Synopeas pterocarpi Buhl, 2013

Awad, Jessica, Bremer, Jonathan S., Butterill, Philip T., Moore, Matthew R. & Talamas, Elijah J., 2021, A taxonomic treatment of Synopeas Foerster (Platygastridae, Platygastrinae) from the island of New Guinea, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 5-65 : 5

Synopeas pterocarpi Buhl, 2013

Description.

Body length 1.4-1.5 mm. Body color: black. Color of legs: coxae brown, otherwise yellow to brown. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: circular. Central keel: absent. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: parallel, arched rugae. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: evenly spaced. Shape of mandible: unknown. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): approximately 1 ocellar diameter. Hyperoccipital carina: complete. Hyperoccipital carina strength: uniformly robust. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: uncertain, approximately 1 ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present dorsally, absent ventrally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: 1/2 to 2/3. Mesoscutellar spine: absent or inconspicuous. Posterior margin of lateral propodeal carina in lateral view: rounded. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: sparse. Mesoscutal lamella: broad and rounded. Setation of mesoscutellum: laterally dense, medially sparse.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: unknown. Sculpture of T2: absent. Length of T2: shorter than mesosoma; approximately as long as mesosoma.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of forewing: shorter than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: sparse. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: unknown. Forewing marginal setae: unknown.

Diagnosis.

The frons of S. pterocarpi is characterized by parallel, arched rugae above the toruli, not found in other Synopeas from New Guinea.

Plant associations.

Reared from galls on Pterocarpus indicus ( Fabaceae ).

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, Ohu , 5°14'S, 145°41'E, 13.IX.2010 - 19.I.2011, Philip Butterill leg., Pterocarpus indicus (USNMENT01335974) . Paratype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, Ohu , 5°14'S, 145°41'E, 13.IX.2010 - 19.I.2011, Philip Butterill leg., Pterocarpus indicus , ZMUC .