Diaziella yangi

Peng, Simon Van Noort Yan-Qiong & Rasplus, Jean-Yves, 2006, First record of the fig wasp genus Diaziella Grandi (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Sycoecinae) from the Asian mainland with description of two new species from China, Zootaxa 1337, pp. 39-59 : 51-56

Diaziella yangi van Noort & Rasplus sp. nov.

( Fig. 6 A–E; 7 A–F; 8 A–F; 9 A–E)

Holotype Ψ: CHINA, Xishuangbanna, Cheng Zhi village, 9.v.2002, D.R. Yang leg., ex Ficus curtipes Corner , (888 — JYR ethanol collection number). Deposited in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Paratypes: 21Ψ, 3ɗ: same data as holotype; 10Ψ, 4ɗ: CHINA, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, ii.2005, M. Proffit, ex Ficus curtipes Corner , (1444 – JYR ethanol collection number). Deposited in JYRC, NHML, SAMC, USNM.

Etymology. Named in honour of D.R. Yang (Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences) in recognition of his collecting efforts.

Diagnosis. Diaziella yangi is immediately recognizable by the bicoloured nature of the mesosoma (metallic greenish-black contrasting with yellow propodeum) and by the large dark patch on the forewing.

Affinities. Diaziella yangi falls within the D. falcata species group that has the basal portion of the stigmal vein almost perpendicular to the wing margin and a club-shaped wing. It shares a short hypopygium with D. falcata , D. bicolor and D. bizarrea .

Description of female. Colour and size. Head, pronotum, mesonotum and metasoma including ovipositor sheaths metallic greenish-black; rest of mesosoma including propodeum and legs yellowish-brown; antennal flagellum dark brown, scape, pedicel yellowish brown. Total length, with head in hypognathous position, 1.6–1.7 mm. Habitus ( Fig. 6 A)

Head ( Fig. 6 B–C; 7A–B). Quadrate, slightly (1.15X) wider than long across the compound eyes, dorsally smoothly and evenly convex, shallow antennal scrobe. Ocellar triangle delimited by deep sulcus. Compound eyes situated in top half of head 1.6X longer than wide, 0.5X as long as head length. Eye length 1.5X cheek length (from eye to base of mandible). Shortest distance between eyes 1.8X eye length. Malar groove strongly curved, not reaching base of mandible. Toruli situated in middle of head; in close apposition. Clypeus excavated, ill-defined by lateral sutures, but with single suture extending from meeting point of clypeal sutures to the toruli. Clypeal margin with medial tooth flanked by two smaller teeth. Mandible broad, strongly curved, with a strong inner apical tooth and a smaller outer apical tooth, plus one smaller inner subapical tooth clearly visible in dorsal view. Ventral tentorial pits in close apposition. Antennal formula 11153; flagellar segments subequal in size, broader than long with a single row of multiporous plate sensilla on each segment. Scape 2.3X times pedicel length, pedicel longer than first funicle segment.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 6 D–E; 7C–D; 8A–E). Pronotum posteriorly broader than long tapering anteriorly; smooth. Mesoscutum short 2.5X as wide as long, smooth; notauli faint. Scutellum 1.7X wider than long, axillae widely spaced, delimited by fine sutures. Propodeum 3.8X wider than long. Propodeal spiracles large, situated about their diameter from anterior propodeal margin. Propleura ventrally meeting at an angle anteriorly, overlapping. Prosternum flat and transverse rhomboidal-stellate. Fore femur strong, 2.3X longer than wide. Foretibia half of forefemur length, equal to foretarsus length, with two apical teeth. Hind tibia with 5 spines on dorsal margin. Forewing club shaped, almost twice as long as wide, glabrous, but margin with a fringe of long setae; very large brownish-black pigment patch occupying most of proximal half of wing. Submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins in the ratio 25:15:0.6:10 — postmarginal vein almost non-existant.

Metasoma ( Fig. 6 A; 7E–F; 8F). Slightly longer than mesosoma. Ovipositor valves short for Diaziella , 0.45X length of metasoma. Hypopygium does not extend beyond end of metasoma.

Description of male. Colour and size. Yellowish-brown, metasoma and mandibles slightly darker. Total length, with head in hypognathous position, 1.3–1.5 mm. Habitus ( Fig. 9 A).

Head ( Fig. 9 B–D). As long as wide, quadrate, dorsally striate except for vertex and clypeus which are smooth; evenly convex, shallow antennal scrobe. Ocellar triangle not delimited by sulcus. Compound eyes situated in top half of head, 1.6X longer than wide, 0.4X as long as head length. Eye length 1.15X cheek length (from eye to base of mandible in lateral view). Shortest distance between eyes 1.85X eye length. Malar sulcus present, not reaching base of mandible. Toruli situated between compound eyes, closer to clypeal margin than to vertex, two-thirds of distance from vertex to clypeal margin; in close apposition. Clypeus dorsally excavated, ill-defined by lateral sutures. Clypeal margin broadly concave. Mandible narrow, strongly curved, with a strong apical tooth and a shorter bicuspid subapical tooth on inner margin.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 9 A,C,D,E). Pronotum posteriorly broader than long, tapering anteriorly, smooth. Mesoscutum short 2.4X wider than long, smooth; notauli faint. Scutellum, including axillae, twice as wide as long, axillae widely spaced, delimited by fine sutures. Propodeum 2.6X wider than long through spiracles. Propodeal spiracles small.

Metasoma ( Fig. 9 A). Shorter (0.9X) than mesosoma.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Diaziella yangi, holotype specimen, FEMALE. A, habitus. B, head, frontal view. C, head, lateral view. D, head and mesosoma, dorsal view. E, right forewing.

FIGURE 9. Diaziella yangi, paratype specimen, MALE. A, habitus. B, head, frontal view. C, head and mesosoma, lateral view. D, Head and mesosoma, dorsal view. E, left forewing.