Axima sidi Arias-Penna, Pape & Krogmann, 2014

Arias-Penna, Diana Carolina, Pape, Thomas & Krogmann, Lars, 2014, Stalk-eyed wasps-review of a largely unnoticed group of morphologically bizarre chalcidoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae: Axima), Zootaxa 3866 (4), pp. 583-590 : 585-588

Axima sidi Arias-Penna, Pape & Krogmann , sp. n.

( Figs 1–7, 9 )

Type material. Holotype female: Colombia, Amazonas, PNN Amacayacu, San Martín, 3º46'S 70º18'W 150 m, sweepnet, 01–10.iii.2004, T. Pape & D. Arias leg. M.4327, IAvH-80813. The holotype is deposited in Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH), Villa de Leyva , Boyacá, Colombia.

Diagnosis. Median mesoscutal carina ( Figs 2 , 7 ) distinctly raised, laterally flanked by rows of piliferous foveae. Mesoscutellar process distinctly higher than level of mesoscutum, dorsally rounded. Metasomal terga without distinct white setation ( Figs 1 , 9 ), Mt5 bare, Mt6 with few scattered setae ( Fig. 9 ).

Description. Body color ( Figs 1–7, 9 ). Body generally brown with ventral and lateral portions of head ( Figs 5, 6 ), mesosoma ( Figs 1, 2 , 7 ) and metasoma ( Figs 1 , 9 ) yellowish-brown. Legs yellowish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Fore and hind wings hyaline except region immediately below submarginal vein very slightly infumate. Body length: 5.90 mm, head plus mesosoma: 2.35 mm.

Head ( Figs 1, 2 , 5–7 ). Head punctuate, densely covered with white setae ( Figs 5, 6 ), though less distinct, shorter and thinner, dorsally ( Fig. 7 ). Antenna 10-segmented ( Fig. 3 ). Length of antennal segments (in mm): scape: 0.45, pedicel: 0.06, F1 (anellus): 0.02, F2: 0.27, F3: 0.22, F4: 0.22, F5: 0.20, F6: 0.20, F7: 0.17, clava: 0.32. F2–F6 densely covered with long setae and shorter longitudinal sensilla ( Fig. 3 ). Longitudinal sensilla arranged in multiple irregular rows (number of rows depending on length of flagellomere). Clava ( Fig. 3 ) one-segmented, densely covered with long setae. Scrobal depression with distinct micro-reticulation.

Mesosoma ( Figs 1, 2 , 7 ). Pronotum ( Fig. 7 ) 0.47× as long as wide; with piliferous punctures except for lateral panel of pronotum. Mesoscutum with complete and distinct notauli ( Fig. 7 ); with a noticeable median mesoscutal carina ( Figs 2 , 7 ) that is laterally flanked by rows of piliferous foveae, remaining mesoscutum with piliferous punctures. Dorsal surface of axillae with piliferous punctures, posterior portion of axillae smooth with distinct patch of white setae. Axillulae smooth, dorsally defined by distinct carinae. Mesoscutellum expanded dorsally into keel-like median carina, which is continuous to the median mesoscutal carina ( Figs 2 , 7 ). Mesepisternum with distinct and broad mesofemoral depression ( Fig. 2 ), the depression delimited anteriorly by a carina that is ventrally continuous with the epicnemial carina and consisting of two rows of impressions, an anterior row of punctures and a posterior row of foveae; mesepisternum anterior to carina with few setae. Mesepimeron ( Fig. 2 ) glabrous, upper mesepimeron marked by deep impression, lower mesepimeron with weakly marked fovea. Ventral mesopleuron with piliferous foveae; mesofurcal pit large, situated anterior to mesotrochantinal plate; mesodiscriminal line present. Metanotum with metascutellar arms carinate; lateral panel of metanotum consisting of row of large fovea; metascutellum carinate, reaching anterior margin but separated from posterior margin of metanotum. Hind wing tegula present, about 1/3 length of fore wing tegula. Lateral panel of metapleuron with slightly foveolate punctures and distinct white setation. Patch of white setae present on lateral metepisternum posterior to hind wing articulation ( Fig. 2 ). Ventral metepisternum anteriorly smooth, posterior portion irregularly foveolate and greatly expanded between hind coxae. Propodeum with most piliferous punctures foveolate and much larger than on pro- and mesonotum.

Legs ( Fig. 1 ). Fore coxa with large piliferous punctures. Mid and hind coxae setose, with microreticulation.

Wings ( Fig. 1 ). Length of submarginal vein: 1.17 mm, marginal vein: 0.77 mm, postmarginal vein: 0.15 mm, stigmal vein: 0.09 mm.

Metasoma ( Figs 1 , 9 ). Length of metasomal tergites in dorsal view (in mm): Mt1 (petiole): 0.92, Mt2: 0.11, Mt3: 0.15, Mt4: 0.35, Mt5: 0.56, Mt6: 0.61, Mt7: 0.65, Mt8/9: 0.16. Petiole with indistinct, shallow reticulation; subrectangular in cross section, with four strong carinae delineating each of the dorso- and ventrolateral margins; dorsal surface with median carina along anterior ¾; lateral surface with additional complete length carina. Postpetiolar metasoma with shallow microreticulation; tergites bare except Mt6 with few isolated setae, Mt7 with patch of setae posterior to spiracles and Mt8/9 setose ( Fig. 9 ). Length of exposed part of ovipositor in dorsal view: 0.10 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Colombia: Amazonas.

Etymology. This species is named after Sid, the lazy but big-hearted ground sloth that features in the computer-animated comedy adventure series Ice Age. The name is based on facial resemblance between these two, which is mainly caused by shared bulbous eyes, and the characteristic anteroventral orientation of accompanying structures (hairs in the ground sloth/cuticular frontal projections in the new species).

Host. Unknown.

Comment. No anellus was described in the two other known species of the A. noyesi species group. The anellus is present in A. noyesi and can even be traced in the original drawing of the holotype ( Subba Rao 1978, figs 17, 18). A re-examination of the slide-mounted antenna of the holotype of A. diabolus revealed the presence of a minute, almost linear anellus (Gibson, pers. comm.).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Axima sidi Arias-Penna, Pape & Krogmann, sp. n. 1, habitus; 2, head and mesosoma, lateral view; 3 and 4, antenna, lateral view. Scale bars: 1, 1 mm; 2 and 3, 500 µm; 4, 100 µm. Abbreviations: cl = clava, F = flagellomere, msc = mesoscutal carina, ped = pedicel, ssc = mesoscutellar carina.

FIGURES 5, 6. Head. Axima sidi Arias-Penna, Pape & Krogmann, sp. n. 5, frontolateral view; 6, frontal view. Scale bars: 500 µm. Abbreviation: fp = frontal projection.

FIGURES 7–10. Axima species. 7 and 9, Axima sidi Arias-Penna, Pape & Krogmann, sp. n. 7, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 9, metasoma, lateral view. 8 and 10, Axima noyesi Subba Rao (photos courtesy of N. Dale-Skey, NHM). 8, head and mesosoma dorsal view; 10, metasoma lateral view. Scale bars: 500 µm. Abbreviations: msc = mesoscutal carina, Mt = metasomal tergite, pi = pronotal invagination.