Signiphora borinquensis Quezada, DeBach, and Rosen, 1973

Woolley, J. B. & Dal Molin, A., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the flavopalliata species group of Signiphora (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae), Zootaxa 4315 (1), pp. 1-150 : 25-29

Signiphora borinquensis Quezada, DeBach, and Rosen, 1973

Figures 61–76

http://eol.org/pages/855963

Signiphora borinquensis Quezada, DeBach, and Rosen 1973 : 549. Female. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E372B413-3B12-4D22-8F86-85E2F1884352

Diagnosis. Scutellum with 4 setae; Mt8 with anterodorsal margin transverse, without a medial incision; antennal clava of uniform color or only weakly dusky in apical 1/6–1/8, Mt1 strongly bilobed with medial portion transverse; Mt1 length:Mt2 length 1.0–2.0; fore wing marginal vein without seta M1 (but see discussion).

The species is most similar to S. flavella and S. lutea . It can be distinguished from the former by the fewer number of setae on the scutellum and the absence of seta M1 on the fore wing marginal vein (rarely absent in flavella ); and from the latter by the transverse anterior margin of Mt8 without a medial incision.

Description. Female. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.53–0.67 mm (n=9). Vertex dull orange frons, face, and gena orange-tan. Antennal clava uniformly pale brown or slightly dusky in distal 1/8–1/6, pedicel and scape pale tan. Pronotum uniformly pale brown or pale yellow in lateral third, anterior 1/3–1/2 mesoscutum pale brown, posterior 2/3–1/2 mesoscutum through propodeum pale yellow or tan. Medial sclerite propodeum slightly lighter than lateral sclerites. Mt1–Mt3 and anterior 1/2 or medial 2/3 of Mt4 pale brown, Mt5 and anterior 1/2 of Mt6 pale yellow, Mt6 with posterior 1/2 or posterolateral margins pale brown, Mt7 pale yellow. Mt8, epiproct, and ovipositor sheaths dusky brown. Fore wing infuscated from base to distal end stigmal vein with normal hyaline areas at wing base.

Head. Mandibular ducts enlarged apically; pedicel length:scape length 0.63–0.70; 3 anelli, second anellus twice length of first, third anellus 3× length of first, clava length:scape length 1.50–1.79; vertex finely and transversely striate with 4 longitudinal rows of minute punctations.

Mesosoma. Pronotum and mesoscutum transversely imbricate, scutellum through medial sclerite of propodeum weakly imbricate; scutellum with 4 setae and 2 campaniform sensilla; medial propodeal sclerite rounded, process on medial sclerite rounded to narrowly rounded apically. Fore wing length:width 3.2–3.7; fore wing LMS:fore wing width 1.4–1.7; marginal vein length:stigmal vein length 1.8–2.2; marginal vein most commonly with 5 dorsal setae and without ventral setae; seta M1 absent, but occasionally present; marginal vein commonly with aberrant setal patterns (see discussion); seta M3 length:marginal vein length 0.50–0.69; apical end of costal cell between setae M2 and M3 or at seta M2. Hind wing with subparallel margins, hind wing length:width 7.2–11.0; hind wing width:fore wing width 0.30–0.50; hind wing LMS:hind wing width 3.00–5.00. Mesofemur with one long spine and one short spine in posteroapical margin; mesotibial spur with 3 or 4 teeth; mesotibial spur length:basitarsus length 0.82–1.00; basitarsus length:mesotibia length 0.24–0.50.

Metasoma. Mt1 strongly bilobed with medial portion transverse; Mt1 length:Mt2 length 1.0–2.0; ovipositor with anterior-most margin lying under Mt3–Mt5; ovipositor length:metasoma length 0.43–0.55; ovipositor sheath length:ovipositor length 0.19–0.25; Ms3–Ms6 with anterior projections short to medium in length; Ms 6 in posterior 1/4 metasoma and with 8 setae; Mt8 with anterodorsal margin transverse, without a medial emargination, although the lateral portions may be broadly rounded and produced slightly to the medial portion.

Male. Length, anterior margin of pronotum to epiproct apex, 0.37–0.50 mm (n=6); clava length:scape length 1.3–1.7. As described for female except antennal clava uniformly pale tan or pale brown, pedicel and scape pale tan. Pronotum uniformly pale brown or pale yellow in lateral thirds, anterior 1/3–1/2 mesoscutum pale brown, posterior 2/3–1/2 mesoscutum to propodeum pale yellow or tan. Propodeum with medial sclerite slightly lighter than lateral sclerites. Mt1–Mt4 or Mt5 pale brown, Mt5 and anterior 1/2 of Mt6 pale yellow, posterior 1/2 or posterolateral margins of Mt6 pale brown, Mt7 pale yellow but with a pair of dusky brown spots on either side of midline. Genitalia normal for flavopalliata group, digitus about 3× as long as wide and with a single short denticle at apex, and a single seta just apical of midpoint, digitus with apical 1/3 darker than proximal portion. Ms8 a broad, transverse strip, with posteromedial 1/3 bearing a shallow, concave emargination.

Type material. HOLOTYPE ♀ [examined]: in balsam, UCRC ENT 300001 , CALIFORNIA, Riverside Co., Riverside, from laboratory culture, Division of Biological Control , U.C. Riverside ( UCR).

Other material examined. MEXICO: Guerrero: 3 ♀, 4 ♂, TAMU-ENTO X0460285–X0460291 ( TAMU).

MEXICO: Michoacán: 5 ♀, 1 sex unknown, 2 ♂, TAMU-ENTO X0460283, X0460284, X0424894–X0424899 ( TAMU). PUERTO RICO: 2 ♀, 1 ♂, 2 mixed series. TAMU – ENTO X0616328, X0616329 ( FSCA); UCRC ENT 299196, 299198 , 299215 ( UCR). USA: California: 20 ♀, 3 mixed series. UCRC ENT 299191–299195, 299197 , 299199–299214 ( UCR); USNM ENT 763013 ( USNM).

Discussion. This species was completely described by Quezada et al. (1973) and their publication can be consulted for additional details. In the large number of laboratory-reared specimens many individuals were noted with aberrant setation of the fore wing marginal vein. Approximately 80% of the specimens have a normal pattern with seta M1 absent or with seta M1 occasionally present. Almost 20% of the specimens have setae M1 and M2 absent, or extra setae on the anterior or posterior margin of the marginal vein, or in the middle of the marginal vein. Female specimens in the series from Michoacan, Mexico are very light in coloration, with most of the body pale yellow.

Biology. Quezada et al. (1973) studied the biology of this species in detail, and the following is abstracted from their report. Signiphora borinquensis is a uniparental, primary parasitoid of Diaspididae . Viable male progeny was produced by females that received a heat treatment as pupae. The eggs of this species are laid internally in female scales, the 1 st and 2nd instar larvae develop as endoparasitoids but the 3rd and 4th instar larvae develop as external parasitoids.

Figures

FIGURES 61 – 64. Signiphora borinquensis: 61, head (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 62, female antenna (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 63, mandibles (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 64, male antenna (TAMU-ENTO X 0460286).

FIGURES 65 – 70. Signiphora borinquensis: 65, fore wing, female (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 66, venation of fore wing (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 67, hind wing, female (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 68, venation of hind wing (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 69, middle leg, female (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 70, Mt 8 of metasoma, female (TAMU-ENTO X 0460288); (Mt 8 = eighth metasomal tergum).

FIGURES 71 – 76. Signiphora borinquensis: 71, female habitus (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 72, mesosoma of female (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 73, metasoma of female (UCRC ENT 33001, holotype female); 74, male habitus (TAMU-ENTO X 0460286); 75, male genitalia (TAMU-ENTO X 0460288); 76, Ms 8 of metasoma, male.