Synopeas pattiae Awad, 2021

Awad, Jessica, Bremer, Jonathan S., Butterill, Philip T., Moore, Matthew R. & Talamas, Elijah J., 2021, A taxonomic treatment of Synopeas Foerster (Platygastridae, Platygastrinae) from the island of New Guinea, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 5-65 : 5

Synopeas pattiae Awad sp. nov.

Description.

Body length 1.5-1.7 mm. Body color: black. Color of legs: coxae brown, otherwise yellow to brown. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: circular. Central keel: absent; partial. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: minute rugulae; reticulate microsculpture. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: medial setae closer to each other than to lateral setae. Shape of mandible: bidentate. Distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye (OOL): less than 1 ocellar diameter. Hyperoccipital carina: complete. Hyperoccipital carina strength: uniformly robust. Distance between lateral ocellus and hyperoccipital carina: approximately 1 ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present dorsally, absent ventrally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: 1/2 to 2/3. Mesoscutellar spine: short and pointed. Mesoscutellar spine in lateral view: pointing posteriorly; angled posterodorsally. Posterior margin of lateral propodeal carina in lateral view: pointed ventrally. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: absent medially, present laterally. Mesoscutal lamella: broad and rounded; roughly triangular. Setation of mesoscutellum: absent medially; laterally dense, medially sparse.

Metasoma. Microsculpture of S2: narrow band at posterior margin. Sculpture of T2: narrow transverse band of microsculpture at posterior margin. Length of T2: shorter than mesosoma; approximately as long as mesosoma.

Wing. Length of setae on disc of forewing: uncertain, longer than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: moderately dense. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: setose distally, glabrous proximally. Forewing marginal setae: approximately uniform in length on anterior and posterior margins.

Diagnosis.

Synopeas pattiae has a short, pointed mesoscutellar spine and a robust, complete hyperoccipital carina. Synopeas pattiae can be differentiated from S. pulupulu by the setation of the meoscutum and mesoscutellum, which are medially glabrous in S. pattiae and uniformly setose in S. pulupulu . Synopeas pattiae is similar to S. roncavei , but the forewing of S. pattiae lacks a linea setosa, which is present in S. roncavei (Fig. 23 ).

Comments.

The central keel may be ventrally present or entirely absent. The forewing disc is proximally glabrous or with a few scattered setae.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of botanist Patti J. Anderson.

Plant associations.

Reared from globoid galls on Syzygium decipiens ( Myrtaceae ) [GALL419].

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Morobe, Yawan , 6.14141°S, 146.87415°E, 03.XII.2010, Philip Butterill leg., Syzygium decipiens (FSCA 00090423) . Paratypes: Papua New Guinea: 3♀, Morobe, Yawan , 6.14141°S, 146.87415°E, 03.XII.2010, Philip Butterill leg., Syzygium decipiens (FSCA 00094479-00094481) .

Figures

Figure 23. Setation of forewing disc including linea setosa A S. roncavei (FSCA 00094606) B S. pattiae (FSCA 00090423). Scale bar: 0.2 mm.