Euplectrus andybennetti Hansson

Hansson, Christer, Smith, M. Alex, Janzen, Daniel H. & Hallwachs, Winnie, 2015, Integrative taxonomy of New World Euplectrus Westwood (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with focus on 55 new species from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica, ZooKeys 485, pp. 1-236 : 23-24

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Eulophidae

Euplectrus andybennetti Hansson sp. n. Figures 77-80, 81-83, 427, 736

Material.

Holotype a female labeled "COSTA RICA: Guanacaste, ACG, Sector Santa Rosa, Bosque Humedo, 11.vii.1994, gusaneros, ex Elymiotis attenuata eating Mascagnia sinemariensis , no barcode, 94-SRNP-5588" (BMNH). PARATYPES: 48♀ 12♂: Guanacaste: 31♀ 2♂ with same label data as holotype (BMNH, CNC, INBio, MZLU, USNM); following from same locality and host as holotype but collected 9.viii.1992, no barcode, 92-SRNP-4426 (7♀, in INBio, MIUCR), 16.vii.1993, host feeding on Hiraea reclinata, no barcode, 93-SRNP-3731 (1♀ 2♂, in INBio), 11.vii.1994, no barcode, 94-SRNP-5595 and 94-SRNP-5588 (10♀ 8♂, in BMNH, CNC, MIUCR, USNM).

Diagnosis.

Lower face medially reddish-brown (female, Fig. 71) or yellowish-brown (male, Fig. 72), pale area reaching slightly outside level of lateral margin of toruli, parts betwen pale area and eyes black; vertex with parts lateral to ocellar triangle dark reddish-brown; fore and mid legs yellowish-white, hind leg with coxa dark yellowish-brown, femur yellowish-brown, tibia and tarsus yellowish-white (Fig. 70); petiole 0.7 × as long as wide; gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-brown with dark brown lateral margins (female, Fig. 73) or white with dark brown lateral margins (male, Fig. 74), posterior ½ dark brown; male antenna with scape slightly expanded and widest medially, 3.3 × as long as wide (Fig. 76), sensory area dark brown.

Description.

Female. Length of body 2.6 mm. Antenna with scape yellowish-white in basal ½ and yellowish-brown in apical ½, pedicel yellowish-brown, flagellomeres pale brown (Fig. 75). Mandibles yellowish-white, palpi white. Head black and shiny, vertex with parts lateral to ocellar triangle dark reddish-brown, lower face medially reddish-brown, pale area reaching slightly outside level of lateral margin of toruli, parts between pale area and eyes black (Fig. 71). Frons close to eyes with two rows of setae (Fig. 81). Vertex with very weak reticulation inside ocellar triangle, smooth outside triangle (Fig. 82). Occipital margin with a weak carina behind ocellar triangle (Fig. 82).

Mesosoma black and shiny (Fig. 70). Each sidelobe of mesoscutum with 14 setae. Scutellum 0.8 × as long as wide; with weak engraved reticulation (Fig. 83). Dorsellum anteriorly with a wide groove that is divided by longitudinal carinae (Fig. 736), groove medially 0.5 × as long as length of dorsellum. Propodeum with very weak reticulation (Fig. 736); anteromedially with a transverse semicircular cup; propodeal callus with five setae. Legs with fore and mid legs yellowish-white, hind leg with coxa dark yellowish-brown, femur yellowish-brown, tibia and tarsus yellowish-white (Fig. 70). Fore wing: costal cell with 1 row of setae on ventral surface, and margin with four setae close to marginal vein; with 13 admarginal setae, in one row.

Gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-brown with dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown (Fig. 73).

Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 1.5/1.0/1.0; POL/OOL/POO = 10.0/5.0/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.2; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.6/4.6/3.3; WH/WT = 1.0; PM/ST = 1.6; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 4.8/2.8/7.6/2.8/1.8/1.0/1.8; LP/WP = 0.7; MM/LG = 1.0.

Male. Length of body 1.8 mm. Scape slightly expanded and widest medially, sensory pores confined to anteroventral ¾ (Fig. 427), sensory area dark brown (Fig. 76). Otherwise similar to female except lower face with pale part yellowish-brown (Fig. 72), gaster with anterior ½ white with dark brown lateral margins, and shorter (Fig. 74).

Ratios. LC/WS = 3.3; MM/LG = 1.2.

Hosts and biology.

Feeding on penultimate instar karva of Elymiotis attenuata ( Notodontidae ) feeding on Hiraea reclinata and Mascagnia sinemariensis ( Malpighiaceae ), parasitoid cocoons stuck to dead larva and substrate.

Distribution.

Costa Rica (Guanacaste Province).

Etymology.

This species is named after Andy Bennett, in recognition of his contribution to the understanding of ACG Hymenoptera taxonomy.