Microserphites libanensis Rasnitsyn & Azar, 2022

RASNITSYN, ALEXANDR P., MAALOUF, MOUNIR, MAALOUF, RAMY & AZAR, DANY, 2022, New Serphitidae and Gallorommatidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Microprocta) in the Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber, Palaeoentomology 5 (2), pp. 120-136 : 121-123

Microserphites libanensis Rasnitsyn & Azar , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 )

Type material. Holotype, specimen no 1819V, Azar collection; from Mdeirij-Hammana amber outcrop; Mouhafazet Jabal Loubnan (Governorate Mount Lebanon), Caza (= District) Baabda, Central Lebanon; lower Barremian. Type material is deposited in the Natural History Museum of the Lebanese University, Faculty of Sciences II, Fanar, Lebanon.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Lebanon in Greek, Λίβανος = Libanos.

Diagnosis. New species differs from both its congeners in further reduced venation (all veins other than R nebulous or lost, pterostigma reduced up to a colored strip, hind wing with only R preserved and with membrane almost lost basally, and with R not reaching wing midlength) as well as in long, helmet-like head with flat eyes, in smaller size (forewing length under 0.5 mm), and from M. soplaensis also in flagellum much less widened apically.

Locality and horizon. Mdeirij-Hammana outcrop (33°48′13″N, 35°43′45″E, elev. 1,340 m), Caza (= District) Baabda , Central Lebanon, lower Barremian .

Description. Head, meso- and metasoma brownish, antennae and legs pale, petiole pale brown. Integuments mainly smooth, mesonotum between notauli rugose, propodeum carinate. Vestiture not apparent except wings with abundant longer marginal and shorter surface setae. Head dorsally long trapezoid with straight sides and deeply concave hind margin ( Fig. 2A ), eyes almost perfectly flat, taking most part of head sides, ocelli large, in almost equilateral triangle, with lateral ocelli close to but not touching eyes, occipital carina not apparent. Antenna 9-segmented ( Fig. 2A, B ), scape hardly visible, pedicel longer than wide, wider that flagellomeres except apical ones, flagellum gradually widening apicad, with flagellomeres changing from distinctly transverse basal ones to distinctly elongate apical one. Mesosoma with mesonotum strongly convex, pronotum forming wide belt on its fore declivity, posterolaterally not reaching wing base (tegula not identifiable), mesonotum with notauli very wide, not reaching rather long and transcarinate prescutellar fossa, mesoscutellum long with distinct posterior declivity, mesopleuron with complete oblique suture, metanotum following mesoscutellar declivity, with short medial upward tooth, propodeum short, similarly declivitous, with several short medial upward teeth (three, one apicad and two in distal third) and with oblique lateral carina. Legs weak, with coxae small, trochantelli developed, femora and tibiae narrow, femora not much longer than tibiae, tarsi not much longer than tibiae, tarsal segments all elongate, basitarsi much shorter than respective 3 middle tarsal segments but clearly longer than each of them, segment 4 scarcely shorter than segment 3, tibial spurs 1: 1: 2; claw simple, arolium present. Fore wing short, wide, with narrow base embracing all venation (nebulous M+Cu, basal vein [= RS&M] and Cu) except the only tubular vein R and weakly colored strip-like rudiment of pterostigma not reaching basal 0.4 of wing length; pre-radial (costal) membrane not visible. Hind wing with the only vein R present ( Figs 1C , 2C ), bearing 2 hamuli apical and hardly reaching wing midlength, with wing membrane very narrow before 0.4 wing length and parallel-sided with rounded apex further apical. Metasoma with petiolar segments tubular, of subequal height, first one some twice as long as high, second subquadrate; gaster with petiolar attachment ventral (not frontal), gastral terga 2–3 subequal in length and distinctly shorter than tergum 1; form of metasomal apex and sex unknown.

Measurements. Body length 0.65 mm, fore wing 0.47 mm, hind wing 0.33 mm.

Remarks. The new species is ascribed to Microserphites based on pronotum not reaching wing base and much reduced wing venation (pterostigma disintegrated, no tubular veins but R, etc.). It is described as new because of deep differences in wing venation and head form (cf. Diagnosis). Worth mentioning is that this oldest member of the genus is also the most modified venationally.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Microserphites libanensis Rasnitsyn & Azar, sp. nov., holotype specimen no 1819V. A, B, Photograph of habitus. C, Drawings of habitus and hind wing. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Microserphites libanensis Rasnitsyn & Azar, sp. nov., holotype specimen no 1819V. A, Photograph of head, dorsal view. B, Photograph of head, ventral view. C, Photograph of hind wing. D, Photograph of metasoma. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.