Description of two new species of Sycophilodes (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Epichrysomallidae) from China with a key to species of the genus Author Yang, Xiao-Fang 0009-0004-1008-7792 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. yangxiaofang@xtbg.ac.cn Author Rasplus, Jean-Yves CBGP INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, 34988, France. Author Feng, Zhi-Rong 0009-0000-8465-0278 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. fengzhirong@xtbg.ac.cn Author Miao, Bai-Ge 0000-0003-0947-1602 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. miaobaige@xtbg.org.cn Author Peng, Yan-Qiong 0000-0002-7453-9119 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. pengyq@xtbg.ac.cn Author Yang, Da-Rong 0000-0003-2531-4471 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. yangdr@xtbg.ac.cn Author Chen, Huayan Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China. Author Wang, Bo 0000-0002-3541-4639 Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303, China. wangbo@xtbg.ac.cn text Zootaxa 2024 2024-05-02 5446 4 517 530 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5446.4.4 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5446.4.4 1175-5326 11102108 528B6F0B-9137-4C06-B3FB-4DEF4198BC11 Sycophilodes altissimae Yang, Peng and Rasplus sp. nov. ( Figs 2 , 3 ) Type material. Holotype ♀ : CHINA , Xishuangbanna , Palm Garden Lawn , 101°15′15″ E , 21°55′40″ N , 6th February 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima , XTBGE 000113 (deposited in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, XTBG ). Paratypes : CHINA , Xishuangbanna , Pigeon Island , 101°15′16″ E , 21°55′38″ N , 14th January 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima XTBGE 0000647– XTBGE0000665 ( 18♀ , 1♂ : XTBG ) ; Xishuangbanna , Palm Garden Lawn , 101°15′15″ E , 21°55′40″ N , 8th March 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima , XTBGE 0000666– XTBGE0000681 ( 1♀ , 15♂ : XTBG ) ; Xishuangbanna , on the way to Greenstone Forest , 101°26′74″ E, 21°91′15″ N, 12th March 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima , XTBGE 0000682– XTBGE0000736 ( 30♀ , 25♂ : XTBG ) ; Xishuangbanna , Ten Ming House , 101°25′26″ E , 21°93′83″ N , 29th March 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima , XTBGE 0000737– XTBGE0000781 ( 25♀ , 20♂ : XTBG ); Xishuangbanna, Man An Village, 101°26′32″ E , 21°91′29″ N , 28th April 2022 , Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima , XTBGE 0000782– XTBGE0000826 ( 25♀ , 20♂ : XTBG ) ; Xishuangbanna , Cheng Zhi Village , 21.926 101.240 , 13th September 2001 , Gu H.Y. leg., ex Ficus altissima ( JRAS00870 _02, incl. vouchers UCE ); same data, but 23th November 2001 ( JRAS0871 _01); 31th August 2001 ( JRAS00873 _01) and 9th April 2002 ( JRAS00822 _03 and JRAS0875 _11) ( 10♀ , 4♂ ); Yunnan , JingHong 21.997 100.790 , 7th April 2002 , Gu H.Y. leg., ex Ficus altissima ( JRAS00828 _02) ( 9♀ , 4♂ ) . MYANMAR , Luxi county , Mang Hai town , 24.0641 98.1838 , 28th April 2006 , Rasplus J.Y., Peng Y.Q. and Yang D. R . leg., ex. Ficus altissima ( JRAS01616 _03) ( 6♀ , 6♂ : CBGP ) . Etymology. The species name altissimae is a substantive in apposition, referring to the host plant of the species, Ficus altissima . Diagnosis. FEMALE ( Fig. 2 ). Head, mesosoma and propodeum blackish dorsally; laterally yellowish. Head transverse, 1.2× as broad as high. Clypeus about 2× as wide as long and supraclypeal area subquadrate. In lateral view, mesosoma appearing elongate and flattened dorsoventrally, 2.2–2.4× as long as high. Propodeum smooth, 3.3× as broad as long and 0.4× as long as mesoscutellum, anteriorly with a V-shaped, crenulate area having a faint median groove extending 2/3 length of propodeum; with dense and long white pubescence on callus. Hind femur without tooth-like expansion. FIGURE 2. Sycophilodes altissimae sp. nov. , holotype female (XTBGE0000113): (A) habitus, lateral view; (B) legs, lateral view; (C) head, frontal view; (D) clypeal area, frontal view; (E) head, pronotum, and mesoscutum, dorsal view; (F) mesosoma, dorsal view; (G) wings; (H) fore wing veins. FIGURE 3. Sycophilodes altissimae sp. nov. , paratype male (XTBGE0000114): (A) habitus, lateral view; (B) legs, lateral view; (C) head, frontal view; (D) clypeal area, frontal view; (E) head, pronotum, and mesoscutum, dorsal view; (F) mesosoma, dorsal view; (G) wings; (H) fore wing veins. MALE ( Fig. 3 ). Similar to female, but with more extensive yellowish coloration. Vertex and frons with long setae. Hind femur without expansion ventrally. Description. FEMALE ( Fig. 2 ). Body length 2.0– 2.8 mm . Color . Frons dark, face yellowish; antenna yellowish-brown; compound eye brownish-red and ocelli pale brown but inner edge black; apical tooth of mandible dark brown ( Fig. 2C ); pronotum, mesosoma, and propodeum dark ( Figs 2E, 2F ); wing hyaline, venation dark brown ( Fig. 2H ); legs yellowish-brown except hind leg with tibia and basal tarsomere blackish-brown ( Fig. 2A ). Body sculpture and pilosity . Body moderately sclerotized, vertex smooth with sparse setae; head mostly smooth, parascrobal area smooth with a few setae, lower face with engraved reticulation and dense pilosity; pronotum dorsally with alutaceous sculpture and sparse setae, other dorsal parts of mesosoma smooth; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with two pairs of long and strong setae, axilla with one strong seta; gaster with first two tergites smooth and glabrous, others finely reticulate, with one or two rows of setae. Head . In dorsal view ( Fig. 2E ), 2.0× as broad as long; in frontal view ( Fig. 2C ), transverse, 1.2× as broad as high. POL 1.1× OOL. Eye height 1.5× eye length and 2.2× as long as malar sulcus, 1.6× as long as wide; temple convex, 0.5× eye width. Clypeus with dorsal width slightly less than width of clypeal margin, transverse, 2.1× as broad as high; clypeal margin bilobed ( Fig. 2D ). Supraclypeal area transverse ( Fig. 2D ), 1.2× as broad as high; epistomal and subantennal sulci conspicuous and deep ( Fig. 2D ). Parascrobal area flat ( Fig. 2C ). Distance from dorsal margin of torulus to median ocellus 1.8× distance from ventral margin of torulus to clypeal margin; distance between toruli 0.8× diameter of a torulus; distance between inner eye margin and outer margin of torulus 2.0× intertorular distance. Interantennal area with a longitudinal prominence extending dorsally about 0.8× diameter of a torulus. Scape 3.0× as long as wide; funicular segments transverse, each with one row of multiporous sensilla; first funicular segment 0.6× as long as wide and 0.5× as long as pedicel; clava 4-segmented, 1.5× as long as wide. Mesosoma . In lateral view, flattened, 2.2–2.4× as long as high. In dorsal view ( Figs 2E, 2F ), pronotum 2.0× as long as wide and about as long as mesoscutum. Mesonotum as wide as head. Notauli thin and shallow, composed of a line of small punctures, not reaching transscutal articulation ( Fig. 2E ). Scapula 1.1× as wide as long. Axilla transverse, 0.9× as long as wide, 0.7× as long as scapula; scutoscutellar suture conspicuous. Mesoscutellum 1.2× as long as its maximum width and 1.6× as long as mesoscutum. Propodeum smooth ( Fig. 2F ), 2.5× as broad as long and 0.5× as long as mesoscutellum, anteriorly with a V-shaped crenulate area having a faint median groove extending 2/3 length of propodeum. In lateral view, mesopleuron long and narrow ( Fig. 2B ), with mesopleural suture conspicuous ( Fig. 2B ); upper mesepimeron reticulate, transepimeral sulcus distinct ( Fig. 2B ). Metapleuron subtrapezoidal ( Fig. 2B ). Wings . Wings hyaline. Fore wing ( Figs 2G, 2H ) 2.8× as long as wide; submarginal, marginal, postmarginal, and stigmal veins in a ratio of 20:6:2:3; stigmal vein with five round sensilla ( Fig. 2H ). Hind wing 2.8× as long as wide. Legs . Hind leg with coxa less than 2× as long as wide; femur rugose, a little more than 2× as long as its maximum width, without ventral tooth ( Fig. 2B ); tibia with dense bristles ( Fig. 2B ), 4.0× as long as maximum width and 1.3× as long as femur. Metasoma . Metasoma 1.7× as long as wide. Hypopygium 0.9× as long as metatibia. Measurements (mm). Head L: 0.3 ( 0.27‒0.33), W: 0.64 (0.60‒0.67), H: 0.54 (0.50‒0.57); eye H: 0.29 (0.27‒ 0.33), L: 0.20 (0.20‒0.20); malar space: 0.13 (0.11‒0.16); mouth W: 0.31 (0.30‒0.33); scape L: 0.21 (0.18-‒0.22), W: 0.07, (0.07‒0.07); pedicel L: 0.07 (0.07‒0.07), W: 0.07 (0.07‒0.07); pedicel plus flagellum L: 0.39 (0.36‒0.44). Mesosoma L: 0.97 (0.87‒1.07), W: 0.62 (0.56‒0.67), H: 0.40 (0.37‒0.50); pronotum L: 0.30 (0.24‒0.33), W: 0.49 (0.44‒0.51); mesoscutum L: 0.27 (0.22‒0.33), W: 0.62 (0.56‒0.67); mesoscutellum L: 0.44 (0.40‒0.49); W: 0.39 (0.38‒0.42); propodeum L: 0.21 (0.20‒0.24), W: 0.52 (0.49‒0.56); fore wing L: 1.96 (1.83‒2.03), W: 0.74 (0.63‒ 0.80); SMV: 0.86 (0.75‒0.90); MV: 0.23 (0.20‒0.25); SV: 0.11 (0.10‒0.13); PMV: 0.09 (0.08‒0.13). Metasoma L: 1.11 (1.10‒1.23), W: 0.66 (0.57‒0.77); Gt1 L: 0.52 (0.50‒0.57), W: 0.61 (0.57‒0.67); Gt6 L: 0.16 (0.13‒0.22), W: 0.20 (0.16‒0.24). MALE ( Fig. 3 ). Body length 1.8–2.3 mm ; otherwise similar to females except for the following characteristics. Color . Yellowish, with darkened area in center of pronotum, mesonotum, and axilla. Body sculpture and pilosity . Setae almost as long as those of females; wings with dense setae except for proximal third. Head . Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 3E ) 3.3× as broad as long; in frontal view ( Figs 3C, 3D ) 1.3× as broad as high. Clypeus 2.3× as broad as high. Distance from dorsal margin of torulus to median ocellus 1.4× distance from ventral margin of torulus to clypeal margin. Eye 1.3× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.4× eye width. POL 1.4× OOL. POL 2.5× median ocellus diameter. Intertorular distance 0.7× diameter of a torulus. Interantennal area with a longitudinal prominence ( Fig. 3D ) extending dorsally about 1.6× diameter of a torulus. Scape 4.7× as long as wide, 2.0× as long as pedicel. Funicular segments transverse, each with one row of 14–16 of multiporous sensilla protruding slightly beyond apical margin and with sensory setae; fl 3 0.4× as long as wide and 0.4× as long as pedicel. Clava 2.0× as long as its maximum width and 3.2× as long as preceding funicular segment. Mesosoma . Axilla transverse, 0.9× as long as wide, 0.9× as long as scapula. Mesoscutellum 1.4× as long as mesoscutum. Propodeum 0.3× as long as mesoscutellum. Wings . Fore wing 2.5× as long as wide; submarginal, marginal, postmarginal, and stigmal veins approximately in a ratio of 17:8:4:2. Hind wing 4.5× as long as wide. Legs . Hind femur inflated, 2× as long as wide, without ventral lobe. Metasoma . Metasoma 1.4× as long as broad; Gt1 0.3× as long as metasoma. Host. Ficus altissima . Biology. Early gall maker, phytophagous. The biology of S. altissimae was described in detail by Peng et al. (2010) ; females oviposit in a young syconium, inside which immature female flowers begin to develop (pre-female, phase A). Up to 11.5% of the figs of a single tree can contain S. altissimae , which has strong detrimental effects on the number of seeds and of pollinators produced ( Peng et al. 2010 ). In F. altissima , syconium develop as a green ellipsoid bud, protected by involucral bracts. S. altissimae oviposits early in the development of the fig (3 months before the pollinators enter the ostiole), at a time syconia are still covered by bracts and do not exceed 1.5 mm in diameter.Apparently, only one female oviposits in a fig and produces between 1 and 170 offspring, with an average of 35 ±4 offspring. In D-phase, the diameter of pollinated figs in which S. altissimae developed are slightly smaller (11.19 ± 0.23 mm ; n = 50) than pollinated figs that did not host S. altissimae (12.34± 0.92 mm ; n = 30). The development of S. altissimae is long, spanning about 6 months ( Peng et al. 2010 ). Figs containing S. altissimae also contained several species of pollinating and non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW), including several species of Sycophila Walker and Ormyrus Westwood that may parasitize S. altissimae ( Compton 1993 ; Kerdelhué et al . 2000 ). Distribution. Xishuangbanna ( Yunnan , China ); Myanmar .