Sycophila Walker, 1871

Lotfalizadeh, Hossein, Delvare, Gérard, Cruaud, Astrid & Rasplus, Jean-Yves, 2024, Morphological phylogeny and revision of Sycophila and Ficomila (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) associated with Afrotropical fig trees (Moraceae, Ficus), Zootaxa 5401 (1), pp. 1-190 : 72-74

Sycophila Walker, 1871

Sycophila Walker, 1871: 63 . Original description. Type species Sycophila decatomoides Walker, 1871 by subsequent designation of Ashmead, 1904: 238.

Phytomyza Rondani, 1872: 205 . Original description. Type species Tineomyza pistacina Rondani by original designation, synonymy by Bouček, 1974: 267.

Isanisa Walker, 1875: 15 . Type species Sycophila decatomoides Walker, 1871 , by monotypy, synonymy by Dalla Torre, 1898: 319.

Pseudisa Walker, 1875: 15 . Type species Pseudisa smicroides Walker, 1875 , by monotypy, synonymy by Dalla Torre, 1898: 319.

Eudecatoma Ashmead, 1888: 42 , 43. Type species Decatoma batatoides Ashmead, 1888 by subsequent designation of Ashmead, 1894: 319, synonymy by Bouček, 1974: 267.

Decatomidea Ashmead, 1888: 42–43 . Type species Decatomidea xanthochroa Ashmead, 1888 by subsequent designation of Ashmead, 1894: 322, synonymy with Eudecatoma by Peck, 1951: 582.

We describe 36 new species and bring the number of Afrotropical species of Sycophila to 46, which may be still far from the overall diversity occurring in Africa. We reanalyze the circumscription of the genus Sycophila and define three subgenera, including one new subgenus. We also provide illustrations, morphological diagnoses and dichotomous keys to species as well as biological information about their host figs.

Diagnosis of Sycophila

In this wider circumscription the genus Sycophila can be defined by the bilobed clypeus, the presence of a basal carina on propodeum exhibiting different shapes (angulate, wedge-like of truncate mesally), the presence of a row of long setae on the dorsal edge of hind tibiae, and the enlarged marginal vein (mv), that vary from slightly enlarged to distinctly bulging, postmarginal vein (pmv) absent or distinctly present, stigmal vein (stv) curved or not, mesodiscrimen varies from flattened to raised umbilicate sculpture.

Subgenus Ficorytoma Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus , subgen. n.

Type species. Sycophila (Ficorytoma) persicae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n. here designated.

Etymology. The subgeneric name is feminine and is a mixture of Ficomila and Eurytoma in reference to the chimeric aspect of the species.

Diagnosis. This subgenus shares characters with Eurytoma such as a well-developed and laminate genal carina however without postgenal carina; distinct umbilicate punctures on mesosoma and a well-developed pmv. The subgenus Ficorytoma also shares characters with subgenus Ficomila such as the mesosternal epicnemium with raised umbilicate sculpture similar to ring-like process, being closer to anteroventral margin of mesepisternum than to mesocoxa (ring-like process of mesepisternum adjacent to mesocoxa in Ficomila ), fu1 longer than pedicel; petiole without transverse ventral transverse carina separating it from St1 (while it is carinate in Ficomila ). Clava relatively short, shorter than fu4–fu5 taken together.

Female. Length 2.2–6 mm; yellowish, except head, antenna, mesosoma, gaster dorsally and posterior margin of gastral segments dark; pronotum anterolaterally testaceous; legs yellowish; fore wings hyaline, with dark brown spot behind mv; gaster with dark bands.

Head in frontal view coriaceous with sparse punctures, in dorsal view densely punctulate; in frontal view less than 1.5× as broad as high; in dorsal view transverse, more than 2× as broad as long; malar space more than 0.4× length of eye; malar sulcus distinct, sinuous; genal margin regularly curved in lower margin, distinctly laminate; antennal toruli narrowly separated, interantennal space not raised, not carinate laterally; scrobal depression slightly sculptured ventrally or smooth, not carinate on margin; POL 1.5 or more than 1.5× as long as OOL, temple margined, about 0.25× the eye length (in dorsal view); antenna with 11 antennomeres, antennal formula 11153.

Antenna. Scape reaching median ocellus, more than 2× as long as broad; fu1 more than 2× as long as broad, distinctly longer than pedicel, not bulging dorsally; funicular (fu2–fu4) with at least three rows of mps; fu2–fu5 distinctly longer than broad.

Mesosoma deeply sculptured; pronotum with coarse umbilicate punctures; mesepisternum with a semi-ring-like process on epicnemium, closer to anteroventral margin of mesepisternum than to mesocoxa; mesoscutum with dense umbilicate punctures, transversely strigose anteriorly; prepectus bare, slightly sculptured; mesoscutellum deeply umbilicate laterally and coriaceous sculpture on mesoscutellar disc; propodeum with deep median depression, with a smooth median band or rugulose; with a basal carina, lateral branches relatively straight.

Fore wing generally with short marginal fringe, apically subtruncate (pointed anteriorly); dark brown spot behind mv or distributed below it; basal cell bare to more setose; mv distinctly enlarged, rounded, lower margin convex, not longer than pmv; stv not curved; pmv distinct, longer than stv; ventral side of costal cell densely setose, dorsally bare or with a row of setae; speculum present.

Metasoma longer than mesosoma, slightly to strongly compressed laterally and dorsally angulate; ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present or absent; petiole in dorsal view short or long, usually shorter than half length of hind coxa; tergites smooth; Gt4 (in lateral view) slightly as long as Gt3, sinuous posteriorly; Gt5 partly to mostly covering Gt6, sinuous posteriorly; ovipositor oriented dorsad but not distinctly upturned.

Male. Length 2.06–6.00 mm.Similar to female with longer petiole and different colouration, the gaster sometimes mostly dark; antennal formula 11143, with much longer segments; fore wing more setose than in female.

Key to Afrotropical species of Sycophila (Ficorytoma) associated with Ficus

1 Antenna with 5 funiculars, funiculars with short and adpressed hairs ( Figs 47B , 50B ); metasoma longer than mesosoma, with petiole relatively short, at most as long as hind coxa ( Figs 47A , 50A ); fore wing hyaline with enlarged marginal vein ( Figs 48E , 51E ).................................................................................. go to female key

- Antenna with 4 funiculars, funiculars with relatively long and erect hairs ( Figs 49C , 52B ); metasoma shorter than mesosoma, petiole relatively long, longer than hind coxa ( Figs 49A , 52A ); fore wing slightly infumate with most enlarger marginal vein ( Figs 49B , 52E )........................................................................... go to male key

Female

1 Petiole elongated, longer than wide dorsally and conspicuous ( Figs 51C, D ); propodeum areolate medially, with a median longitudinal carina anteriorly ( Fig. 51B ); antennal scrobe short, not reach median ocellus ( Fig. 50C ).................................................................................... S. (F.) persicae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Petiole short, distinctly shorter than wide ( Figs 48C, D ); propodeum smoother, with longitudinal carinae medially ( Fig. 48B ); antennal scrobe long, reaching median ocellus ( Fig. 47C ).................. S. (F.) delvarei Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

Male

1 Fore and hind femora normal, not enlarged ( Fig. 51A ); fore wing hyaline, setose, with a bare band under basal cell; marginal vein enlarged, longer than wide, 0.55× as broad as long ( Fig. 51E ); propodeum entirely rugose, medially with a row of arranged cells ( Fig. 51B )................................................... S. (F.) persicae Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

- Fore and hind femora enlarged ( Fig. 49A ); fore wing entirely setose, with a large infuscate spot under venation; marginal vein distinctly stout, wider than long, about 1.2× as broad as long ( Fig. 49B ); propodeum smoother, especially in median furrow ( Fig. 49D )........................................................ S. (F.) delvarei Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

Figures

FIGURE 47. S. (Ficorytoma) delvarei sp. n. (♀). A, female in lateral view. B, antenna. C, head in frontal view. D, head in dorsal view. E, head in lateral view. F, mesosoma in lateral view.

FIGURE 48. S. (Ficorytoma) delvarei sp. n. (♀). A, mesosoma in dorsal view. B, propodeum. C, metasoma in lateral view. D, metasoma in dorsal view. E, fore wing. F, fore wing venation.

FIGURE 49. S. (Ficorytoma) delvarei sp. n. (♂). A, male in lateral view. B, fore wing. C, antenna. D, propodeum.

FIGURE 50. S. (Ficorytoma) persicae sp. n. (♀). A, female in lateral view. B, antenna. C, head in frontal view. D, head in dorsal view. E, head in lateral view. F, mesosoma in lateral view.

FIGURE 51. S. (Ficorytoma) persicae sp. n. (♀). A, mesosoma in dorsal view. B, propodeum. C, metasoma in lateral view. D, metasoma in dorsal view. E, fore wing. F, fore wing venation.

FIGURE 52. S. (Ficorytoma) persicae sp. n. (♂). A, male in lateral view. B, antenna. C, propodeum. D, fore wing.