Homalopoda aesira, 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 : 57-60

Homalopoda aesira sp.nov.

( Figs 78-88; Hab. E 13, G 14)

DIAGNOSIS. Female (length about 1.0- 2.5mm): scape dark brown; flagellum dark brown; fore femur and tibia dark brown, mid femur white with apex dark brown, tibia dark brown, apex orange; fore wing ( Fig. 83) with paired apical hyaline spots; paired hyaline spots at apex of venation separated by nearly 2X length of marginal vein; no well-defined hyaline spot in middle of wing below marginal vein; head ( Fig. 78) about 2.8-4X as wide as frontovertex; occipital margin with a bristle-like seta behind posterior ocellus; mandible with 4 teeth; a fairly conspicuous line of silvery setae adjacent to eye above scrobe; antenna ( Fig 80, 81) with scape about 5.2X as long as broad; funicle segments cylindrical, at least 2X as long as broad, linear sensilla present on all funicle segments, or absent on F1; flagellum longer than head width; apex of scutellum with 2 pairs of scale-like setae ( Fig. 79); costal cell of fore wing ventrally with 2 or 3 lines of setae proximally, a single line of setae in distal half; postmarginal vein much shorter than stigmal vein ( Fig. 82); linea calva interrupted by 2 or 3 setae ( Fig. 83); hind tibia without a subbasal constriction. Male (length about 1.0- 1.5mm): head coppery purple in ocellar area; thorax with pronotum similar, mesoscutum and scutellum duller coppery purple, side and apex of scutellum shining metallic green and slightly brassy; frontovertex with fine punctate reticulate sculpture and clothed with distinct dense setae; antenna Fig. 86) with F1 curved, about 5.5X as long as broad and about 2.5X as long as F2 which is straight and about 2X as long as broad; clava nearly 5X as long as broad and very slightly longer than F1-F2 combined; longest setae on flagellum about as long as diameter of F1 at base; fore wing ( Fig. 87) with stigmal vein very slightly longer than postmarginal vein.

Female (holotype): length, including ovipositor, 1.87mm; excluding ovipositor, 1.73mm ( CPD) .

Head dark brown to black with a distinct metallic lustre; area between posterior ocelli and occipital margin metallic blue-green with a distinct coppery sheen; area between ocelli metallic green with a slight brassy sheen, mixed dark blue and violet anteriorly; violet between anterior ocellus and top of scrobes; top of scrobes coppery, scrobes metallic blue-green with a very slight brassy sheen; interantennal prominence mixed blue-green and dark blue; area between eye and scrobe violet and blue-green; temple metallic green and brassy; gena relatively dull, metallic green and brassy, mixed with some copper; mouth margin dark orange-brown with a weak brassy sheen; frontovertex with a few, fairly conspicuous, scattered, brown setae; a line of fairly conspicuous, translucent silvery setae between eye and scrobe to position of malar sulcus; gena and interantennal prominence with a few scattered, moderately conspicuous, translucent, pale brown setae; maxillary palpus brown; radicle pale orange, with a dark brown apical ring; scape, pedicel and flagellum dark brown; thorax dark brown to black with a metallic lustre; pronotum mainly with a violet sheen, mixed dark blue with some coppery purple; mesoscutum mostly dark metallic, blue green with coppery reflections, mixed with violet and coppery purple along posterior margin; tegula dark brown with a weak purple and brassy sheen; axilla with a relatively dull, mixed coppery and dark green sheen; scutellum relatively dull, dark, metallic green, mixed slightly coppery, especially towards base, side and apex shining violet and dark blue; mesopleuron anteriorly with a moderate violet and dark blue sheen, medially dark green and brassy, posteriorly coppery purple; all coxae brown; fore femur dark brown, tibia dark brown with apical 0.3X pale orange, tarsus dusky pale orange with apical tarsomere dark brown; mid femur with proximal 0.4X white, apex dark brown, tibia with proximal 0.6X dark brown and apex pale orange, spur and tarsus pale orange with apical tarsomere brown; hind femur and tibia dark brown with extreme apex of tibia pale yellow dorsally, tarsus white with apical tarsomere dark brown; fore wing with a pattern of hyaline and infuscate areas as in Fig. 83; propodeum dark brown with a weak brassy and purple sheen, side metallic blue-green mixed with some violet; gaster dark purple-brown, dorsally with a coppery purple sheen, Gt1 with a distinct dark metallic blue sheen, mixed violet, side and venter with coppery, blue, brassy and green reflections; gonostylus dark brown.

Head ( Fig. 78) about 4X as wide as frontovertex, in profile about 1.8X as high as deep, tangent to frontovertex forming an angle of about 90° with that of face; occipital margin sharp, weakly carinate, with a moderately conspicuous, slightly longer seta present behind each posterior ocellus; a short, oval depression adjacent to eye near occipital margin; ocelli forming an angle of about 80°; frontovertex hardly narrowing in front of anterior ocellus, shiny; ocellar area with relatively deep, polygonally reticulate sculpture of mesh size mostly subequal to eye facet, area between anterior ocellus and top of scrobes virtually smooth, with extremely shallow sculpture; temple and gena with relatively shallow, longitudinally elongate, fine polygonally reticulate sculpture; top of scrobes with shallow, regular, polygonally reticulate sculpture, below this with conspicuously shallower sculpture; interantennal prominence and mouth margin with shallow, polygonally reticulate sculpture; antenna as in Fig. 73; scape very slightly broadened and flattened, about 5.2X as long as broad; all funicle segments at least 2X as long as broad; clava slightly longer than F2-F4 combined, sutures parallel, sensory area small, at apex only giving it a rounded appearance; eye slightly overreaching occipital margin, clothed with short inconspicuous setae, each clearly shorter than diameter of facet; clypeal margin medially very slightly convex. Relative measurements: HW 88, HH 70, FV 22, POL 12.5, OOL 1, OCL 7, AOL 9, EL 44, EW 43, MS 33, SL 49, SW 9.5.

Thorax ( Fig. 79) with visible part of mesoscutum about 1.7X as broad as long; scutellum nearly 1.4X as broad as long, apex with two pairs of flattened, scale-like setae, inner pair much broader and larger, each about as long as scutellum, outer pair more slender, slightly curved and about 0.6X as long as scutellum; hind femur about 3X as long as broad; fore wing with venation and setation as in Figs 82, 83; costal cell with 5 dorsal setae at apex; linea calva interrupted by 3 or 4 setae; propodeum medially about 0.07X as long as scutellum. Relative measurements: FWL 96.5, FWW 39; HWL 75, HWW 21.

Gaster with hypopygium reaching about 0.8X towards apex; syntergum about 0.95X as long as mid tibia, with apex more or less narrowly rounded; ovipositor exserted, the exserted part about 0.6X length of mid tibial spur or about 0.25X mid tibia.

Paratype. Mandible with four teeth; funicle with linear sensilla present on all funicle segments, or absent from F1; hypopygium as in Fig. 84; ovipositor as in Fig. 85, second valvifer with three subapical setae. Relative measurements: OL 79, GL 18.5 [MT 47].

Variation. Females vary in overall length from 1.00- 2.52mm, the outer face of the mid coxa may be dusky white, the smallest specimens may lack the violet area between the anterior ocellus and top of scrobes and the head may be only about 2.8X as wide as the frontovertex and funicle segments relatively short, with F1 only about 2X as long as broad, larger specimens may have F1 up to 4X as long as broad and the area between the anterior ocellus and top of scrobes distinctly sculptured, although the sculpture is always much shallower than sculpture near posterior ocelli and much more shiny, in smaller specimens the pair of subapical, subhyaline spots on the fore wing may be very indistinct and the exserted part of the ovipositor may be less than 0.1X as long as the mid tibia.

Male: length 0.96-1.48mm.

Similar in general habitus to female but for hyaline wings, lack of paired setae or bristles on occipital margin and structure of antenna and genitalia; head largely metallic dark metallic green, coppery purple in ocellar area; thorax with pronotum similar, mesoscutum and scutellum duller coppery purple, side and apex of scutellum shining metallic green and slightly brassy; frontovertex with fine punctate reticulate sculpture and clothed with distinct dense setae; F1 curved ( Fig. 86), about 5.5X as long as broad and about 2.5X as long as F2 which is straight and about 2X as long as broad; clava nearly 5X as long as broad and very slightly longer than F1-F2 combined; longest setae on flagellum about as long as diameter of F1 at base, ventral setae on basal half of clava distinctly shorter than those on apical half ( Fig. 86); fore wing ( Fig. 87) with stigmal vein very slightly longer than postmarginal vein; phallobase ( Fig. 88) elongate, about as long as mid tibia; digiti about 3X as long as broad and each with a single apical hook.

DISTRIBUTION. Costa Rica.

HOSTS. Unknown.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.

Type material. Holotype E: COSTA RICA, Guanacaste, Cacao (ACG), 1100 m, MT/YPT, 26.i-24. ii.1996 (J.S. Noyes). Paratypes: COSTA RICA, 1E, Guanacaste, Santa Rosa NP, SE 70, 25.iv-16.v.1987 (D. Janzen, I.D. Gauld); 1E, Guanacaste, Guanacaste NP, Est. Mengo Vn Cacao , 1000m, v.1988 (Gauld, Janzen); 1E, Guanacaste, Volcán Cacao, Cerro Pedregal, 1000 m, ii-iv.1989 (I. Gauld); 3E, Guanacaste, Cacao (ACG), 1100 m, MT/YPT, 26.i-24.ii.1996 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , 2km SW Cerro Cacao, LN 323100 375800, 1000-1400m. iv.1996 (C. Moraga); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , LN 323150 375500, 1000-1150m, viii.1996 (M. Pereira); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , LN 323150 375500, 1000-1150m, #47558, ix.1996 (I. Villegas); 3E, Guanacaste, Est. Cacao (ACG) , 10°55’N 85°30’W, 1100m, 19-20.ii.2005 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Guanacaste, Pitilla ( ACG), 700m, MT/YPT, 24.i-27.ii.1996 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Guanacaste, Est. Pitilla ( ACG), 10°59’N 85°25’W, 700m, FIT, 4-7.i.2001 and iii.2001 (C. Moraga, P.N. Thomas); 3E, Guanacaste, Est. Maritza ( ACG), 700m, MT/YPT, 20.i-24.ii.1996 (J.S. Noyes); 2E, Guanacaste, Est. Maritza ( ACG), LN 326900 373000, 600m, iii.1991 and iii.1996 (M. Pereira); 3E, Guanacaste, Est. Maritza ( ACG), LN 426900 373000, 600m, ix.1996 and i.1997 (C. Zuñiga); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Maritza ( ACG), 700m, 22.ii.2001 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Guanacaste, Est. Maritza ( ACG), 10°58’N 85°29’W, 700m, 21.ii.2005 (J.S. Noyes); 4E, Guanacaste, Macizo Miravales, Est. Cabro Muco, LN 299769 411243, 1100m, 15.iii-3.iv.2003 (J. Azofeifa); 1E, Guanacaste, San Ramon 4.5 WSW Dos (Rios) de Upala, 720m, viii-xi.1996 (F.A. Quezada); 1E. Guanacaste, ZP Nosara, RF Monte Alto, Send. La Ceiba, LN 221100 382950, 600m, 19.xii.2000 (I. Jiménez); 1E, Guanacaste, Peñas Blancas, 600m rainforest, YPT, iv.1986 (A. Forsyth); 1E, Alajuela, Est. Pilón, LN 299400 427913, 14.vii.2004 (J. Azofeifa); 700m, 1E, Alajuela, PN Volcán Arenal, 10°26’N 84°43’W, 600m, 26.ii.2013 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Alajuela, San Ramon BS, 700m, viii-ix.1995 (P. Hanson); 1E, Alajuela, RB San Ramon, 900m, ii-iii.2000 (P. Hanson); 1E, Alajuela, San Ramón, RB Alberto Brenes, Est. San Lorencito, LN 244500 470680, 900m, #4500, 22.ii-16.iv.1995 ((G. Carballo); 1E, Heredia, La Selva BS, 50m, 22.i-3.ii.1991 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Heredia, 3km S. Puerto Viejo, OTS La Selva, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 100m, x-xi.1991 (P. Hanson); 1E, Heredia, La Selva BS, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 50-150m, fog Carapa guianensis , 5.iii.1993 ( INBio - OET); 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 100m, canopy fog Pentaclethra, FPM /03, 6.iii.1993 ( INBio / OET); 1E, Heredia, La Selva BS, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 50-150m, fog Virola FVK /01, i.1993 ( INBio - OET); 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 10°26’N 86°05’W, 100m, Pentaclethra , canopy fog FPM/08, 4.iv.1993; 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 100m, canopy fog Virola, FVK /09, 5.vii.1993 ( INBio / OET); 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 10°26’N 84°01’W, xi.1993 ( ALAS); 1E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 100m, canopy fog Virola, FVK /19, 8.x.1994 ( ALAS); 1E, Heredia, OTS-La Selva, FVK 24, 15.x.1994 ( ALAS); 2E, Heredia, OTS La Selva, 10°26’N 84°01’W, canopy fog Pentaclethra macroloba , 100m, iii.1993 and i.1994 ( ALAS project); 1E, Heredia, OTS-La Selva, FOT 2, 13.x.1994 ( ALAS); 1E, Heredia, La Selva BS, 10°26’N 84°01’W, FOT 26, 19.x.1994; 1E, Heredia, OTS-La Selva, FVK 24, 15.x.1994 ( ALAS); 2E, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 10°25’N 84°01’W, canopy fog Meliosoma vernicosa, FOT /44/01-40, 8.i.2000 (INBio-OET); 5E, Heredia, 16km SSE La Virgen, 10°16’N 85°05’W, 1050-1150m, 11/M/NOTN, 9.ii-21.iv.2001 ( INBio / OET – ALAS); 2E, Heredia, 16km SSE La Virgen, 10°16’N 85°05’W, 1050-1150m, 11/M/TN, 10.ii-21.iv.2001 ( INBio / OET – ALAS); 2E, Heredia, 11km SSE La Virgen, 10°20’N 84°04’W, 450-550m, 05/N/TN, 22.ii-20.iv.2003 ( ALAS); 1E, Heredia, 11km SSE La Virgen, 10°11’N 84°07’W, 450-550m, 05/M/TN, 22.ii-20.iv.2003 ( INBio – OET - ALAS); 4E, 2G, Heredia, 9km NE Vara Blanca, 10°14’N 84°06’W, 1450-1550m, 15/M/TN, ii-iv.2005 INBio / OET – ALAS); 2E, Heredia, 9km NE Vara Blanca, 10°14’N 84°06’W, 1450-1550m, 15/M/ NOTN, ii-iv.2005 INBio / OET – ALAS); 1E, Heredia, Estacion Biologica La Selva, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 1-2. iii.2007 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Heredia, Est. Biol. La Selva, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 75m, 28-29.ii.2008 (J.S. Noyes); 4E, 3G, San José, Zurqui de Moravia, 1600m, ix-x.1990, x-xii.1990, x-xi.1991, iv.1992, ii.1995, viii.1995 and ix.1995 (P. Hanson); 1E, Cartago, PN Tapanti-Macizo de la Muerte, Torre ICE #31, LN 556180 188500, 1800m, #61075, 15.ix-19.x.2000 ( D. Rubí ); 1E, Cartago, PN Tapanti, 1200-1500m, 9°45’N 83°47’W, 20.iii- 10.iv.2000 (C. Hansson, D. Rubí ); 1E, Puntarenas, Res. Priv. Karen Mogensen, 305m, 9°52’N 85°03’W, 19-20.ii.2016 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Puntarenas, Monteverde, 1400m, 26-28.iii.1991 (P. Hanson); 3E, Puntarenas, Est. Biol. Monteverde, 10°20’N 84°49’W, 1540m, 18-24.ii.2004 (C. Hansson); 2E, Puntarenas, Est.Altamira, Cerro Biolley, LS 572200 334400, 1766m, i.2000 and vii-viii.2000 ( D. Rubí ); 1E, Puntarenas, Est. Altamira, Send. a Casa Coca, LS 332800 574250, 1900m, #62124, 12.v-12.vi.2001 ( D. Rubí ); 1E, Puntarenas, San Vito, Las Cruces, Jardin Bot., 1200m, xii.1988 (P. Hanson); 1E, Puntarenas, Las Cruces, Wilson Bot. Gdns, 8°46’N 82°57’W, 1200-1350m, 15-16.ii.2012 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Limón, RB Hitoy-Cerere, Send. Bobocara, LN 184250 640500, 840m, #52859, 17.vi-17.vii.1999 (F. Umana); 1E, Limón, RB Hitoy-Cerere, 100m, 14-19.i.1991 (J.S. Noyes); 1E, Limón, RB Hitoy Cerere, Send. Espavel, LS 401200 569800, 560m, #74462, 21.vi-8.vii.2003 (R. Gamboa, et al.); 1E, Limón, RB Hitoy Cerere, 9°40’N 83°02’W, 100m, ii.2004 (J.S. Noyes). Holotype in MZUCR, paratypes in MZUCR, NHMUK, USNM and CNC.

COMMENTS. Homalopoda aesira is very similar to donatos , females of both species having bristle-like setae on the occipital margin and scale-like setae at the apex of the scutellum and the apical area of the fore wing distinctly paler. Very small specimens of aesira , with a relatively wide frontovertex and relatively weakly infuscate fore wing, can be difficult to separate from those of donatos . However, in aesira , the hyaline area immediately distad of the apex of the wing venation always has the lower margin straight and never extending towards the opposite hyaline area, whereas in donatos the lower margin of the upper hyaline area always extends towards the lower hyaline area often virtually connecting the two. See also comments under carpha (p. 69).