Euplectrus alejandrovalerioi 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 : 21

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Eulophidae

Euplectrus alejandrovalerioi Hansson sp. n. Figures 36-42, 47-49, 733

Material.

Holotype a female labeled "COSTA RICA: Guanacaste, ACG, Sector Mundo Nuevo, Punta Plancha, 31.vii.2013, M. Pereira, ex Iridopsis herse eating Cochlospermum vitifolium , sibling of wasp DHJPAR0053946, 13-SRNP-56118" (BMNH). Paratypes: 10♀ 1♂ with same label data as holotype (BMNH, CNC, INBio, MZLU, USNM).

Diagnosis.

Lower face medially dark yellowish-brown reaching to level of middle of toruli (Figs 37, 38); scutellum smooth (Fig. 49); fore and mid legs with coxae yellowish-white, femora tibiae and tarsi yellowish-brown, hind leg with coxa dark yellowish-brown, femur, tibia and tarsus yellowish-brown (Fig. 36); petiole 0.8 × as long as wide; female and male gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-brown with narrow dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown (Figs 39, 40); male scape slightly enlarged (Fig. 42), widest medially, 3.2 × as long as wide.

Description.

Female. Length of body 1.7 mm. Antenna with scape yellowish-white, pedicel yellowish-brown, flagellum dark brown (Fig. 41). Mandibles and palpi yellowish-white. Head black and shiny, lower face medially dark yellowish-brown reaching to level of middle of toruli (Fig. 37). Frons close to eyes with two rows of setae (Fig. 47). Vertex smooth and shiny (Fig. 48). Occipital margin rounded (Fig. 48).

Mesosoma black and shiny (Fig. 36). Scutellum 1.0 × as long as wide; smooth and shiny (Fig. 49). Dorsellum along anterior margin with a groove that is divided by longitudinal carina medially (Fig. 733), groove medially 0.3 × as long as length of dorsellum. Propodeum smooth and shiny (Fig. 733); anteromedially with a short and wide semicircular cup that is strongly raised in posterior part; propodeal callus with nine setae. Legs (Fig. 36): fore and mid legs with coxae yellowish-white, femora tibiae and tarsi yellowish-brown; hind leg with coxa dark yellowish-brown, femur, tibia and tarsus yellowish-brown. Fore wing: costal cell with one row of setae on ventral surface, and margin with four setae close to marginal vein; with 14 admarginal setae.

Gaster with anterior ½ yellowish-brown with narrow dark brown lateral margins, posterior ½ dark brown (Fig. 39).

Ratios. HE/MS/WM = 2.0/1.0/1.1; POL/OOL/POO = 8.6/4.8/1.0; OOL/DO = 1.4; WE/WF/WH/HH = 1.0/2.6/4.8/3.3; WH/WT = 1.2; PM/ST = 1.6; TS1/TS2/LT/LT1/LT2/LT3/LT4 = 4.2/2.4/7.2/3.0/1.6/1.0/1.4; LP/WP = 0.8; MM/LG = 1.4.

Male. Length of body 1.6 mm. Scape slightly enlarged, widest medially (Fig. 42), with sensory pores limited to apical ⅔ of ventral margin, sensory area yellowish-white. Similar to female except shorter gaster.

Ratios. LC/WS = 3.2; MM/LG = 1.7.

Hosts and biology.

Feeding on last instar larva of Iridopsis herse ( Geometridae ) feeding on Cochlospermum vitifolium ( Bixaceae ), parasitoid cocoons under larval mummy of host.

Distribution.

Costa Rica (Guanacaste Province).

Etymology.

This species is named after Alejandro A. Valerio, in recognition of his contribution to the understanding of ACG Hymenoptera taxonomy.