Eridontomerus sapphyrinus Zerova & Seryogina, 1999

Eridontomerus sapphyrinus Zerova & Seryogina, 1999 View in CoL

Fig. 35

Material examined. 6 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂: IRAN, West-Azarbaijan Province , Naqadeh, Solduz Wetland, 37º02′ N, 45º35′ E, 1277 m a.s.l., 21 July 2020, 29 April 2021, M. Razmi leg., ex Calamagrostis epigejos GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis (abstracted from Zerova and Seryogina 1999). Female ( Fig. 35B,D): head and mesosoma metallic green with green-violet iridescence, except metasoma basally tan, gradually darkening to fuscous apically, all surfaces covered by scattered setae; coxae, femora, tibiae, and tarsi yellow, except for darkened distal tarsomeres and claws and metacoxa with a metallic green spot ( Fig. 35B); antennal scape yellow and remaining antenna light brown; flagellum less clavate with longer segments; wings ( Fig. 35F) hyaline with a faint smoky tint and yellow venation; ventral edge of metafemora with fine serration ( Fig. 35E); gaster with complete reticulation visible from both dorsal and lateral aspects, second tergite with a distinct notch medially on posterior margin ( Fig. 35B,D); ovipositor greater than 0.33× total gaster length ( Fig. 35B,D).

The general color pattern of males ( Fig. 35A,C) matches that of the female, but the entire body has a distinctive blue iridescence. The antennal morphology also differs slightly, with somewhat shorter funicular segments. The notch on the second tergite of the male gaster is almost indistinct.

Remarks. Eridontomerus sapphyrinus is morphologically similar to E. isosomatis , but it can be distinguished by color of the gaster, proportionally longer funicular segments, distinctly elongated gaster in females, and comparatively longer ovipositor (Zerova and Seryogina 1999).

Distribution. IRAN: West Azarbaijan Province ( new record). EXTRALIMITAL: Dagestan ( Type locality) (Zerova and Seryogina 1999; UCD Community 2023).

Biological association. Most likely, this species attacks the larvae of gall-forming Tetramesa on stems of wild rye grasses, Leymus (Zerova and Seryogina 1999) . The co-occurrence of two Tetramesa species inducing galls on Calamagrostis has established an ecologically viable host complex for this parasitoid within this grass ecosystem.