Dicopomorpha manickavasagami Athithya, 2023

Athithya, Ayyavu & Manickavasagam, Sagadai, 2023, Descriptions of three new species of Dicopomorpha Ogloblin (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) from India, with one new country record and a revised key to Indian species, Zootaxa 5284 (2), pp. 377-389 : 381-384

Dicopomorpha manickavasagami Athithya sp. n.

( Figs 7–11 )

Description. FEMALE. (Holotype, Figs 7a, 7b ) Body length 200 µm. Head dark brown to black, eye reddish brown, and antenna brown except clava white. Mesosoma whitish, except brown anteriorly; legs pale brown or yellow with pro- and mesocoxae white, metacoxa and metatrochanter dark brown, all femora, tibiae and tarsi paler. Metasoma dark brown.

Head ( Fig. 8 ) 1.3× as wide as high. Antenna ( Fig. 9 ) with scape 5× as long as wide, 2.5× as long as pedicel; pedicel 2.2× as long as wide; funicle 7-segmented, all segments longer than wide except Fl 2 (shortest); Fl 1, Fl 3, Fl 4, Fl 5, Fl 6, Fl 7 equal in length, all segments without mps; clava 3.4× as long as wide, longer than preceding three segments, and with 2 mps.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 10 ) 0.8× as long as metasoma and 1.3× as long as wide; scutellum shorter than frenum. Fore wing 16.3× as long as wide ( Fig. 11 ); longest marginal seta 5.3× maximum wing width; disc with a line of more than 12 microtrichia and 2 or 3 scattered microtrichia at apex. Hind wing 22.5× as long as wide, longest marginal seta 7× maximum wing width; disc with one longitudinal row of microtrichia.

Metasoma ( Fig. 10 ) 1.2× as long as wide; ovipositor 1.3× as long as mesotibia.

Measurements (µm): (length:width or length): head, 115:155; eye, 92; malar space, 86; antenna: scape, 125:25; pedicel, 50:23; Fl 1, 25:14; Fl 2, 13:9; Fl 3, 25:13; Fl 4, 25:15; Fl 5, 25:15; Fl 6, 25:15; Fl 7, 25:18; clava, 120:35; fore wing, 490:30; longest marginal seta, 160; hind wing, 450:20; longest marginal seta, 140; mesosoma, 180:135; metasoma, 220:173; mesotibia, 145; metatibia, 155; ovipositor, 188.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype female [ EDAU / Mym 42/2022] on slide labelled, “ India: Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Alagar kovil 10°05’41.52”N; 78°13’23.38”E, 04.xi.2021, yellow pan trap, forest, coll. A. Athithya ”.

Paratypes: three females [ EDAU / Mym 42/2022], one in ethanol (to be card mounted) and two on two separate slides labelled: “ India: Kerala, Western ghats 10º10’20.35”N; 77º03’55.91”E, 08.v.2019, pitfall trap, forest floor, coll. Prasanth ” and “ Tamil Nadu, Theni, Seelayampatti 9°52’38.47”N; 77°23’17.58”E, 30.xii.2020, yellow pan trap, forest, coll. A. Athithya ” .

Distribution. India: Kerala, Tamil Nadu.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the name of the author’s mentor, Dr. S. Manickavasagam (Professor of Entomology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram), in recognition of his constant support and motivation during my masters and doctoral research and for his contribution in mymarid taxonomy in India.

Remarks. Females of this species are similar to those of D. albithorax and D. lathae in having a white mesosoma, but differ conspicuously in having the clava white and a 7-segmented funicle with Fl 2 anelliform, much shorter than F1 1 and Fl 3 ( Fig. 9 ).

Figures

FIGURES 7-‒9. Dicopomorpha manickavasagami sp. n. ♀ holotype: 7a, b, lateral habitus; 8, head, frontal view; 9, antenna.

FIGURES 10‒11. Dicopomorpha manickavasagami sp. n. ♀ holotype: 10, mesosoma and metasoma; 11, fore wing.