ( DIAKONTSCHUK 1988). This species strongly differs from A. irani , sp. n. by much lighter colouration, especially light brown to yellow head and pronotum; the absence of punctures on the frons and interocellar area; antennae attached to the head much lower; the scutum with strong transverse striae, the median mesoscutal line in a form of a triangle; scutellar foveae much smaller, narrower and transverse; lateral propodel carinae nearly straight, the central propodeal area smooth, without wrinkles; the forewing without cilia on margin, veins are very light, the form of the radial cell is different also; metasomal tergite 2 of the metasoma with a ring of strong pubescence at the base.

Aulacidea parvula DIAKONTSCHUK, 1984 originally was described on the basis of females only, known to induce stem galls on Eryngium sp. ( Brassicaceae ) in Georgia ( DIAKONTSCHUK 1984). Later, DIAKONTSCHUK (1988) described also males and found this species to induce stem galls on Cousinia polycephala Rupr. , C. bipinnata Boiss. , C. tenella FISCH. et MEY , C. onopordoides LDB. , C. radians BGE. , C. refracta JUZ. , Centaurea iberica TREV. , Rhaponticum integrifolium , and Echinops ritro L. ( Asteraceae ) collected in Turkmenistan and Tadzhikistan. This species also strongly differs from A. irani , sp. n. by the different shape of the head, which is much higher in front view; the absence of punctures on the frons and interocellar area; the pronotum dorsomedially is much longer; submedian pronotal pits are smaller; the scutum very minutely coriaceous, notauli are very indistinct and incomplete in the anterior 1/3, do not reaching the pronotum; the median mesoscutal line is short, visible in the posterior 1/3 of the scutum only; the mesopleuron more delicately striate; scutellar foveae are very shallow, indistinctly delimited posteriorly; forewing veins are much lighter, the radial cell is shorter; the metasoma is light brown to reddish.

Distribution – Known from Iran, Ilam Province only. Although further sampling in similar habitats is required to establish its true distribution.

*

Acknowledgments – We thank Dr. Prof. M. D. ZEROVA ( Department of Entomophags Systematics , Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology , Kiev, Ukraine) for identification of parasitoids, Dr. J. L. NIEVES-ALDREY ( Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales , CSIC, Madrid, Spain) for many comments concerning the taxonomy of Aylacini and particularly new species, here described and Ms. MARIA BECHTOLD (Systematic Parasitoid Laboratory, Kőszeg, Hungary) for making drawings from digital photographs and microscopic preparation and for mounting and labeling the type material .

Figures

Figs 11–15. Aulacidea irani, sp. n.: 11–12 = head: 11 = front view, 12 = dorsal view. 13–14 = antenna: 13 = female = 14 = male. 15 = pronotum, dorso-median part, dorsal view

Figs 16–20. Aulacidea irani, sp. n.: 16 = scutum and scutellum, dorsal view. 17 = mesosoma, lateral view.18=forewing.19=propodeum andmetanotum,dorsal view.20=metasoma,female,lateralview

Figs 21–23. Aulacidea serratulae, female: 21–22 = head: 21 = front view, 22 = dorsal view. 23 = radial cell of the forewing