Cotesia itororensis Sousa-Lopes & Whitfield, 2019

Sousa-Lopes, Bruno De, Whitfield, James Bryan, Salgado-Neto, Geraldo & Del-Claro, Kleber, 2019, Cotesia itororensis sp. nov. from Brazilian savanna: a new reared microgastrine wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) described using an integrative taxonomic approach, Zootaxa 4544 (3), pp. 437-445 : 439-443

Cotesia itororensis Sousa-Lopes & Whitfield , sp. nov.

Holotype. Female, Brazil: Minas Gerais, Uberlândia, Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó de Uberlândia (18 o 59'00"S, 48 o 17'44"W— 863 m. elev.). Deposited in the Hymenoptera collection of the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo (MZUSP; Carlos Brandão curator), number MZSP57562, February 2018, coll. B. Sousa-Lopes, ex larva Oospila pallidaria on M. setosa var. paludosa .

Paratypes. 2 males, deposited in MZUSP, numbers MZSP57563 and MZSP57564 . Same data as holotype .

Diagnosis. Antennae approximately as long as the body (head to apex of metasoma); coxae black, legs mostly honey-yellow, metasoma mostly black except pale in laterotergites; mesoscutum with distinct dense punctures, becoming smooth posteriorly anterior to scutoscutellar sulcus; wings partially pigmented with a few veins dark, but most pale; pterostigma dark greyish brown, with indistinct paler junction with C+SC; propodeum with more or less complete, but anteriorly weak medial longitudinal carina; the first tergite of metasoma rounded towards posterior margin; second tergite of metasoma almost twice as wide posteriorly as anteriorly; tergites of metasoma mostly smooth, weakly sculptured; ovipositor shorter, about one-third the length of the metasoma or hind tibia; solitary habit recorded so far from O. pallidaria ; cocoon yellow. The above combination of characters is sufficient to separate C. itororensis from all other recorded species of Cotesia for the Neotropical region. A detailed diagnosis one-to-one is provided below to distinguish C. itororensis from every other species.

Description. Female ( Fig. 2 ). Body color: body mostly black except pale, almost whitish palpi, most of all legs distal to coxae, and laterotergites of metasoma. Antenna color: scape, pedicel and flagellum dark brown/black. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): black. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemora): honey-yellow. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibiae): honey-yellow, with slight darkening dorsally at distal end of metatabiae. Tegulae color: dark brown translucent. Pterostigma color: dark greyish brown, with indistinct paler junction with C+SC. Fore wings color: partially pigmented (a few veins may be dark but most pale). Antenna length/body length: antenna approximately as long as body (head to apex of metasoma). Body in lateral view: not distinctly flattened dorsoventrally. Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 2.0– 2.2 mm. Fore wing length: 2.1–2.3 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter 1.7–1.9. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 2.1–2.3. Antennal flagellomere 2 length-width: 2.9–3.1. Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width 1.4–1.6. Length of flagellomere 2/ length of flagellomere 14: 2.2–2.3. Tarsal claws: simple, within single basal spine-like seta. Metafemur length/ width 3.2–3.3. Metatibia inner spur length/metabasitarsus length: roughly 0.5. Anteromesoscutum: anteriorly with distinct dense punctures, becoming smooth posteriorly anterior to scutoscutellar sulcus. Mesoscutellar disc: sparsely and finely but distinctly punctured; microsculpture producing satiny reflections. Number of pits in scutoscutellar sulcus: 8–10. Propodeum carina: with more or less complete but anteriorly weak medial longitudinal carina. Propodeum background sculpture: mostly very finely rugulose, almost smooth in spots. Mediotergite 1 length/width at widest point: 1.1–1.3. Mediotergite 1 shape: slightly widening from anterior margin to 0.7 of mediotergite length (widest point), then rounding towards posterior margin. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: mostly smooth and shining with very vague sculpturing ventrally, posterolateral portions with widely scattered punctures. Mediotergite 2 width at posterior margin/length: 2.1–2.3, almost twice as wide posteriorly as anteriorly. Mediotergite 2 sculpture: mostly smooth and raised centrally, very weakly sculptured otherwise. Hypopygium: evenly sclerotized but folded medially, posteriorly forming a strongly obtuse angle in lateral view. Ovipositor thickness: tapering gradually to tip. Ovipositor sheaths: short, exposed portions less than 1/3 of hind tibia length. Length of fore wing veins 2RS/2M: 1.1–1.3. Length of fore wing veins 2M/(RS+M)b: 0.9–1.0. Pterostigma length/ width 2.0–2.2. Point of insertion of vein r in pterostigma: just beyond half way point of pterostigma length. Angle of vein r with fore wing anterior margin: perpendicular. Shape of junction of veins r and 2RS in forewing: r weakly arched, junction distinctly but not strongly angled.

Male ( Fig. 2 ). As female, but with darker distal patch on distal portions of hind tibiae and hind tarsi.

Molecular data. COI barcode deposited in GenBank ( MH382197 ).

Host: Oospila pallidaria (Schaus, 1897) ( Lepidoptera : Geometridae ).

Biology/ecology. Cotesia itororensis is a solitary parasitoid wasp that occurs mainly in the wet season (December–March); however, their host, O. pallidaria , occurs throughout the year, mainly in the dry season (May–September). It is possible that caterpillars avoid parasitism occurring at highest abundance in a temporal enemy-free space ( Sousa-Lopes et al. 2016). Indeed, the rate of parasitism was low, representing 10.5% (22) of the caterpillars sampled during four years. Parasitism occurs between the first and second larval instar of O. pallidaria . Parasitized caterpillars have swollen bodies in the posterior half ( Fig. 3a ), mainly in the fourth instar, when parasitoid larvae are completely developed. At this time, O. pallidaria moves to the adaxial side of leaves ( Fig. 3b ) and then C. itororensis leaves them near the fifth abdominal segment ( Fig. 3c ), builds a yellow cocoon and pupates for three days. Cotesia itororensis probably changes host behavior because moving to the adaxial side of leaves is an uncommon behavior for healthy caterpillars (BSL, pers. obs.). It is possible this behavior decreases vulnerability to desiccation and/or enemies in open areas where host plants and caterpillars are found by wasps.

Distribution. Known so far from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet ( itororensis ) is a reference, from the Tupi-Guarani i -tororó = yy (water) and tororõ (spout), water spout, also meaning noisy river and small waterfall, and ensis = origin, in reference to the Clube Caça e Pesca Itororó de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, where this braconid species was found.

Detailed diagnosis. In order to facilitate future work on the group, we detail below how each of the other twenty-one species of Cotesia previously recorded from the Neotropical region individually differs from C. itororensis .

Cotesia alius ( Muesebeck 1958) has the metasoma bright yellow on sides and underneath on basal half, and its metasoma is also rather stout, almost as broad as mesosoma ( Muesebeck 1958); whereas C. itororensis has metasoma mostly black except pale in metasomal laterotergites, and narrow in comparison to mesosoma. Also, C. alius has been recorded from a different family of Lepidoptera (Nymphalidae) in Brazil, Peru and Venezuela ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia americana (Lepeletier 1825) has antennae pale testaceous, tinged with fuscous above, the base beneath yellowish, and metasoma entirely orange-yellow ( Cresson 1865); whereas C. itororensis has antennae dark brown/black, and metasoma black except for pale in laterotergites, mostly in segments 1 and 2. Cotesia americana is recorded to parasitize different families of Lepidoptera ( Pyralidae and Sphingidae ), and occurs in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Martinique, Mexico and Puerto Rico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia ayerza (Brethes 1920) has been recorded from different species within the family Pieridae and it is known so far only from Argentina ( Yu et al. 2016), which distinguishes it from C. itororensis .

Cotesia bonariensis (Brѐthes 1916) has the mediotergite 2 a transverse rectangle shape, rough, slightly elevated in its middle longitudinally (Brѐthes 1916); whereas C. itororensis has the same segment in a more triangular shape, smooth and raised centrally, very weakly sculptured otherwise. Cotesia bonariensis has been recorded so far from an unidentified lepidopteran in Argentina (Brѐthes 1916, Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia congregata (Say 1836) has a gregarious habit and cocoon whitish ( Gilmore 1938); whereas C. itororensis is recorded so far with solitary habit and cocoon yellowish. Cotesia congregata has been recorded from different families of Lepidoptera ( Lasiocampidae , Noctuidae , Pyralidae and Sphingidae ) in Brazil, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru and Puerto Rico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia electrae ( Viereck 1912) has hind femora blackish-brown, pterostigma black, and metasoma compressed and black ( Viereck 1912); whereas C. itororensis has the hind femora yellow-honey, pterostigma dark greyish brown, with indistinct paler junction with C+SC, and metasoma compressed, but blackish with laterotergites pale. Cotesia electrae has been recorded so far from Saturniidae in Mexico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia empretiae ( Viereck 1913) has legs and tegulae mostly stramineous, including the fore and mid coxae rather reddish, and first and second metasomal segments rugulose ( Viereck 1913); whereas C. itororensis has legs mostly yellow-honey, tegulae dark brown translucent, and first and second metasomal segments mostly smooth. Cotesia empretiae has been recorded so far from a different family of Lepidoptera (Limacodidae) in Ecuador ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia flavipes Cameron 1981 , as well as other species from the flavipes species group, has short antennae (much shorter than body length, usually not surpassing the length of head and mesosoma) ( Fiaboe et al. 2017; Kaiser et al. 2017); whereas the antennae of C. itororensis is approximately as long as the body (head to apex of metasoma). Species of the flavipes group also show a much more highly elongate and flattened body shape than C. itororensis . The metasoma of C. flavipes is much lighter in color than C. itororensis . Beyond, C. flavipes parasitizes different hosts within the families of Lepidoptera , Crambidae , Erebidae , and Noctuidae , in Barbados, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia glomerata (Linnaeus 1758) has the plate of the first abdominal segment about two and one-half times as long as wide (=rectangular shape) ( Ashmead 1906), whereas C. itororensis has this plate with the anterior margin slightly widening and rounded towards posterior margin. Cotesia glomerata has been reported parasitizing several species of lepidopterans within the families, Bombycidae , Drepanidae , Geometridae , Pieridae , Noctuidae , Nymphalidae , among others, and the coleopteran, Trogoderma glabrum (Herbst 1783) , in Barbados and Brazil ( Yu et al. 2016) (this last record is almost certainly erroneous).

Cotesia kraussi ( Muesebeck 1958) has the disc of scutellum large, convex, sculptured like mesoscutum, first metasomal tergite entirely finely rugulose, and hind femora black ( Muesebeck 1958); whereas C. itororensis has disc of scutellum sparsely and finely, although distinctly punctured, first metasomal tergite mostly smooth, and femora honey-yellow. Cotesia kraussi has been recorded so far from Morpheis ehrenbergi Geyer ( Lepidoptera : Cossidae ) in Mexico.

Cotesia marginiventris ( Cresson 1865) has hind coxae pale reddish or stramineous and wings hyaline ( Cresson 1865); whereas C. itororensis has coxae black and wings partially pigmented, with a few veins may be dark but most pale. Cotesia marginiventris has been reported parasitizing different species of Noctuidae in Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia marquesi (Brѐthes 1924) has been recorded so far parasitizing Papilio anchisiades capys Hübner ( Lepidoptera : Papilionidae ) in Argentina and Brazil ( Costa-Lima 1950; Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia mayaguezensis ( Viereck 1913) has propodeum without a distinct median, longitudinal carina ( Viereck 1913); whereas C. itororensis has the propodeum with a more or less complete, but anteriorly weak medial longitudinal carina. Cotesia mayaguezensis has been recorded so far from an unidentified host on Cissus sicyoides L. ( Vitaceae ) in Puerto Rico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia ornatricis ( Muesebeck 1958) has pro-, meso- and metacoxae piceous, yellow, and black, respectively, and mesoscutum rather uniformly punctate ( Muesebeck 1958); whereas C. itororensis has all coxae black, mesoscutum anteriorly with distinct dense punctures, but smooth posteriorly anterior to scutoscutellar sulcus. Cotesia ornatricis has been recorded so far from Utetheisa ornatrix Linnaeus 1758 ( Erebidae : Arctiinae) in Brazil and Colombia ( Muesebeck 1958; Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia paphi (Schrottky 1902) has, apparently, metasoma more compressed anteroposteriorly than C. itororensis ( Hymenoptera online, 2018 ). Cotesia paphi has been recorded from different species within the lepidopteran families Pieridae and Sphingidae , in Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia parallelis ( Ashmead 1900) has ovipositor about two-thirds the length of the metasoma, and first metasomal tergite a little more than twice as long as wide, with sides parallel ( Ashmead 1900); whereas C. itororensis has ovipositor shorter, about one-third the length of the metasoma, and first metasomal tergite as long as wide, with slight widening from anterior margin to 0.7 of mediotergite length (widest point), then becoming rounder towards posterior margin. Cotesia parallelis has been recorded so far from Saint Vincent ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia prenidis ( Muesebeck 1921) has the first metasomal tergite rugulose-punctate, and the second metasomal tergite broad, almost rectangular ( Muesebeck 1921); whereas C. itororensis has first metasomal tergite mostly smooth, and the second metasomal tergite is somewhat triangular, broadening posteriorly. Cotesia prenidis has been recorded so far from Nyctelius (Latreille 1824) and Panoquina nero Fabricius ( Lepidoptera : Hesperiidae ) in Puerto Rico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday 1834) has legs rufous-testaceous ( Cameron 1911); whereas C. itororensis has legs mostly yellow-honey. Cotesia ruficrus has been recorded from Bostrichidae (Coleoptera) , and lepidopterans within the families, Geometridae , Hesperiidae , Lycaenidae , Noctuidae , Nymphalidae and Pieridae , in Trinidad & Tobago ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia schini ( Muesebeck 1958) has mesoscutum uniformly covered with distinct, separated punctures, and tegulae and wing bases yellow ( Muesebeck 1958); whereas C. itororensis has mesoscutum anteriorly with distinct dense punctures, becoming smooth posteriorly, and tegulae dark brown translucent, and wings with few veins dark, but most pale. Cotesia schini has been recorded so far from an unidentified caterpillar of Riodinidae feeding on the Brazilian pepper tree or Christmas berry tree, Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae) ( Muesebeck 1958).

Cotesia theclae ( Riley 1881) female has antennae much shorter than the body ( Riley 1881); whereas females of C. itororensis has antennae as long as the body length. Cotesia theclae has been recorded from different families of Lepidoptera ( Lycaenidae and Noctuidae ) in Mexico ( Yu et al. 2016).

Cotesia vestalis (Haliday 1834) has femora mostly yellowish/orangish, sometimes darker at base or tip, hind coxae mostly dark brown to black, apically slightly paler and first metasomal tergite mostly rugose-punctate in basal third ( Shaw 2003); whereas C. itororensis has femora honey-yellow, coxae black and the first metasomal tergite mostly smooth. Cotesia vestalis has been recorded parasitizing several species of Lepidoptera among the families Arctiidae , Lasiocampidae , Lymantriidae , Noctuidae , Notodontidae , Nymphalidae , Pieridae , Plutellidae , Pterophoridae , Pyralidae , and Tortricidae , in Argentina and Brazil ( Yu et al. 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 2. (a) Lateral habitus of Cotesia itororensis (Braconidae) female, (b) Lateral habitus of C. itororensis male, (c) frontal view of head of C. itororensis female, (d) dorsal view of head of C. itororensis female, (e) mesosoma and tergites of C. itororensis female, (f) wings of C. itororensis female, and (g) lateral view of posterior end of metasoma of C. itororensis female, showing hypopygium and ovipositor sheaths

FIGURE 3. (a) Parasitized larva of Oospila pallidaria (Geometridae) in the fourth instar, with a swollen body in the posterior half, (b) parasitized larva in the abaxial side of the leaf, and (c) dead larva and yellow cocoon of Cotesia itororensis (Braconidae)