Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from the Oriental Region

Zootaxa 3955 (3): 435–443 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2015 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3955.3.10 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:61E33C29-94BF-4CA5-AF64-D0EC921AD6EB New records of the genus Polysphincta Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from the Oriental region

OLEKSANDR VARGA1 & ALEXEY RESHCHIKOV2 1Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine. E-mail:[email protected] 2Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

A new species, Polysphincta punctigaster Varga & Reshchikov sp. n., the second known species of the genus from the Oriental region, is described from Thailand. Polysphincta asiatica Kusigemati, 1984 is considered to be a junior synonym of P. boops Tschek, 1869 (syn. nov.). Polysphincta longa Kasparyan, 1976 is recorded from the Oriental region for the first time.

Key words: Ephialtini, Thailand, taxonomy, new species, new synonymy

Introduction

Polysphincta Gravenhorst, 1829 is a relatively small genus of the tribe Ephialtini (Pimplinae), with 26 currently recognised species occurring in the Neotropical and Holarctic regions (Yu et al. 2012). Before the current study only one species of Polysphincta was known from the Oriental region, P. asiatica Kusigemati, 1984, recorded from China and Japan (Kusigemati 1984). The genus is associated primarily with Araneidae, although there are two doubtful host records reporting Polysphincta species on Theridiidae and Miturgidae (Gauld & Dubois, 2006). The Original description and our examination of the type material of P. asiatica have shown this species to be a junior synonym of P. boops Tschek, 1869, a species which also occurs in the Palaearctic region. In this study we provide additional records of the genus Polysphincta from the Oriental region. A new species, P. punctigaster Varga & Reshchikov sp. n. is described from Thailand and P. longa Kasparyan, 1976 is recorded from Thailand for the first time.

Material and methods

The current study was based on material collected by the TIGER project, a collaborative effort between staff at the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden (QSBG), the Thai Forestry Group, the Hymenoptera Institute of the University of Kentucky, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Comparisons of other Polysphincta species were based on the original description (Kusigemati, 1984) and the type materials of P. asiatica and P. boops, which are deposited in collections of Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History (Japan) and Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Austria) respectively. Specimens of other European species studied are deposited in the collections of the Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology (Ukraine) and the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi (UAIC) (Romania). Morphological terminology used in the study follows that of Gauld (1991). Images (of the new species) were taken at UAIC using a Leica stereomicroscope 205A with DFC 500 camera, combined with Zerene® software.

Accepted by J. Jennings: 7 Apr. 2015; published: 5 May 2015 435 Taxonomy

Genus Polysphincta Gravenhorst, 1829

Diagnosis (after Gauld & Dubois, 2006). Mandibles: moderately tapered, upper tooth usually longer than the lower tooth. Clypeus: separated from face by a weakly impressed clypeofacial suture, the clypeus transverse, apically centrally truncate, with its lateral margins straight. Head: posteriorly more or less evenly rounded (Fig. 1b), occipital carina mediodorsally complete, weakly raised, but not forming a flange. Pronotum: moderately long in profile, mediodorsally flat, or the hind margin with a weak shelf-like promontory; with a sharp vertical epomia. Mesoscutum: moderately long, convex, from densely pubescent to smooth and glabrous. Mesopleuron: with epicnemial carina present. Propodeum: moderately long, evenly declivous posteriorly, usually without carinae except lateral parts of the area apicalis; hind coxal socket not separated from metasomal foramen by a sclerotized bridge. Legs: Hind tibia without any trace of a longitudinal groove on inner surface. Wings: Fore wing with vein 3rs-m entirely absent. Hind wing with vein Cu1 present (Fig. 1e). Metasoma with tergite I slightly elongate; tergite II with weak anterolateral oblique grooves, and centrally weakly convex; tergite III weakly biconvex, tergite IV almost evenly convex; all four tergites usually smooth and shining and from almost impunctate with only isolated fine punctures to densely punctate (especially between anterolateral swellings). Ovipositor straight or slightly sinuous, projecting beyond apex of metasoma by about at least 0.6-0.7 times length of hind tibia, moderately slender, rapierlike, with a distinct basal ventral swelling. Upper valve basally broadened, the tip of lower valves with oblique ridges (Fig. 1f).

Polysphincta punctigaster Varga & Reshchikov, sp. n. (Figs 1–2)

Material examined. Holotype: female, THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Phahompok NP, Doi Phaluang, 20°1.06'N, 99°9.581'E, 1449 m, 7.–14.xi.2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6212, QSBG. Paratypes: Female, same locality as holotype, 28.xi–5. xii. 2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6209, QSBG; female, THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Phahompok NP, Kiewlom1/montane forest, 20°3.549'N, 99°8.552'E, 2174 m, 28.x.–4.xi.2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, Т6182, QSBG; female, same locality as previous female, 7.–14.v.2008, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6098, QSBG. Diagnosis. Polysphincta punctigaster is morphologically similar to P. boops and P. longa with yellow body marks and distinct pleural carina, but differs in having a more punctate metasoma (especially anterolateral swellings on tergites 3–4), more rounded temples compared with P. boops or P. longa, a red mesoscutum, and slightly shorter ovipositor. Description. Female (Fig. 1): Body length approximately 7 mm, fore wing 4.5 mm, ovipositor 2 mm. Head: smooth, shining, and sparsely setose (Figs 1a, b, d). Antenna with 28 flagellomeres, first flagellomere 1.55 times longer than the second. Diameter of lateral ocellus 0.85 times ocellar-ocular distance. Frons smooth, with scattered setae. Face 0.8 times as high as wide, smooth, shining, with dense white setae and very sparsely punctate. Clypeus 0.55 times as high as wide, weakly swollen, apically and centrally truncate, with lateral margins straight. Malar space about 0.8 times basal width of mandible, with subocular sulcus. Upper tooth of mandible longer than lower tooth. Occipital carina complete, weakly raised. Temple rounded behind eye. Mesosoma: smooth, shining, and sparsely setose (Figs 1b, c, d). Pronotum smooth. Epomia present, vertical and almost reaching upper margin of pronotum. Mesoscutum (Fig. 1d) bordered by a flange which is distinctly raised behind the tegulae, smooth, with short, dense, white setae, on the anterior part of central lobe and with sparser setae on lateral parts to tegulae, the rest of mesoscutum with scattered isolated setae, notauli present, weakly impressed on anterior 0.3 of mesoscutum. Scutellum strongly swollen, smooth, with sparse setae and lateral carinae absent. Mesopleuron (Fig. 1b) smooth, impunctate, with sparse setae on anteroventral part, epicnemial carina present on lower 0.6 of mesopleuron. Metapleuron smooth, with scattered punctures, with longer setae than on mesoscutum, pleural carina present. Propodeum (Fig. 1c) with the area apicalis longitudinally carinate apically, otherwise smooth and impunctate, with long setae, pleural parts with sculpture as on metapleuron. Propodeal spiracle round. Legs slender, hind leg with femur 6.0 times as long as wide, 0.75 times as long as hind tibia and third tarsomere about 1.1 times as long as the fifth tarsomere.

436 · Zootaxa 3955 (3) © 2015 Magnolia Press VARGA & RESHCHIKOV FIGURE 1. Polysphincta punctigaster sp. nov., paratype female: a) frontal view of head; b) lateral view of head and mesosoma; c) dorsal view of propodeum; d) dorsal view of mesoscutum and head; e) wings; f) lateral view of apex of ovipositor; g) lateral view of habitus; h) dorsal view of metasomal tergites 2–4.

438 · Zootaxa 3955 (3) © 2015 Magnolia Press VARGA & RESHCHIKOV Wings (Fig. 1e): Fore wing with vein 3rs-m absent; hind wing with first abscissa of vein Cu1 approximately as long as vein cu-a; vein Cu1 present. Metasoma (Fig. 1h): First tergite smooth, impunctate, approximately 1.56 times as long as apical width, with dorsolateral carina complete and dorsal median carina extending to the middle of the tergite; second tergite approximately 1.25 times the length of its apical width; basal and apical oblique grooves deep, swellings with isolated punctures posteriorly; tergite 3–6 with two anterolateral swellings, densely punctate anteriorly between the swellings and more sparsely punctate on swellings. All tergites with denser setae laterally and with sparser setae on swellings. Ovipositor strait, with proximal end of lower valve expanded to form a lobe approximately 1.15 times the length of the hind tibia, tip of lower valves with oblique ridges (Fig. 1f). Colour. Generally black, except the extreme apex of mandible, palpi, upper corner of pronotum, subtegular ridge, tegula, scutellum laterally and apically, and metascutellum which are all yellow. Mesoscutum red. Antenna generally yellow-brownish, scape and pedicel yellow. Legs generally yellow, fore and mid coxae and hind tibia pale yellow, hind tibia with apical and subbasal brownish bands, tarsomeres apically banded with brownish. Pterostigma brownish. Metasomal tergites black, with lateral parts of tergites 5–7 brownish. Ovipositor reddish with sheaths black and densely pubescent. Distribution. Currently known only from Doi Phahompok National Park (Fig. 2a). Ecological note. Specimens were collected in an evergreen montane forest, at an altitude of 1500 to 2200 m. Etymology. This species is named after the punctate swellings on metasomal tergites.

FIGURE 3. Polysphincta asiatica, holotype female: a) lateral view of habitus; b) dorsal view of propodeum; c) dorsal view of mesoscutum; d) lateral view of head and mesopleuron; e) dorsal view of metasomal tergites 1–3; f) frontal view of head; g) lateral view of middle and hind legs and ovipositor; h) labels.

NEW RECORDS OF THE GENUS POLYSPHINCTA Zootaxa 3955 (3) © 2015 Magnolia Press · 439 FIGURE 4. Polysphincta asiatica, paratype male: a) lateral view of habitus; b) frontal view of head; c) labels; d) lateral view of head mesosoma; e) dorsal view of mesoscutum; f) dorsolateral view of propodeum; g) lateral view of mid and hind legs; h) lateral view of metasomal tergites 1–4.

Polysphincta boops Tschek, 1869

Polysphincta asiatica Kusigemati, 1984, syn. nov.

Taxon discussion. According to the original description (Kusigemati, 1984), P. asiatica is morphologically close to the Holarctic P. t uberosa Gravenhorst, 1829, but differs by the complete and strong pleural carina and the form of the propodeum which is very sparsely punctate anteriorly and smooth posteriorly. Kasparyan and Khalaim (2007) placed P. asiatica in a species group along with P. tuberosa which also has the pleural carina absent. They also provided the yellow-brownish bases of metasomal tergites 2–5 as an additional distinguishing feature for P. asiatica. Our examination of the type materials of P. asiatica demonstrated that this species has the pleural carina complete (Fig. 4d) and all metasomal tergites black (Fig. 3e). Both P. boops (holotype and materials collected in Carpathians by the first author), and P. asiatica have the mandibles, scape and pedicel, tegula, subtegular ridge, scutellum, metascutellum, and legs largely yellow. According to Fritzén and Shaw (2014) the main differences between two closely related species, P. boops and P. longa, Kasparyan, 1976, are the number of flagellomeres (at most 28 in P. boops and at least 28 in P. longa), the pubescence of mesoscutum (more pubescent in P. longa) and the size of eyes (larger in P. longa). The mesoscutum of P. asiatica is closely pubescent only anteriorly (Fig. 3c) as in P. boops (Fig. 5b, c, d). We found a new useful character, the length and the curvature of the central lobe of the mesoscutum, which seems to be the same in both P. asiatica and P. boops. The central lobe of the mesoscutum is generally shorter and more rounded (Figs 3c, d, 4d, 5b, d, 6a) compared to P. longa, which has a more elongate, generally flatter central lobe of mesoscutum (Fig. 6b).

440 · Zootaxa 3955 (3) © 2015 Magnolia Press VARGA & RESHCHIKOV The sculpture of metasoma in P. boops and P. asiatica is similar, metasomal tergites 3–5, anteriorly between swellings, somewhat indistinctly granulate with small punctures and impunctate on swellings (not visible on images). The ovipositor in examined specimens of both P. boops and P. longa, is about 1.15–1.3 times the length of the hind tibia. According to Kusigemati (1984), the ovipositor sheaths in P. asiatica vary from 1.1–1.4 times the length of hind tibia, P. asiatica is therefore assumed to be a junior synonym (syn. nov.).

FIGURE 5. Polysphincta boops, holotype female: a) lateral view of habitus; b) frontal view of head; c) dorsal view of mesosoma; d) lateral view of mesosoma; e) dorsal view of metasomal tergites 1–3; f) dorsal view of habitus; g) labels.

NEW RECORDS OF THE GENUS POLYSPHINCTA Zootaxa 3955 (3) © 2015 Magnolia Press · 441 FIGURE 6. Polysphincta spp., females: a) P. boops, lateral view of mesoscutum (mirroring) (European specimen); b) P. longa, lateral view of mesoscutum (European specimen); c) P. longa, dorsal view of metasomal tergites 3–4 (Thai specimen).

Polysphincta longa Kasparyan, 1976

Material examined. Female, THAILAND, Loei, Phu Ruea NP, Doi Phaluang, 17°30.74'N, 101°20.65'E, 1353 m, 5.–12.xi.2006, malaise trap, leg. N. Jaroenchai, T825, QSBG. Remarks. The mesoscutum of the specimen examined is pubescent in the anterior 0.6 only, with a weakly granulate propodeum (traces of granulation visible in European specimens), and punctate metasomal swellings on tergites 3–4 (Fig. 6c) (this character is either variable as in European specimens we found only traces of punctures on the anterolateral swellings, or the Thai specimen belongs to an undescribed species, very close to P. longa).

Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to Wichai Srisuka (Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden), Michael Sharkey and Stephanie Clutts (The University of Kentucky) for providing specimens; Kyohei Watanabe (Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History) and Dominique Zimmermann (Natirhistorisches Museum Wien) for providing photos of type materials of P. asiat ica and P. boops, respectively; Ovidiu Popovici and Lucian Fusu (UAIC) for access to the Pisica’s collection of Romanian Ichneumonidae and fotolaboratory; Niclas Fritzén (University of Turku) for reviewing of the manuscript; Tony Hunter (National Museums Liverpool, UK) for his kind help in improving English. Present study was funded by the Erasmus Mundus Foundation and Swedish Taxonomy Initiative.

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