Bohayella rodrigodiazi sp. nov.: a new species from Ecuador with an updated key to the New World species of Bohayella Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae)

Ilgoo Kang

doi:10.3897/jhr.89.77687

Research Article

Bohayella rodrigodiazi sp. nov.: a new species from Ecuador with an updated key to the New World species of Bohayella Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae)

Ilgoo Kang^‡

‡ Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States of America

Corresponding author: Ilgoo Kang ( ikang1@lsu.edu )

Academic editor: Jose Fernandez-Triana

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Citation: Kang I (2022) Bohayella rodrigodiazi sp. nov.: a new species from Ecuador with an updated key to the New World species of Bohayella Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cardiochilinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 89: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.89.77687

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DB15BFFD-B4AC-419E-8FAB-8E74D8B08570

Abstract

The New World species of Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 are revised based on morphological data, and a new species of the genus from Ecuador is described: Bohayella rodrigodiazi Kang, sp. nov. This work includes an updated identification key to species of Bohayella in the New World along with images of diagnostic characters. The number of recorded Bohayella species in the New World is increased from two to three.

Keywords

Melanism, Neotropical region, parasitoid wasp, taxonomy

Introduction

Ecuador has 228 braconid species recorded (Yu et al. 2016), including two members of the subfamily Cardiochilinae Ashmead, 1900 recorded by Fischer (1958) as Cardiochiles aterrimus Fischer and C. purpureus Fischer. A small genus of cardiochilines, Bohayella Belokobylskij (Belokobylskij 1987) contains eleven species worldwide. Among these species, two recently described new species occur in lowland and cloud forests of Costa Rica, B. geraldinae Kang and B. hansoni Kang (Kang et al. 2020). Host records of two Old World species, B. adina (Wilkinson) and B. exiguura (Huddleston & Walker), were provided by Beeson and Chatterjee (1935), Huddleston and Walker (1988), and Dangerfield et al. (1999). Unfortunately, nothing is known about biology of New World members of the genus. The validity of the genus was corroborated by phylogenetic data in Dangerfield et al. (1999), based solely on morphological data, and again by Murphy et al. (2008) based on molecular data. These data indicate that Bohayella species form a monophyletic group. A new species of Ecuadorian Bohayella is described herein, the key to species in the New World is updated, and a distribution map for the new species is provided.

Materials and methods

Specimens

Specimens for this project were borrowed from the Texas A&M University Insect Collection (TAMU; College Station, Texas, USA) and University of Wyoming Insect Museum (UWIM; Laramie, Wyoming, USA). Holotype and paratypes of the new species will be housed in TAMU.

Morphological analysis and morphometric characters

Morphological characters were examined using a Leica MZ75 stereomicroscope. Morphometric characters were measured using Adobe Photoshop CS 6 (Adobe Systems, Inc). Numbers in parentheses in a species description indicate 0.01 × the actual size of each body part. The unit of length used in the current work is mm.

Terminology

Morphological terms and terms for wing venation used are largely based on those of Dangerfield et al. (1999) and Sharkey and Wharton (1997). Terms for surface sculpturing follow Harris (1979). Most terms used in the current work can be also confirmed on the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology website (http://portal.hymao.org/projects/32/public/ontology/). The following acronyms are used throughout: POL: distance between posterior ocelli, T1: first metasomal tergite, T2: second metasomal tergite, T3: third metasomal tergite, T4: forth metasomal tergite, and T8: eighth metasomal tergite.

Imaging and image processing

Images were initially captured using a Visionary Digital BK Plus imaging system (Dun, Inc.), equipped with a Canon EOS 5DS DSLR camera. Image stacking was performed using Zerene Stacker v.1.04 (Zerene Systems LLC.). Images were edited using Adobe Photoshop CS 6 or Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 (Adobe Systems, Inc), and image plates were generated using the same software.

Results

Taxonomy

Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987

Type species

Bohayella tobiasi Belokobylskij

Diagnosis

Detailed diagnostic characters were described by Belokobylskij (1987), Dangerfield et al. (1999), and Kang et al. (2020). The genus is easily recognized by the following characters: Body small in size. Eyes with interommatidial setae, length and density of setae variable. Clypeal tubercles absent. Mouthparts short. Occipital carina absent. Mesonotum and mesopleuron strongly sculptured. Scutellum with apical cup-like pit. Epicnemial carina present. Median areola of propodeum fully developed. Metatibia without apical projection. Claws pectinate. Elongate and narrow T1 > 4.00 ×). T2 short and with a ball-like projection medio-basally. Hypopygium short and obtuse apically. Short ovipositor and ovipositor sheath (~0.20 × the length of metatibia).

Key to species of New World Bohayella

1	A. Scutellar sulcus with a median crenula	*B. geraldinae*
–	B. Scutellar sulcus with three crenulae	2

2	A. Median crenula of notauli apparently shorter than median crenula of scutellar sulcus; apical cup-like pit of scutellum with V-shape posterior margin	*B. hansoni*
–	B. Median crenula of notauli slightly shorter than median crenula of scutellar sulcus; apical cup-like pit of scutellum with U-shape posterior margin	B. rodrigodiazi Kang, sp. nov.

Bohayella geraldinae Kang, 2020

Material examined

Holotype Costa Rica • ♀; Heredia, 3 km S. Puerto Viejo OTS, La Selva; 100 m; Oct.1992; P. Hanson leg.; Huertos, Malaise trap set by G. Wright. Paratypes Costa Rica • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; Nov. 1992 • 1 ♂; same collecting data as for preceding; 10°26'N, 84°01'W; 4, Apr. 1987; H. A. Hespenheide leg.

Diagnosis

Specimens of B. geraldinae are distinguished from Old World members by having angled RS and acute apical tooth on claws, and the members of B. geraldinae are distinct from the members of B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. by having scutellar sulcus with one median crenula; apical maxillary palpomere as long as penultimate maxillary palpomere; median length of T1 ~5.10 × longer than apical width; T2 medially 0.21 × longer than T1; metasomal tergites generally pale but melanic apically.

Description

See Kang et al. (2020).

Male

See Kang et al. (2020).

Host

Unknown.

Distribution

Costa Rica (La Selva Biological Station).

Bohayella hansoni Kang, 2020

Material examined

Holotype Costa Rica • ♀; Puntarenas, San Vito, Estac. Biol., Las Alturas; 1,500 m; Jun. 1992; Paul Hanson leg.; traps #1 + #2, Malaise. Paratypes Costa Rica • 2 ♀; same data as for holotype • 2 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding • 1 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding; 1,700 m; 11, Apr. 1993.

Diagnosis

Members of B. hansoni may be distinct from Old World members by having angled RS and acute apical tooth on claws and the members of B. hansoni are distinguished from the members of B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. by the following characters: median crenula of notauli shorter than median crenula of scutellar sulcus; apical cup-like pit of scutellum with V-shape posterior margin; metafemur ~0.31 × longer than its length; metabasitarsus cylindrical; median length of T1 4.00 × longer than apical width; T2 melanic; T3 ~2.55 × longer than T2 medially.

Description

See Kang et al. (2020).

Male

Unknown.

Host

Unknown.

Distribution

Costa Rica (Las Alturas Biological Research Station).

Bohayella rodrigodiazi Kang, sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/CD40E5E1-EF61-4F02-B960-100859706FEE

Fig. 1A–F

Material examined

Holotype Ecuador • ♀; female, Sucumbíos, Rio Napo, Sacha Lodge; 0°30'S, 76°30'W, 270 m; 4–14, Mar. 1994; Malaise trap; P. Hibbs leg. Paratypes Ecuador • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; 78°30'W; 220–230 m; 12–22, Jun. 1995. • 1 ♀; same collecting data as for preceding (Note: According to the GPS coordinates, Sacha Lodge is located near 0°30'S, 76°30'W.).

Diagnosis

B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. can be distinguished from B. geraldinae by the following characters: apical maxillary palpomere slightly longer than penultimate maxillary palpomere; scutellar sulcus with three crenulae; median length of T1 ~4.78 × longer than apical width; T2 medially ~0.31 × longer than T1; T4 medially melanic. B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. can be distinguished from B. hansoni by the following characters: median crenula of notauli as long as median crenula of scutellar sulcus (Fig. 1D); apical cup-like pit of scutellum with U-shape posterior margin (Fig. 1D); metabasitarsus antero-posteriorly slightly expanded; T1 ~4.78 × longer than apical width; ball-like projection of T2 pale (Fig. 1E); T3 ~1.81 × longer than T2 medially.

Figure 1.

Bohayella rodrigodiazi sp. nov. A lateral habitus B wings C anterior head D dorsal head and mesonotum E dorsal propodeum and metanotum F latero-ventral hypopygium.

Description

Body ~4.95−~5.06 mm. Forewing length: ~4.46 mm. Hindwing length: ~3.50 mm. Antenna length: ~4.84−~5.11 mm. Head. Antenna 33–34-segmented. Interantennal space with median carina. POL ~1.31 × longer than diameter of anterior ocellus (17:13). Eye sparsely setose with minute setae; length of eye 0.78 × longer than median width of gena in lateral view (39:50). Gena ventro-posteriorly extended into moderate prominence. Width of clypeus 2.04 × longer than height (49:24). Malar space ~1.83 × longer than basal width of mandible (22:12). Mandible bidentate. Maxillary palpus five segmented; apical maxillary palpomere ~1.11 × longer than penultimate maxillary palpomere (21:19). Mesosoma. Mesoscutum with sharp margin. Notauli broadly converging at base, with eleven crenulae; median crenula of notauli ~0.82 × longer than median crenula of scutellar sulcus (18:22). Scutellar sulcus with three crenulae. Apical cup-like pit of scutellum with U-shape posterior margin. Postscutellar depression present. Propodeum rugulose; median areola of propodeum apparent; median transverse carina of the propodeum reaching lateral margin. Pronotum anteriorly smooth and posteriorly crenulate. Mesopleuron dorsally and posteriorly with crenulate margin. Epicnemial carina present medially. Metapleuron anteriorly smooth and posteriorly crenulate. Legs. Basal spur on protibia ~0.76 × longer than basitarsus (34:45). Basal spur on mesotibia ~0.89 × longer than basitarsus (42:47). Width of metafemur ~0.34 × longer than its length (46:135). Basal spur on metatibia ~0.82 × longer than basitarsus (65:79). Metatarsal claw pectinate. Wings. Forewing second submarginal cell trapezoidal, ~0.35 × longer than its maximum width (30:86); 3r absent; RS sharply angled at basal third; stigma ~3.31 × longer than medial width (116:35); 1CUa short, 0.26 × longer than 1Cub (13:50). Hind wing 2–1A absent. Metasoma. T1 with a pair of lateral sutures posteriorly reduced, median length of T1 ~4.78 × longer than apical width (67:14). T2 with a ball-like projection, medially ~0.31 × longer than T1 (21:67). T3 ~1.81 × longer than T2 medially (38:21). Protruded ovipositor sheath ~0.15 × longer than Metatibia and apically setose (26:174).

Color

Body mostly pale; the following areas darker: antenna, vertex, frons, dorsal occiput, labrum, mandible apically, maxillary palpus, labial palpus, lateral mesonotal lobe posteriorly, tegula, margin of metanotum posteriorly, apical protibia, protarsus, apical mesofemur, mesotibia, mesotarsus, apical metafemur, basal and apical metatibia, apical metatarsus mostly, T4–T8 (one specimen with melanic T3 medially), ovipositor sheath. Wings entirely infuscate, stigma darker.

Male

Unknown.

Host

Unknown.

Distribution

B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. is known only from Sacha Lodge, Rio Napo, Sucumbíos, Ecuador at the elevations of 220m and 270m.

Etymology

This species is named in honor of Dr Rodrigo Diaz, Associate Professor of biological control in the Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University. He is the PhD advisor of the author of this paper (IK) and originally from Quito, Ecuador.

Discussion

Bohayella rodrigodiazi sp. nov. is the third species of Bohayella recorded from the New World. The three species of New World Bohayella have similar body coloration, but their dorsal metasomal colors are diagnostic and may be correlated to the altitudes of their habitats. Specimens of B. geraldinae collected at altitudes of ~100m possess the palest tergites among the three species. Specimens of B. rodrigodiazi sp. nov. collected at the altitudes of ~250m have darker tergites than the members of B. geraldinae and paler tergites than specimens of B. hansoni. Specimens of B. hansoni collected at the altitudes above 1,500m possess the darkest tergites of the three species. This corresponds with the observations by Kang et al. (2020) that melanism of New World Bohayella species is associated with elevation. This pattern has been noted in other wasps by de Souza et al. (2020), Fernandez-Triana et al. (2014), and Mora and Hanson (2019). Also, melanism correlated with altitudinal gradient has recently been reported in dung beetles by Stanbrook et al. (2021). It is probable that there are a number of undescribed species of Bohayella as yet undiscovered in the neotropics.

Acknowledgements

First of all, IK would like to thank Dr Michael Sharkey, academic father, for his continuous advice. Also, IK is grateful to Drs Scott Shaw in UWIM and Karen Wright in TAMU for specimen loans. Among people at LSU, IK would like to acknowledge PhD committee members, Drs Chris Carlton, Michael Kaller, and Qian “Karen” Sun, for their encouragement, the Department Head, Dr Michael Stout, for his support, Ms Victoria Bayless, for her invaluable advice, and Diaz’s lab members for their help and friendship. Lastly, IK is grateful to the Department of Entomology as well as LSU Agricultural Center for financial support.

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