Cheiloneurus epytus (Walker) 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 : 222-223

Cheiloneurus epytus (Walker) comb.nov.

( Figs 540-546; Hab. E 84)

Encyrtus epytus Walker, 1839:69 . Lectotype E (designated by Noyes, 1980:235), Brazil ( Bahia ), NHMUK, examined.

Aphidencyrtus epytus (Walker) ; Ashmead, 1904:497.

Zaomma epytus (Walker) ; Noyes, 1980:235.

DIAGNOSIS. Female (overall length about 0.7-1.0mm): head generally metallic green and coppery; maxillary palpi white; scape dark brown in proximal 0.8X, apex pale yellow; pedicel mainly dark brown, apex very pale orange; flagellum slightly dusky, very pale orange, clava with distal segments slightly more dusky; mesoscutum dark brown with a weak metallic lustre, setae brown; scutellum dark brown, matt; fore coxa brown; legs mostly white with some dark brown areas on all femora and tibiae; hind femur almost completely dark brown; fore wing hyaline ( Fig. 542); tangent of frontovertex forming an angle of about 105° with that of face; head ( Fig. 546) about 2.4-2.9X as wide as frontovertex; malar sulcus present, but very indistinct; antenna ( Fig. 540) with scape about 3.5X as long as broad; pedicel slightly longer than F1; all funicle segments more or less quadrate; linear sensilla on all funicle segments; clava about as long as F3-F6 combined, apex rounded; mandible with 1 acute tooth and a broad, upper truncation; mesoscutum ( Fig. 544) with fine, longitudinally elongate, striate sculpture, some elongate, polygonally reticulate sculpture medially and less elongate reticulate sculpture near posterior margin; scutellum with similar sculpture and a few cells adjacent to axillae and in middle; scutellum without a tuft of setae medially, with only 4 or 5 pairs of setae, apical pair long; fore wing ( Figs 542, 543) about 2.2-2.3X as long as broad; parastigma slightly swollen, not downcurved; stigmal vein ( Fig. 543) with 3 campaniform sensilla at apex; gaster ( Fig. 541) with “glands” on Gt1 and Gt5, those on Gt1 nearly touching, almost continuous, those on Gt5 separated by less than 0.2X their own lengths; syntergum slightly broader than long; hypopygium Fig. 545; ovipositor about 1.7X as long as mid tibia or 4.4X as long as gonostylus. Male: unknown.

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica (new record), Brazil.

HOSTS. Unknown.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.

Type material. Lectotype E: “ Lectotype ” “ Encyrtus Epytus ” “1303 a” “E Encyrtus epytus Walker det J.S. Noyes, 1979 LECTOTYPE ” “ Bahia ” “B.M. TYPE HYM 5.2879” “Specimen collected by C.R. Darwin ” “ NHMUK 013457715 ” ( NHMUK).

Non type material. COSTA RICA, 1E, Guanacaste, ZP Nosara, Send. Las Orquideas, LN 221650 382750, 500m, #67701, 12.iv.2002 (I. Jiménez Morera); 1E, Alajuela, PN Arenal, Sendero Pilón , 650m, T. Malaise, #59234, 5.ix-7.x.2000 (G. Carballo); 1E , Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen , 9°52’N 85°03’W, 305m, 14-15.ii.2005 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen, 9°52’N 85°03’W, 305m, 17-18.ii.2011 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Puntarenas, Golfo Dulce, 10km W Piedras Blancas , ii-iii.1989 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, Golfo Dulce, 10km W PanAmer Hwy, vi-vii.1989 (P. Hanson); 4E, Puntarenas, RF Golfo Dulce, 24km W Piedras Blancas , 8°46’N 83°24’W, 200m, xii.1990, i-iii.1991 and ix.1992 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, PN Corcovado, Los Patos / Sirena, LS 514200 276500, La Casona , 100m, #61695, 13.ii- 18.iii.2001 (J.A. Azofeifa); 1E , Limón, RB Hitoy-Cerere , 9°40’N 83°02’W, 100m, ii.2004 (J.S. Noyes). Material in NHMUK, MZUCR and USNM .

COMMENTS. Cheiloneurus epytus was described from probably a single female specimen collected in Bahia , Brazil by Charles Darwin in 1832-1833. The lectotype is very badly collapsed and poorly mounted on a card and thus a detailed comparison is very difficult. However, after careful examination I feel fairly confident that the specimens listed above from Costa Rica are conspecific. The lectotype of epytus has the fore coxa dark brown as in the Costa Rican material, but the funicle segments look more slender. However, as they are badly collapsed it is likely that they would normally be relatively wider. It will be necessary to collect fresh material of epytus before a proper comparison can be made.