Sycophila (Ficorytoma) persicae Lotfalizadeh, 2024

Lotfalizadeh, Hossein, Delvare, Gérard, Cruaud, Astrid & Rasplus, Jean-Yves, 2024, Morphological phylogeny and revision of Sycophila and Ficomila (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) associated with Afrotropical fig trees (Moraceae, Ficus), Zootaxa 5401 (1), pp. 1-190 : 77-82

Sycophila (Ficorytoma) persicae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

( Figs 50–52)

Type material examined. Holotype ♀: Guinea, Monts Nimba, Mifergui, ex syconia of Ficus artocarpoides , 6.v.1993, Rasplus , J.Y. leg. Deposited in CBGP. Paratypes: same data as holotype, 2♀ & 6♂. Cameroon, Ebogo, 10.i.1993, ex syconia of Ficus artocarpoides, Gibernau M. leg., 3♀. Gabon, Makokou, ex syconia of F.artocarpoides , 24.ix.1988, Maldes, J.M. leg., 3♀.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the ancient name of Iran, “Pers”, in reference to the financial support of Iranian Ministry of Agriculture, ARREO to HL’s research.

Diagnosis. Female of F. persicae smaller than F. delvarei ; yellowish colour with dorsal dark longitudinal band ( Fig. 50A). Gena distinctly laminated. Antennal scrobe long, reaching median ocellus ( Fig. 50C). Flagellum with fu1 at least 3× as long as pedicel ( Fig. 50B). Funiculars distinctly longer than wide. Clava relatively short, shorter than two last funiculars ( Fig. 50B). Mesoscutum with dense umbilicate punctures ( Fig. 51A). Petiole short, shorter than wide and not visible dorsally ( Fig. 51D). Propodeum smooth medially ( Fig. 51B). Gaster slightly compressed laterally ( Fig. 51D).

Male with dark and long petiole ( Fig. 52A). Antenna with 4 long funiculars ( Fig. 52B).

Description of holotype ♀ ( Figs 50–51). Length 4.30mm. Body yellowish ( Fig. 50A), except antennal flagellum dark brown, head dorsally, mesosoma dorsomedially, propodeum medially, petiole, gaster dorsally and dorsal part of tergites black; pronotum yellowish and black dorsomedially; fore wing with a dark brown spot below mv, reaching base of mv; lower margin of mv not obscured by dark brown spot ( Fig. 51E); gaster bicoloured; body setation whitish ( Fig. 51C), setation of fore wing entirely dark.

Head 1.3× as broad as high [HW 158 & HH 122] ( Fig. 50C); in dorsal view transverse, 2.09× as broad as long [HW 158 & HL 76] ( Fig. 50D); face coriaceous with sparse punctures, vertex densely punctulate; antennal scrobe short, not reaching median ocellus; malar space 0.43× length of eye [ms 40 & EH 92]; malar sulcus distinct, sinuous ( Fig. 50E); genal margin sinuous in its lower margin, distinctly carinate; antennal toruli narrowly separated; interantennal space not raised, not carinate laterally; scrobal depression smooth, not reach the median ocellus, not carinate on margin; POL 1.92× as long as OOL, [POL 48 & OOL 25] ( Fig. 50D); temple margined, 0.25× the eye length (in dorsal view), [TL 25 & EL 100]; setation oriented downwards on face, outwards on the punctuate frons.

Antenna. Scape reaching lower margin of median ocellus, 2.32× as long as broad [SL 58 & SW 25]; fu1 2.04× as long as broad [fu1L 57 & fu1W 28]; distinctly longer than pedicel, not bulging dorsally; funiculars (fu2–fu4) with several rows of mps and several whorls of adpressed short setae; fu2–fu4 distinctly longer than broad, fu5 slightly longer than broad ( Fig. 50A).

Mesosoma weakly arched dorsally, 1.7× as long as wide (170:100), with deep sculpture ( Fig. 51A); pronotum with coarse umbilicate punctures; mesepisternum with a raised process on epicnemium, being closer to anteroventral margin of mesepisternum than to mesocoxa; mesoscutum 0.65× as long as wide (65:100), 0.75× longer than length of pronotal collar (65:85), densely umbilicate punctures; notauli impressed; prepectus bare, slightly sculptured; mesoscutellum and axillae with dense umbilicate punctures sculpture; mesepimeron transversally strigose; metepimeron subtriangular and areolate with long white hairs; propodeum ( Fig. 51B) with deep median depression, without smooth median band, and a distinct median carina, lateral rows of areolae short (extending at most to half-length of propodeum); inverted V-shaped basal carina, truncate mesally, lateral branches relatively straight, width of basal carinae about 0.5× width of nucha.

Fore wing with short marginal fringe, apically subtruncate (pointed anteriorly); dark brown spot below mv; basal cell more setose; mv distinctly enlarged, rounded, lower margin convex, not longer than pmv; stv not curved; pmv distinct, longer than stv; ventral side of costal cell densely setose, dorsally with a row of setae; speculum present; parastigmal bristles absent ( Figs 51E, F).

Legs. Fore coxa without depression on frontal surface, hind coxa bare basodorsally; fore (30:10) and hind femora (30:12); hind tibia dorsally with more 10 setae, setae shorter than tibia width basally.

Metasoma. Petiole longer than broad dorsally, ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 absent. Metasoma 1.55× as long as wide (155:100) ( Fig. 51C), shorter than mesosoma, compressed laterally ( Fig. 51D); ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 absent; petiole in dorsal view longer than wide, as long as or longer than half length of hind coxa; tergites smooth; Gt4 (in lateral view) slightly as long as Gt3, not sinuous posteriorly; Gt5 mostly covering Gt6, sinuous posteriorly; Gt2–Gt5 with few setae dorsally, Gt6 setose in ventral half; ovipositor oriented dorsad but not distinctly upturned ( Fig. 51C).

Male ( Fig. 52). Length 2.06–2.38 mm. Similar to female with dark and longer petiole ( Fig. 52A); antennal formula 11143, with much longer segments ( Fig. 51B); each funicular with several rows of mps and several whorls of erected setae; gaster mostly dark brown dorsally.

Variation (female). Length 2.20–3.65mm. In some specimens, dark band of posterior margin of tergites wider than in holotype

Host plant. Ficus artocarpoides .

Geographical distribution. Cameroon, Gabon and Guinea.

Subgenus Sycophila Walker, 1871

Diagnosis. Female. Length 1.76-6.35mm. Body colouration varies from yellowish to brown or dark brown; fore wing with a dark brown spot below mv, lower margin of mv obscured by dark brown spot or not.

Head in frontal and dorsal views mostly coriaceous, and sparsely punctulate; in frontal view broad than high; in dorsal view broad than long; malar space less than length of eye; genal margin regularly curved, edged but not carinate; antennal toruli narrowly or widely separated; POL distinctly longer than OOL; temple rounded, less than half the eye length (in dorsal view); scape reaching lower margin of median ocellus or not, much longer than broad; fu1 longer than broad, longer than pedicel, not bulging dorsally; fu2–fu5 as long as to distinctly longer than broad.

Mesosoma dorsally coriaceous and/or with umbilicate punctures from superficial to deep and coarse; mesodiscrimen raised medially, raised piliferous sculpture closer to the anterior end of the discrimen; prepectus smooth to slightly sculptured, bare; mesoscutellum coriaceous with sparse dense umbilicate punctures; propodeum with deep median depression, smooth or sculptured medially or with a median carina or two short submedian carinae; basal carina forming and inverted V or wedge-like or and truncate mesally.

Fore wing with short or long marginal fringe; dark brown spot small or expanded below whole length of mv; basal cell bare or nearly so or hairy; mv distinctly enlarged, with convex posterior margin; pmv distinct, longer than stv or not; costal cell dorsally and ventrally bare or setose; speculum present.

Metasoma longer than mesosoma (except in Sycophila bidentata sp. n.), strongly compressed laterally and dorsally angulate; ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present; petiole in dorsal view longer than wide or not; tergites smooth or slightly reticulate; in some species Gt 4 in lateral view much as long as Gt3 (at least 1.5× longer); ovipositor variably upturned.

Male. Males of Sycophila represent a strongly sexual dimorphism with longer petiole; antennal formula 11143, mostly much longer funiculars, with whorls of long hairs; fore wing more setose than in female; propodeum with raised areolate sculpture.

Relationships. This subgenus shares a few characters with Ficorytoma gen. n. including bulging mv, pmv distinctly longer than stv; fu1 long (at least 2× as long as pedicel) and arched, dorsally bulging (shared also with Ficomila ).

Key to Afrotropical species of Sycophila (Sycophila) associated with Ficus

1 Antenna with 5 funiculars, funiculars with short and appressed hairs ( Figs 56F, 58B, 61B); metasoma longer than mesosoma, with petiole relatively short, at most as long as hind coxa ( Figs 56A, 61A)........................... go to female key

- Antenna with 4 funiculars, funiculars with relatively long and erect hairs ( Figs 60C, 63B); metasoma shorter than mesosoma, petiole longer than hind coxa ( Figs 60A, 63A)................................................... go to male key

Female

1 Funiculars (fu2–fu5) short, at most as long as wide ( Figs 69B, 77B, 80B)......................................... 2

- Funiculars (fu2–fu5) long, distinctly longer than wide ( Figs 64B, 71B)........................................... 5

2(1) Flagellum with fu5 transverse, wider than long ( Fig. 86B).................. S. (S.) suricola Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Flagellum with fu5 quadrate, as long as wide ( Fig. 80B)...................................................... 3

3(2) Petiole longer than broad dorsally ( Figs 70C, D).......................... S. (S.) lasallei Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Petiole at most as long as broad dorsally................................................................... 4

4(3) Costal cell densely setose ventrally, with a row of setae dorsally ( Fig. 91E)...... S. (S.) zebra Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Costal cell sparsely setose ventrally, dorsally bare ( Fig. 81E).................. S. (S.) nigra Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

5(1) Petiole longer than broad dorsally, ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 absent ( Figs 57C, 59C, D); funiculars relatively short (at most 1.5× as long as wide) ( Figs 56F, 58B, 77B); propodeum with a median carina ( Figs 57B, 59B, 78B); Gt4 as long as Gt3 ( Figs 57C, 59C, 78C)................................................................... 6

- Petiole at most as long as broad dorsally ( Figs 65D, 67D, 72D), ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present ( Figs 65C, 67C); funiculars long, at least 2× as long as wide ( Figs 64B, 66B, 71B); propodeum with or without median carina... 8

6(5) Pronotal carina present anteriorly and laterally ( Fig. 57A), anterodorsally with two short teeth formed by the raised pronotal carina ( Fig. 56G)................................................. S. (S.) bidentata Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Pronotal collar not carinate anteriorly and laterally, without any teeth............................................ 7

7(6) Body dorsally with a dark brown band ( Fig. 58A); Gt4 longer than Gt5 dorsally ( Fig. 59D)......................................................................................... S. (S.) chirindensis Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Body without a distinct dark band dorsally, sometimes with a slight dark brown mark dorsally ( Fig. 77A); Gt5 as long as Gt4 dorsally ( Fig. 78D)............................................. S. (S.) meridionalis Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

8(5) Smooth median band of propodeum almost reaching nucha ( Figs 54B, 62B, 75B, 84B), sometimes with a row of areolae on each side; metanotum reticulate or smooth................................................................. 9

- Smooth median band of propodeum interrupted and not reaching to nucha ( Figs 65B, 75B), lateral rows of areolae not complete; metanotum smooth................................................................................... 10

9(8) Row of areolae on propodeum short, reaching at most half-length of propodeum ( Figs 75B, 84B)..................... 12

- Row of areolae or reticulation on propodeum approaching or reaching nucha ( Figs 54B, 62B)........................ 13

10(8) Marginal vein short, as long as pmv and stv ( Fig. 67F)............................... S. (S.) kestraneura ( Masi, 1917)

- Marginal vein long, longer than pmv and stv ( Figs 65F, 72F).................................................. 11

11(10) Body mainly yellow, with a dorsal longitudinal dark band on tergites ( Fig. 71A); costal cell relatively bare ventrally ( Fig. 72E); propodeum with one posterior areola ( Fig. 72B)..................... S. (S.) longiflagellata Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Body mainly brownish-yellow, with dark bands/spots on different parts ( Fig. 64A); costal cell distinctly setose ventrally ( Fig. 65E); propodeum with two posterior areolae ( Fig. 65B)...................... S. (S.) fusca Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

12(9) Front part of mesoscutum transversally strigose ( Fig. 75A); pmv shorter than mv ( Fig. 75F)..................................................................................... S. (S.) macrospermae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Entire median lobe of mesoscutum punctate ( Fig. 84A); pmv longer than mv ( Fig. 84F)............................................................................................ S. (S.) nigriterga Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

13(9) Gaster reticulate; basal cell setose, costal cell with several dorsal setae ( Fig. 62E); propodeum sculptured except for a smooth median band ( Fig. 62B)............................................ S. (S.) ficophila Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Gaster smooth; basal cell bare, costal cell bare ( Fig. 54E); propodeum with a smooth mesal depression, at most slightly sculptured there ( Fig. 54B)............................................ S. (S.) annae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

Male

1 Flagellum with fu2–fu4 elongate, conspicuously longer than wide ( Figs 68B, 79B, 85B)............................. 5

- Flagellum with fu2–fu4 2× as long as wide or shorter ( Figs 82B, 88B, 92B)....................................... 2

2(1) Body dark or dark brown ( Fig. 82A)..................................... S. (S.) nigra Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Body mainly yellowish, with brown dark parts.............................................................. 3

3(2) Flagellum with fu5 wider than long ( Fig. 92B)............................. S. (S.) zebra Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Flagellum with fu5 at least as long as wide ( Figs 88B)..................... S. (S.) suricola Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

5(1) Body mostly dark brown, with yellowish parts, femora robust ( Figs 68A, 85A)..................................................................... S. (S.) nigriterga Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n. (partly) & S. (S.) kestraneura (Masi)

- Body mostly yellowish, partly dark brown................................................................. 6

6(5) Fore wing partly setose, with distinct speculum ( Figs 79C, 85D)................................................ 7

- Fore wing entirely setose, without speculum or a relatively narrow one ( Figs 55D, 60B, 63D)......................... 9

7(6) Propodeum entirely dark brown ( Fig. 85C)............................ S. (S.) nigriterga Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Propodeum at least partly yellow ( Figs 76C, 79D)........................................................... 8

8(7) Propodeum medially dark and laterally yellow ( Fig. 79D).............. S. (S.) meridionalis Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Propodeum entirely yellow ( Fig. 76C)............................ S. (S.) macrospermae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

9(6) Clava longer than all funiculars taken together ( Fig. 60C)............... S. (S.) chirindensis Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Clava shorter than all funiculars taken together............................................................. 10

10(9) Propodeum entirely dark brown ( Fig. 63C); scape mainly brown ( Fig. 63B)....................................................................................................... S. (S.) ficophila Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Propodeum yellowish with a T-shaped dark brown spot basally ( Fig. 55C); scape yellowish in basal half ( Fig. 55B)......................................................................... S. (S.) annae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.