Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, 2021

Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Abrahamson, Warren G., Buss, Eileen A. & Stone, Graham N., 2021, New species of Nearctic oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini), Zootaxa 5084 (1), pp. 1-131 : 36-42

Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson , sp. nov.

Figs. 114–140

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B1E94223-B7AD-4B57-A304-AC3C37B6723F

Alternate asexual and sexual generations are described.

Etymology. Named after Dr. J. W. Fitzpatrick, past director and senior research biologist at the Archbold Biological Station.

Sexual generation

Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ USA, FL., Highlands Co., Archbold BioStation ; leg. G. Melika, 1995 .01.31. PARATYPES: 35 females and 15 males with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female, 4 females and 4 males are deposited at the USNM , 31 females and 11 males at the PHDNRL .

Material examined. About 300 females and males collected at the same time as the type material at the Archbold BioStation from Q. laurifolia and Q. myrtifolia . Also 12 females and 9 males labeled as “ USA, FL, Sarasota Co., Myakka River State Park, coll. 4 February 1995, leg. G. Melika , ex Quercus laurifolia ” (all are deposited at the PHDNRL) .

Diagnosis. In A. fitzpatricki the clusters of catkin galls are smooth and shiny, without pubescence while in A. cooki the galls are covered with dense whitish pubescence. In A. fitzpatricki the head is uniformly light reddish brown, the mesoscutellar disk dull rugose, the mesosoma and metasoma are light reddish brown while in A. cooki the frons, vertex and head in posterior view are dark brown to black, the mesoscutellar disk coriaceous with some strong rugae, and the mesosoma and metasoma are reddish brown with black areas.

Description. Sexual female ( Figs. 114–116, 119, 121–127 ). Body, antennae, mouthparts, legs light reddish brown.

Head alutaceous, with sparse white setae, denser on lower face; 1.3× as broad as high and broader than mesosoma in frontal view. 1.9× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous, broadened behind eye in frontal view but narrower than transverse diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space alutaceous, glabrous, with very delicate striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eye; eye 2.3× as high as length of malar space. Eyes slightly converging ventrally. POL 2.1× as long as OOL, OOL 1.8× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus and equal to LOL, all ocelli slightly ovate, of same size. Transfacial distance 1.4× as long as height of eye, diameter of antennal torulus 2.0× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye nearly equal to diameter of torulus. Lower face alutaceous, glabrous, with rare white setae, without striae; slightly elevated median area alutaceous, glabrous, without setae. Clypeus rectangular, smooth, glabrous, nearly 2.0× as broad as high; ventrally rounded, emarginate, without median incision, with a few long setae; anterior tentorial pit large, rounded, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line broad, well impressed. Frons uniformly alutaceous, without striae or setae; interocellar area alutaceous and strongly elevated. Vertex, occiput, postocciput, postgena uniformly alutaceous, with sparse white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, area below impressed; occipital foramen slightly higher than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulci which strongly diverge toward occipital foramen, postgenal bridge anteriorly broader than occipital foramen. Antenna longer than head+mesosoma, with 11 flagellomeres (suture between F11 and F10 indistinct), pedicel subglobular, flagellomeres slightly broadened towards apex; F1 1.8× as long as pedicel and equal in length to F2; F2 1.3× as long as F3; F3=F4, subsequent flagellomeres nearly equal in length, merged F10–F11 1.7× as long as F9; placodeal sensilla on F3–F10.

Mesosoma slightly longer than high, with sparse short white setae. Pronotum alutaceous, without striae laterally; propleuron smooth, glabrous, with delicate wrinkles centrally. Mesoscutum uniformly alutaceous, with sparse white setae; slightly longer than broad (greatest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus incomplete, reaching to 2/3 of mesoscutum length, deep, broad, with smooth, glabrous bottom, posteriorly broader and slightly converging; anterior parallel and parapsidal lines indistinct, hardly traceable; median mesoscutal absent; circumscutellar carina narrow, reaching notaulus. Transscutal articulation deep, distinct. Mesoscutellum rounded, as long as broad, rugose, with more delicate sculpture on mesoscutellar disk, posteriorly rounded, overhanging metanotum. Mesoscutellar foveae separated by narrow elevated coriaceous central carina, ovate, broader than high, with smooth, bottom glabrous with few transverse delicate striae. Mesopleuron and speculum uniformly alutaceous, without setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle smooth, glabrous, with some irregular striae and few setae; dorsal and lateral axillar areas alutaceous, glabrous, with a few white short setae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, most posterior part slightly higher than height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at mid-height, upper part of sulcus distinct. Metascutellum coriaceous; as high as height of smooth, glabrous ventral impressed area, metanotal trough smooth, glabrous, with few setae; central propodeal area smooth, glabrous, with some delicate striae; lateral propodeal carinae bent outwards in posterior 1/3; lateral propodeal area smooth, glabrous, with long white setae. Nucha with numerous sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws simple, without basal lobe.

Forewing longer than body, hyaline, margin without cilia, veins dark brown, radial cell open, 3.5× as long as broad, R1 reaching wing margin, Rs reaching wing margin and running along margin for a short distance, areolet absent, Rs+M inconspicuous, its projection reaching basalis at mid height.

Metasoma as long as head+mesosoma, nearly as long as high in lateral view; second metasomal tergite occupying half the length of metasoma in dorsal view, with a few white setae in anterolateral half; all tergites smooth, glabrous, without micropunctures. Hypopygium without micropunctures, prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 2.3× as long as broad in ventral view, narrowing towards apex, with a few short setae ventrally which do not extend beyond apex of spine. Body length 2.0– 2.3 mm (n = 5).

Male ( Figs. 117–118, 120 ). Similar to female, but transfacial distance 1.6× as long as height of eye; POL 1.2× as broad as OOL, OOL 1.7× as long as LOL and 2.1× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus, ocelli larger; interocellar area elevated; antenna with 12 flagellomeres (F11 and F12 fused, suture between them indistinct), F1 straight, apically not swollen; F12 shorter than F11; placodeal sensilla on all flagellomeres. Body length 1.9–2.2 mm (n = 6).

Gall ( Fig. 139 ). Greenish to yellowish clusters of smooth, rounded unilocular galls, with a nipple on the top, causing reddish tints on affected catkins.

Host oaks. Q. laurifolia and Q. myrtifolia .

Asexual generation

Material examined. Three females “ USA, FL, Highlands Co., Archbold BioStation, Lake Placid, coll. 12 December 1994, the adult cut out on 25 February 1995, leg. G. Melika , ex Quercus myrtifolia ” and 2 females labeled as the previous ones but collected from Q. laurifolia ; all are deposited at the PHDNRL .

Diagnosis. Most closely resembles C. balanaspis Weld, 1922 but less pubescent. In the asexual females of A. fitzpatricki the head 2.8× as broad as long in dorsal view, equal to the width of mesosoma; POL 1.8× as long as OOL; the mesoscutum as broad as long; lateral propodeal carinae are distinct, the central propodeal area elliptical; sides of the propodeum with dense and long setae, while in C. balanaspis the head 2.3× as broad as long in dorsal view, slightly broader than mesosoma, POL 1.1× as long as OOL; the mesoscutum broader than long, lateral propodeal carinae are indistinct, the central propodeal area nearly round, sides of the propodeum are bare or with a few short sparse white setae.

Description. Asexual female ( Figs. 128–138 ). Body, antennae, mouthparts, legs, yellowish brown; metasoma darker.

Head delicately coriaceous, with sparse white setae, denser on lower face and postgena; transverse, 1.5× as broad as high and broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 2.5× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena delicately coriaceous, broadened behind eye in frontal view, broader than transverse diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space coriaceous, with delicate striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eye; eye 2.0× as high as height of malar space. Inner margins of eyes parallel. POL 1.6× as long as OOL; OOL 2.1× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus and 1.5× as long as LOL; all ocelli slightly ovate, of the same size. Transfacial distance 1.6× as long as height of eye; diameter of antennal torulus 1.5× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.3× as long as diameter of torulus. Lower face coriaceous, with white setae, without striae; median area alutaceous, not elevated. Clypeus rectangular, smooth, glabrous, with few long setae, more than 2.0× as broad as high, ventrally not emarginate, without median incision; anterior tentorial pit large, rounded, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line broad, well impressed. Frons uniformly delicately coriaceous, without striae or setae; area under central ocellus smooth, glabrous; interocellar area delicately coriaceous, elevated. Vertex delicately coriaceous, occiput with delicate transverse parallel rugae; postocciput smooth, glabrous; postgena alutaceous, with white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, area below impressed; occipital foramen 4.5× as high as height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulci which strongly diverge toward occipital foramen, postgenal bridge anteriorly broader than high. Antenna longer than head+ mesosoma, with 12 flagellomeres, pedicel slightly longer than broad, F1 2.5× as long as pedicel and 1.4× as long as F2, F2 slightly longer than F3, subsequent flagellomeres gradually shortened until F10, F11 1.6× as long as F10, placodeal sensilla on F2–F11.

Mesosoma slightly longer than high, with sparse short white setae.Pronotum rugose, with white setae; propleuron smooth, glabrous. Mesoscutum uniformly coriaceous, with sparse white setae; slightly longer than broad (greatest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus incomplete, extending to 1/2 of length of mesoscutum, deep, broad, with smooth glabrous bottom, posteriorly broader and slightly converging; anterior parallel line impressed in anterior 1/3 of mesoscutum length; median mesoscutal line absent; parapsidal line distinct, broad, delimited by smooth glabrous area, extending to 2/3 of mesoscutum length; circumscutellar carina broad, smooth along tegula. Mesoscutellum ovate, broader than long, posteriorly rounded, uniformly rugose, overhanging metanotum. Mesoscutellar foveae separated by narrow elevated coriaceous central carina, transversely ovate, 2.0× as broad as high, with smooth, glabrous bottom. Mesopleuron and speculum rugose, with dense setae; mesopleural triangle coriaceous, with few irregular striae and setae; dorsal and lateral axillar areas delicately coriaceous, with a few white short setae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, most posterior end as high as height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at half height, upper part of sulcus distinct. Metascutellum coriaceous, as high as height of smooth, glabrous ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, glabrous, with dense setae; central propodeal area smooth, glabrous, without striae; lateral propodeal carinae bent outwards in posterior 1/3; lateral propodeal area smooth, glabrous, without setae. Nucha with numerous sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws simple, without basal lobe.

Forewing longer than body, hyaline, margin without cilia, veins dark brown, radial cell open, 3.0× as long as broad; R1 and Rs reaching wing margin; areolet triangular, distinct, Rs+M projection reaching basalis slightly below its mid height.

Metasoma as long as head+mesosoma, nearly as long as high in lateral view; second metasomal tergite extending to half the length of metasoma in dorsal view, with dense white setae anterolaterally; all tergites smooth, glabrous, without micropunctures. Hypopygium without micropunctures, prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 4.7× as long as broad in ventral view, narrowing towards apex, with short setae ventrally which do not extend beyond apex of spine. Body length 3.1–3.3 mm (n = 5).

Gall ( Fig. 140 ). Near-spherical ‘pip’ galls growing on one year-old acorns. Galls secrete honeydew when young and green. When mature, the galls became brown and fall from the affected acorn.

Biology. Alternating sexual and asexual generations are known. The sexual generation catkin galls develop on Q. myrtifolia and Q. laurifolia , while the asexual acorn galls have been found on Q. myrtifolia , Q. laurifolia and Q. inopina . Asexual galls develop in October - November, maturing in November. Adults overwintering in galls, emerge in February - March. Sexual generation catkin galls develop in early spring, adults emerge in late spring.

Alternating generations and the sexes of the sexual generation were matched using DNA sequences, with four individuals sequenced for cytb (asexual female— OK346270 ; sexual male— OK346273 ; two sexual females— OK346271 , OK346272 ). Sequences in this sample differed by between 0 and 1.15%.

Distribution. USA, Florida: Highlands Co. (Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid), Brevard Co. (Malabar Scrub Sanctuary and Coconut Point Sanctuary), Martin Co. (Jonathan Dickinson State Park), Sarasota Co. (Myakka River State Park).

Figures

FIGURES 114–121. Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., sexual generation. 114–116, head, female: 114, frontal view, 115, dorsal view, 116, posterior view. 117–118, head, male: 117, frontal view, 118, dorsal view. 119–120, antenna: 119, female, 120, male. 121, forewing, part, female.

FIGURES 122–127. Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., sexual generation, female: 122, mesosoma, lateral view, 123, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view, 124, mesosoma, dorsal view, 125, metascutellum and propodeum, posterodorsal view, 126, metasoma, lateral view, 127, ventral spine of hypopygium, ventral view.

FIGURES 128–134. Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., asexual generation, female: 128–131, head: 128, frontal view, 129, dorsal view, 130, posterior view, 131, lateral view. 132, antenna. 133, forewing, part. 134, mesosoma and propleura, frontal view.

FIGURES 135–138. Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., asexual generation, female:135, mesosoma, dorsal view, 136, mesosoma, lateral view, 137, mesosoma, part, lateral view, 138, 2nd metasomal tergite, part.

FIGURES 139–140. Andricus fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., galls: 139, sexual, 140, asexual acorn pip galls.