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| Chrysonotomyia susbelli O’Loughlin, Brandão-Dias, Gates & Egan, 2024 |
Abstract
A new species of the genus Chrysonotomyia Ashmead, Chrysonotomyia susbelli sp. nov., is described from the Rice University campus in Houston, Texas, USA. The species is a parasitoid emerging from Neuroterus nr. bussae galls in leaves of the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana). This represents the 6th species described from North America north of Mexico and the first in the world known to parasitize cynipid gall wasps. This discovery hints at an entire undiscovered niche between Chrysonotomyia parasitoids, cynipid gall wasps, and oaks in the Nearctic, which is a global biodiversity hotspot for oaks and cynipids. This new species description is complemented by mtDNA-COI-barcode data and information on the natural history of this species. We record host association, phenology, and report a leaf-scanning behavior performed by females, presumably to search for host galls. Modifications to the key of New World members of the genus (Hansson 2004) are included to integrate this new species.
Key words: Cynipidae, live oak, Neuroterus nr. Bussae, parasitoid, Quercus virginiana
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| Chrysonotomyia susbelli sp. nov. female holotype A dorsal habitus B lateral habitus C frontal view of head. male syntype A dorsal habitus B lateral habitus C frontal view of head. |
Chrysonotomyia susbelli sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Mesosoma predominantly golden yellow with dark brown markings dorsally. Similar to C. corynata (Hansson, 2004) but differing in hue and dorsal patterning; dorsellum visible in dorsal view; antennae not distinctly clavate; flagellomere five dark brown; gaster with dark brown transverse bands, never more than two complete dorsally.
Etymology: From Latin sus belli, roughly translating to “warpig”, in reference to the mascot of the Rice University dormitory Wiess College where the first author currently resides, whose official color is similar to the golden yellow of the dorsal mesosoma. Wiess College is named for Harry Carothers Wiess (1887–1948), one of the founders and one-time president of Humble Oil, whose generosity, with time, mind, and resources, greatly shaped the expansion of Rice University.
Brendan O’Loughlin, Pedro F. P. Brandão-Dias, Michael W. Gates and Scott P. Egan. 2024. Description of A New Species of Chrysonotomyia Ashmead from Houston, Texas, USA (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae). ZooKeys. 1212: 241-254. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.127537
https://news.rice.edu/news/2024/another-new-wasp-species-discovered-researchers-rice-campus
