Eupelmus (Episolindelia) rubicola (Ashmead) Gibson, 2011

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2011, 2951, Zootaxa 2951, pp. 1-97 : 14-16

4. Eupelmus (Episolindelia) rubicola (Ashmead) n. stat.

Figs 3, 7, 56; Map 3

Xenomerus rubicola Ashmead, 1887a: 100 . Holotype, male (USNM, examined). Type data: USA, Florida [Jacksonville]; reared from unidentified Diptera larva in stem of Rubus villosus . Originally described in Scelionidae (Platygastroidea) .

Xeromerus rubicola ; Ashmead, 1893: 185. Incorrectly transferred to Pteromalidae .

Eupelmus rubicola ; Peck, 1951: 511.

Description. FEMALE (Fig. 3). Length about 1.9−3.8 mm. Head dark brown with variably distinct metallic green, coppery or reddish lusters under some angles of light; maxillary and labial palpi yellowish-white. Antenna brown except up to about basal half of scape lighter, yellowish-brown to yellow. Mesosoma brownish with variably distinct metallic green, coppery or reddish lusters under some angles of light except following yellow: prepectus, tegula, extreme lateral and anterolateral margins of mesoscutum, axilla variably extensively, but at least laterally, Vshaped, posteriorly protuberant part of dorsellum, and mesopectus anteriorly below acropleural sulcus. Front leg with coxa completely yellow to variably extensively brownish with slight metallic luster basally, otherwise yellow except posterior surfaces of tibia and femur sometimes partly brownish. Middle leg with coxa yellow to extensively brownish, otherwise yellow except tibia with variably distinct, short, subbasal, incomplete brown ring or dorsal spot. Hind leg with at least about basal third of coxa brownish with slight metallic green luster, otherwise yellow except sometimes for anterior surface of femur and usually subbasal brown mark on tibia similar to mesotibia. Gaster mostly light to dark brown, including hypopygium, but otherwise variably extensively yellowish ventrally, and dorsally usually with slight metallic lusters under some angles of light, most distinctly on syntergum; ovipositor sheath rarely entirely brown, usually bicolored with medial yellowish and similar brown basal and apical bands, the medial band variable in length but distinctly shorter than basal or apical bands.

Head with frons finely coriaceous, but scrobal depression or at least scrobes smooth and shiny; IOD about 0.3−0.4× width of head; OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 0.5−0.75: 1.5−2.0: 1.1−1.3: 1.0. Antenna with flagellum elongate-gracile, combined length of flagellum + pedicel about 1.6−1.75× width of head, fl1 quadrate to slightly longer than wide and subsequent funiculars all obviously longer than wide but increasing only slightly in width distally such that pedicel at least slightly and usually distinctly shorter than combined length of fl1 + fl2, fl2 about 2.7−3.2× and fl8 about 1.3−1.7× as long as wide, and clava about one-quarter to almost one-third as long as funicle and about 2.4−3.6× as long as wide. Mesoscutum finely coriaceous, the cells larger medially than on lateral lobes; scutellar-axillar complex finely coriaceous, the cells smaller than on mesoscutum medially. Acropleuron with variably fine meshlike sculpture, the sculpture sometimes almost effaced mesally but at least much smaller than posteriorly and more or less distinctly aligned longitudinally except toward anterior and posterior margins. Forewing setose except for linea calva; mv about 1.7−2.0× as long as pmv and about 3.5−4.0× as long as stv; pmv about 1.9−2.5× as long as stv. Mesotibia without apical pegs; mesotarsus ventrally with even line of closely spaced, yellowish-orange to reddish pegs on either side of at least basal 3 tarsomeres, the fourth tarsomere usually with 1 inconspicuous apical peg on either side. Propodeum with short plical region and median carina behind dorsellum, the V-like plical depression not extending to foramen. Ovipositor sheaths often upcurved but about two-thirds length of gaster and about 1.5× length of mv.

MALE (Fig. 7). Length about 1.7−2.1 mm. Head dark, with at most only very obscure metallic luster; maxillary and labial palpi yellowish-white. Antenna with flagellum brown and pedicel and scape variably extensively yellowish, but pedicel dorsally and scape at least dorsoapically brown. Mesosoma similarly dark as head, but propodeum usually with distinct green to blue luster (less distinct in holotype). Front leg mostly brown but trochanter, trochantellus, usually knee and tibia apically, and basal 3 or 4 tarsomeres white (holotype with tibia entirely yellowish-white). Middle leg similar in color pattern to front leg, with tibia extensively brownish medially. Hind leg brown with trochanter, trochantellus, tibia basally or subbasally, and basal 3 or 4 tarsomeres white (holotype with tibia lighter brown medially than other specimens). Gaster brown except Gt1 bluish-green basally.

Head with frons meshlike coriaceous, but scrobal depression extensively smooth and shiny. Head with IOD about 0.5× width of head; OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD (holotype) = 0.8: 2.0: 1.1: 1.0; lower face with line of longer, curved setae near malar sulcus, but gena without differentiated, longer seta near base of mandible below malar sulcus. Antenna with flagellum elongate-filiform, combined length of flagellum + pedicel about 1.7−2.0× width of head; scape ovoid, about 2.2−2.4× as long wide, outer surface with lanceolate micropunctate sensory region ventrobasal to scapular scrobe; pedicel ventrally with 2 or 3 long, straight setae in single line, excluding additional apical setae not in same line (Fig. 56), subglobose, only about 0.5−0.75× as long as fl2; fl1 very strongly transverse, ringlike; subsequent funiculars and clava all obviously longer than wide with outstanding, curved setae about as long as width of respective segment (Fig. 56), with fl2 about 2.4−2.8× and fl8 about 1.25−1.5× as long as wide, and clava about 3.0−3.5× as long as wide and slightly longer that apical two funiculars. Mesoscutum with complete, deep notauli, and variably deeply meshlike reticulate; scutellum somewhat more finely sculptured, reticulate-coriaceous to coriaceous except for distinctly reticulate-punctate frenum; mesopleuron with acropleuron posteriorly and upper mesepimeron smooth and shiny, but mesepisternum reticulate to reticulate-alutaceous and lower mesepimeron (about posterior quarter of pleuron) reticulate to reticulate-punctate; metacoxa variably distinctly reticulate; propodeum with median carina and more coarsely, though variably, sculptured near median carina than laterally. Forewing with speculum closed posteriorly by complete mediocubital setal line; mv about 1.4× length of pmv and about 3.0−3.3× length of stv; pmv about 2.1−2.3× length of stv.

Regional material examined (22♀, 4♂). USA. CONNECTICUT: New London Co., Lyme, 13.XI.16, A.B. Champlain, reared Quercus, Hopk. U.S. 13630t (1♀ USNM) . FLORIDA: Alachua Co., Gainesville — 14- 21.IV.87, W.R. Mason (2♀) ; 5-12.XII.86, D. Wahl (1♂); American Entomological Institute, 10-17.IV.86, G. Gibson (1♀), 2-19.IV.86, M. Sharkey (1♀, CNC Photo 2010-3), 3-13.VII.87, BRC Hym. Team (1♂, CNC Photo 2010-4). Miami-Dade Co., Miami , Dodge Island , 10.V.61, C.E. Stegmaier (1♀ USNM) . Duval Co., Jacksonville (♂ holotype of E. rubicola ). Manatee Co. , Bradenton, 7.IV.84, D. Schuster (1♀) . Okeechobee Co., Lake Placid, Archibold Biological Station — 19-22.III.87, D. Wahl (1♀) ; 7-13.VII.87, BRC Hym. Team, FIT (1♀). Orange Co., Orlando, UCF, 20.V.93 (1♀ UCFC) , 25.I.95 (1♀ UCFC) , 5.VII.96 (2♀ UCFC) , 2, 9.X.97, 27.XI.97 (3♀ UCFC) , S.M. Fullerton, LLP-Sand Pine Turkey Oak. Seminole Co., Econ Wildlife Area , 2.IX.2000, 8.X.2000, T. Smith, P. Russell & S.M. Fullerton, Scrub Oak / Saw Palmetto (burned) (2♀) . TEXAS: Brewster Co., Big Bend National Park — Cottonwood Campground, 22.V.83, R. Anderson (1♀) ; Santa Elena Canyon, 2160 ', 12.VII.82, G. Gibson (1♀). Montgomery Co., Jones State Forest , 8 mi. S. Conroe, 1-7.VI.87 (1♀, 1♂ TAMU) , 14-20.VII.87 (1♀ TAMU) , Wharton , Steck, Caroll .

Extralimital specimens. BAHAMAS: Eleuthera, Rainbow Bay — 16-26.X.85, J.B. Wiley (1♀); 1.VII.87, D.B. & R.W. Wiley (1♀ FSCA) .

Distribution. Known from Bahamas in addition to southern and eastern USA (Map 3). The single female from Connecticut indicates a much more extensive Nearctic distribution than is indicated by current specimens.

Map 3. Regional distribution of E. grisselli (●), E. rubicola (̝) and E. varicauda (․).

Biology. The holotype male was reared from an unidentified Diptera larva in a stem of black berry, Rubus villosus Aiton (Rosaceae) ( Ashmead 1887a). One female apparently was also reared from Quercus L. ( Fagaceae ).

Remarks. My sex association and classification of E. rubicola in E. ( Episolindelia ) is based partly on a process of elimination of species of Eupelmus that are known only from females, and partly because of a single co-collection of a female and a male in Texas. However, the distributions of E. rubicola and E. fuscipectus overlap in Texas and males of E. rubicola have the scape largely yellowish except for being brown dorsally, which is more similar in color pattern to the scape of E. fuscipectus females. Males of E. fuscipectus and E. rubicola should be very similar and it is possible that my sex association is incorrect. Ashmead (1887a) described all tibiae of the holotype of E. rubicola as being pale yellowish, and the tibiae certainly are lighter in color than for the three other males I consider as being conspecific, but both the meso- and metatibiae of the holotype appear to be light brownish medially similar to the respective femora.