Khamul, Gates, 2008

Gates, M. W., 2008, Description of Khamul, gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eurytomidae), with a hypothesis of its phylogenetic placement, Zootaxa 1898 (1), pp. 1-33 : 25-26

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1898.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039B2A63-FFA5-FFBC-1DA3-A39FC3892776
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Khamul
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Khamul n. gen.

Type species: Khamul erwini Gates , by present designation.

Etymology: Named for the only Nazgl specifically named by J. R. R. Tolkein, Khaml, the Shadow of the East (aka Black Easterling) ( Tolkein 1980). Gender masculine.

Diagnosis: Four apomorphies support the monophyly of Khamul as defined herein: flagellomeres cylindrical and tightly appressed, parallel-sided, with decumbent setation (female only; Figs. 6, 7 View FIGURES 2–9 ), apex of clava with elongate sensillar region ( Figs. 18 View FIGURES 18–25 , 45 View FIGURES 44–51 ); deep notauli ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 18–25 ); reticulate scutellar boss present ( Figs. 22 View FIGURES 18–25 , 26 View FIGURES 26–33 ). These are also shared with a taxon ( Eurytoma San Alberto) coded by Lotfalizadeh et al. (2007). Globally, all but one of these characters is homoplastic (i.e., scutellar boss), a common occurrence in Eurytominae due to its mosaic evolutionary trends ( Lotfalizadeh et al. 2007). The aforementioned characters may be used in combination with the following as a suite of characters for identifying Khamul : clypeus produced ventrally with apex broadly notched ( Fig. 15 View FIGURES 10–17 ), prepectus ~3/4 size of tegula ( Figs. 36, 37 View FIGURES 36–43 ), preorbital carinae continuous across vertex posterad anterior ocellus, pedicel roughly wedgelike in lateral view ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 10–17 ) (also seen in Eurytoma San Alberto ( Lotfalizadeh et al. 2007)), and infuscate wing ( Figs. 33 View FIGURES 26–33 , 55, 57 View FIGURES 52–59 ). Khamul may be confused with the Philolema genus group ( Lotfalizadeh et al. 2007) with which it shares a depressed postgena at the oral fossa ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 36–43 ), the postgenal lamella (PGL) smoothly joining the posterior margin of the gena ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 36–43 ), and the supraclypeal area bound by two submedian carinae ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 36–43 ), but it can be reliably separated by the aforementioned diagnostics. It may also be confused with Aximopsis s.l. given that Aximopsis s.l. shares many characters with Philolema s.l. ( Lotfalizadeh et al. 2007): deep sublateral prepectal pit ( Fig. 68 View FIGURES 68–75 ), mesopleuron with a long sloping ventral shelf (horizontal in Aximopsis s.l.) ( Fig. 80 View FIGURES 76–81 ), ventral shelf medially projecting ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–25 ), subalar pit deep ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 36–43 ), procoxa with oblique carina delimiting basal reticulate depression (receives venter of head) ( Figs. 40 View FIGURES 36–43 , 47 View FIGURES 44–51 ), and lateral and anteroapical surface umbilicate punctate. Khamul possesses a small sublateral prepectal pit, but it is usually not visible in lateral view due to the closely approximated pronotum and mesopleuron. This close approximation is typically not observed in other taxa sharing the pit (e.g., Philolema s.l., Axima , Chryseida , Aximopsis s.l.) because the prepectus is longer. The other characters seen in Philolema s.l. (ITS not dorsally produced and flat LFP, both homoplastic; see character descriptions), more useful for separating it from Aximopsis s.l., are absent in Khamul . Khamul has the ITS not produced, the LFP convex, and a simple change of sculpture and a slight angulation along the track on which the procoxal carina occurs in Philolema s.l., Axima , Chryseida , and Aximopsis s.l.

In the key to eurytomid genera of Burks (1971), Khamul runs to couplet 25 whereupon it splits the diagnostic characters. In the first half of the couplet, Khamul possesses a reduced prepectus, smaller than the tegula, and has the epicnemium impressed to receive the procoxae; however, the antennae are sexually dimorphic and have only 10 segments in the female (if the fused clava is counted as one, 12 if not) and 11 in the male. Proceeding through the second half of the couplet, ignoring the prepectal character, couplet 43 is ultimately reached where Bephratelloides and the Eurytoma complex key. Khamul has six funiculars, a solid clava, and infuscate fore wing much like Bephratelloides , but differs in that Khamul has a smaller prepectus, black coloration, preorbital carina, scutellar boss, and cylindrical antenna. Bephratelloides has a large, triangular prepectus, largely golden/orange coloration, no preorbital carina or scutellar boss, and non-cylindrical antenna.

Description. Female. Length 3.3–5.3 mm. Head, body, and coxae black, non-metallic. Scape black; pedicel mostly black, especially basally, often dark brown apically; flagellum dark brown to blackish. Tegula pale brown or black. Pronotum brown on anterolateral panel. Legs and pretarsus brown, except extreme apices of femora, tibiae, and tarsomeres whitish, generally darker basally and lightening apically ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). Sculpture generally umbilicate with interstices alveolate ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 22 View FIGURES 18–25 , 26 View FIGURES 26–33 , 37 View FIGURES 36–43 ).

Head ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 15, 16 View FIGURES 10–17 , 19, 20 View FIGURES 18–25 , 38, 39, 41, 43 View FIGURES 36–43 , 44, 48 View FIGURES 44–51 , 54 View FIGURES 52–59 , 60 View FIGURES 60–63 , 65). Umbilicately punctate dorsally, laterally, and anteriorly, 1.40–1.43X as broad as high. Lower tentorial pits small; two submedian carinae extending ventrally from toruli and connecting with smooth supraclypeal area ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 36–43 ); genal carina present, eye 1.8–3.4X as high as malar space ( Figs. 38 View FIGURES 36–43 , 54 View FIGURES 52–59 ); scrobal depression carinate laterally, carina usually distinct dorsally ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 36–43 ), depression minutely elevated medially in dorsal half ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 36–43 ); mandible with lower and middle teeth acute, upper tooth rounded; clypeus produced ventrally, apical margin broadly emarginate ( Figs. 15, 16 View FIGURES 10–17 ); preorbital carinae present, extending medially between anterior and lateral ocellus to meet posterad anterior ocellus ( Figs. 38 View FIGURES 36–43 , 65). Posterior surface of head with postgenal lamina, postgenal grooves evidently ridged, divergent ventrally, extending beyond upper margin of hypostomal bridge; dorsal margin of lateral foraminal plate visible, convex; postgenal sulci vestigial; postgenal depression present ventrally between hypostomal fossa and genal carina; postgenal bridge ornamented with digitiform expansions ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 44–51 ). Antenna ( Figs. 6, 7 View FIGURES 2–9 ). Scape reaching dorsal margin of anterior ocellus. Pedicel wedge-shaped in lateral view, with strong basal bottle-neck, narrowed ventrally; anellus very thin, closely appressed to F1 ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 10–17 ); F1–6 cylindrical, tightly appressed, parallel-sided, each F with multiple rows of multiporous plate sensilla and dense, decumbent setation; claval segments fused, apex with elongate sensillar area ( Figs. 18 View FIGURES 18–25 , 45 View FIGURES 44–51 ).

Mesosoma ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 22, 23 View FIGURES 18–25 , 26 View FIGURES 26–33 , 36, 37 View FIGURES 36–43 , 46 View FIGURES 44–51 , 56 View FIGURES 52–59 , 66, 67). Pronotum 1.74–2.0X as broad as long. Mesoscutal midlobe 0.75–1.27X as broad as long; notauli complete, narrow and deep ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 18–25 ) (except not deeply impressed in K. lanceolatus ). Lateral lobe of mesoscutum finely reticulate in anterior half, separated by steplike ridge from umbilicately punctate posterior half ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 36–43 ). Scutellum 0.67–0.72X as broad as long at its widest; broadly convex dorsally, with scutellar boss dorsomedially ( Figs. 22 View FIGURES 18–25 , 66). Dorsellum glabrous except for anterolateral row of setae ( Figs. 3, 4 View FIGURES 2–9 , 56 View FIGURES 52–59 ). Lateral panel of propodeum and callus umbilicately punctate, separated from median area by carinae ( Fig. 3, 4 View FIGURES 2–9 , 46 View FIGURES 44–51 ), carinae bordered medially by row of umbilicate punctae, median channel formed by irregular foveae bordered by smaller, shallower punctae ( Fig. 3, 4 View FIGURES 2–9 , 46 View FIGURES 44–51 ), propodeal angle relative to longitudinal axis mesosoma>90 but <130; lateral prepectus triangular, broadly rounded apically, smooth; sublateral prepectal concavity present, obscured by appressed mesopleuron and pronotum; ventral prepectus with median flange ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 52–59 ), depressed along posterior margin ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–25 ); epicnemium flattened, with superficial submedial, shallow depressions to receive procoxae ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–25 ), discrimen visible as anteromedial ovate depression, in anteroventral view with ventral shelf bearing a projection inserted between apices of procoxae ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–25 ); mesopleural shelf horizontal. Procoxa slightly depressed anteriorly, anterobasally and posteriorly reticulate ( Figs. 40 View FIGURES 36–43 , 47 View FIGURES 44–51 ), anteroventrally and laterally umbilicately punctate ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 44–51 ). Mesocoxa glabrate to finely reticulate; mesocoxal foramina narrowly open posteriorly ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–25 ). Forewing ( Figs. 33 View FIGURES 26–33 , 53, 55 View FIGURES 52–59 ) usually infuscate at least along anterior margin ( Figs. 33 View FIGURES 26–33 , 55, 57 View FIGURES 52–59 ), venation brown, setae on disk dark, absent in basal 1/3 except for basal setal line and cubital setal line, basal cell with 2–3 setae near apex ( Figs. 30, 31, 33 View FIGURES 26–33 ); postmarginal vein ranging from 1.4–2.7X length marginal vein and stigmal 0.70–2.4X length of marginal vein.

Metasoma ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 42 View FIGURES 36–43 ). Petiole 3.0–4.0X as broad as long in dorsal view, some fine sculpturing laterally and ventrally, glabrous; anterior transverse carina protruberant laterally, paired submedian carinae ventrally define triangular fovea (except see K. lanceolatus description) ( Figs. 49 View FIGURES 44–51 , 59 View FIGURES 52–59 ). Gaster ovate in lateral view, slightly acuminate posteriorly; all terga with some effaced reticulation, increasingly defined posteriorly, asetose along midline; Gt1 with paired depressions dorsad petiole, line of three+ setae dorsolaterally in posterior half ( Figs. 42 View FIGURES 36–43 , 49 View FIGURES 44–51 ); Gt3–4 setose dorsolaterally in posterior half; Gt5 nearly entirely setose; syntergum completely setose.

Male. Similar to female in coloration and structure except as follows: five funicular segments and a twosegmented clava ( Figs. 50 View FIGURES 44–51 , 61 View FIGURES 60–63 ); funiculars pedicellate with whorls of setae on dorsal surface basally and apically, except F5 with strong basal whorl only; and apex of each funicular body angled ( Figs. 63 View FIGURES 60–63 , 69 View FIGURES 68–75 ). Petiole roughly as broad as long in dorsal view, with anterodorsal margin carinate ( Fig. 53 View FIGURES 52–59 ) dorsolateral margin finely carinate.