Microterys motuoensis Li and Zhang, 2021

Li, Hong-Liang & Zhang, Yan-Zhou, 2021, Two new species of Microterys Thomson, 1876 (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) from Tibet, China, Zootaxa 4975 (2), pp. 379-388 : 381-383

Microterys motuoensis Li and Zhang , sp. nov.

( Figs 1−9 )

Holotype. ♀ [on slide], Tibet, Motuo County, 6.VI.2020, Hong-Liang Li (deposited in IZCAS), reared from Kermes sp. ( Hemiptera : Kermesidae ) on Castanea sp. ( Fagales : Fagaceae ). Paratypes. 1♀ 2 ♂, same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Female. Body stout ( Fig. 1B ), length about 2.68 mm (excluding ovipositor); scape black, except base and apex pale yellow; pedicel and F1–F4 dark brown, F5–F6 pale yellow; clava black; fore wing infuscate, basally hyaline, with a hyaline band distad of stigmal vein in apical half; scape distinctly flattened and broadened, about 1.9× as long as broad; pedicel about 2.1× as long as broad, and distinctly shorter than F1; funicle with F1 to F4 distinctly longer than broad, F5 and F6 nearly as long as broad; clava about 2.4× as long as broad; ovipositor about 1.35× as long as mid tibia and slightly exserted. Among the known species of Microterys recorded in China and adjacent countries, Microterys motuoensis is generally similar to M. clauseni Compere (1926) , M. bellae Trjapitzin (1968) and M. didesmococci Shi, Si & Wang (1992) in appearance. The females of M. motuoensis can be easily separated from females of the other species by the scape about 1.9× as long as broad (about 3.2× in M. clauseni , about 2.7× in M. bellae , and about 3.2× in M. didesmococci ), pedicel about 0.8× as long as F1 (about 1.4× in M. clauseni , about 1.6× in M. bellae , and about 1.5× in M. didesmococci ), and F1 about 3.5× as long as broad (about 2.0× in M. clauseni , about 1.3× in M. bellae , and about 1.5× in M. didesmococci ).

Description. Female. Holotype. Body stout, length 2.68 mm (excluding ovipositor) ( Fig. 1B ); head orange; pronotum orange except for dark spot in the middle of anterior half, which is not visible in dorsal view, remainder of thorax dorsally generally dark brown, laterally and ventrally generally orange; gaster dark brown, with metallic reflection; antenna ( Fig. 2 ) with scape black, except base and apex pale yellow; pedicel dark brown; F1–F4 dark brown, F5–F6 pale yellow; clava black; fore wing ( Fig. 3 ) infuscate, basally hyaline, with a hyaline band distad of stigmal vein in apical half; legs ( Figs. 4, 5, 6 ) generally orange except apices of all tarsi, hind coxa nearly entirely and extreme base of hind tibia dark brown.

Head. About 1.2× as wide as high in frontal view; frontovertex about 0.23× head width; ocelli forming an almost equilateral triangle; posterior ocellus distinctly closer to eye margin than to occipital margin; antenna ( Fig. 2 ) with scape distinctly flattened and broadened, about 1.9× as long as broad; pedicel about 2.1× as long as broad, and distinctly shorter than F1; funicle with F1 to F4 distinctly longer than broad (F1 3.5×, F2 2.4×, F3 1.7×, F4 1.3×), F5 and F6 nearly as long as broad; clava about 2.4× as long as broad. Relative measurements: HW 80, HH 66, FV 18, MS 20, AOL 7, POL 7, OOL 2, OCL 6.5, POD 4, EL 45, EW 39, RL 7.3, SL 37, SW 19, PL 12, PW 5.8, F1 15(4.3), F2 12(5), F3 10(6), F4 9(6.8), F5 7(6.8), F6 7.2(6.7), CL 21.5, CW 9.

Thorax. Mesoscutum with fine, scale-like sculpture; scutellum about 1.1× as long as wide, and almost as long as mesoscutum; fore wing ( Fig. 3 ) about 2.5× as long as wide; linea calva open posteriorly, uninterrupted; basal cell with a naked area at base; mid tibial spur ( Fig. 5 ) about 0.35× as long as mid tibia and slightly longer than basal tarsus. Relative measurements: MSL 55, MSW 66, STL 53, STW 50, FWL 220, FWW 87, MV 13.5, PMV 13, SV 15, MT 88, MTS 30.5, MBT 29.5.

Gaster about 0.89× as long as thorax; ovipositor ( Fig. 7 ) about 1.35× as long as mid tibia, slightly exserted; gonostylus slightly shorter than mid tibial spur. Relative measurements: OL 119, GL 29.

Male. Length about 1.9 mm (excluding genitalia). Body generally dark brown with green metallic sheen except thorax laterally and ventrally yellow; antenna ( Fig. 8 ) with scape yellow, pedicel and F1 dark brown, remainder of flagellum dark yellow brown; legs orange except outer side of hind coxa brown; fore wing ( Fig. 9 ) and hind wing hyaline.

Head. About 1.4× as wide as high in frontal view; frontovertex about 0.46× head width; ocelli forming an obtuse triangle, antennal ( Fig.8 ) scape broadened, about 2.6× as long as broad; pedicel slightly broader than long, distinctly shorter than F1; all funicle segments distinctly longer than wide.

Thorax. Fore wing about 2.4× as long as wide; mid tibial spur about 0.35× as long as mid tibia and slightly longer than corresponding basitarsus.

Gaster about as long as thorax; aedeagus about 1.52× as long as mid tibia.

Variation. Very little in material available.

Host. Kermes sp. ( Hemiptera : Kermesidae ) on Castanea sp. ( Fagales : Fagaceae ).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality of the new species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. 1A, Kermes sp. (host); 1B, Microterys motuoensis, sp. nov., habitus, lateral view (female, paratype); Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 2–7. Microterys motuoensis, sp. nov., paratype (female): 2, antenna; 3, fore wing; 4, fore leg; 5, mid leg; 6, hind leg; 7, ovipositor.

FIGURES 8–9. Microterys motuoensis, sp. nov., paratype (male): 8, antenna; 9, fore wing.