Tetramopria turbinata Notton, 1994

Kawai, Ryoji, Yoon, Seonwoo & Notton, David G., 2025, A review of Tetramopria (Hymenoptera, Diapriidae, Diapriinae) of the Eastern Palaearctic with notes on mating behaviour and interactions with host ants, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98, pp. 621-636 : 621-636

Tetramopria turbinata Notton, 1994

Figs 4 , 5

Specimens examined.

(1 ♂ 4 ♀♀) Japan • 1 ♂; Aichi Pref., Nisshin, Komenogi ; MT; 25 VI – 1 VII 2011; H. Seo leg.; ( NBC) • 1 ♀; Mie Pref., Yokkaichi, Komatsu ; YPT; 18–25 VI 1996; S. Hanaoka leg.; ( NBC) . South Korea • 3 ♀♀; Ulsan Metropolitan City, Ulju-gun, Cheongnyang-eup, Munjuk-ri ; 24 VI 2024; Seonwoo Yoon leg.; from nest of Tetramorium tsushimae ; ( ELKU) .

Diagnosis.

Frons more convex than for T. aurocincta ; female flagellum 10 - segmented with 4 - segmented gradually expanded clava; male F 1 about 2.5 times as long as its greatest width. Propleuron smooth, with sparse short setae latero-ventrally (Fig. 4 G ). Anterior scutellar pit more or less costate (Fig. 4 B, D ); scutellar disc tectiform, with a sharp medial keel covering its entire length and extending forwards into anterior scutellar pit (Fig. 4 B ); scutellar disc emarginate posteriorly. Mesopleuron with scattered hairs in lower half, without pronounced ventral concavity in front of mid coxae. Male mid-trochanter and mid-tibia unmodified. Dorsal part of propodeum deeply foveate posteriorly (Fig. 4 D , white arrow). T 2 with two shallow subbasal foveae, very finely striate inside (Fig. 4 D , green arrow).

Description.

Female. Body length except ovipositor 2.3–2.8 mm. Body black and dark brown, except mandibles, antennae, tegulae and legs brown, scape and antennal club darker. Occipital, metapleural and pronotal pubescence golden, petiolar pubescence white.

Head. Head with short, semidecumbent to adpressed setae. Head in dorsal view as long as wide, hexagonal, tapered behind eyes. Head in lateral view slightly longer than high (17: 15), face slightly convex. Occiput with a dense cushion of setae. OOL: POL: LOL = 11: 5: 3. Eye small, its maximum width slightly longer than malar space (23: 21). Pleurostomal distance 0.6 times as long as maximum width of head. Basal margin of mandible costate. Mandible apically bidentate, only overlapping a little. Upper tooth of mandible shorter than lower tooth. Antenna with setae on all segments. Scape compressed, slightly curved, with reticulate-coriaceous sculpture (Fig. 4 F ). Pedicel longer than wide (16: 11). F 1 – F 6 gradually widened towards apex. Flagellum with 4 - segmented antennal club, its ventral part with dense sensilla. F 10 conical. Ratios of length to maximum width of each flagellomeres in lateral view: F 1 19: 10; F 2 15: 10; F 3 13: 10; F 4 12: 11; F 5 12: 13; F 6 12: 14; F 7 16: 18; F 8 19: 20; F 9 19: 20; F 10 22: 16.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma slightly wider than head (39: 35). Pronotal collar wide, vertical, with a dense cushion of setae, interrupted at top of pronotum (Fig. 4 B ). Pronotal shoulder rounded. Lateral part of pronotum smooth and shiny. Propleuron smooth, with sparsely short setae latero-ventrally (Fig. 4 G ). Mesoscutum smooth, convex anteriorly, flat posteriorly with 5–10 short semidecumbent setae. Anterior scutellar pit transverse, curved, costate, divided into small foveae (Fig. 4 B, D ). Scutellar disc weakly convex, sulcate laterally and posteriorly. Medial keel of scutellar disc covering its entire length and extending forwards into anterior scutellar pit. Mesopleuron smooth, without median oblique impression and few scattered setae. Mesopleuron in lateral view convex posteroventrally, in front of mid coxal insertion, not concave like T. tortilis . Metascutellum with strong median keel and lower lateral keel. Metapleuron with short, adpressed setae laterally, and long setae dorsally (Fig. 4 A ). Lateral part of propodeum with short, adpressed setae anteriorly, with a band of long setae behind that, and the posterior margin of the propodeum bare. Dorsal area of propodeum with adpressed setae. Medial keel of propodeum simple, strongly developed, raised anteriorly. Propodeum with lateral keel developed, posteriorly produced as a tooth. Posterior margin of propodeum concave. Basal part of all femora compressed and reticulate-coriaceous. Apical part of all femora enlarged and smooth. Basal part of mid and hind tarsi laterally compressed, smooth and shiny.

Metasoma. Petiole in lateral view slightly raised, dorsally visible part 1.1 times as long as its maximum width, covered with short adpressed setae anteriorly and longer setae posteriorly. Metasoma in dorsal view about 1.8 times as long as its maximum width, wider than mesosoma (95: 78). Postpetiole comprising six smooth, clearly differentiated tergites. T 2 – T 5 with micropunctation medially (Fig. 4 C ). Anterior margin of T 2 slightly concave with two shallow foveae, very finely striate inside. T 3 and T 4 with a pair of setae, T 5 with three pair of setae, T 6 with a pair of spiracles. T 7 with pygostyles surrounded by several setae. Postpetiole comprising five smooth, shiny, clearly differentiated sternites. Anterior margin of S 2 with two deep foveae covered with long setae. S 3 – S 6 covered with micropunctation medially. Posterior part of S 6 with several setae. Ovipositor sometimes slightly exposed.

Distribution.

Japan (Honshu: Aichi, Mie), new record; South Korea ( Notton 1994).

Biology.

Tetramopria turbinata has been collected from the nests of Tetramorium tsushimae in South Korea by SW. In Japan, associated ants are unknown. The parasitoid host of T. turbinata is unknown but is probably a dipteran.

Behaviour.

Courtship was observed by SY as follows: the male mounts the female with the two individuals facing the same way; the male grips the base of the females wings using the tibiae and tarsi of his mid leg (Fig. 5 A ), grips the female face or scapes with his fore tarsi (Fig. 5 A, B ), and extends his hind legs posteriorly or places them on the female metasoma; if the female is receptive, she will stand still and raise her antennae a little so that the male can antennate them; the male strokes the female antennae alternately with each of his antennae bringing the RSS on his F 2 into contact with the female antenna (Fig. 5 C ). Successful courtship and copulation was not observed. Various interactions with ants were observed by SY as follows; mouth to mouth contact between female parasitoid and worker (Fig. 5 F ), biting of the base of the fore wing of male or female parasitoid by ants (Fig. 5 D, E ).

Figures

Figure 4. Tetramopria turbinata male from Japan (H), female from South Korea (A – G) and Trichopria drosophilae male from Japan (I): A lateral habitus B mesosoma, dorsal view C tip of metasoma, dorsal view D propodeum, petiole and anterior part of T 2, dorsal view E antenna, lateral view F head, dorsal view G mesosoma, latero-ventral view H trochanter, femur, tibia and basitarsus of mid leg I mid leg; white arrow fovea of propodeum; green arrow fovea of anterior part of T 2. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A); 0.5 mm (B, E); 0.3 mm (D); 0.2 mm (C, F, G).

Figure 5. Courtship of Tetramopria turbinata (A – C) and interaction of T. turbinata and Tetramorium tsushimae (D – F): A, B mounting – male wasp holding the female’s wings with his mid legs C antennation – male wasp with his F 2 in contact with the female antennal clava, also the male wasp is holding the female’s scapes with his front tarsi D worker ant biting base of fore wing of a male wasp E worker ant biting base of fore wing of a female wasp F mouth to mouth contact between a female wasp and a worker ant.