Zatypota brachycera Matsumoto

Matsumoto, Rikio & Takasuka, Keizo, 2010, A revision of the genus Zatypota Förster of Japan, with descriptions of nine new species and notes on their hosts (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae), Zootaxa 2522, pp. 1-43 : 14-15

Zatypota brachycera Matsumoto , sp. nov.

Female. Head ( Figs 3 , 16 ). Flagellum with 14 segments; frons impunctate and polished; clypeus smooth, apical margin rounded and weakly truncate medially, 1.8–2.0 x as wide as long, separated from face by a shallow supraclypeal suture; face moderately pubescent, apparently weakly rough with sockets of pubescence, between antennal socket and supraclypeal suture 1.4–1.6 x minimum width between eyes, weakly convex in lateral view, with a pair of shallow vertical furrows arising from supraclypeal suture; eye bare, inner margin weakly convergent downward; ocelli of moderate size; eye remote from lateral ocellus by slightly more than maximum diameter of latter; mandible with upper tooth longer than lower, moderately tapered, medially about 0.6 x basal width, outer face of mandible covered with sparse pubescence; palpi formula 4: 3; malar space about 0.4–0.5 x basal width of mandible, granulate between lower end of eye and mandible base; hypostomal carina narrowly lamellate between lower articulation of mandible and junction of occipital and hypostomal carinae; vertex with inter-ocellar area slightly raised; outline of gena almost straight anteriorly, moderately rounded posteriorly in dorsal view; occipital carina complete throughout, in dorsal view, moderately bowed forward.

Mesosoma . Pronotum ( Figs 28 , 40 ) with anterior margin reflexed, thickened medially, very weakly thickened laterally, mediodorsally produced into backwardly directed tooth, a strong dorsomedian bridge connects it with hind margin, with lower part not reflexed so pronotum not wide in dorsal view, lateral face polished, with rather distinct epomia; upper end of epomia almost reaching upper margin of pronotum and lower part extends downward and weakly turning backwards at a little above the lower margin; mesoscutum in front of scuto-scutellar groove 1.0 x as long as wide in dorsal view, polished all over with some pubescence, with notauli distinct, almost straight and convergent to a shallow hollow located a little behind middle of mesoscutum; mesoscutum moderately convex in lateral view; mesopleuron ( Fig. 52 ) with distinct, almost straight epicnemial carina, upper end surpassing level of lower corner of pronotum and relatively close to posterior margin of pronotum, almost impunctate, bare and polished postero-dorsally, covered with moderately dense pubescence antero-ventrally, densely pubescent ventrally, with short but distinct groove below speculum; mesopleural suture weakly foveolate; scutellum convex; propodeum ( Figs 64 , 76 ) with rather dense pubescence laterally, otherwise almost impunctate, polished; areas basalis and superomedia, and areas posterialis and postero-externa fused respectively, carinae delimiting these combined areas distinct; lateral longitudinal carina indistinct anteriorly; pleural carina complete; propodeal spiracle touching pleural carina; metapleuron ( Fig. 76 ) moderately covered with pubescence, ventrally with some short carinae arising from submetapleural carina; submetapleural carina complete, strong but with no expansion anteriorly.

Wings. Fore wing ( Fig. 88 ) with vein Rs+M basad of cu-a by 2 x width of vein, 2rs-m about 0.2 x length of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu; vein cu-a moderately inclined; vein Cu1a separated from 1m-cu by length of Cu1b; pterostigma rounded triangular, relatively large. Hind wing ( Fig. 100 ) with vein M+ Cu moderately bowed; distal abscissa of Cu absent; distal abscissa of Rs absent except basal 0.25; distal abscissa of vein M faint; vein cu-a slightly inclivous to vein 1A.

Legs. Legs moderately stout; fore femur 3.5–3.9 x as long as maximum width; hind femur 3.7–3.8 x as long as maximum width; hind tibia 7.2–7.7 x as long as apical width; first tarsal segment of hind leg a little longer than second and third segments combined; fifth segment much longer than third.

Metasoma ( Fig. 112 ). T1 weakly strigose, with pair of posterolateral oblique impressions, with dorsomedian longitudinal carina extending to 0.6–0.7 of length and moderately convergent in dorsal view; dorsolateral longitudinal carina weak but reaching to posterior margin of T1, with spiracle situated on it; T2 with distinct and sharply impressed anterolateral and posterolateral oblique grooves, defining a central, evenly convex, transverse rhombic area; these grooves furnished with dense, minute longitudinal ridges; T3–4 similar to T2, with anterior oblique groove indistinct, with posterior groove more transverse and situated near middle; T5 with very weak posterolateral oblique groove; T2–7 smooth, polished; T1 0.9–1.0 x as long as apical width; T2 0.7–0.8 x as long as T1 and about 0.5 x as long as apical width. Ovipositor relatively long, projecting beyond apex of metasoma by 0.7 x length of hind tibia, almost straight; upper valve evenly tapered to sharp point; both upper and lower valves without distinct swelling, strongly tapered to very sharp point behind middle.

Coloration. Head mostly black with following parts yellowish brown: pedicel and scape below, lower half of clypeus, mandible except tip, palpi; flagellum brown. Mesosoma dark brown; upper and lower margin of pronotum, mesoscutum except central part of median and lateral lobes, upper and posterior part of mesopleuron, tegula and scutellum pale brown; Legs reddish pale brown; hind coxa and femur somewhat darkened; hind tibia somewhat paler, with apical 0.4 blackish brown. Wings hyaline, pterostigma brown. Metasomal tergites brown to dark brown; T2–5 pale brown laterally. Ovipositor brown, sheath black.

Length. Fore wing 2.6–2.7 mm

Male. Similar to female but smaller.

Length. Fore wing 2.3 mm.

Cocoon ( Fig. 127 ). Diaphanous, white, sub-cylindrical, with a springy and very open construction of sparse loose whorls, attached to the substrate at the anterior wider end, similar to those of Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) .

Variation. Mesoscutum and mesopleuron darker in one male specimen.

Host. Anelosimus crassipes (Böesenberg & Strand) (Theridiidae) .

Biological notes. The type locality of this species is a rather open, dry secondary wood. Parasitized spiders were found by beating shrubs of Rhododendron macrosepalum along a path in the woods. The host spider, Anelosimus crassipes , winters as a subadult on the twigs or among the dead leaves clinging to the twigs. The parasitoid passes the winter as an early instar larva on the host spider. The larva ( Fig. 126 ) is located on the postero-lateral surface of the host abdomen and matures in April. No host spiders bearing the parasitoid larva were found in the summer and autumn in spite of several investigations.

Comments. This species resembles the Holarctic Z. anomala in having short antennae (flagellum with about 16 segments in Ψ and about 14 segments in ɗ (Townes & Townes 1960)), but can be distinguished from it by very sparse pubescence on the mesoscutum (in Z. anomala mesoscutum densely covered with pubescence), having apical 0.3 of hind tibia distinctly black (hind tibia weakly darkened apically) and by the wider area petiolaris of the propodeum. This species can be separated from other congeners by the short antennae with only 14 flagellomere in both sexes.

Etymology. The specific name refers to short antena.

Distribution records. Japan: Honshu.

Specimens examined. Type series (All specimens were reared from A. crassipes ). Holotype Ψ, 14.I.2007 (early instar larva on host, cocooned 19.III., emer. 3.IV.), Satsukiyama (34°50’03”N, 135°25’50”E, (WGS 84), 250m a.s.l.), Ikeda, Osaka Pref., Japan, (R. Matsumoto), [OMNH, TI-390]. Paratypes: [Honshu] 1Ψ, 14.I.2007 (larva on host, cocooned 13.IV., emer. IV.), same locality as holotype, (R.M.); 2ɗɗ1Ψ, 9.III.2007 (larva on host, cocooned 16–20. III., emer. 30.III–3.IV.), same locality, (R.M.); 1Ψ, 2.III.2009 (larva on host, cocooned 11. III., emer. 24.III.), same locality, (R.M.).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 13. Scanning electon micrography of head of Zatypota spp. (female) in anterior view (1 – 12) and lateral aspect (13). 1, Z. albicoxa; 2, Z. baragi (paratype); 3, Z. brachycera (paratype); 4, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 5, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 6, Z. elegans (paratype); 7, Z. grachilipes; 8, Z. maculata (paratype); 9, Z. percontatoria; 10, Z. sulcata (paratype); 11, Z. takayu (paratype); 12, Z. yambar (paratype); 13, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 14 – 25. Scanning electron micrography of head of Zatypota spp. (female) in posterior view. 14, Z. albicoxa; 15, Z. baragi (paratype); 16, Z. brachycera (paratype); 17, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 18, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 19, Z. elegans (paratype); 20, Z. grachilipes; 21, Z. maculata (paratype); 22, Z. percontatoria; 23, Z. sulcata (paratype); 24, Z. takayu (paratype); 25, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 26 – 37. Scanning electron micrography of pronotum and anterior part of mesoscutum of Zatypota spp (female) in dorsal aspect. 26, Z. albicoxa; 27, Z. baragi (paratype); 28, Z. brachycera (paratype); 29, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 30, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 31, Z. elegans (paratype); 32, Z. grachilipes; 33, Z. maculata (paratype); 34, Z. percontatoria; 35, Z. sulcata (paratype); 36, Z. takayu (paratype); 37, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 49. Scanning electron micrography of pronotum of Zatypota spp (female) in lateral view. 38, Z. albicoxa; 39, Z. baragi (paratype); 40, Z. brachycera (paratype); 41, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 42, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 43, Z. elegans (paratype); 44, Z. grachilipes; 45, Z. maculata (paratype); 46, Z. percontatoria; 47, Z. sulcata (paratype); 48, Z. takayu (paratype); 49, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 50 – 61. Scanning electron micrography of mesopleuron of Zatypota spp (female) in lateral view. 50, Z. albicoxa; 51, Z. baragi (paratype); 52, Z. brachycera (paratype); 53, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 54, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 55, Z. elegans (paratype); 56, Z. grachilipes; 57, Z. maculata (paratype); 58, Z. percontatoria; 59, Z. sulcata (paratype); 60, Z. takayu (paratype); 61, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 62 – 73. Scanning electron micrography of propodeum of Zatypota spp (female) in dorsal view. 62, Z. albicoxa; 63, Z. baragi (paratype); 64, Z. brachycera (paratype); 65, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 66, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 67, Z. elegans (paratype); 68, Z. grachilipes; 69, Z. maculata (paratype); 70, Z. percontatoria; 71, Z. sulcata (paratype); 72, Z. takayu (paratype); 73, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 74 – 85. Scanning electron micrography of propodeum and metapleuron of Zatypota spp (female) in lateral view. 74, Z. albicoxa; 75, Z. baragi (paratype); 76, Z. brachycera (paratype); 77, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 78, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 79, Z. elegans (paratype); 80, Z. grachilipes; 81, Z. maculata (paratype); 82, Z. percontatoria; 83, Z. sulcata (paratype); 84, Z. takayu (paratype); 85, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 86 – 97. Fore wings of of Zatypota spp (female). 86, Z. albicoxa; 87, Z. baragi (paratype); 88, Z. brachycera (paratype); 89, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 90, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 91, Z. elegans (paratype); 92, Z. grachilipes; 93, Z. maculata (paratype); 94, Z. percontatoria; 95, Z. sulcata (paratype); 96, Z. takayu (paratype); 97, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 98 – 109. Hind wings of of Zatypota spp (female). 98, Z. albicoxa; 99, Z. baragi (paratype); 100, Z. brachycera (paratype); 101, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 102, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 103, Z. elegans (paratype); 104, Z. grachilipes; 105, Z. maculata (paratype); 106, Z. percontatoria; 107, Z. sulcata (paratype); 108, Z. takayu (paratype); 109, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 110 – 121. Scanning electron micrography of first and second metasomal tergite of Zatypota spp (female). 110, Z. albicoxa; 111, Z. baragi (paratype); 112, Z. brachycera (paratype); 113, Z. chryssophaga (paratype); 114, Z. dendrobia (paratype); 115, Z. elegans (paratype); 116, Z. grachilipes; 117, Z. maculata (paratype); 118, Z. percontatoria; 119, Z. sulcata (paratype); 120, Z. takayu (paratype); 121, Z. yambar (paratype). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 122 – 141. Host spider, larva and cocoon of Zatypota spp. 122 – 123, Z. albicoxa; 124 – 125, Z. baragi; 126 – 127, Z. brachycera; 128 – 129, Z. chryssophaga; 130 – 131, Z. dendrobia; 132 – 133, Z. elegans; 134 – 135, Z. maculata; 136 – 137, Z. percontatoria; 138 – 139, Z. sulcata; 140 – 141, Z. takayu.