Cheiloneurus meryae, Noyes, 2023

Noyes, John Stuart, 2023, ENCYRTIDAE OF COSTA RICA (HYMENOPTERA: CHALCIDOIDEA), 4 Subfamily Encyrtinae: tribes Arrhenophagini, Habrolepidini, Cerapterocerini, Cheiloneurini, Trechnitini, Cercobelini, Polaszekiini, Protyndarichoidini, Gahaniellini and Syrphophagini (part), mainly primary parasitoids and hyperparasitoids of Coccoidea and Psylloidea (Hemiptera), Taxonomic Monographs on Neotropical Hymenoptera (Oxford, England) 2 (11), pp. 1-921 : 389-391

Cheiloneurus meryae sp.nov.

(Figs 992-997; Hab. E 146)

DIAGNOSIS. Female (length about 1.4-2.0mm): body mostly orange with a very weak to metallic sheen, temple and gena with an elongate dark brown stripe, another between eye and scrobe, darker areas with a stronger metallic sheen; antenna (Fig. 990) with scape pale orange; pedicel pale orange; funicle proximally brown, distally white; clava dark brown; posterior half of mesoscutum with moderately dense silvery setae; fore and hind coxae white, mid coxa orange; legs otherwise white to pale orange, hind tibia mostly dark brown; fore wing (Fig. 997) mostly infuscate with basal cell mostly hyaline, a small hyaline area at apex of venation; head (Fig. 996) about 5.0-6.5X as wide as frontovertex, in facial view clearly longer than broad, genae converging, straight but curved inwards near mouth; frontovertex with about eight inconspicuous setae medially between anterior ocellus and scrobes; eye separated from scrobe by about 2.5X diameter of anterior ocellus, area between eye and scrobe with distinct sculpture; scrobes shallow, sharply margined; interantennal prominence with about 15 inconspicuous setae and dorsally rounded; mandible tridentate; antenna (Fig. 995) with scape about 6.3X as long as broad; funicle segments proximally clearly longer than broad, distal segments subquadrate; linear sensilla on F3-F6, sometimes absent from F3; clava 3-segmented, about as long as F4-F6 combined; sensory area enlarged, extending ventrally about 0.4X length of clava, apex obliquely truncate; head width hardly greater than funicle length; mesoscutum (Fig. 994) with polygonally reticulate sculpture, a little more longitudinally elongate laterally; scutellum with a distinct, apical tuft of setae; wings fully developed, fore wing (Fig. 997) about 3.1X as long as broad; parastigma strongly downcurved; costal cell dorsally naked, ventrally with an incomplete line of setae in basal half or so; area below proximal part of parastigma with a group of about 18 setae; apices of postmarginal and stigmal veins connected by a naked hyaline area that continues a little way into disc (Fig. 992); apical bristle of postmarginal vein nearly 0.5X as long as marginal vein; mid tibial spur about as long as basitarsus; propodeum (Fig. 994) with about three or eight silvery setae adjacent to spiracle, side naked; syntergum about 0.8X as long as mid tibia with apex acute; ovipositor (Fig. 993) about 3.7X gonostylus or about 1.2X as long as mid tibia; gonostylus about as long as mid tibial spur; exserted part of ovipositor about 0.5X as long as mid tibial spur. Male: unknown.

Female (holotype): length, including ovipositor, 1.65mm; excluding ovipositor, 1.56mm ( CPD) .

Head generally pale orange; a diffuse brown streak from lowest part of eye towards torulus, but not reaching scrobe, another from top of temple to base of mandible; orange areas with a weak brassy sheen, brown areas with a distinct purple and brassy sheen; frontovertex with inconspicuous pale brown setae along inner eye margins; two lines of similar setae below eye; interantennal prominence clothed with sparse, similar setae; maxillary palpus pale orange, terminal segment largely dark brown; antenna (Fig. 995) with radicle and scape pale orange; pedicel pale orange, faintly dusky internally; F1-F2 brown, F3 orange-brown, F4-F6 white, F4 slightly dusky proximally, clava dark brown; pronotum orange with faint blue and purple reflections; prosternum orange, brown anterior to coxa; mesoscutum orange, anterior half clothed in relatively sparse dark brown setae, posterior half and side clothed in slightly more dense, translucent, silvery setae mixed with a few dark brown setae; tegula orange, apex slightly dusky orange; axilla pale orange with a few brassy reflections; scutellum pale orange in anterior 0.6X and orange apically, with a few brassy reflections, clothed with golden brown and dark brown setae, subapical tuft black; metanotum orange; mesopleuron orange with a weak brassy lustre, apical one-third pale brown with a weak purple sheen; fore coxa white; base of fore femur white, rest of leg pale orange; mid coxa largely orange, but brown ventrally; mid femur mostly white, apex orange, orange-brown dorsally at apex, mid tibia orange with dorsal margin pale brown along half of its length, spur and tarsus pale orange; hind coxa white; hind femur orange, extreme base white, apex brown, tibia white at extreme base, otherwise dark brown fading to pale orange distally, tarsus pale orange; fore wing (Fig. 997) mostly infuscate but hyaline towards base, submarginal vein pale orange, rest of venation pale brown; propodeum orange with a weak brassy and purple sheen, a tight group of 7 or 8 conspicuous silvery setae anterolateral to spiracle; gaster pale orange with a moderate brassy sheen, proximal tergites slightly dusky with a weak coppery or purple sheen, Gt1 with a weak, metallic blue sheen; gonostylus pale orange.

Head (Fig. 996) about 6.4X as wide as frontovertex, in profile about 1.9X as high as deep, anteriorly evenly rounded with interantennal prominence clearly protuberant; occipital margin sharp, not carinate; ocelli forming an angle of about 40°; frontovertex quite shiny, with conspicuous, coarse, polygonally reticulate sculpture of mesh size hardly smaller than diameter of facet; narrowest point between eye and scrobe about 2.5X diameter of anterior ocellus and with similar, slightly coarser sculpture; temple with shallow, irregular, elongate, sculpture; gena with slightly deeper more regular, polygonally reticulate sculpture; scrobes deep, very broadly ∩-shaped, meeting, sharply margined dorsally and laterally, carinate laterally; interantennal prominence dorsally rounded and with relatively shallow, polygonally reticulate sculpture; antenna as in Fig. 995; scape subcylindrical, about 6.3X as long as broad; F1-F2 clearly longer than broad, F3-F6 subquadrate, segments larger and broader distad; clava hardly broadened, about as long as F4-F6 combined, sutures oblique, sensory area enlarged, extending ventrally about 0.4X length of clava, apex obliquely truncate; eye not reaching occipital margin, separated by about diameter of facet, clothed in moderately conspicuous, setae, each generally a little shorter than diameter of facet; inner eye margins converging slightly in front of anterior ocellus, but clearly diverging above top of scrobes; malar sulcus present, but weak; clypeal margin concave medially; mandible with three acute teeth; apical segment of maxillary palpus slightly enlarged, nearly 3X as long as radicle. Relative measurements: HW 64, HH 76, FV 10, POL 4.5, OOL 0.5, OCL 9.5, AOL 9, EL 53, EW 35, MS 26, SL 41, SW 6.5.

Thorax (Fig. 994) with pronotum moderately long, exposed behind head, about as long as mesoscutum, pronotum with polygonally reticulate sculpture that is very slightly shallower than that on frontovertex; mesoscutum with sculpture similar to frontovertex, slightly deeper anteriorly and slightly longitudinally elongate laterally; axilla and scutellum with similar sculpture to mesoscutum, perhaps a little shallower and more transverse on axilla; visible part of mesoscutum about 2.3X as broad as long; scutellum about 1.1X as long as broad, with a distinct subapical tuft, setae about 0.6X as long as scutellum; mid tibia without a distinct external carina; hind femur about 6.3X as long as broad; fore wing with venation and setation as in Figs 992, 997; costal cell naked dorsally at apex; apices of postmarginal and stigmal veins connected by a naked, hyaline streak (Fig. 992); propodeum (Fig. 994) medially about 0.26X as long as scutellum and virtually smooth. Relative measurements: FWL 64.5, FWW 20.5; HWL 57, HWW 11.5.

Gaster with hypopygium reaching about 0.3X to apex; syntergum about 0.8X as long as mid tibia, with apex acute; ovipositor slightly exserted, the exserted part about 0.5X length of mid tibial spur or about 0.13X mid tibia.

Paratype. Funicle with linear sensilla present only on F3-F6 or F4-F6; gaster without “gland-like” structures on Gt1 or Gt5; ovipositor Fig. 993. Relative measurements: OL 55, GL 15 [MT 45.5].

Variation. Females vary in overall length from 1.42-1.97mm, the head varies from 5.0-6.5X as wide as FV, the inner eye margins may not converge and there may be only 3 or 4 setae anterolateral to propodeal spiracle.

Male. Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica.

HOSTS. Unknown.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.

Type material. Holotype E: COSTA RICA, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, 3km SW Rincon, 10m, i.1992 (P. Hanson). Paratypes: COSTA RICA, 1E, Alajuela, Peñas Blancas, 700m, 1 o rainforest, x.1987 (E. Cruz); 1E, Alajuela, San Cristobal, LN 318056 383200, 600-620m, #51900, 17.vi-18.vii.1996 (D. Briceño); 2E, PN Arenal, Sendero Pilón, LN 269100 457900, 600m, #55839, 23-30.xi.1999 (G. Carballo); 1E, Alajuela, RF Arenal, Stor Colada, LN 269900 456750, 600m, #56607, v-vi.2000 (G. Carballo); 1E, Alajuela, PN Arenal, La Catarata, LN 268500 462500, 500m, #62077, 15.iii-24.iv.2001 (G. Carballo); 2E, Heredia, La Selva BS, 50m, MT/YPT, 22.i-3.ii.1991 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Heredia, La Selva Biol. Sta., 3km S Pto. Viejo, 10°26’N 84°01’W, MT, 11.iv.1993 and vii.1995 (P. Hanson); 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 7-20.ii.1994 (V. Behau-Pelletier); 1E, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 10°25’N 84°01’W, iv.1994 (INBio-OET); 1E, San José, San Pedro, Tigra Cacao, ii-iv.1990 (P. Hanson); 1E, San José, Cerro de la Muerte, “paramo”, 30.viii.1986 (L. Masner); 1E, Cartago, Turrialba, PN Barbilla, 3km SE Estación, LN 217200 598500, 500-600m, #58441, 19.viii-20.ix.2000 (E. Rojas); 1E, Cartago, PN Tapanti-Macizo, Send. Arboles Caidos, LN 561400 192500, 1500m, #61077, ix-x.2000 ( D. Rubí ); 1E, Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen, LN 205600 420300, 300- 400m, #75746, 22.vi-7.x.2003 (W. Porras): 6E, Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen, 9°52’N 85°03’W, 305m, 23-24.ii.2013 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen, 9°52’N 85°03’W, 305m, 19-20.ii.2016 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Puntarenas, Reserva Absoluta Cabo Blanco, 9°35’N 85°06’W, 30m, 16-17. ii.2009 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio NP, iii.1986 (L. Masner); 1E, Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio, 26.vii.1986 (L. Masner); 1E, Puntarenas, San Vito, Las Cruces, Wilson Bot. Gdns, 1300m, 8°46’N 82°57’W, 30.ii.2015 (J.S. Noyes); 3E, Puntarenas, 10km W Golfo Dulce, xii.1989 - iii.1990 (Hanson, Gauld); 1E, Puntarenas, Golfo Dulce, 10km W Pan-Amer Hwy., 100m, vi-vii.1989 (P. Hanson); 10E, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, 24km W Piedras Blancas, 8°46’N 83°24’W, 200m, various dates iii.1989 - v.1992 (P. Hanson, I.D. Gauld); 1E, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, 5km W Piedras Blancas, 8°46’N 83°17’W, iv-v.1991 (P. Hanson, C. Godoy); 1E, Puntarenas, PN Piedras Blancas, Alrededor de Estac El Bonito, LS 259300 540900, 100m, #72910, 17.i.2003 (J. Azofeifa); 1E, Puntarenas, Pen. Osa , 8km S R. Rincon, Coopermarti, x.1990 (A. Retama); 9E, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, 3km SW Rincon, 10m, various dates iii.1989 - iv.1992 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, Pen. Osa , 23km N Puerto Jimenez, La Palma, x-xi.1990 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, Pen. Osa , 5km N Puerto Jimenez, 8°33’N 83°21’W, vi.1992 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, A.C. Osa, Rancho Quemado, LS 292500 511000, 4-25.v.1994 ( A. María ); 4E, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, Est. Agujas, LS 526550 276750, 300m, 15.vi-15.vii.2000, 13.i-15.ii.2001, 10.iv-10.v.2001 and vii.2000 (J. Azofeifa); 1E, Puntarenas, PN Corcovado, Los Patos, 8°33’N 83°30’W, 200m, ii.2000 (J.S. Noyes, J. Azofeifa); 1E, PN Corcovado, Los Patos/Sirena, LS 514200 276500, 100m, #64143, 5.v-8.vi.2001 (J.Azofeifa); 1E, Puntarenas, Est. Sirena, Sendero Ollas, LS 270500 508300, 20.iii-20.iv.1991 (J.C. Saborio, G. Fonseca); 1E, Puntarenas, Est. Sirena, Sendero Espaveles, LS 331700 572100, 0-10m, iv.1995 (B. Gamboa, A. Picado); 1E, Limón, Puerto Viejo, 3km E Hotel Punta Cocles, 27.ii.1991 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Limón, AC Amistad, Hitoy-Cerere, LN 184600 643400, 150m, 25.viii-5.x.1993 (G. Carballo); 1E, Limón, Cerro Cocori, Finca E. Roja, LN 286000 567500, 150m, iv-vi.1996 (E. Rojas). Holotype in MZUCR, paratypes in NHMUK, MZUCR, CNC and USNM.

COMMENTS. See comments under dymorus (p. 386).

The species is named in honour of Sra Mery Berrocal, a friend and one the hosts at Cerro Escondido, Reserva Privada Karen Mogensen where much of the type material was collected.