Synergus dawnus, Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar

Lobato-Vila, Irene, Caicedo, Guadalupe, Rodríguez, Pedro A. & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2020, The inquiline oak gall wasp (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) fauna from Colombia: new data and species, The Canadian Entomologist 152 (2), pp. 131-144 : 136-139

SynerguS dawnuS Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar , new species

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0D0526B0-E307-4370-90CC-A04941F9C241 .

Figures 4–16 .

Type material. Holotype ♀ deposited in IAVH with the following labels: “Guyabal de Siquina, Sitio CAR (Cundinamarca, Colombia), 4°50 0 36 00 N, 74°27 0 43 00 W ” (white label)/“Ex. Zapatella inflata , 2083 m, Q. humboldtii , gall collected 04.i.2013, emerged 20–29.i.2013, P. Rodriguez Col.” (white label)/“ Holotype ♀ Synergus dawnus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar , IL-V desig- 2019” (red label). Paratypes (14♂ and 12♀) deposited in IAVH (9♂ and 6♀) and UB (5♂ and 5♀): with the same data as the holotype: 5♂ and 5♀ (deposited in UB); “ Colombia, Boyacá, Villa de Leyva, La Colorada, 5°38 0 47 00 N, 73°30 0 29 00 W, 2200m, 23.iv.2014, Z. nievesaldreyi, J. Pujade, M. Torres and J. Cardenas ” (white label)/“Instituto Humboldt, Colombia, IAvH-L- 146809” (white label, quick response code)/“ Paratype ♀ Synergus dawnus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar , IL-V desig-2019” (red label) (1♀; deposited in UB); same collecting data as the previous one, but with the following reference codes: IAvH-E-146798 (1♂); IAvH-E-146799 (1♂); IAvH-E-146800 (1♀); IAvH-E-146804 (1♂); IAvH-E-146808 (1♂); IAvH-E-146811

(1♀); IAvH-E-146813 (1♀); IAvH-E-146816 (1♂); IAvH-E-146819 (1♂); IAvH-E-146820 (1♀); IAvH-E-146822 (1♀); IAvH-E-146826 (1♀) (deposited in IAVH) ; “ Colombia, Boyacá, SFF Iguaque, El Níspero , 5°38 0 N, 73°31 0 W, 2730 m, 7–21.xii.2001, Malaise 1, P. Reina M.2581” (white label)/“Instituto Humboldt, Colombia, IAvH-E-147454” (white label, quick response code)/“ Paratype ♂ Synergus dawnus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar , IL-V desig-2019” (red label) (1♂; deposited in IAVH) ; same collecting data as the previous one, but collected 12.xii.2001 – 19.i.2002, Malaise 2, M.3066, and with the reference code IAvH-E-147459: 1♂ (deposited in IAVH) ; “ Colombia, Boyacá, SFF Iguaque, Qda. Los Mudos , 5°44 0 N, 73°26 0 W, 2840 m, 8.vii–24.x.2002, Malaise 2, P. Reina M.116” (white label)/“Instituto Humboldt, Colombia, IAvH-E-147455” (white label, quick response code)/“ Paratype ♂ Synergus dawnus Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar , IL-V desig-2019” (red label) (1♂; deposited in IAVH) .

Diagnosis. This species is characterised by having 14-flagellomere antennae in females and 15 flagellomeres in males; flagellomere 1 about as long as flagellomere 2 ( Fig. 9 ); flagellomere 1 of males weakly excavated medially and slightly expanded apically and basally ( Fig. 6 ); face subtrapezoid-shaped and with genae slightly expanded behind compound eyes ( Fig. 7 ); frons and vertex coriaceous and punctate, rarely with very weak wrinkles; frontal carinae narrow, somewhat branched in the distal half and almost reaching lateral ocelli ( Figs. 7–8 ); mesoscutum with weak discontinuous transversal elements not forming true carinae and with some punctures; notauli complete and narrow, somewhat interrupted by transversal elements; scutellum from weakly carinate to wrinkled; scutellar foveae subtriangular to oval, shallow, weakly sculptured; circumscutellar carina weak but visible ( Fig. 14 ); mesopleurae regularly and densely striate ( Fig. 13 ); in females, metasoma deeply dorsodistally incised and posteriorly with an incomplete band of minute micropunctures occupying at most 1/4 of the metasoma ( Figs. 15–16 ) (about 1/ 3 in males); radial cell closed, sometimes ambiguously, about 2.8 times as long as wide ( Fig. 12 ); body mainly black and yellow, face and legs light yellow except tarsi, which are darker; metacoxae rarely with a basal small dark spot ( Figs. 4–5 ).

Synergus dawnus is morphologically close to Synergus colombianus (see above), whose main differences have already been commented (see the diagnosis of S. colombianus and the identification key). It is also similar to Synergus pseudofilicornis Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar, 2018 from Mexico (Lobato-Vila et al. 2018), but differs from this species by having ocellar-ocular distance about 2.5 times as long as diameter of lateral ocelli (about 1.5 in S. pseudofilicornis ); frons and vertex mainly coriaceous, rarely with very weak wrinkles (vertex with some wrinkles in S. pseudofilicornis ) and frontal carinae narrow and somewhat branched in the distal half (wide and distally branched, almost reaching lateral ocelli, in S. pseudofilicornis ).

Description. Female. Body length 2.4–3.8 mm (n = 13).

Colour ( Fig. 4 ): black and yellow. Face and genae, from light yellow to yellow; frons, vertex and occiput medially black. Antennae yellowish orange or testaceous; tips somewhat darker. Pronotum anterolaterally and anterodorsally black, posterolaterally and posterodorsally usually orange, rarely totally black. Mesoscutum black; scutellum usually black, rarely with orange margins. Mesopleura black. Propodeum black. Metasoma usually with a dorsal black stripe more or less extended laterally and a more or less extended black anterolateral surface; rarely almost completely black. Hypopygium somewhat infuscate. Legs light yellow, metacoxae rarely with a basal small dark spot; all tarsi, and especially metatarsi, infuscate. Wings hyaline, veins yellow.

Head: in anterior view ( Fig. 7 ) subtrapezoid-shaped, about 1.1 times as wide as high, genae slightly expanded behind compound eyes. Face faintly pubescent, lower face with regular fine striae radiating from clypeus and reaching compound eyes and base of toruli; medial carinae sometimes present, but weak. Clypeus sometimes slightly distinct, ventral margin more or less straight, not projected over mandibles. Malar space about 0.6 times as long as height of compound eye. Anterior tentorial pits visible; pleurostomal sulcus absent, epistomal sulcus sometimes slightly impressed. Transfacial line about as long as height of compound eye. Toruli situated mid-height of compound eyes; distance between torulus and compound eye shorter than diameter of toruli; distance between toruli shorter than diameter of toruli. Frons coriaceous and with some small punctures, rarely with very weak wrinkles; frontal carinae narrow, somewhat branched in the distal half and almost reaching lateral ocelli. Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 8 ) is almost 2.0 times as wide as long. Vertex coriaceous, with broad punctures, rarely with weak wrinkles. Post-ocellar distance: ocellar-ocular distance: lateral-ocular distance = 7.0:5.0:3.5 and diameter of lateral ocelli, 2.0. Occiput coriaceous and with some punctures.

Antennae ( Fig. 9 ): with 14 flagellomeres (8.0:4.5:10.0:10.0:9.5:9.0:7.5:7.0:6.0:4.5:4.0:4.0:4.0:8.0); filiform, just slightly broadened apically; pubescence dense and short; placodeal sensilla visible on flagellomeres 3–12. Pedicel about 1.8 times as long as wide; flagellomere 1 about as long as flagellomere 2, flagellomere 2 slightly longer than flagellomere 3. Last flagellomere about 2.7 times as long as wide and 2.0 times as long as flagellomere 11.

Mesosoma: about 1.2 times as long as high in lateral view, including nucha, with short and not dense pubescence ( Fig. 13 ). Ratio of length of pronotum medially/laterally: 0.26. Pronotal plate distinct but incomplete, not reaching the margin of pronotum ( Fig. 8 ). Lateral pronotum from coriaceous to weakly wrinkled; without lateral carina ( Fig. 13 ). Mesoscutum ( Fig. 14 ) almost 1.2 times as wide as long, with weak discontinuous transversal elements not forming true carinae and with some punctures; interspaces from alutaceous to weakly coriaceous; anterior grooves weakly impressed. Notauli complete and narrow, slightly wider and convergent posteriorly, somewhat interrupted by transversal elements. Median groove absent. Parapsidal grooves weakly impressed, almost inconspicuous. Scutellum ( Fig. 14 ) rounded, about as long as wide, from weakly carinate to wrinkled, interspaces from alutaceous to weakly coriaceous; circumscutellar carina weak but visible, obscured by wrinkles; scutellar foveae subtriangular to oval, shallow, weakly sculptured and separated by a narrow carina. Mesopleurae ( Fig. 13 ) regularly and densely striate, interspaces alutaceous; slightly pubescent basally. Metapleural sulcus well defined, reaching about 3/4 parts of mesopleural height. Propodeum ( Fig. 11 ) pubescent, almost smooth; propodeal carinae straight and slightly convergent basally. Nucha sulcate dorsally and laterally.

Legs: tarsal claws with a strong basal tooth ( Fig. 10 ).

Wings: forewings pubescent with short marginal setae; about as long as body length ( Fig. 4 ). Radial cell closed (sometimes ambiguously closed), about 2.8 times as long as wide; areolet visible, but only posterior vein well pigmented ( Fig. 12 ). Rs M vein inconspicuous. Basal cell with sparsely spaced setae.

Metasoma: about as long as head plus mesosoma, about 1.2 times as long as high in lateral view ( Fig. 15 ). First metasomal segment sulcate dorsally and laterally. Syntergite smooth; anterolateral pubescence composed of a few setae; posteriorly with an incomplete band of minute micropunctures occupying at most 1/4 of the metasomal length ( Fig. 15 ); deeply dorsodistally incised and not pointed ( Fig. 16 ). Following segments and hypopygium minutely and densely punctate ( Figs. 15–16 ). Hypopygial spine slightly longer than wide and with a few lateral setae; without apical setae ( Fig. 12 ).

Male. Similar to female, except for the following morphological traits: body length 1.5–3.1 mm (n = 14). Antennae with 15 flagellomeres (7.0:4.0:12.0:11.0:11.0:10.0:9.0:7.0:6.5:6.0:5.0:5.0:4.5: 4.5:7.0); pedicel about 1.3 times as long as wide; flagellomere 1 weakly excavate medially and slightly expanded apically and basally ( Fig. 6 ). Ocellar-ocular distance 1.7 times as long as diameter of lateral ocelli. Malar space 0.5 times as long as height of compound eye. Metasoma posteriorly with a band of micropunctures occupying somewhat more than 1/3 of the metasomal length. Mesosoma and metasoma almost totally black, sometimes just with the posterolateral side of pronotum orange; tibiae sometimes infuscated; antennae wing veins sometimes darker ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. Named after Tony Orlando and Dawn, an American pop music group that recorded the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” in 1973.

Natural history. Associated with galls of Zapatella inflata Pujade-Villar and Rodríguez, 2015 and Zapatella nievesaldreyi Melika and Pujade-Villar, 2012 on Q. humboldtii . A few specimens were caught in Malaise traps.

Distribution. Colombia. Cundinamarca, and Boyacá departments, above 2000 m.

Figures

Figs. 4–6. Synergus dawnus. 4, Female habitus; 5, male habitus; 6, first male flagellomeres.

Figs. 7–16. Synergus dawnus. 7, Head in anterior view; 8, head in dorsal view; 9, female antenna; 10, tarsal claw; 11, propodeum; 12, radial cell; 13, mesosoma in lateral view; 14, mesosoma in dorsal view; 15, metasoma in lateral view; 16, metasoma in dorsal view.