Synopeas butterilli Buhl, 2013

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 butterilli Buhl, 2013

Description.

Body length 1.3 mm. Body color: black. Color of legs: coxae brown, otherwise yellow. Color of mesoscutellar spine: concolorous with mesoscutellar disc.

Head. Shape of head in anterior view: circular. Central keel: absent. Sculpture on frons: reticulate microsculpture. Epitorular sculpture: minute rugulae. Number of clypeal setae: 4. Length of median pair of clypeal setae: longer than lateral pair. Arrangement of clypeal setae: evenly spaced; 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: greater than 1 ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma. Epomial carina: present, complete or nearly so. Microsculpture of lateral pronotum: present medially, absent ventrally and dorsally. Lateral pronotal sculpture coverage: 1/4 to 1/2. Mesoscutellar spine: short and pointed. Mesoscutellar spine in lateral view: pointing posteriorly; angled posterodorsally. Posterior margin of lateral propodeal carina in lateral view: rounded. Mesosomal dorsum in lateral view: convex. Notauli: unmarked or faintly suggested. Parapsidal lines: very faint. Setation of mesoscutum: sparse. Mesoscutal lamella: short, projecting less than its width beyond margin; broad and rounded. Setation of mesoscutellum: 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: shorter than distance between setal bases. Density of setae on disc of forewing: sparse. Arrangement of setae on disc of forewing: uniformly setose distally, proximally glabrous with linea setosa. Forewing marginal setae: approximately uniform in length on anterior and posterior margins.

Diagnosis.

The lateral ocellus and the hyperoccipital carina are widely separated in S. butterilli , by approximately 1.5 ocellar diameters. The sculpture of the lateral pronotum is restricted to a narrow line medially, and the lateral pronotum is smooth dorsally and ventrally. These two characters set it apart from other species with a short, pointed mesoscutellar spine: S. luli , S. occultum , S. roncavei , S. sanga , and S. toto .

Comments.

The female holotype and paratype of S. butterilli have a posterodorsally pointed mesoscutellar spine. The male specimens examined have a posteriorly pointed mesoscutellar spine. The angle of the mesoscutellar spine may be sexually dimorphic in this species, but more specimens are needed to confirm this. The central keel is present and complete, but very weak and may be difficult to see.

Plant associations.

Reared from galls on Paramyristica cf. sepicana ( Myristicaceae ). Occasionally found in the same gall as Inostemma sp.

Material examined.

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, Mis 5.183°S, 145.758°E; 15.IX.2010 - 17.II.2011, Philip Butterill leg. Paramyristica sp. (USNMENT01335986) . Paratype: Papua New Guinea: ♀, Madang, Mis 5.183°S, 145.758°E; 15.IX.2010 - 17.II.2011; Philip Butterill leg.; Paramyristica sp. (USNMENT01335984) . Other material: ♂, Madang, Mis , 5.183°S, 145.758°E; 16.VII.2010; Philip Butterill leg. Paramyristica cf sepicana . (FSCA 00090264) ; ♂, Madang, Mis , 17.II.2011, Paramyristica cf sepicana . (FSCA 00090428) .