Taeniogonalos dhritiae Girish Kumar & Hegde, 2023

Kumar, P. Girish & Hegde, V. D., 2023, Additions to the knowledge of Taeniogonalos Schulz, 1906 (Hymenoptera: Trigonalyidae) from India with the description of a new species from Western Ghats, Zootaxa 5361 (4), pp. 566-572 : 567-570

Taeniogonalos dhritiae Girish Kumar & Hegde sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:14ADC6A3-2A65-4F47-B1B0-378E438ACB0F

( Figs 1–13 )

Type material. Holotype female, India: Kerala, Kasaragod district, Ranipuram hills (12°24’58’’ N and 75°21’50’’ E 783 m), 17.ii.2023, coll. K.S. Surya, ( ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.22938.

Diagnosis. This new species differs from all other Indian species of Taeniogonalos in having following combination of characters: second metasomal tergite with basal yellow spot ( Fig. 11 ); vertex dorsally reddish ( Fig. 4 ); 21 flagellomeres ( Fig. 2 ); yellow apical band of second metasomal tergite laterally widened and narrowed medially ( Fig. 11 ); yellow apical band of second metasomal sternite comparatively wide medially ( Fig. 12 ); second submarginal cell of fore wing sessile anteriorly which is connecting with discal cell by forming a vertical vein ( Fig. 9 ); and middle of scutellum black ( Fig. 7 ).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 7.5 mm; fore wing 7.0 mm.

Head. Head in dorsal view 1.35 × as wide as long (except mandibles); 21 flagellomeres ( Fig. 2 ); frons ( Fig. 5 ) coarsely rugose punctate, with narrow shiny interspaces; vertex with large shiny interspaces wider than fine punctures in some places; OOD 2.33 × POD ( Fig. 4 ); OOD 3.5× OD; punctures on temple as that of vertex, smooth towards occiput and punctured towards eye ( Fig. 3 ); eye in dorsal view 1.78 × as wide as temple; occipital carina distinct; supra-antennal elevation medium-sized, about 0.26 × as long as scape, outer margin oblique; clypeus markedly concave medio-apically, setose; mandible large; interocular distance at middle of face 3.18 × distance between antennal toruli.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.43 × as long as high ( Fig. 6 ); transverse mesopleural sulcus present; mesopleuron irregularly rugulose except shiny area posteriorly on upper half, indistinct; notauli ( Fig. 7 ) deep, narrow and complete; middle lobe of mesoscutum coarsely rugose-punctate, lateral lobes with similar sculpture, short longitudinal streak indicated on lateral lobes; scutellar sulcus complete, medium-sized, finely crenulate; scutellum similarly sculptured as mesoscutum, weakly convex; metanotum medially slightly convex, not protruding, somewhat glossy ( Figs 7 & 8 ); propodeum largely irregularly rugulose punctate with some longitudinally or obliquely rugose punctures; posterior propodeal carina arched ( Fig. 8 ).

Wings. Fore wing with length of vein 1-M 1.52 × as long as vein 1-SR, vein 1-M curved and vein 1-SR straight; subdiscal and discal cells less setose ( Fig. 9 ); second submarginal cell sessile anteriorly which is connecting with discal cell by forming a vertical vein.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite 1.46 × as wide as long, glossy with few punctures and basally with few transverse striations ( Fig. 11 ); second metasomal tergite rugose-punctate, shiny, moderately setose; remainder tergites conspicuously rugose punctate, setose ( Figs 10 & 11 ); sternites ( Fig. 12 ) with similar sculpturing as tergites; second sternite truncate medio-posteriorly; visible part of third sternite0.16 × as long as second sternite; hypopygium bluntly triangular in ventral view ( Fig. 13 ).

Colour. Head, mesosoma and metasoma predominantly tricoloured (black to brownish black, red to reddish brown, and yellow). Base colour of body black with the following parts red to reddish brown: upper half of frons; vertex almost entirely extending to temple; pronotum medially; mesoscutum mostly except black and yellow markings of median lobe of mesoscutum anteriorly; lateral sides of scutellum; large spot on upper mesopleuron (with small yellow spot inside); second tergite with a marking in between black and yellow markings posteriorly; third tergite posteriorly; fourth tergite with markings between black and yellow markings; third sternite posterolaterally. Yellow markings as follows: mandible (except peripherally brownish black); two large somewhat square-shaped marks on clypeus; triangular mark above antennal toruli; large mark between toruli and inner eye margin; large elongate mark on outer side of eye; a small spot below anterior ocellus; large marks on upper and lower sides of pronotum; small marks on mid lobe of mesoscutum anteriorly; two small spots on both sides of scutellum; three elongate marks on metanotum, middle one medially narrowed; two large marks on propodeum; a spot at base of propleuron; indistinct small mark inside red area of mesopleuron dorsally; somewhat rounded mark on upper metapleuron and an elongated mark on lower metapleuron; first metasomal tergite with a large triangular spot at apex; second tergite with basal yellow spot and with a subapical band laterally widened and narrowed medially; fourth to sixth tergite with two spots on either sides; first and second metasomal sternite with subapical band which is more wider on second sternite. Antenna brown (except yellow ventrally on scape). Tegula yellowish brown. Legs with base of fore coxa, mid and hind coxa black with following yellow markings: fore coxa almost entirely; mid and hind coxa dorsally; fore and hind trochanter entirely; mid trochanter dorsally; base and apex of all femora; pale markings ventrally on fore and mid tibiae; pale mark at base of hind tibia ventrally. Rest of legs blackish brown to brown. Wings pale brownish hyaline; fore wing strongly infumated subapically; veins dark brown. Setae white.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. The species is named after Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, for her constant encouragements and support in our studies.

Distribution. India (Kerala).

Remarks. Taeniogonalos dhritiae sp. nov. resembles T. ayyari Binoy, van Achterberg & Girish Kumar, 2022 in having the second submarginal cell of fore wing sessile anteriorly and connecting with the discal cell forming a vertical vein; middle of scutellum black; head, mesosoma and metasoma predominantly tricoloured; and second sternite truncate medio-posteriorly. Taeniogonalos dhritiae sp. nov. however, differs from T. ayyari in having second metasomal tergite with basal yellow spot (in T. ayyari , second tergite without basal yellow spot); vertex dorsally reddish (in T. ayyari , vertex dorsally black with reddish markings); 21 flagellomeres (22 flagellomeres in T. ayyari ); yellow apical band of second metasomal tergite laterally widened and narrowed medially (in T. ayyari , yellowish white apical band of second tergite with almost uniform thickness); yellow apical band of second metasomal sternite comparatively wide medially (in T. ayyari , yellowish white apical band of second sternite narrow medially); and vertex with large shiny interspaces wider than fine punctures in some places (in T. ayyari , vertex coarsely rugose punctate, with narrow shiny interspaces).

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Taeniogonalos dhritiae Girish Kumar & Hegde sp. nov. Holotype female. 1. Habitus, lateral view; 2. Antenna; 3. Head, lateral view; 4. Head, dorsal view; 5. Head, frontal view.

FIGURES 6–13. Taeniogonalos dhritiae Girish Kumar & Hegde sp. nov. Holotype female. 6. Head and mesosoma, lateral view; 7. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 8. Scutellum (posteriorly), metanotum and propodeum, dorsal view; 9. Wings; 10. Metasoma, lateral view; 11. Metasomal tergites, dorsal view; 12. Metasomal sternites, ventral view; 13. Terminal tergites and sternites, lateral view.