Tetramopria tortilis 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 tortilis Notton, 1994

Figs 1 , 2 , 3

Specimens examined.

(2 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀) Japan • 1 ♀; Ibaraki Pref., Ishioka, Ishikawa ; 11 IV 2024; Y. Komatsuzaki leg.; ( ELKU) • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; Nagano Pref., Matsumoto, Jôyama ; 5 IV 2010; T. Komatsu leg.; from nest of Tetramorium tsushimae ; ( ELKU) • 1 ♀; Shizuoka Pref., Iwata, River Ohta , YPT, 16 VI 2001, M. Urai leg. ( NBC) • 1 ♀, Aichi Pref., Kasugai, Takagi , deciduous forest; EmT; 15–21 VI 1994; K. Sanda leg.; ( NBC) . South Korea • 2 ♀♀; Ulsan Metropolitan City, Ulju-gun, Cheongnyang-eup, Munjuk-ri ; 24 VI 2024; Seonwoo Yoon leg.; from nest of Tetramorium tsushimae ; ( ELKU) • 1 ♂; Ulsan Metropolitan City, Ulju-gun, Cheongnyang-eup; Munjuk-ri ; 1 VII 2024; Seonwoo Yoon leg.; from nest of Tetramorium tsushimae ; ( ELKU) .

Diagnosis.

Female flagellum 10 - segmented with 5 - segmented gradually expanded clava; male F 1 about 4.0 times as long as its greatest width. Propleuron smooth and shiny, with a small area of pubescence latero-ventrally (Fig. 1 G ). Anterior scutellar pit strongly costate (Fig. 1 C ); scutellar disc weakly raised, with a short, blunt keel medially (Fig. 1 C ). Mesopleuron with postpectal carina ventrally (Fig. 1 D , white arrow) and broad mesocoxal depression, forming a pronounced ventral concavity in front of mid coxae in lateral view (Fig. 1 B ). Male with mid-trochanter expanded, triangular, with mid-tibia strongly twisted. T 2 without subbasal foveae.

Variation.

Body length 1.8–2.3 mm.

Distribution.

Japan (Honshu: Ibaraki, Nagano, Shizuoka, Aichi; Kyushu?) ( Notton 1994; Maruyama et al. 2013; Kawai et al. 2024). South Korea, new record. In Maruyama et al. (2013), Kyushu was also listed as a locality. However, this record was not based on specimens, but rather on observations by Dr. T. Komatsu (Dr. Maruyama per. comm.). As we were unable to confirm any specimens from Kyushu, this record needs confirmation.

Biology.

Tetramopria tortilis has been collected from the nests of Tetramorium tsushimae Emery, 1925 both in Japan and Korea. In Ibaraki Prefecture ( Japan) Tetramopria tortilis was collected from a nest of Pristomyrmex punctatus (Smith, 1860) , but based on the ecological characteristics of other species of the genus Tetramopria and the circumstances of the collection site, Kawai et al. (2024) considered these wasps were considered to have been associated with Tetramorium tsushimae . Specimens of Tetramopria sp. collected from Tetramorium tsushimae nests reported by Maruyama et al. (2013) were re-examined by RK and are also T. tortilis . Unfortunately, there are some errors in the collection dates and number of male and female specimens collected by Dr. T. Komatsu mentioned Maruyama et al. (2013), and we have provided the correct data above. So, Maruyama et al. (2013) was the first report of the biology of this species from Japan. During the current study SY collected adults of T. tortilis from nests of Tetramorium tsushimae during 2024, at Ulsan city ( South Korea). The parasitoid host of T. tortilis is unknown but is probably a dipteran.

Behaviour.

Courtship and copulation 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 and extends his forelegs laterally and hind legs posteriorly (Fig. 2 A ); the female may prevent further courtship by walking off in which case her antennae are held forward where they cannot be antennated (See Suppl. material 1); if the female is receptive, she will stand still and raise her antennae so that the male can antennate them (like Fig. 2 A ); the male strokes the female antenna alternately with each of his antennae bringing the RSS on his F 2 into contact with the female antenna; if the male is not acceptable, she may try to push him away with her hind legs while the male uses his front and middle legs to grasp and hold the female’s mesosoma (Fig. 2 B ); if the female accepts the male, the male moves backwards, and copulation follows; probably the female signals her acceptance by bending both antennae backwards; the male inserts his genitalia into the female genital pore while grasping the female’s metasoma with the fore and middle legs; during copulation the male’s hind legs remain in contact with the substrate (Fig. 2 C ). Various interactions with host ants were observed by SY as follows: mouth to mouth contact between male or female wasp and worker ant (Fig. 2 D, E ); antenna and petiole biting of female wasp and carrying female wasp by ants (Figs 2 F , 3 A ); pronotum licking of male wasp by ants (Fig. 3 D ); petiole licking of ants by female wasp (Fig. 3 B ); and licking of ant heads by male wasp were observed (Fig. 3 C ).

Figures

Figure 1. Tetramopria tortilis male from South Korea (H) and female (A – G) from Japan: A lateral habitus B mesosoma, lateral view C mesosoma, dorsal view D mesosoma, ventral view E antenna, lateral view F head, dorsal view G mesosoma, latero-ventral view H mid leg; white arrows postpectal carina. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A); 0.5 mm (B, C, E); 0.3 mm (D); 0.2 mm (F, G).

Figure 2. Courtship of Tetramopria tortilis (A – C) and interaction of T. tortilis and Tetramorium tsushimae (D – F): A male wasp mounted on a female holding the female’s wings with his mid legs and with his forelegs extended laterally and hind legs posteriorly B female wasp trying to push the male off with her hind legs C male wasp grasping female metasoma with his fore and middle legs, and with his hind legs remaining on the substrate D mouth to mouth contact between male wasp and worker ant E mouth to mouth contact between female wasp and worker ant F worker ant biting antenna of female wasp and carrying female wasp.

Figure 3. Interaction of T. tortilis and Tetramorium tsushimae (A – D): A worker ant biting petiole of female wasp B female wasp licking petiole of worker ant C male wasp licking head of worker ant D worker ant licking pronotum of male wasp.