Sycophilodes densfemur Yang, Peng and Rasplus 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Yang, Xiao-Fang
name: Rasplus, Jean-Yves
name: Feng, Zhi-Rong
name: Miao, Bai-Ge
name: Peng, Yan-Qiong
name: Yang, Da-Rong
name: Chen, Huayan
name: Wang, Bo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Agaonidae
Sycophilodes
Sycophilodes densfemur

description: Sycophilodes densfemur Yang, Peng and Rasplus sp. nov.
(Figs 1, 4, 5)
Type material. Holotype ♀: CHINA, Xishuangbanna, Man An Village, 101°26′32″ E, 21°91′29″ N, 5th February 2022, Yang and Feng leg., ex. Ficus altissima, XTBGE 000115 (Deposited in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, XTBG).
Paratypes: CHINA, same data as holotype, XTBGE0000602 – XTBGE0000646 (25♀, 20♂: XTBG); Xishuangbanna, Cheng Zhi Village, 21.926 101.240, 13th September 2001, Gu H.Y. leg., ex F.altissima (JRAS00870 _ 01, incl. vouchers UCE) (8♀, 4♂); Yunnan, JingHong 21.997 100.790, 7th April 2002, Gu H.Y. leg., ex F. altissima (JRAS00828 _01) (8♀, 2♂: CBGP).
Etymology. From the Latin words dens (tooth) and femur, in reference to the presence of a large tooth-like expansion that protrudes from the ventral margin of the hind femur.
Diagnosis. FEMALE (Fig. 4). Head, mesosoma and propodeum dorsally mostly rusty with large dark brownish patch. Head transverse, 1.3× as broad as high. Clypeus subquadrate, and supraclypeal area transverse. In lateral view, mesosoma robust, 2.1–2.4× as long as high. Propodeum smooth, 3.0× as broad as long and 0.5× as long as mesoscutellum, anteriorly with a V-shaped crenulate area, and with median area slightly depressed but without median groove; with sparse and short yellowish pubescence on callus. Hind femur with a large tooth-like expansion ventrally (Fig. 4B).
MALE (Fig. 5). Similar to female, but vertex and frons with sparse, short setae. Hind femur with a round expansion ventrally.
Description. FEMALE (Fig. 4). Body length 2.3–3.0 mm
Color. Body yellowish, with large brown marks on anterior part of mesoscutum, mesoscutal lateral lobe, axillae, central area of mesoscutellum and lateral panel of propodeum (Figs 4E, 4F); apical tooth of mandible dark brown (Fig.4C); wings hyaline (Figs 4G, 4H), venation light brown; legs yellowish except hind leg with tibia and basal tarsomere blackish-brown (Fig. 4B); gaster with dorsal part of first three tergites brownish.
Body sculpture and pilosity. Body moderately sclerotized, vertex smooth with about twelve sparse and short setae, two between and two anterior to lateral ocelli and four between lateral ocellus and eye; frons smooth, parascrobal area shallowly reticulate, with a few setae along margin of eye; lower face with dense pilosity and fine engraved sculpture; pronotum with alutaceous sculpture dorsally and with sparse bristles on sides; other dorsal parts of mesosoma smooth, mesoscutum and scutellum with two pairs of strong setae, axilla with two strong setae; gaster with first two tergites smooth and glabrous, others finely reticulate, with one or two rows of setae.
Head. In dorsal view (Fig. 4E), 2.3× as broad as long; in frontal view (Fig. 4C), transverse, 1.3× as broad as high. POL 1.1× OOL. Eye height 1.4× eye length and 2.3× as long as malar sulcus, 1.4× as long as wide; temple convex, 0.5× eye width. Clypeus subquadrate, 1.2× as broad as high; clypeal margin bilobed (Fig. 4C). Supraclypeal area transverse, 1.7× as broad as high, 1.4× as wide as diameter of torulus, epistomal and subantennal sulci conspicuous but shallow (Fig. 4C). Parascrobal area slightly protuberant. Distance from dorsal margin of torulus to median ocellus 1.2× distance from ventral margin of torulus to clypeal margin; distance between toruli 1.4× diameter of a torulus; distance between inner eye margin and outer margin of torulus 2.6× intertorular distance. Interantennal area with a longitudinal and relatively high prominence (Fig. 4C) extending dorsally about 1.2× diameter of a torulus. Scape 3.2× 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 distinct, 1.4× as long as wide, grouping three clavomeres (clv 1-3 = fl 9-11), and a short and inconspicuous 12th flagellomere (terminal button).
Mesosoma. In lateral view, mesosoma robust, 1.6–1.8× as long as high. In dorsal view (Figs 4E, and 4F), pronotum 2.5× as long as wide and 0.8× as long as mesoscutum. Mesonotum, measured at level of tegulae, about as broad as head. Notauli thin and shallow, visible as a line of small circular punctures, not fully reaching transscutal articulation (Fig. 4E). Scapula with three strong setae on posterior–lateral half (Fig. 4F). Axilla as long as wide, 0.6× as long as scapula; scutoscutellar suture conspicuous (Fig. 4F). Mesoscutellum 1.2× as long as its maximum width and 0.6× as long as mesoscutum. Propodeum smooth, 3.0× as broad as long and 0.5× as long as mesoscutellum, anteriorly with a V-shaped crenulate area (Fig. 4F); median area of propodeum slightly depressed (Fig. 4F). In lateral view, mesopleuron short and high (Fig. 4B) with mesopleural suture obsolete (Fig. 4B); upper mesepimeron smooth, transepimeral sulcus distinct (Fig. 4B). Metapleuron subtriangular (Fig. 4B).
Wings. Wings hyaline. Fore wing (Figs 4G, 4H) 2.8× as long as wide; submarginal, marginal, postmarginal, and stigmal veins in a ratio of 20:5:2:3; stigmal vein with five round sensilla (Fig. 4H). Hind wing 3.4× as long as wide.
Legs. Hind leg with coxa less than 2× as long as wide; femur smooth, a little more than 2× as long as its maximum width, with a large tooth ventrally (Fig. 4B); tibia with dense bristles (Fig. 4B), 4.8× as long as maximum width and 1.3× as long as femur.
Metasoma. Metasoma 1.4× as long as wide. Hypopygium 0.8× as long as metatibia.
Measurements (mm).Head L: 0.38 (0.33‒0.47), W: 0.80 (0.78‒0.84), H: 0.61 (0.60‒0.62); eye H: 0.33 (0.31‒ 0.36), L: 0.20 (0.20‒0.20); malar space: 0.18 (0.18‒0.20); mouth W: 0.44 (0.40‒0.47); scape L: 0.22 (0.22‒0.22), W: 0.07 (0.07‒0.07); pedicel L: 0.08 (0.07‒0.09), W: 0.08 (0.07‒0.09); pedicel plus flagellum L: 0.47 (0.47‒0.51). Mesosoma L: 1.21 (1.13‒1.27), W: 0.86 (0.75‒0.95), H: 0.59 (0.53‒0.67); pronotum L: 0.29 (0.20‒0.35), W: 0.64 (0.60‒0.70); mesoscutum L: 0.49 (0.40‒0.55), W: 0.86 (0.75‒0.95); mesoscutellum L: 0.54 (0.50‒0.55); W: 0.54 (0.50‒0.55); propodeum L: 0.20 (0.18‒0.22), W: 0.74 (0.69‒0.78); fore wing L: 2.41 (2.37‒2.50), W: 0.97 (0.93‒ 1.00); SMV: 1.09 (1.00‒1.17); MV: 0.29 (0.27‒0.30); SV: 0.14 (0.11‒0.16); PMV: 0.12 (0.09‒0.13). Metasoma. L: 1.24 (1.13‒1.33), W: 0.54 (0.49‒0.58); Gt1 L: 0.54 (0.47‒0.56), W: 0.54 (0.49‒0.58); Gt6 L: 0.18 (0.17‒0.20), W: 0.28 (0.17‒0.37).
MALE (Fig. 5). Body length 2.0– 2.4 mm; otherwise similar to female except for the following characteristics.
Color. Light yellow with brownish areas on scapula and axillae.
Body sculpture and pilosity. Setae almost as long as those of females; wings with dense setation except for proximal third.
Head. In dorsal view (Fig. 5E) 2.9× as broad as long; in frontal view (Figs 5C, 5D) 1.5× as broad as high. Clypeus 1.4× as broad as high. Distance from dorsal margin of torulus to median ocellus 1.2× distance from ventral margin of torulus to clypeal margin. Eye 1.4× as long as wide. Temple convex, 0.5× eye width. POL 1.7× OOL. POL 2× median ocellus diameter. Intertorular distance approximately equal to diameter of a torulus. Interantennal area with a longitudinal prominence (Fig. 5C) extending dorsally about 1.6× diameter of a torulus. Scape 2.7× as long as wide, 2.0× as long as pedicel; funicular segments transverse (Fig. 5C), each with one row of multiporous sensilla protruding slightly beyond apical margin and with sensory setae; first funicular segment (fl 3) 0.6× as long as wide and 0.6× as long as pedicel; clava 1.9× as long as its maximum width and 3.6× as long as preceding funicular segment.
Mesosoma. Axilla transverse, 0.8× as long as wide, 0.8× as long as scapula. Mesoscutellum 1.4× as long as mesoscutum. Propodeum 0.3× as long as mesoscutellum.
Wings. Fore wing (Figs 5G, 5H), 2.3× as long as wide; submarginal, marginal, postmarginal and stigmal veins in a ratio of 23:6:4:4. Hind wing 3× as long as wide.
Legs. Hind femur inflated, 2× as long as wide with a conspicuous ventral lobe.
Metasoma. Metasoma 1.4× as long as broad; 1st tergite 0.4× as long as metasoma.
Host. Ficus altissima.
Biology. Early gall maker, phytophagous. Direct observations as well as sticky traps were used to monitor the oviposition sequence of epichrysomallid wasps during A-phase (early development of the syconium) of F. altissima and suggested that S. densfemur is the second wasp to oviposit in young figs, just following S. altissimae (Zhen-Ji Wang, personal communication). Oviposition and following larval development of S. densfemur in galled flowers produced fig swelling (Figs 6A, 6B). The D-phase figs in which S. densfemur developed have a diameter about 2 times larger than uninfected figs (20.81 ± 0.21 mm, n = 111). In average, such large figs produced 140 individuals of S. densfemur (143.69± 5.3; n = 111), each developing in a galled ovule (Fig. 6B). Interestingly, S. densfemur was never found in figs with other gallers and their associated parasitoids, suggesting that S. densfemur either saturated all available ovules and/or prevent the fig to be pollinated. Figs containing S. densfemur only hosted Sycophila decatomoides Walker (Eurytomidae)—a species supposed to be a parasitoid of S. densfemur (Compton 1993) – but were never found to host Eupristina altissimae Balakrishnan and Abdurahiman and other NPFW associated with F. altissima.
Distribution. Xishuangbanna (Yunnan, China).
description: Published as part of Yang, Xiao-Fang, Rasplus, Jean-Yves, Feng, Zhi-Rong, Miao, Bai-Ge, Peng, Yan-Qiong, Yang, Da-Rong, Chen, Huayan & Wang, Bo, 2024, Description of two new species of Sycophilodes (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Epichrysomallidae) from China with a key to species of the genus, pp. 517-530 in Zootaxa 5446 (4) on pages 524-527, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5446.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/11102108