Pteroptrix aegyptica Evans and Abd­Rabou, 2005

Evans, Gregory A. & Abd-Rabou, Shaaban, 2005, Two new species, and additional records, of aphelinids from Egypt (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Zootaxa 838, pp. 1-7 : 2-4

Pteroptrix aegyptica Evans and Abd­Rabou n. sp.

Female ( Figs. 1–6 ). Length: 1.0– 1.2 mm.

Diagnosis

The female of Pteroptrix aegyptica is most similar to Pteroptrix arabica (Ferriére) described from Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozzetti) from Saudia Arabia, but differs in having the head brown, the midlobe of the mesoscutum brown with a pale, central triangular­shaped area, F3 and F4 antennal segments each slightly wider than long, the marginal fringe 0.9–1.0x as long as fore wing width, and the male F3 antennal segment quadrate; whereas the female of P. arabica , has the head yellow, the midlobe of the mesoscutum completely brown, F3 and F4 each about 1.25x as long as wide and the marginal fringe 0.8x as long as fore wing width, and the male F3 antennal segment transverse.

Description

Color ( Fig. 1 ) — Body dark brown except pale yellow triangular­shaped area on mid lobe of mesocutum, side lobes, scutellum and metanotum; legs yellow except for fuscous hind femur and basal two­thirds of middle and hind tibiae; fore wing hyaline (clear) with area under marginal vein to the posterior margin of the forewing, and the distal half of submarginal vein narrowly infuscate.

Head with length/width measurements (μm) and length/width ratios of antennal segments ( Fig. 3 ) as follows: radicle 52.5/20 = 1.5, scape 135/35 = 3.9, pedicel 75/42.5 = 1.8, F1 35/37.5 = 0.9, F 2 25/35 = 0.7, F3 37.5/40 = 0.9, F4 37.5/40 = 0.9, F5 70/37.5 = 1.9, F6 100/27.5 = 3.6. Mandibles ( Fig. 6 ) with 3 teeth, glossa ( Fig. 5 ) with 1 pair of pegs.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 1 ) with 5 setae on midlobe of mesoscutum arranged as 2+1+2; axillae elongate, each with 1 moderately long seta arising about at the center of the axilla; scutellum with placoid sensillae widely separated by a distance of about 14x the diameter of 1 sensillum; anterior pair of setae (Sc1) very short, less than 0.33x as long as the posterior pair (Sc2).

Fore wing ( Fig. 4 ) — narrow, length 780; maximum width of wing 225; disk length 312.5; longest seta of marginal fringe 212.5; forewing width 0.72x forewing disk; marginal fringe 0.94x forewing width; submarginal vein with 1 seta, marginal vein with 3 long setae along the anterior margin, costal cell with one short seta located at about half its length and 2 long setae located at the apex near the base of the marginal vein, 2 basal group setae; disk setae sparse.

Legs ( Fig. 2 ) with 4­4­4 tarsal formula; spur of middle tibia (70) 1.27x as long as corresponding basitarsus (55).

Gaster very elongate, 2.5x as long as mesosoma and 1.6x as long as mesosoma and head combined; ovipositor (317.5) arising at level of base of tergite V, 1.3x longer than middle tibia (245); valvulae III very short (55), about 0.17x as long as ovipositor.

Male ( Fig 7 ). Similar to female in coloration and structure, but can be easily distinguished from the females by the relative lengths of antennal segments, especially that of the first 3 segments of the funicle (F1–F3). These segments are elongate in the male, with F1 and F3 each about 2x as long as wide, and F2 is quadrate; whereas in the female, the F1 and F3 segments are quadrate and F2 is transverse.

Specimens examined and deposition

Holotype female (slide mounted). Egypt, El­Arish (Northern Sinai), 11.x.1997, S.Abd­Rabou, ex Parlatoria blanchardi (Targioni Tozzetti) [ Diaspididae ] on Phoenix dactylifera L. [ Arecaceae ]; deposited in USNM. Paratypes: 1 female in PPRI, and 4 males (slide mounted), same collection data as holotype in USNM and PPRI.

Discussion

Using Prinsloo and Neser’s (1990) key to the world species of Archenomus Howard (a junior synonym of Pteroptrix ), this new species would key out to Pteroptrix arabica (Ferriére) described by Ferriére (1970) from Parlatoria blanchardi from Saudia Arabia, and would be placed in the Pteroptrix bicolor group as defined by Prinsloo and Neser (1990). Unlike most species in this group, the forewings of both P. arabica and P. aegyptica are very narrow with a very long marginal fringe, almost as long as the maximum width of the forewing. Pteroptrix aegyptica was collected from El­Arish (Northern Sinai) which has a moderate temperature and high relative humidity. Its host, Parlatoria blanchardi , attacks the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera , one of the most important crops in Egypt.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Pteroptrix aegyptica (1 – 6) female — 1) habitus dorsum, 2) tibia and tarsus of middle leg, 3) antenna, 4) fore wing, 5) glossal setae, 6) mandible. (7) male antenna.