Zootaxa 248: 1-4 (2003) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)

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Copyright © 2003 Magnolia Press
ZOOTAXA 248
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)

A new Cryptalyra species from Colombia

(Hymenoptera: Megalyridae)

SCOTT RICHARD SHAW

U.W. Insect Museum, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071-
3354, U.S.A.
braconid@uwyo.edu

Abstract

A new species of Megalyridae, Cryptalyra colombia Shaw, is described. This is the first record of
the parasitoid wasp family Megalyridae from Colombia, and only the second known species of the
genus Cryptalyra Shaw.

Key words: Hymenoptera, Megalyridae, Cryptalyra, South America, Colombia, new species

Introduction

The family Megalyridae comprises eight extant genera of parasitoid wasps with a largely
pantropical distribution (Shaw 1988; Shaw 1990a). Megalyrids are primarily associated
with ancient tropical forests but the greatest richness of species has evolved in the Euca-
lyptus woodlands and Acacia scrub of Australia (Shaw 1990b). By comparison the South
American Megalyridae are exceedingly rare and virtually unstudied. Only three Neotropi-
cal megalyrid species have been described so far, each classified in a unique genus (Shaw
1987). Rigel chiliensis Shaw and Neodinapsis peckorum Shaw are known only from
Chile. Cryptalyra plaumanni Shaw is known only from Brazil. No Megalyridae species
has previously been recorded from Colombia. The purpose of this paper is to describe and
name a new Cryptalyra species recently discovered in Colombia.
The family Megalyridae is regarded as monophyletic and can be distinguished from
other hymenopteran families by the presence of subantennal grooves, uniquely reduced
hind wing venation (with only Sc+R and R1 veins) and the unusual position to the
mesothoracic spiracle, which is migrated anteriorly and completely surrounded by prono-
tal cuticle (Shaw 1988; Gauld & Hanson 1995). The family Megalyridae can be identified
using keys provided by Goulet & Huber (1993). An identification key to Neotropical

Accepted: 21 July 2003; published: 25 July 2003 1

ZOOTAXA Megalyridae is provided by Shaw (1987). Cryptalyra species can be easily distinguished
248 from all other Megalyridae by their small body size, very short antenna, and exceptionally
short ovipositor sheath (barely protruding beyond apex of metasoma). Morphological ter-
minology and characters used in this description follow those of Shaw (1988).

Cryptalyra colombia Shaw, NEW SPECIES

(Figs. 1-5)

Holotype. Female, COLOMBIA: Caquetá, PNN Chiribiqute, Puerto Abeja, 310m, Mal-
aise trap, 2-12 February 2000, C. Arenas. Deposited in collection of the Instituto Alex-
ander von Humboldt, Santefi de Bogata, Colombia.

FIGURES 1-4. Cryptalyra colombia Shaw, NEW SPECIES. 1, Habitus, lateral view. 2, Habitus,
dorsal view. 3, Head, lateral view. 4, Head, anterior view.

Description of holotype female. Head: Hypognathous, about as wide as long in dorsal

view, subglobular; clypeus and frons convex, not excavated; surface of head including
frons, ocellar triangle, vertex, occiput, and gena shiny but faintly shagreened and deeply
pitted with numerous round foveae (Figs. 3-4); eye large, ovoid, densely and obviously
setose; ocular orbital carina absent posterior to eye; malar suture present and distinct; sub-
antennal groove smooth and broad, bordered along dorsal margin by a sharp carina; occi-

2 © 2003 Magnolia Press SHAW

pital carina present, very wide (as wide as subantennal groove), and broadly foveate in la- ZOOTAXA

teral view; lateral parts of occipital carina curving below and nearly meeting ventrally, not 248
curving towards mandible; antennae very short and compact, slightly longer than head
(Figs. 1-2); flagellum 12-segmented, filiform, apical flagellomere rather pointed but end-
ing in small, blunt tip; mandible 3-toothed; maxillary palpus 5-segmented; labial palpus 3-
segmented.
Mesosoma: mesonotum and axillae shiny but faintly shagreened and deeply pitted
with numerous large round foveae, largest mesonotal foveae more than 2x broader then
head foveae; median mesonotal sulcus and posterior margin of axillae broadly and
coarsely foveate; axillae meeting at inner angles; pronotum, mesopleuron, and metapleu-
ron coarsely and irregularly foveate; “pronotal” spiracle minute and circular; propodeum
coarsely and irregularly foveate to areolate, slightly concave postero-medially, but without
distinct tubercles at postero-lateral corners; hind coxa smooth and shiny, faintly
shagreened, and with a distinct carina postero-dorsally; hind tibial setae erect; fore and
middle tibiae not apically rimmed with stout spines; fore, middle, and hind tibiae each
with one apical spur.
Wings hyaline, with faint dusky pigmentation basally and medially, more clear api-
cally, without any distinct banding patterns. Pattern of wing venation as in Fig. 5.

FIGURE 5. Wing venation of Cryptalyra

colombia Shaw, NEW SPECIES.

Metasoma: Cylindrical, tapering posteriorly, not compressed; first tergum entirely

smooth, shining, and highly polished, with only a few setae laterally; second and following
terga faintly shagreened, more densely setose laterally; each following tergite somewhat
more setose and more distinctly shagreened than previous tergite; ovipositor sheath
exceedingly short, compact, and densely setose, visible portion about 1/2 as long as 7th
tergite, apex of sheath barely protruding beyond apex of metasoma; ovipositor much
shorter than metasoma, very slender, wire-like, flexible and curved upwards and to the
left; ovipositor entirely smooth, except 3 minute teeth on lower valve apically.
Measurements and ratios: Body length (BL) 4.3 mm; forewing length (FWL) 2.8 mm;
ovipositor length (OL) 0.7 mm; OL / BL 0.16; head width (HW) / head length (HL) 1.0;
distance between lateral ocelli (POL) / distance between compound eye and lateral ocellus
(OOL) 1.5; maximum diameter of lateral ocellus (OD) / POL 0.7; frons width (FW) /
maximum diameter of compound eye (MAE) 0.6; flagellomere 1 length (F1L) /

CRYPTALYRA COLOMBIA SP. N. © 2003 Magnolia Press 3

ZOOTAXA flagellomere 1 width (F1W) 2.1; F2L / F2W 2.3; F3L / F3W 2.0; F1L / F2L 1.1; F2L /
248 F3L 1.2; F11L / F11W 1.1; F12L / F12W 2.5; F11L / F12L 0.4; mesoscutum length (MSL)
/ mesoscutum width (MSW) 0.6; metasoma length (MTL) / metasoma width (MTW) 2.6;
MTL / BL 0.48.
Color: Head, apical 5 flagellomeres, mesosoma, and metasoma mostly black; com-
pound eye silver; antenna basally, legs, and ovipositor orangish brown; wing venation dark
brown.
Remarks: Cryptalyra species are noted for their small body size and relatively short
ovipositor and sheaths. Although Cryptalyra colombia has a slightly larger body length
than Cryptalyra plaumanni (4.3mm vs. 2.9mm), Cryptalyra colombia has an ovipositor
length relative to body length ratio (OL / BL = 0.16) that is smaller than any other known
Megalyridae in the world. Cryptalyra colombia may be easily distinguished from Crypta-
lyra plaumanni by its much darker body color and much coarser sculpture on the head and
mesosoma. The main parts of the body are entirely black in Cryptalyra colombia (mostly
brown in Cryptalyra plaumanni). The head and mesosoma of Cryptalyra colombia are
extensively covered with rather obvious large round foveae, while Cryptalyra plaumanni
is relatively much smoother, with at most fine punctulate or foveolate sculpture. The pro-
podeal tubercles noted in Cryptalyra plaumanni are not present in this new species, so that
character can no longer be regarded as diagnostic for the genus.
Distribution: Known only from the type-locality in Colombia.
Etymology: Named for the type-locality in South America. The specific epithet is a
noun in apposition.

Acknowledgments

Appreciation is given to Fernando Fernadez C. of the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt,

Bogata, Colombia for arranging the loan of this interesting specimen.

References

Gauld, I.D. & Hanson, P.E. (1995) Chapter 8, The evaniomorph parasitoid families. In: Hanson, P.E. & Gauld,
I.D. (Eds), The Hymenoptera of Costa Rica, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 893 pp.
Goulet, H. & Huber, J. (1993) Hymenoptera of the World: an Identification Guide to Families, Agriculture
Canada publication 1894/E, Ottawa, 668 pp.
Shaw, S.R. (1987) Three new megalyrids from South America (Hymenoptera: Megalyridae). Psyche, 94, 189-
199.
Shaw, S.R. (1988) Carminator, a new genus of Megalyridae (Hymenoptera) from the Oriental and Australian
regions, with a commentary on the definition of the family. Systematic Entomology, 13, 101-113.
Shaw, S.R. (1990a) Phylogeny and biogeography of the parasitoid wasp family Megalyridae (Hymenoptera).
Journal of Biogeography, 17, 569-581.
Shaw, S.R. (1990b) A taxonomic revision of the long-tailed wasps of the genus Megalyra Westwood
(Hymenoptera: Megalyridae). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 3, 1005-1052.

4 © 2003 Magnolia Press SHAW