Protoita petersi 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 petersi Ulmer & Krogmann sp. nov.

Fig. 7

Diagnosis.

The female of P. petersi differs from others of the genus by the following combination of characters: Head not as transverse as in other species, only about 1.6 × as wide as long in dorsal view (Fig. 7A ). Clava 2 segmented; terminal clavomere 0.5 × as long as preceding clavomere (Fig. 7B ). Postmarginal vein of fore wing equal in length to stigmal vein, both short; and basal vein very short and wide (Fig. 7E ). Hind wing marginal setae not longer than width of hind wing.

Description.

Female. Body length 913. Body dark brown legs, except coxae, and part of mesepimeron. Head, especially frons, vertex and back of head, base of fu1 light brown to dark yellow. Wings hyaline, uniformly pilose. Head ovular, only 1.6 × as wide as long, wider than widest point of meso- or metasoma in dorsal view (Fig. 7A ). Frons 1.5 × as long as face. Ocelli equilateral, POL=OOL. Malar sulcus faintly present. Antennal scrobe weakly defined (Fig. 7A, C ). Interantennal projection pronounced (Fig. 7C ). Toruli near lower eye margin, slightly sunken into face. Toruli more than one diameter from eye margin and about same distance from one another (Fig. 7C ). Dental formula 3:3. Maxillary palp at least 2 segmented (Fig. 7C ). Antenna length 549. Scape about 3.5 × as long as wide, gradually broadening from base to end. Pedicel 1.8 × as long as wide. Fu1 tapering proximally at insertion into pedicel, fu1-4 about 2.3 × as long as wide, fu7 only about 1.2 × as long as wide (Fig. 7A ). Clava at least 2 segmented, cl1 wider than fu7, claval length 187; all clavomeres with sensillary patch ventrally (Fig. 7B ). MPS present on all segments in one row lengthwise (Fig. 7B ). Pilosity uniform along all flagellomeres. Mesosoma length 359. Lateral panel of pronotum with 4 setae along dorsolateral margin. Mesoscutum convex, obscuring pronotum medially in dorsal view. Mesonotum large, ⅗ x as long as mesosoma in dorsal view (Fig. 5A ). Notauli not externally visible (when a strong underlight is used distinct strips of thickened sclerite may be seen corresponding to notauli and mesoscutal sulcus, possibly an artifact). Transcutal articulation complete. Mesoscutellum convex, band-like approximately ⅓ x as long as mesonotum. Axillae advanced (Fig. 7A ). Metano-propodeal complex obscured by wings and bubbles. Wings. Fore wing 2.9 × as long as wide. Longest marginal seta 38. Cubital vein 211. Basal vein short, 0.17 × as long as cubital vein. Submarginal vein 229. Marginal vein slightly less than ½ as long as submarginal vein (104), width only 17. Stigma oriented at 40° angle with wing margin. Uncus present as cluster of uncal sensillae (Fig. 7E ). Postmarginal vein approximately equal in length to stigmal vein (38:39) (Fig. 7E ). Hind wing elongate, 0.66 × as long as fore wing, 7.75 × as long as wide. Marginal setae of hind wing long, 1.5 × as long as width of hind wing, length of longest visible sensilla 58. Marginal vein of hind wing less than ½ x as long as hind wing. Legs. Basitarsal comb of fore leg present (Fig. 7D :btc); slight basitarsal notch present. (Fig. 7D :btn) Metasoma. Metasoma roughly equal to mesosoma in length, attached broadly to mesosoma; petiole obscured. Mt2 as broad as broadest point of mesosoma and only about 0.5 × as long as Mt3; Mt3-Mt8 about same length (Fig. 7F ). 7 tergal segments countable. Ovipositor length 148, only partially extruded, enveloped by ovipositor sheaths (Fig. 7F :3v).

Male. Unknown

Specimens examined.

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: 874A.

Type condition.

Specimen with right antenna damaged beyond flagellomere 5, right hind leg damaged at midpoint of femur, and right fore wing damaged beyond midpoint of marginal vein.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of our friend and colleague Dr Ralph Peters, for his work on the early diversification of Chalcidoidea .

Figures

Figure 5. Protoita bidentata, holotype A dorsolateral habitus B male genitalia, ventral C terminal funicular segments and clava D mesosoma, dorsolateral E head, posteroventral. Scale bars: 500 µm (A); 100 µm (C-E). aed = aedeagus; dig = digitus; frn = frenum; hyc = hypostomal carina; lbp = labial palp; md = mandible; msp = mesothoracic spiracle; Mtn = metasomal tergum; mxp = maxillary palp; no 3 = metanotum; par = paramere; psp = propodeal spiracle; tsa = transcutal articulation; vol = volsella.

Figure 7. Protoita petersi, holotype A dorsal habitus B apical flagellomeres, lateral C head, ventral D fore leg E fore wing venation F ovipositor complex. Scale bars: 500 µm (A); 150 µm (E); 100 µm (B-D). ax = axilla; btn = basitarsal notch; cly = clypeus.