Polynema (Polynema) aristokratka Triapitsyn, 2021

Triapitsyn, Serguei V., 2021, Taxonomic review of Polynema (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in Australia and New Zealand, with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 4915 (2), pp. 151-200 : 165-167

Polynema (Polynema) aristokratka Triapitsyn , sp. n.

( Figs 28–33 )

Polynema sp.: Noyes & Valentine 1989: 46 (in part).

Type material. Holotype female [ NZAC] on slide ( Fig. 29 ) labeled: 1. “ NEW ZEALAND CO Watts Rock, 1200 m, Jan 1981 ”; 2. “ Tussock /grasses, Juncus , Sphagnum ”; 3. “ Swept J. S. Noyes, E. W. Valentine ”; 4. “E1273”; 5. [yellow] “ N.Z. Arthropod Collection, NZAC, Private Bag 92170, AUCKLAND, New Zealand ”; 6. “ Mounted at UCR/ERM by V. V. Berezovskiy 2006 in Canada balsam”. The holotype is in good condition except one fore leg is missing, dissected under 3 coverslips.

Paratypes: same data as the holotype [1♀ on slide, NZAC and 5♀ on cards, NZAC (4), UCRC (1)]. The type locality is on South Island .

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Body mostly dark brown except pronotum brown and petiole light brown; scape and pedicel light brown, funicle brown, clava dark brown; legs light brown except apical tarsomeres brown. Head ( Fig. 31 ) about as high as wide. Antenna ( Fig. 28 ) with scape, including short radicle, 2.6× as long as wide and with inconspicuous cross-ridges; pedicel smooth, longer than any funicular and 1.9× as long as wide; F1 the shortest and F2 the longest funiculars, F4 about as long as F5 and slightly shorter than F3 or F6, length to width ratios of funiculars: F1—1.7, F2—3.9; F3—3.5; F4—2.4; F5—2.1; F6—2.2, all funiculars without mps; clava 3.2× as long as wide, about as long as combined length of 3 preceding flagellomeres, with 6 mps. Mesosoma (as in Fig. 30 ) about 1.5× as long as wide; mesonotum mostly smooth except pronotum with mesh-like sculpture; pronotum undivided, long; mesoscutum and scutellum fused (as in Fig. 32 ), mesoscutum without notauli (only with anterior pits) and scutellum without frenal foveae, the single campaniform sensillum close to lateral and posterior margins of scutellum (the other sensillum of the usual pair absent), frenum very short; propodeum with a short, incomplete median carina at posterior margin (as in Fig. 32 ). Apterous (as in Fig. 33 ). Metacoxa smooth, shorter than petiole. Petiole about 2.2× as long as wide, with lateral “wings” anteriorly. Ovipositor occupying almost 0.9 length of gaster (as in Fig. 30 ), exserted beyond gastral apex by about 0.05× total length of ovipositor, and 1.5× length of metatibia.

Measurements of the holotype (µm). Mesosoma: 267; petiole: 85; gaster: 342; ovipositor: 303. Scape: 82; pedicel: 58; F1: 20; F2: 54; F3: 42; F4: 36; F5: 36; F6: 42; clava: 117.

Variation (dry-mounted paratypes, Fig. 33 ). Body length 590–660 µm. Scutellum with campaniform sensilla very wide apart, close to its lateral and posterior margins.

MALE. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Polynema aristokratka and P. markiza are the only completely wingless species described in Polynema s.l.; their females can be easily distinguished by the absence of a frenal row of foveae in P. aristokratka ( Fig. 32 ) and its presence in P. markiza ( Figs 119–120 ). In addition, the mesoscutum is fused to the scutellum in P. aristokratka ( Fig. 32 ) and distinctly defined in P. markiza ( Fig. 119 ). Polynema aristokratka also has a notably shorter propodeal carina than P. markiza ( Figs 32 and 120 , respectively).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition; it means female aristocrat in Russian.

Remarks. Noyes & Valentine (1989: 46) mentioned an unusual, apterous species “with an almost cylindrical thorax, elongate pronotum, and reduced mesoscutum and scutellum”—E.W. Valentine considered this species and what is described here as P. markiza to be conspecific and identified and labeled them both on 11.vi.1981 as a Barypolynema sp.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Polynema (Polynema) aristokratka, habitus of female in dorsolateral view (paratype).

FIGURES 28–32. Polynema (Polynema) aristokratka, female: 28, antenna (holotype); 29, holotype slide; 30, mesosoma and metasoma (paratype); 31, head in frontal view (holotype); 32, part of mesosoma (paratype).

FIGURES 117–120. Polynema (Polynema) markiza, female (holotype): 117, slide; 118, antenna; 119, mesosoma; 120, frenum, metanotum, propodeum, and base of petiole.