Synergus elegans Nieves-Aldrey & Medianero

Nieves-Aldrey, Jose Luis & Medianero, Enrique, 2011, Taxonomy of inquilines of oak gall wasps of Panama, with description of eight new species of Synergus Hartig (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Synergini), Zootaxa 2774, pp. 1-47 : 4-6

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.276876
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6189352
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A487F3-FFF1-C60E-FF2A-63A3FE40E947
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Synergus elegans Nieves-Aldrey & Medianero
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Synergus elegans Nieves-Aldrey & Medianero sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, 3B, 5J, 6B, 8A,10F, 13A, 15A, 16A, 17B, 18A–B)

Type material. Holotype ̩ ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 A) (in Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain ( MNCN), cardmounted. Cat. nº 2095). PANAMA, Chiriquí, Boquete, El Salto, 8º 47' 32.08” N, 82º 27' 37.09” W, 1,431 m; ex gall Amphibolips castroviejoi Medianero & Nieves-Aldrey, 2010 on twigs of Quercus salicifolia Née (Fagaceae) , gall collected 07.v.2008, E. Medianero leg. Paratypes: 33, 7̩, same data as holotype; 13, 1̩, same data as holotype, except for being collected at the road to Volcancito, 1,404 m, 31.i.2008. Ten paratypes in the MNCN, one male and one female paratype in Maestría en Entomología, Universidad de Panamá ( MEUP). 1̩ paratype of the type series was dissected for SEM observation (in the MNCN).

Additional non-type material: 43, 8̩, ex gall Amphibolips aliciae Medianero & Nieves-Aldrey, 2010 on Q. salicifolia, Boquete , road to Volcancito, 25.i.2009; 1̩, same data, collected 12.i.2008. 13,7̩, ex gall Amphibolips salicifoliae Medianero & Nieves-Aldrey, 2010 on Q. salicifolia, Volcan Baru , 2,070 m, 28.i.2009; ex gall Cynips sp., on Q. bumelioides, Volcán Barú , 3,079 m, 23.x.2008. 23, 4̩, ex gall unidentified genus on Q. bumelioides, Volcán Barú , 3,079 m, 23.x.2008. 23, 4̩, ex gall Disholcaspis sp. on Q. lancifolia, Renacimiento , 1,270 m, 22.i.2009. 5̩, ex gall unidentified genus on Q. bumelioides, Volcán Barú , 1,800–2,000 m, 23.x.2008. 33,4̩, ex gall Disholcaspis sp., Volcán Barú, 1,800–2,000 m, 30.i.2008. 13, 4̩, ex gall of an unidentified genus on Q. lancifolia, Boquete, Palmira , 19.vii.2008.

Etymology. Named after the elegant, polished aspect of this wasp.

Diagnosis and comments. Together with Synergus laticephalus sp. n., S. elegans forms a distinctive group that is readily distinguished from the remaining Synergus species from Panama. Their main distinguishing morphological features are as follows: head transverse-trapezoid, frontal carinae absent, horizontal sculpture of the mesopleuron not extended into the speculum, scutellum margined laterally and posterodorsally, coriarious sculpture on the mesoscutum, notauli narrow and widely separated posteriorly, scutellar foveae quadrangular and shallow; basal tooth of the metatarsal claws short, radial cell short and wide, ambiguously closed, and apical setae of the hypopigial spine extending far beyond the apex. Of the known Nearctic species, S. elegans resembles S. castanopsidis (Beutenmüller) in some characters, such as the smaller extension of the horizontal sculpture of mesopleuron ( Pujade-Villar & Melika 2005), but differs in many other characters, such as the total absence of frontal carinae and the radial cell being ambiguously closed. We have also seen undescribed materials from Mexico belonging to this distinctive group.

Synergus elegans is a species that is common, highly generalist with regard to host gall preferences, and displays a high degree of morphological variability. Variation is related to its coloration, the visibility of the median mesoscutal impression, the ratio of F1/F2, and characters of the forewing venation. It remains possible that more than one cryptic species could be involved under the name S. elegans as here defined.

Description. Body length (measured from the anterior margin of the head to the posterior margin of the metasoma) 1.96 mm (range 1.66–2.22; N = 9) for females; 1.76 mm (range 1.34–1.90; N = 4) for males. Head predominantly yellowish or orange, frons and vertex medially, the entire occiput, clypeus medially and teeth of mandibles black; lateral areas of face and genae yellow-red. Mesosoma and metasoma of female shining black, except for a rufous coloration on the lateral and basal areas of the metasoma; tegulae yellow. Antenna and legs entirely yellowish, excepting metacoxae with brownish or blackish coloration more or less extended. Forewing hyaline, with yellow pale veins. Male with similar coloration to female but black coloration on face extended only on the ocelar triangle, and is also less extended on the metacoxae.

Female. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 B) 2.1 times wider than long. Gena not expanded behind compound eye. POL 1.5 times longer than OOL, posterior ocellus separated from inner orbit of eye by about 2 times its diameter. Head in anterior view ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A) wide, trapezoid, 1.4 times wider than high, genae straight, not expanded. Face weakly pubescent. Face with marked, regular, irradiating carinae from clypeus, reaching ventral margin of eye and ventral margin of toruli; the carinae are present laterally but lacking dorsomedially on the face. Clypeus indistinct, ventral margin straight, slightly sinuate, not projecting over mandibles ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A). Anterior tentorial pits visible; epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal lines indistinct. Malar space 0.6 times height of compound eye. Toruli situated mid-height of compound eye; distance between antennal rim and compound eye 1.1 times width of antennal socket including rim. Frons delicately coriarious, not punctuate, without visible frontal carinae ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, 3B). Vertex and occiput, dorsally and laterally coriarious, without rugae or punctures. Gula relatively long; distance between occipital foramen and oral foramen slightly longer than the height of the occipital foramen. Hypostomal sulci meeting at dorsal part of gula, close to the occipital foramen.

Mouthparts ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A). Mandibles strong, exposed; right mandible with three teeth; left with two teeth. Cardo of maxilla visible, maxillary stipes about 1.5 times longer than wide. Maxillary palp five-segmented. Labial palp three-segmented.

Antenna with 14 segments ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 J); flagellum not broadening towards apex; with relatively long, erect setae and placodeal sensilla visible on flagellar segments F6–F12. Relative lengths of antennal segments: 26:17.5:33.5:26:25:23:20.5:18:16:15.5:15:15:14:23; Pedicel 1.7 as long as wide; F1 1.3 times as long as F2. Ultimate flagellomere 2.5 times longer than wide, 1.6 times as long as F11. Placodeal sensillae on F8–F11 disposed in one single row of 2–4 visible sensillae in each flagellomere.

Mesosoma. Pronotum with sparse short pubescence. Ratio of length of pronotum medially/laterally = 0.25. Pronotal plate ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A) indistinct dorsally; lateral margins of pronotum rounded, without a lateral pronotal carina. Lateral surface of pronotum with coriarious sculpture. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A) with weak alutaceous-imbricate sculpture. Notauli shallowly impressed and narrow, posteriorly not wider than transscutal fissure; faint in anterior one third, not strongly converging posteriorly, widely separated at meeting with the trasscutal fissure. Median mesoscutal impression very faint or completely absent, sometimes indicated as a shallow median depression. Anteroadmedian signa virtually invisible. Scutellar foveae superficial, shallowly impressed, the shape is more or less quadrangular, their anterior margins straight and laterally forming and angle about 90° contra the transscutal fissure; posterior margins indistinct. Scutellum with alutaceous-imbricate sculpture; dorsal surface with a distinct sharp margin posteriorly and posterolaterally ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A, 10F). Mesopleuron ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 F) with longitudinal, regular striae relatively weak, the interspaces smooth, the sculpture not extended into the speculum ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 F).

Metapectal-propodeal complex. Metapleural sulcus meeting posterior margin of mesopectus at about 2/3 of height of metapectal-propodeal complex. Lateral propodeal carinae distinct, broad, subparallel. Median propodeal areas smooth and pubescent. Nucha dorsally sulcate.

Legs. Tarsal claw ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 A) with base produced into a secondary acute tooth relatively short, measuring less than 1/2 of length of apical tooth.

Forewing ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 B). Slightly longer than body. Radial cell 2.4 times longer than wide. R1 depigmented along marginal cell, the radial cell appearing ambiguously closed ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 B); areolet indistinct; vein Rs+M invisible. Basal cell with dense, closely spaced setae. Apical margin of wing with a moderately long fringe of setae.

Metasoma ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 A). As long as head plus mesosoma. First metasomal tergum longitudinally sulcate dorsally and laterally. Metasomal tergum T2+3 fused, smooth and shining, without micropunctures, covering almost the entire metasoma; anteromedian area only with a row of 5-7 setae. Projecting part of hypopygial spine clearly extended beyond attachment of lateral flap ( Fig. 15 View FIGURE 15 A); lateral setae of hypopigial spine long and sparse spaced; apical setae projected beyond apex spine.

Male ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 B). Similar to female except as follows: Antenna 15-segmented; F1 weakly curvate and excavate medially, slightly expanded apically ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 B). Placodeal sensillae present on flagellomeres 2-13, arranged in one row of 2-5 sensillae. Relative length of antennomeres: 25:20:36:27:25:24:21:20:20:19:17:17:16:16:22.

Distribution. Chiriquí region of Panama, near Costa Rica, from an altitude of 1,200 m near Boquete to 3,000 m in Volcan Barú.

Biology. This new species is a generalist inquiline attacking a wide array of cynipid galls from different genera. Our data indicated that it is very common in galls of the three Panamanian species of Amphibolips , and it is also a frequent inquiline in galls of species of Disholcaspis , Cynips and other Panamanian cynipid genera. The host galls are detachable. The host plants of the Quercus section attacked by the host gall inductor belong to both the Quercus and Lobata sections.