Protoita noyesi Ulmer & Krogmann, 2023

UImer, Jonah M., Jansta, Petr, Azar, Dany & Krogmann, Lars, 2023, At the dawn of megadiversity - Protoitidae, a new family of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96, pp. 879-924 : 879

Protoita noyesi Ulmer & Krogmann sp. nov.

Figs 3A , 4 , 16B

Diagnosis.

The female of Protoita noyesi differs from those of other species in the genus by the following combination of characters: occiput impressed relative to vertex (Fig. 4E ). Flagellomere 8-12 with micropilosity on ventrum. Ovipositor sheaths broadened at midpoint before tapering distally (Fig. 4G ).

Description.

Female. Body length 876. Body uniformly brown except legs light brown. Wings with light brown infumation, uniformly setose. Right mesopleuron with bluish metallic tint. Head wedge shaped in lateral view, wider than mesosoma in dorsoventral view (Fig. 4A, E ), width 301, length 249. Postorbital carina present. Temple very narrow (Fig. 4E ). Vertex concave. Occiput impressed. Antennal scrobes depressed. Toruli closer to inner margin of eye than each other. Antennal insertion at midline of eye. Genal margin with 3 setae on ventral edge. Clypeus inflexed, dorsally merging with interantennal projection. Mandibles on higher plane from face. Mandibular dentition 3:3. Maxillary palps 2-3 segmented (specimen position makes exact count impossible). Labial palps damaged. Antenna length 586. Radicle as long as basal width of scape. Scape distally laterally compressed, 2.5 × as long as wide. Pedicel 2.25 × as long as wide. Funicles 1-4 at least 2.6 × as long as wide; fu7 2 × as long as wide. Clava at least 2 segmented. All clavomeres with micropilosity on ventral side. Mesosoma (Fig. 4D ) length 263. Lateral panel of pronotum narrow, not touching tegula. Mesonotum length 185. Mesoscutum partially collapsed. Prepectus present as vertically narrow triangular sclerite. Mesopleuron about 2.6 × as long as wide (281:105); pleural suture present as depression. Axillae relatively small; axillulae with dorsal flange extending over wing base slightly (Fig. 4D ). Mesoscutellum posteriorly sloped. Dorsellum band-like, width 28. Propodeum sloping posteriorly, at 45° angle relative to dorsal plane of mesosoma. Wings (Fig. 4F ). Fore wing length 826, width 330. Longest marginal seta of fore wing 42. Submarginal vein length 350. Marginal vein wide and strongly sclerotized, length 69, width 22. Cubital vein sclerotized along basal ⅓ of its length, then present as pigmented fold, length 200. Basal vein sclerotized, length 27. Stigmal vein short, length 30. Uncus elongate, extending distally further than postmarginal vein (possible artifact); 5 uncal sensillae present. Postmarginal vein slightly shorter than marginal vein. Basal cell with 2-3 rows of setae. Hind wing slender; length 598, width 35. Length of longest marginal seta of hind wing 37. Legs with barsitarsal comb of fore leg present as sparse setation only on proximal half of tarsomere (Fig. 4C :btc). Trochanter of mid leg elongate relative to fore- and metatrochanter. Metasoma length 410. Gaster wedge-like. Metasoma broadly associated with mesosoma; petiole (Mt1) not visible. Mt2-9 visible. 4 sternal segments visible with hypopygium equal in length to preceding 3 segments, protruding laterally and reaching end of metasoma. Ovipositor slightly extruded; ovipositor sheaths flattened and broadest in middle (Fig. 4G ).

Male. Unknown.

Holotype.

Female. Hammana / Mdeyrij, Caza Baabda, Mouhafazet Mount Lebanon; lower Barremian. In amber mounted in Canada Balsam. Deposited at Natural History Museum of the Lebanese University, accession/specimen number: 407AB.

Type condition.

Specimen in good condition with slight detachment from amber along the mesopleuron, and bubble formed around propodeal spiracle.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of Dr John Noyes for his lifelong contributions to chalcidology.

Figures

Figure 3. Antennal morphology A Protoita noyesi, sp. nov. B Cretaxenomerus curvus, sp. nov. C Rotoita basalis (Baeomorphidae). cln = claval segment n; fun = funicular segment n; mps = multiporous plate sensilla; pe = pedicel; sc = scape.

Figure 4. Protoita noyesi, holotype A lateral habitus B apical part of antenna C fore leg basitarsus D mesosoma, lateral E head, posterior F fore wing G ovipositor complex and terminal metasomal segments. Scale bars: 500 µm (A); 200 µm (F); 100 µm (D); 50 µm (G). 3 v = 3 rd valvulae; axl = axillula; btc = basitarsal comb; cal = calcar; cer = cerci; msc = mesoscutum; msct = mesoscutellum; no 1 = pronotum; ov = ovipositor; pl 2 = mesopleuron; pre = prepectus; prp = propodeum.

Figure 16. Prepectus of Protoitidae A Cretaxenomerus curvus, mesosoma, lateral B Protoita noyesi, mesosoma, ventrolateral. Scale bars: 100 µm (A, B).