Chrysis mediasignata Rosa, 2024

Chrysis mediasignata Rosa , sp. nov. ( Figs 23A–G, 24A–F)

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Material examined. Holotype ♂; IRAN, Qazvin province: Zereshk , 36°25'23"N, 50°06'37"E, 6.vii.2011, leg. M. Khayrandish ( TMUC) GoogleMaps . Paratype ♀, same locality, 27.vii.2011, leg. M. Khayrandish GoogleMaps ( PRC).

Diagnosis. Chrysis mediasignata sp. nov. belongs to the leachii group which includes very small to small species (2.5–5.0 mm) with apical margin of the third metasomal tergum edentate or with a single median tooth; scapal basin broadly microridged in both sexes, whereas in the similar C. succincta group the female scapal basin is completely smooth; malar space short and convergent; faint transverse frontal carina; black spots on second metasomal sternum covering half-length or a larger part of the sternum. The male of Chrysis mediasignata sp. nov. can be immediately separated from other males of this group by unique shape of genital capsule, which is piriform, with apexes of gonocoxae convergent to aedeagus ( Fig. 23F) and with simple and slender gonostylus, unusually not apically bifurcate ( Fig. 23G). The female of Chrysis mediasignata sp. nov. can be separated from other similar females of this group by a green, median stripe on scutellum, becoming larger basally, contrasting the typical colouration of Chrysis leachii Shuckard, 1836 . Colour pattern is an important diagnostic character for the identification of species in the leachii group as well as in the succincta group ( Linsenmaier, 1959a, Rosa & Makris, 2023).

Description. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 23A–G). Body length 3.7 mm, anterior wing length 1.9 mm ( Fig. 23A).

Head. Brow between scapal basin and anterior ocellus with dense, irregular and somewhere confluent punctures, medium to large (about 0.4–0.7× MOD), without interspaces ( Fig. 23B); similar sculpture between scapal basin and eye, with row of punctures aligned along eye, reaching clypeus and malar space; scapal basin deep, with sharp transverse ridges, shallower on longitudinal midline and medially weak on lower scapal basin; medial longitudinal line deep, starting from median pit and ending 1× MOD to clypeus; vertex and head posterior to ocelli with smaller round punctures and narrow, polished interspaces; with small, deep fovea posterior to posterior ocelli; transverse frontal carina faint; genal carina sharp, straight, fully developed from mid-eye to mandibular insertion; subantennal space short, 0.5× MOD; apex of clypeus arcuate upwards with dark brown rim. Clypeus medially polished; with row of small punctures apically, before apical rim. Distance between anterior ocellus and upper margin of scapal basin 2.1× MOD. OOL 1.3× MOD; POL 2.1× MOD; MS 1.3× MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:0.7:0.6.

Mesosoma . Medial pronotal furrow shallow and reaching half of pronotal length ( Fig. 23C); pronotum as long as mesoscutellum, with deep punctures, irregularly sized from very small to medium size (0.1– 0.5× MOD); punctation on mesoscutum deep, both on median and lateral areas ( Fig. 23C); postero-medially with larger, irregular punctures; notauli formed by small, deep, metallic, sub-rectangular foveae, as large as half size of larger points on mesoscutum, decreasing anteriorly; parapsidal signum distinct; mesoscutellum with punctures similar to mesoscutum; scutellar-metanotal suture deep, formed by large foveae; posterior propodeal projection subparallel, punctate similarly as side of propodeum, pointing backwards; mesopleuron with episternal sulcus aligned foveae, as large as punctures on mesepimeron ( Fig. 23D).

Metasoma. Metasoma with even, medium sized punctures, with narrow, polished interspaces dorsally, becoming wider at sides, with interspaces up to 1 puncture diameter; second tergum with weak longitudinal median carina ( Fig. 23D); apical margin of third tergum almost continuous, weakly angulate medially and with narrow, yet distinct, hyaline rim ( Fig. 23E); black spots on second sternum elongate, as long as three-quarters of segment length, medially widely separate.

Colouration. Male blue with green hints on vertex, and green on anterior margin of pronotum, mesosonotum, second and third tergum, excluding blue apical margin of third tergum after pit row ( Fig. 23A). The green parts could be more golden to red when the specimen is alive. Overall, the colouration is similar to that of Chrysis lanceolata male, which is a species expected for Iran, considering its wide distribution.

Female ( Paratype). Body length 3.9 mm, anterior wing length 2.4 mm ( Fig. 24A).

Head. Similar to male; differences in measures can be sexual dimorphism. Distance between anterior ocellus and upper margin of scapal basin 2.5× MOD. OOL 1.6× MOD; POL 2.5× MOD; MS× 1.3 MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:0.6:0.6.

Mesosoma . Similar to male. Medial pronotal furrow shallow and reaching half of pronotal length, in correspondence of posterior margin of golden area ( Fig. 24C); mesoscutellum with small punctures on antero-median triangular area; scutellar-metanotal suture deep, formed by large punctures; mesopleuron with episternal sulcus formed by small foveae.

Metasoma. Metasoma with even, medium sized punctures, smaller than those on male metasoma, with narrow, polished interspaces ( Fig. 24D); apical margin of third tergum with weak median indentation ( Fig. 24E); black spots on second sternum subrectangular, as long as two-thirds of segment length, medially fused ( Fig. 24F).

Coloration. Female has a basic colour pattern of Chrysis leachii female ( Fig. 24A) with two main deviations: scutellum with contrasting green median line (fully golden in C. leachii ) and first metasomal tergum with anterior golden area interrupted medially by blue colour ( Fig. 24D) (continuous in C. leachii ). Scapus and pedicel metallic green in both sexes, first flagellomere metallic green in male; other flagellomeres blackish.

Vestiture. Both sexes with head and mesosoma dorsally with relatively long, dense greyish to whitish setae as long as 1× MOD to 1.5× MOD; legs with short (1× MOD), erect, whitish setae; metasoma dorsally with short (1× MOD) whitish setae, laterally erect, longer, as long as 1.5× MOD.

Etymology. The specific epithet media derives from the Latin adjective medius (middle) and the Latin adjective signatus (spotty) and refers to the scutellar colour pattern of female, golden-red with a green median stripe becoming larger at base.

Distribution. * Iran ( Qazvin).