Fusimirax gracilis Whitfield, 2025

Fusimirax gracilis Whitfield sp. nov.

Figs 6 A – F View Figure 6 , 7 A – F View Figure 7

Type materials.

Holotype. • Female, Dominican Republic: Rancho Arriba , 26-III-1978, 400 m, L. Masner, CNC 5342834 View Materials ( CNC) .

Paratypes. • 3 males, Dominican Republic: Baharona, 4 km N. Paraiso , 150 m, 22-III-91, L. Masner, CNC 5342835 View Materials , CNC 5342836 View Materials , CNC 5342837 View Materials ; • 2 males, Dominican Republic: Colonia, Cord. Central , 1000 m, 25-III-1978, L. Masner (LM), CNC 5342838 View Materials , CNC 5342839 View Materials . All deposited in CNC.

Description.

Size. Body length 1.6 mm; fore wing length 1.7 mm.

Coloration. Head, mesosoma (except lighter brown propleuron) and metasomal syntergite dark brown, T 1 light yellowish and posterior segments of metasoma lighter brown; mandibles and palpi pale yellowish; scape pedicel and proximal two flagellomeres pale yellow-brown, remaining flagellomeres shading gradually to very slightly darker brown at distal end of antenna; legs entirely pale yellow-brown; tegulae and pigmented portions of wing venation (including pterostigma) very pale yellow-brown; laterotergites of T 1 and T 2 whitish; entire venter of metasoma very pale except slightly darker anterior half of hypopygium; ovipositor sheaths pale yellow-brown.

Morphology. Face rather smooth, convex to a weak ridge medially; antennae slightly shorter than body, slender, with apical flagellomeres about 2 × as long as broad; propleuron with smooth dorsal and ventral grooves joined together posteriorly by another smooth groove; mesoscutum with satiny reflections and sparsely but distinctly punctate except smoother posterior margin; notauli poorly defined but extending over anterior half; scutellum smooth, nearly flat and longer than broad; mesopleuron very faintly sculptured, with poorly-defined groove / depression centrally; metanotum mostly deeply sunken, with abortive cross-carinae and medial boss raised only over posterior half; propodeum weakly sculptured, with percurrent longitudinal medial carina crossed by distinct angled transverse carinae just past midlength; T 1 very narrow and elongate, abruptly broadening at posterior end to meet T 2; laterotergal region of T 1 strongly whitish, with central striation; T 2 and T 3 fused to form longitudinally sculptured elongate syntergite which broadens gradually to T 2 / T 3 flared and weakly grooved junction, parallel-sided over T 3; laterotergal regions of T 2 and T 3 whitish, with some regions of striation; T 4 evenly sclerotized but weakly pigmented and translucent; hypopygium evenly sclerotized to fairly sharp tip; ovipositor nearly straight; sheaths less than half as long as hind tibiae with setae over distal half.

Male (Fig. 7 A – F View Figure 7 ). This is the only species of Fusimirax for which there are males known ( five specimens). These tend to be significantly more lightly colored over much of the body, sometimes with relatively broader syntergites (lower elevation specimens). T 4 is also medially partially desclerotized, only in males.

Variation. As described above for males.

Distribution.

So far known only from Dominican Republic, but extending from 150 m to 1000 m elevation, thus overlapping elevationally with the other species of this genus.

Biology.

Not known, but host presumed to be a small leaf-mining caterpillar as with other Miracinae .

Notes.

Based on available material, this may be the most common Fusimirax , but we have so few overall that it would be difficult to extrapolate much.

Etymology.

The specific epithet “ gracilis ” refers to the small and delicate body of these wasps, especially pronounced in this species but true to some extent for most Miracinae.