Atrusca deceptrix ( Kinsey, 1936 )

Atrusca deceptrix ( Kinsey, 1936)

Figs 235–248 View FIGURES 235–240 View FIGURES 241–244 View FIGURES 245–248

Cynips View in CoL ( dugesi ) deceptrix Kinsey, 1936: 108 , female, gall.

Atrusca deceptrix (Kinsey) : Weld, 1952: 314.

Types examined. HOLOTYPE female Cynips View in CoL ( dugesi ) deceptrix “Canatlan 7N Dgo 7400’, Mex. Gall 11.9.31, 117 fms. 2.5.32”, “ Q. undata, Kinsey View in CoL coll.”, red “ Cynips deceptrix , Holo- Paratype ”, deposited in AMNH, NYC, examined by GM. Eight PARATYPE females “Canatlan 7N, Dgo 7400’ Mex., galls 11.09.31, 117 females to 2.5.32”, “ Q. undata Kinsey View in CoL coll.”, red label “ Cynips deceptrix . Paratype ”, deposited in the general collection in AMNH, NYC, examined by GM.

Diagnosis. Atrusca deceptrix belongs to the couplet characterized by a dark brown to black body color, with conspicuous black stripes on the mesoscutum, with a complete fore wing venation, the Rs vein of radial cell angulated, never almost straight, the rugose or transversally striate pronotum, the mesoscutum entirely covered in piliferous points, the rugose mesoscutellum, usually with a posterocentral invagination, the smooth mesoscutellar foveae, the sculptured mesopleuron at least on some areas, with or without piliferous points, the completely smooth speculum, and a ventral spine of the hypopygium setose and relatively short, 2.5–4.5× as long as wide, as in A. simularix . Atrusca decptrix differs from A. simulatrix by having a sparsely pubescent body, only with black stripes on the mesonotum, the lateral sides of the pronotum exhibiting transverse parallel striae on the posterior margin, and the uniformly arcuate Rs vein of radial cell throughout its length, while in A. simulatrix the body is densely pubescent, and exhibits extensive black areas including the lower face, the pronotum is rugose with short irregular rugae posterolaterally, and the Rs vein is more prominently arcuate distally.

Re-description. Asexual female ( Figs 235–247 View FIGURES 235–240 View FIGURES 241–244 View FIGURES 245–248 ). Head, antenna, palpi, mesosoma, metasoma brown, mesoscutum with black stripes along anterior parallel and parapsidal lines.

Head triangular in frontal view, alutaceous, with sparse white setae, 1.3× as broad as high and narrower than mesosoma in frontal view, 2.2× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous, not or slightly broadened behind eye in frontal view, narrower than transverse diameter of eye in lateral view. Malar space alutaceous-reticulate, with delicate striae radiating from clypeus; malar sulcus absent; eye 2.1× as high as height of malar space. Inner margins of eyes slightly diverging ventrally. POL 1.4× as long as OOL; OOL 2.2× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus and 1.5× as long as LOL; all ocelli ovate, of same size. Transfacial distance 1.3× as long as height of eye and 1.6× as long as height of lower face; diameter of antennal torulus 1.4× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.2× as long as diameter of torulus; lower face alutaceous along inner sides of eye, coriaceous in central part below toruli, with white setae, without striae; slightly elevated median area coriaceous, without setae. Interocellar area elevated above head in frontal view, lateral ocelli prominent. Clypeus impressed, smooth, shining, trapezoid, slightly broader than high, with few long setae; ventrally rounded, emarginate, without median incision; anterior tentorial pit large, rounded, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line broad, well impressed. Frons delicately rugose, interocellar area alutaceous to delicately coriaceous, without striae, with few short setae. Vertex, occiput delicately coriaceous; postocciput, postgena smooth, shining with sparse white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, area below impressed; occipital foramen slightly higher than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into postgenal sulci which run towards occipital foramen, dorsally bent outwards, postgenal bridge smooth, shining, anteriorly broader than posteriorly and slightly broader than width of occipital foramen. Antenna slightly shorter than length of body, with 12 flagellomeres, pedicel as long as broad, F1 above as long as scape+pedicel and 1.2× as long as F2; F2 1.5× as long as F3; F3=F4, F5 slightly longer than F6, F7 slightly longer than F8, subsequent flagellomeres shorter, nearly equal in length, F12 as long as F11; placodeal sensilla on F2–F12.

Mesosoma 1.2× as long as high, with sparse short white setae. Pronotum smooth, shining, with short transverse parallel striae along posterior edge, extending to 1/3 of pronotum width; propleuron delicately alutaceous asides, smooth, shining centrally, with sparse white setae. Mesoscutum alutaceous-reticulate to smooth aside notauli and between them in posterior half; rugose between notauli in anterior half, with sparse white setae and conspicuous piliferous points; slightly longer than broad (greatest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus complete, deep, broad, with smooth, glabrous bottom, posteriorly broader and slightly converging; anterior parallel line distinctly impressed in anterior 1/3, with darker stripe; parapsidal line indistinct, hardly traceable, indicated by smooth darker stripe; median mesoscutal line absent; parascutal carina narrow, smooth, reaching notaulus. Mesoscutellum uniformly dull rugose, slightly longer than broad, with sides gradually narrowing till posterocentral part, whicn is invaginated; overhanging metanotum; mesoscutellar foveae transverse, broader than high, with smooth, shining bottom, without rugae, separated by narrow elevated rugose central area. Circumscutellar carina complete. Mesopleuron across mid height alutaceous, rest of mesopleuron and speculum smooth, shining, with sparse setae; mesopleural triangle rugose, shining, with dense setae; dorsal and lateral axillar areas smooth, shining, with dense setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, most posterior part slightly shorter than height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly above mid height, upper part of sulcus distinct. Metascutellum coriaceous, above as high as height of smooth, shining ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, shining, without setae; central propodeal area smooth, shining, without rugae, most broadest part at mid height; lateral propodeal carinae gradually bent outwards; lateral propodeal area alutaceous, shining, with long dense white setae and piliferous points. Nucha with irregular rugae laterally and dorsally. Tarsal claws toothed, with basal lobe.

Fore wing longer than body, margin with long dense cilia, with few slightly darker spots and stripes, veins dark brown, radial cell open, 1.8× as long as broad; second abscissa of Rs homogenously arcuate; R1 and Rs nearly reaching wing margin; areolet triangular, indistinct, Rs+M inconspicuous, traceable along entire length, reaching basalis slightly below its half height.

Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, higher than long in lateral view; second metasomal tergum extending 4/5 metasoma length of in dorsal view, with white setae anterolaterally, without band of micropunctures posteriorly; subsequent terga without micropunctures, without setae. Hypopygium without micropunctures, prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 2.5× as long as broad in ventral view, with setae extending beyond apex of spine.

Body length 2.0– 3.5 mm ( Kinsey 1936).

Gall ( Fig. 248 View FIGURES 245–248 ). Similar to all galls of Kinsey’s bella and dugesi complexes. Mature galls rosy or brownish tan, unspotted; dull, minutely roughened, up to 22 mm, with average 17 mm in diameter.

Biology. The asexual generation is only known to induce leaf galls on Q. chihuahuensis , Q. undata . Galls mature in late autumn; adults emerge from February next year.

Distribution. Mexico: Chihuahua, Durango.