The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) Author Baker, Austin J. Author Heraty, John M. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-11-30 4888 1 1 84 journal article 9442 10.11646/zootaxa.4888.1.1 da69a4c8-2962-4d6d-9abf-627b77bb9116 1175-5326 4297699 574A35A5-A551-4A7E-B2BC-481D703B1BE7 Orasema bakeri Gahan urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6D47ACA9-C78B-47B9-9D0A-DBB3659B3624 ( Fig. 13 ) Orasema bakeri Gahan 1940: 452–453 . Diagnosis. Distinguished from other members of the bakeri group by the following combination of characters: mesoscutal midlobe and lateral lobes reticulate without any depressions ( Fig. 13F ), petiole relatively long (PTL:PTW = 0.8–1.3 in females, 3.5–4.9 in males), male antenna with setae long and broadly curved anteriorly ( Fig. 13E ), and body size larger on average. This species is difficult to diagnose from O. dubitata but is generally less violaceous and has a larger average body size. Description. Female. Length 3.0– 3.5 mm ( Fig. 13A ). Color. Head and mesosoma blue-green iridescent occasionally with violaceous patches. Scape, pedicle, and anellus pale brown; maxilla and labium pale brown. Tibiae light brown. Fore wing venation pale brown, nearly white. Head ( Fig. 13B ). Head in frontal view subtriangular; HW:HH = 1.1–1.3; scrobal depression shallow, laterally rounded, with transverse striae; eyes bare, IOD:EH = 1.5–1.9; MS:EH = 0.7–1.0; supraclypeal area slightly broader than long, weakly reticulate; epistomal sulcus distinct and sharply defined; anteclypeus distinct, nearly straight. Palpal formula 3:2. Occiput with dorsal margin evenly rounded. Pedicel globose, broader than F1. FL:HH = 0.9–1.1; F2L:F2W = 1.3–2.0, F2L:F3L = 1.1–1.5 ( Fig. 13D ). Mesosoma ( Fig. 13C, F ). ML:MH = 1.2–1.4. Mesoscutal midlobe bare; lateral lobe reticulate to nearly smooth; notauli deep. Axilla reticulate, dorsally rounded, on roughly same plane as mesoscutellum; scutoscutellar sulcus narrow, regularly foveate, broadly separated from transscutal articulation; mesoscutellar disc as long as broad, reticulate; frenal line as smooth band; axillular sulcus indicated by a weak longitudinal carina; axillula reticulate. Propodeal disc broadly rounded, without depression or carina ( Fig. 13G ); reticulate; callus reticulate, bare; callar nib absent. Propleuron strongly convex, protruding ventrally. Postpectal carina weak. Upper and lower mesepimeron reticulate; transepimeral sulcus distinct. Metepisternum laterally reticulate. HCL:HCW = 1.4–2.0; HFL:HFW = 4.6–6.0, evenly covered with short, dense setae. FWL:FWW = 2.1–2.5, FWL:ML = 1.9–2.2; fore wing with basal third bare, costal cell sparsely setose, wing disc with minute sparse setae; marginal fringe short to absent; submarginal vein with minute setae; marginal vein with sparse minute setae; stigmal vein about twice as long as broad, perpendicular to anterior wing margin; postmarginal vein longer than stigmal vein. Metasoma. Petiole cylindrical, linear in profile, PTL:PTW = 0.8–1.3, PTL:HCL = 0.5–0.8, reticulate, lateral margin rounded, ventral sulcus absent. Ovipositor with subapical carina present; second (dorsal) valvula with 6 or 7 annuli that are narrowly separated dorsally, the carinae coalescing. Male. Length 2.4–3.0 mm. HW:HH = 1.2–1.3; FL:HH = 1.2–1.3, F2L:F2W = 1.0–1.4 ( Fig. 13E ). Tibiae light brown. PTL:PTW = 3.5–4.9, PTL:HCL = 1.3–1.7. FIGURE 13 . Orasema bakeri . Paratype female (UCRCENT00247810): A , habitus, lateral; B , head, anterior; C , mesosoma, lateral, arrow indicating lack of anterior prepectal carina; D , antenna; F , mesosoma, dorsal; G , propodeum, posterior. Allotype male (UCRCENT00247804): E , antenna. Hosts. Unknown. Plant associates. Swept from Fabaceae and Chrysothamnus sp. ( Asteraceae ) in Arizona , Larrea sp. ( Zygophyllaceae ) in New Mexico , Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier (Apiaceae) in Colorado ( Gahan 1940 ). Distribution ( Fig. 11 ). Mexico : DF; United States : AZ, CO, ID, MN, NE, NM, OK, TX, UT, WY. Collected June–August. Material Examined. Holotype . UNITED STATES . Colorado : Larimer Co. , Fort Collins , 40 ° 34’58”N , 105 ° 05’5”W , 13.vi.1895 , C.F. Baker , 1563 [ ♀ , deposited in USNM: USNMENT01524341, type images: http:// n 2t .net/ark:/65665/3e5a194bb-aca0-4751-8a0c-1def5010f856] . Allotype . UNITED STATES . Colorado : Larimer Co. , Fort Collins , 40 ° 34’58”N , 105 ° 05’5”W , 13.vi.1895 , C.F. Baker , 1563 [³, USNM: UCRCENT00247804]. Other paratypes . UNITED STATES . Arizona : Pinal Co. , Oracle, 32 ° 36’39”N , 110 ° 46’14”W , 7.vi.1898 , Hubbard & Schwarz [ 1♀ , USNM: UCRCENT00247813]. Colorado : Archuleta Co. , Pagosa Springs, 37 ° 15’55”N , 107 ° 00’46”W , C.F.Baker [1³, USNM :UCRCENT00247812]. Larimer Co. , Fort Collins , 40 ° 34’58”N , 105 ° 05’5”W , 13.vi.1895 , C.F. Baker, 1563 [ 6♀ , USNM : UCRCENT00247805–10]; vi, wild parsnip bloom, 1086 [ 1♀ , USNM : UCRCENT00247811] . Additional material examined. 49 specimens , see supplementary material. GenBank sequences. UCRCENT00411576 (D4097): 18S ( KR632468.1 ) , 28S D2 ( KR632393.1 ) , 28S D3–5 ( KR632432.1 ) , COI-BC ( KR733117.1 ) , COI-NJ ( KR733149.1 ) . Discussion. This species is morphologically similar to O. dubitata , O. taii , and O. polymyrmex . While there is some molecular support for O. dubitata and O. taii as separate species, O. polymyrmex failed sequencing attempts. Due to the cryptic nature of this 4-species complex, it requires more thorough molecular sequencing across populations in separate geographic areas to be able to confidently associate morphological differences with phylogenetic differences.