Orasema iridescens, Baker & Heraty, 2020

Baker, Austin J. & Heraty, John M., 2020, The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), Zootaxa 4888 (1), pp. 1-84 : 18

Orasema iridescens n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:60311AC3-FBE6-42A3-B515-501246714620

( Fig. 8 )

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other members of the coloradensis species group by having bare eyes ( Fig. 8B ), longer petiole (PTL:PTW = 2.1–3.0 for females, 3.4–4.3 for males), and a longer/thinner antenna (F2L:F2W = 2.0–2.5 for females, 2.1–2.4 for males; Figs 8D, E ).

Description. Female. Length 2.6–4.0 mm ( Fig. 8A ). Color. Head and mesosoma black with green, blue, and purple iridescence. Scape pale brown; pedicel and anellus yellowish brown; flagellum brown. Coxae dark brown with iridescence; femora mostly brown, tips pale; tibiae pale. Gaster brown. Head ( Fig. 8B ). HW:HH = 1.1–1.3; face imbricate; eyes bare, IOD:EH = 1.4–1.6; MS:EH = 0.6–0.8; supraclypeal area about as long as broad, shorter than clypeus, smooth. Labrum with 4 symmetrical digits. Occiput with dorsal margin abrupt. Pedicel globose, as broad as F1. FL:HH = 1.4–1.6; anellus disc-shaped but prominent; F2L:F2W = 2.0–2.5, F2L:F3L = 1.2–1.4 ( Fig. 8D ). Mesosoma ( Fig. 8C, F ). ML:MH = 1.5–1.7. Mesoscutal midlobe transversely costate, sparsely setose; lateral lobe smooth. Axilla smooth, dorsally rounded, on roughly same plane as mesoscutellum; scutoscutellar sulcus narrow, regularly foveate, broadly separated from transscutal articulation; mesoscutellar disc smooth; frenal line as smooth band; frenum smooth; axillular sulcus distinct and foveate; axillula costate. Propodeal disc broadly rounded, without depression or carina, rugose ( Fig. 8G ); callus smooth, with a few small setae. Propleuron smooth. Prepectus weakly sculptured medially. Mesepisternum weakly rugose-reticulate medially, but smooth anteriorly and ventrally. Upper and lower mesepimeron smooth; transepimeral sulcus distinct. Metepisternum laterally smooth. HCL:HCW = 1.4–1.8, smooth to weakly sculptured; HFL:HFW = 4.4–5.3. FWL:FWW = 2.3–2.6, FWL:ML = 1.9–2.1; submarginal vein with several long setae; postmarginal vein longer than stigmal vein. Metasoma. Petiole cylindrical, linear in profile, PTL:PTW = 2.1–3.0, PTL:HCL = 0.9–1.3, areolate, lateral margin rounded, ventral sulcus present, margins broadly separated. First (ventral) valvula without teeth, second (dorsal) valvula with 8–10 annuli that are narrowly separated dorsally, the carinae coalescing.

Male. Length 2.7–3.4 mm. HW:HH = 1.2–1.4. Scape pale brown; FL:HH = 1.6–1.8; anellus disc-shaped but prominent; F2L:F2W = 2.1–2.4 ( Fig. 8E ). Femora and tibiae pale yellow. PTL:PTW = 3.4–4.3, PTL:HCL = 1.5– 1.8.

Hosts. Unknown.

Plant associates. Unknown.

Distribution ( Fig. 5 ). Argentina: BA, CN; Brazil: ES. Collected February–April, October–November.

Material examined. Holotype. ARGENTINA. Corrientes: Rt. 12 & Rio Sta. Lucia, N. of Goya , 29°05’0”S, 59°16’0”W, 18-21.xi.2003, D. Bickel, trunk sticky trap [♀, deposited in CNC: UCRCENT00320816] . Paratypes. ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires: Castelar , 34°39’9”S, 58°38’15”W, 28.ii-9.iv.2007, G. Logarzo, MT [1♀, UCRC: UCRCENT00434627] . Corrientes: Rt. 12 & Rio Sta. Lucia, N. of Goya , 29°05’0”S, 59°16’0”W, 18-21.xi.2003, D. Bickel, trunk sticky trap [11³ 4♀, CNC: UCRCENT00320813–15, UCRCENT00320825–36] . BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Santa Teresa Est. Biol. Santa Lúcia, 19°58’1”S, 40°32’16”W, 13.x.2006, Tavares, Azevedo et al., Malaise 18 [1♀, UFES: UFES00091947] .

Etymology. From Latin meaning “rainbow-like colors” in reference to the iridescent color of the body.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Distribution map of species in the Orasema coloradensis species group.

FIGURE 8. Orasema iridescens. Holotype female (UCRCENT00320816): A, habitus, lateral; B, head, anterior; C, mesosoma, lateral; F, mesosoma, dorsal; G, propodeum, posterior. Paratype female (UCRCENT00320829): D, antenna. Paratype male (UCRCENT00320835): E, antenna.