North-Western Journal of Zoology Vol. 5, No. 1, 2009, pp.8-15 P-ISSN: 1584-9074, E-ISSN: 1843-5629 Article No.: 051102

Rediscovery of Afromegischus gigas (Schletterer, 1889) (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae) from Iran

Ashkan MASNADI-YAZDINEJAD and Hosseinali LOTFALIZADEH

Department of Insect Taxonomy, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Tehran, P. O. B. 19395-1454, Iran E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]

Abstract. The stephanid species, Afromegischus gigas (Schletterer, 1889) (Hym.: Stephanidae) which was originally described from Iran based on the holotype only, was rediscovered. A re- description of the female and the first description of the male are provided, and important characters of both sexes are illustrated. It was reared on Bostrichus capucimus (L.) (Col.: Bustrichidae) for the first time.

Key words: Afromegischus gigas, Stephanidae, description, Iran, Bostrichus capucimus, Bustrichidae

Introduction The Oriental region is the most speciose area with 45% of all known species and the Stephanidae Leach, 1815 (Hymenoptera: Palearctic region is relatively depauparate Stephanoidea) is a small family containing with only 5% of all species in 6 genera. Of 13 genera with 326 nominal species (Aguiar these genera, Afromegischus Achterberg 2004, 2005). The taxonomic history and includes three species, A. gigas (Schletterer, classification of this family was summarized 1889), A. pachylomerus (Schletterer, 1889) by Aguiar (2004). There are several and A. tibiator (Schletterer, 1889), distributed published studies revising the known from Africa to Iran. Of these, A. gigas is species of this family on a world-wide basis known from the description of a single (Elliott 1922, Achterberg 2002), Palaearctic female specimen from Iran, Fars Province, (Madl 1991, Oehlke 1984, Pagliano 1986) Shiraz (Schletterer 1889). This species has Afrotropical (Benoit 1984a, 1984b) and been listed by several authors (Kieffer 1905 Nearctic regions (Townes 1945). Recently, & 1908, Enderlein 1905, Dalla Torre 1902, Aguiar (2004) listed the global species and Elliott 1922, Madl 1991) and a brief presented updated names with 90 nomen- description of the female was presented by clatural changes. Madl (1991). The members of the family are generally Given the rarity of the species, in- rare wasps, with 95% of them having been complete description of the females and lack described from a single specimen (Aguiar of knowledge of its host(s), a search of the 2004). Stephanids are ectoparasitoids of type locality and vicinity in the south of Iran xylophagous larvae of Coleoptera (inclu- was conducted. With the discovery of the ding Cerambycidae and Buprestidae) and male of this species both sexes of A. gigas Hymenoptera (Siricidae). are herein fully described and illustrated.

©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2009 North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 www.herp-or.uv.ro/nwjz Oradea, Romania Rediscovery of Afromegischus gigas from Iran 9

Materials and Methods Adelaide, Australia), the redescription of the female and the first description of males was carried out The specimens were collected from Yazd and Tehran using morphological terminology of Aguiar (2001, (Iran) (Fig. 23). The specimens were mounted and 2006). the females specimens were studied using Madl's The specimens were deposited in the Hayk key (1991). After initial identification and confir- Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM), Iranian Plant mation by Dr John T. Jennings (University of Protection Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

Results and Discussions

Afromegischus gigas (Schletterer, 1889) (Figs 1-22) Stephanus gigas Schletterer, 1889:84, 96, ♀. Distribution, figure, keyed. Holotype female NHMW (Type locality: Persia [Iran], Schiras [Shiraz], 1844). Stephanus Gigas [sic!]: Kieffer, 1905: 483–4, ♀. Distribution, keyed. Stephanus gigas: Enderlein, 1905: 475. Listed, distribution. Stephanus gigas: Dalla Torre, 1902: 7. Listed, distribution. Stephanus gigas: Kieffer, 1908: 4. Listed, distribution. Stephanus gigas: Elliott, 1922: 715, 720, ♀. Description, distribution, taxonomic discussion, keyed. Megischus gigas: Madl, 1991: 123, ♀. Diagnosis, keyed. Afromegischus gigas: Aguiar 2004: 15. Listed, synonymy.

Material examined: (Fig. 23), Yazd towards clypeus. Coronal area with an oval Province, Yazd, Ziaeie school, Zendan-e carina encircling central ocellum (as male, Skandar, 12.ii.2005, ex Bustrichidae Fig. 10). Vertex (Figs 2-3, 10-11) not (Coleoptera), Hasanabadi Leg., 3 females & glabrous; three distinct sculpture patterns: 1 male. Yazd, Paygahe miras farhangi, anteriorly with four arcuate, concentric, 14.vi.2006, M. Saffar Leg., 1 male. Tehran progressively smaller carinae; laterally Province, Tehran, M. Abai Leg., 16.vii.1973, areolate-rugose; centrally and posteriorly 1 female. transversally strigate, disappearing near occipital carina, central impression absent; temple broadly polished; gena in dorsal FEMALE. (Fig. 1) Body length varied from view weakly prominent; mostly polished, 49 to 55 mm (ovipositor length 22 to 27 but with small, shallow foveolation with mm). associated hairs. Occipital carina as a narrow blade, somewhat reflected towards Head: Antenna with 41 flagellomeres. Frons head surface (Figs 2, 11-12, 19); dorsal irregularly areolate-rugose, centrally a few portion centrally slightly projected, there- scattered hairs, decumbent upwards; latero- fore widest at this point; ending at base of ventrally with short hairs decumbent hypostomal carina; laterally and dorsally

North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 10 Masnadi-Yazdinejad, A. & Lotfalizadeh, H. with row of equidistant, fine hairs along its Mesosoma: Prosternum (as in male, Fig. 19) length. Hypostomal area polished, except with deep pre-apical longitudinal depre- for a few very small isolated hairs. ssion; sparsely alutaceous. Pronotum: colo

Figures 1-8. Afromegischus gigas, female. 1- habitus, lateral view, 2-head, lateral view, 3- head, latero-frontal view, 4- pronotum, lateral view, 5- petiole, dorsal view, 6- second metasomal tergite (T2), , lateral view, 7- second metasomal tergite (T2), dorsal view, 8- fore and hind wings. Illustrations not to scale.

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dorsally polished in central area, laterally areolation; laterally, and dorsal part of with 2 pairs of wide, blade-like carinae, the metapleuron, densely areolate-rugose. Me- carina widely interrupted, the basal carina tapleuron centrally coarsely areolate, with larger, strongly curved into pronotal fold, long pilosity associated with areolae; which is very large, deep, its margin ventrally, including postfoveolar area, strongly reflexed outwards, dorsally with a pleuropropodeal fovea and extending to deep emargination (Fig. 4). Preannular (as interfoveolar area, rugose. in male, Fig. 13) coarsely transversely Legs (Fig. 15) with long dark bristles, rugose; the rugosity somewhat straight. first tarsal segments and fore tibiae with Femoral impression (as in male, Fig. 14) dense short golden pilosity on inner part; wide, relatively deep, iregularly rugose; hind coxa basally areolate and taken by ventral area obliquely rugulose and short transverse elevations distally, each punctuate. Semiannular dorso-centrally bearing one long hair on its posterior face, with transverse rugae, laterally punctuate the hairs strongly inclined towards apex; bearing a long, thin hair; surface in between hind femur and compressed half of hind polished. Mesoscutum (as in male, Fig. 13) tibia polished, dilated half weakly but median sulcus and notaulus indicated by distinctly alutaceous; femur and tibia deep, aligned foveola; lateral lobes deeply covered with long, sparse, stiff pilosity, foveolate. Axilla lateral margin taken by inclined about 45 degrees towards apex; deep, coalescent foveolae, posteriorly and hind tibia posteriorly strongly pinched on mesally with a few well defined, subcircular basal half (Fig. 15), generating a posterior foveolae, centrally polished. Scutellum carina or edge and a central, somewhat mostly polished centrally, marginally with circular, transverse compression. Hind some well defined subcircular foveolae, its femur with two large projections that lateral angle deeply excavate, as a widened between them there are 4 small projections continuation of the deep crenulation and two small projections behind of basal between axilla and scutellum. Mesopleuron dent (Fig. 1). (as in male, Fig. 16) densely foveolate, the Fore wing (Fig. 8) vein P very short, vein foveolae large or medium-sized, each M+Cu with 4 erect, equidistant setae bearing one long, thin hair; surface in grouped at apex, ending at point of between polished. conexion with vein 1M, and one erected seta Mesopseudosternum taken by less deep in the middle of M+Cu; crossvein 2r long, foveolation and pilosity of mesepisternum, vein 1M arched, (Rs+M)b about 4 times as except polished near discrimen, which is long as broad; vein 2-1A tubular only on its densely and fully crenulate. Propodeum (as basal 0.20, otherwise nebulous, cell 2Cu in male, Fig. 17) mostly taken by medium- mostly closed posteriorly; hind wing sized, well defined reticulations, apparently venation simple with 1M and 2M. densely distributed, laterally, behind spiracle, changing to areolate-rugose, al- Metasoma: Petiole (Fig. 5) basally rugu- most completely obliterating parapetiolar lose, with a few longitudinal wrinkles, fovea. Spiracular groove and carina mostly distally densely transversely strigate. Se- indistinct, indicated by dense transversal cond tergite (T2) basally with strong rugo-

North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 12 Masnadi-Yazdinejad, A. & Lotfalizadeh, H.

Figures 9-14. Afromegischus gigas, male. 9- habitus, lateral view, 10-head, frontal view, 11- head, dorsal view, 12- head, lateral view, 13- pronotum, dorsal view, 14- pronotum, lateral view. Illustrations not to scale.

sity (Figs 6-7), T3 (2nd metasomal) polished; widely polished, isolated from basal portion T4–9 finely alutaceous; Pygidial sulcus V- by a series of aligned, long hairs; area shaped; pygidium large, its apical margin behind hairs somewhat polished.

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Figures 15-22. Afromegischus gigas, male. 15- hind leg, lateral view, 16- mesopleuron, ventral view, 17- propodeum, dorsal view, 18- second metasomal tergite (T2), dorsal view, 19- prosternum, ventral view, 20- petiole, dorsal view, 21- hind tarsi, lateral view , 22- fore and hind wings. Illustrations not to scale.

Coloration: Body entirely dark (Fig. 1), brown; second metasomal tergite reddish- except trochanters blackish-red, femurs, brown in basal part and dark distally. tibiae and tarsal segments reddish-brown. Antennae reddish-black. Wing membrane Petiole (first metasomal tergite) reddish- slightly amber, veins dark brown.

North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 14 Masnadi-Yazdinejad, A. & Lotfalizadeh, H.

MALE. (Fig. 9) Two examined specimens be generally lighter than on female, yellow are very similar to the female, especially in brown with petiole instead of reddish- coloration. They differ only in overall body brown. size and are smaller than females. As with females the males show variation in body Biology. Nothing is known on the biology length, ranging from apprixmately 12 to of this species, while, our recently collected 12.5 mm. Generally similar to females with specimens were found on dead wood the exception of the following features. Colo infected by Bostrichus capucimus (L.) (Col.: of pronotum with two slightly developed Bustrichidae, Bustrichinae). carinae oblique towards pronotal fold. Petiole less strigate (vs. distinctly strigate Distribution. Originally described from female) (Fig. 20). Fore wing (Fig. 22) vein Iran, Fars Province, Shiraz (Schletterer M+Cu with 3 erect; vein (Rs+M)b about 5 1889). We add Yazd (Yazd Province) and times as long as broad; vein 2-1A apically Tehran (Tehran Province) as new localities nebulous. It can be distinguished from (Fig. 23). males of other species of the genus Afromegischus by the same diagnostic Comments. This endemic species is features listed for females (see above). characteristic by having distally enlarged hind tibia; irregularly reticulate vertex and Coloration. Same as female except as pronotum dorsally; long petiole (about 8 follows. Some parts of body color tends to times as long as broad).

Figure 23. Distribution map of Afromegischus gigas in Iran.

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Acknowledgements. We wish to thank Dr. John T. auteurs et les communications des entomologistes Jennings (University of Adelaide, Australia) for the spécialistes; enrichi de planches coloriées donnant, identification of specimens, and his careful reading, Dr. d’après nature, outre un ou plusieurs spécimens des K. Schonitzer (University of Munchen, Germany) for his insectes de chaque genre, de nombreux dessins au useful suggestions and comments, and Dr. Pernetta for trait des caracteres utiles a l’intelligence du texte. the editing on the manuscript. Beaune (Côte d’Or). Tome Septième bis, Cynipides, Paris. Kieffer, J.-J. (1908): Hymenoptera fam. Stephanidae. In: Wytsman, P. (ed.) Genera Insectorum 77: 1–10. References Leach, W.E. (1815): Entomology entry. In: Brewster, D. The Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Vol. 9: 2, 766 pp. Achterberg, C. van. (2002): A revision of the Old World Edinburgh. [Publication year not provided on the of Megischus Brullé, Stephanus Jurine and original publication]. Pseudomegischus gen. nov., with a key to the genera Madl, M. (1991): Zur kenntnis der paläartischen of the family Stephanidae (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae (Hymenoptera, Stephanoidea). Stephanidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen 339: 1- Entomofauna 12 (9): 117–128. 206. Oehlke, J. (1984): Beitrage zur Insektenfauna der DDR: Aguiar, A.P. (2004): World catalog of the Stephanidae Hymenoptera- Evanoidea, Stephanoidea, (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea) Zootaxa 753: 1-120. Trigonalyoidea (Insecta). Faunistische Aguiar, A.P. (2005): A new unusual species of Abhandlungen, Staatliches Museum fur Tierkunde Stephanidae (Hymenoptera), with a discussion on in Dresden 11 (13): 161-189. its phylogenetic implications. Journal of Pagliano, G. (1986): Aulacidae, Stephanidae ed Evaniidae Hymenoptera Research 14 (1): 1-6. d’Italia con descrizione di un nuovo Stephanidae Aguiar, A.P. (2006): The Stephanidae (Hymenoptera) of del Marocco (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea). Atti Mexico, with description of six new species and key del Museo Civico di StoriaNaturale di Grosseto to western Foenatopus Smith. Zootaxa 1186: 1-56. 9/10: 1–20. Benoit, P.L.G., (1984a): Stephanidae de l'Afrique Schletterer, A. (1889): Monographie der Hymenopteren- occidentale et centrale (Hymenoptera). Revue de Gattung Stephanus Jur. Berliner Entomologische Zoologie Africaine 98 (1): 215-228. Zeitschrift 33: 71–160. Benoit, P.L.G., (1984b): Stephanidae du Sahara Townes, H. (1949): The Nearctic species of the family (Hymenoptera) Revue de Zoologie Africaine 98 (2): Stephanidae (Hymenoptera). Proceedings of the 434-439. United States Natural Museum 99 (3243): 361–370. Dalla Torre, C.G. de. (1902): Catalogus hymenopterorum Zschach, J.J. (1788): Museum N. G. Leskeanum. hucusque descriptorum systematicus et Regnumanimale. Pars entomologica. Ad systema synonymicus. Volumen III: Trigonalidae, entomologiae. Megalyridae, Stephanidae, Ichneumonidae, Agriotypidae, Evaniidae, Pelecinidae. Sumptibus Guilelmi Engelmann, Lipsiae. 1141 pp. Elliott, E.A. (1922): Monograph of the hymenopterous family Stephanidae. Proceedings of the Zoological Submitted: 04 May 2008 Society of London 92: 705–831. / Accepted: 27 August 2008 Enderlein, G. (1905) Über die Klassifikation der Stephaniden. Zoologischer Anzeiger 28 (13): 473– 477. Published Online: 05 September 2008 Kieffer, J.-J. (1905): Stéphanides, pp. 471–490, 732, 746. In: André, E. (ed.) Species des Hyménoptères d’Europe et d’Algérie. Rédigé d’après les principales collections, les mémoires les plus récents des

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