The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic
Author
Engel, Michael
University of Kansas, Natural History Museum, Lawrence, United States of America
text
ZooKeys
2009
2009-07-03
13
13
57
66
journal article
10.3897/zookeys.13.159
3694a5b6-d12b-4bdf-ad8c-aea2000cec4e
1313–2970
576466
94FB118C-4FD6-49AB-ADA6-80313E2B6212
Leptofoenus
pittfieldae
Engel
,
sp. n.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:
EA9AF9B8-EBBA-4F75-A447-99D0B2F3A3A5
Figs 3-5
Holotype
.
Male, KU-NHM-Ent DR-019; Early Miocene amber,
Dominican Republic
,
La Toca
group of mines northeast of
Santiago
, excavated in late Autumn 2008,
Keith Luzzi
coll.; deposited in the Insect Fossil Collection,
Division of Entomology
,
University of Kansas Natural History Museum.
Diagnosis
.
The new species can be readily recognized from its modern and mainland congeners by the combination of a thinly sclerotized band posterior to M+Cu in the forewing (
Fig. 5
), the presence of a sclerotized spot in the forewing at the junction of M+Cu and the basal vein (
Fig. 5
), M+Cu being comprised of a series of 14 setae, the basal cell containing 22 setae, the anterior margin of the costal cell sclerotized with a dense fringe of short fuscous setae, the hind wing with only three hamuli, the apicalmost antennal article apparently composite and resulting in an overall 11-segmented antenna, and the absence of a rasp-like structure on the inner surface of the metatibia.
Description
.
Male: Total length
8.8 mm
; forewing length
4.7 mm
; head 1.0 mm in length; mesosoma
3.3 mm
in length, petiole
1.2 mm
in length; gaster
3.3 mm
in length. Integument dark brown throughout (
Fig. 3
). Head with scrobal cavity carinate laterally; maxillary palpus 4-segmented, apical palpomere elongate, with numerous elongate black setae dorsally; clypeus bare except for two erect setae laterally near oral fossa (visible in left, oblique view); antenna apparently 11-segmented, apical flagellar article elongate and apparently with lines indicating possible fusion of two very minute apical articles (resulting in an otherwise 13-segmented antenna); parascrobal crests and vertex strongly tranversely striate, forming rasp-like structure dorsally. Mesosoma with pronotum and mesoscutum strongly, transversely strigate (
Fig. 4
), strigae increasingly bearing spicules posteriorly on mesoscutum; pronotum elongate, anterior margin rounded, posterolateral surface with striolate area (
Fig. 4
), striolate area ovoid (distinctly longer than wide; more rounded in
L
.
rufus
LaSalle and Stage
), striations in striolate area finer and more evenly spaced anteriorly; mesoscutellum strongly transversely strigate, with numerous spicules; mesopleuron coarsely and irregularly punctate except in impressed region largely glabrous; propodeum laterally densely and contiguously punctate, with sparsely scattered setae. Procoxa with strong carina along dorsolateral margin; metacoxa sculptured as on lateral surface of propodeum; metafemur longitudinally striate ventrally except reticulate basally; metatibia without longitudinal rasp-like structure on inner surface; metabasitarsus twice as long as second tarsomere (tarsi pentamerous). Forewing with anterior margin of costal cell sclerotized (
Fig. 5
), with dense fringe of short fuscous setae; basal cell with 22 setae; sclerotized spot at junction of M+Cu and basal vein (
Fig. 5
); M+Cu composed of series of 14 setae and posteriorly by thinly sclerotized band leading to sclerotized spot (
Fig. 5
); hind wing with three hamuli. Metasoma with petiole approximately 7 times longer than wide (direct dorsal view not possible so this is estimated); petiole weakly transversely strigate dorsally; gaster imbricate.
Figure 3.
Leptofoenus pittfieldae
Engel
sp. n.
(KU DR-019), photomicrograph of male holotype (length of specimen 8.8 mm).
Figures 4-5.
Photomicrographs of
holotype
male of
Leptofoenus pittfieldae
Engel
sp. n.
(KU DR-019).
4
Detail of lateral surface of pronotum showing posterior striolate region.
5
Basal third of forewing showing sclerotized spot and distribution of setae along M+Cu and within basal cell.
Etymology
.
The specific epithet is a matronym honoring Ms. Morgan Pittfield, enthusiast of all things adventurous when it comes to amber and niece of Keith Luzzi, who generously donated the
holotype
and permitted its study.