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Siricidae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Siricoidea) of the Western Hemisphere
CJAI 21, July, 2012
doi: 10.3752/cjai.2012.21
Nathan M. Schiff, Henri Goulet, David R. Smith, Caroline Boudreault, A. Dan Wilson, and Brian E. Scheffler

Sirex hispaniola Goulet, n. sp.

Fig. C9.1 (female habitus)
Fig. C9.2 (female dorsal habitus)
Fig. C9.6 (map)


Diagnostic Combination

Among females with completely reddish brown abdomen beyond the 2nd segment [pale form of nigricornis], that of S. hispaniola is recognized by the short metatarsomere 2 in lateral view (1.7 times as long as high), the long tarsal pad on metatarsomere 2 (0.8 times as long as ventral length of tarsomere). Both sexes probably (male unknown) are recognized by crater–like pits on most of median half of the mesoscutum, and the very dense pits on the gena and most of the vertex (pits on gena 0.0–1.0 and on the vertex 0.0–0.5 pit diameters apart).

Description

FEMALE

Color. Head, thorax, antenna, palps, coxae, apical section of sheath, margin of tergum 9, ventral surface of tergum 10 at base and in anterior half, and all of tarsomeres 5 black with dark blue metallic reflections. Legs after coxae (except tarsomere 5), legs reddish brown. Both wings darkly tinted. Abdomen basal segments 1 and 2 and side of tergum 3 black, remaining terga including cornus light reddish brown.

Head. Gena with pits 0.0–0.5 pit diameters apart (Fig. B2.55); vertex and postocellar area with pits 0.0–0.5 pit diameters apart (Fig. B2.57), and each pit diameter about 0.3–0.4 that of lateral ocellus.

Thorax. Mesoscutum with coarsely, net-like pits over most of median area. Metatarsomere 2 in lateral view 1.7 times as long as high and as long as length of tarsomeres 3 + 4 (Fig. B2.59); tarsal pad 0.8 times as long as ventral length of tarsomere (Fig. C9.3). Fore wing vein 3A absent.

Abdomen. Median basin of tergum 9 with basal width 1.3 times as long as median length, maximum width 1.7 times as long as median length, and median length 0.75 times as long as cornus length. Cornus in dorsal view short, with edges clearly angular midway, its median length 0.7 times as long as maximum width of abdomen at junction of terga 9 and 10. Sheath. Length 0.57 times fore wing length, basal section 1.4 times as long as length of apical section (Fig. B2.53). Ovipositor. Lancet with 32 annuli (basal annuli not clearly outlined); junction of basal and apical section of sheath aligned between 15th and 16th annuli, with 29 pits beginning with annulus 2; pit of anuulus 2 only extending to edge of annulus 1 (Fig. C9.4). Pits near middle annuli (see A, B, C & D in Fig. C9.5) or area at base of apical section of sheath, 0.5 times as long as an annulus (pits scarcely decreasing in size toward base) (A), about 0.65 times as high as lancet height in lateral view (B), and about 1.5 times as long as high (2.0 times as long on annulus 3) (C), annulus 10 length/ovipositor diameter (lance + lancet) 1.25 (D) (Fig. C9.5). Last 4–5 annuli before teeth annuli as well as first tooth annulus with ridge on ventral edge of pit. Edge of apical 4–5 annuli before teeth annuli extending as ridge to ventral edge of lancet.

MALE

Unknown.

Type Material

Holotype female (MHND), in good condition except right metatarsus missing and left metatarsus glued on a point; labeled [white label] “REP. DOM.: Prov. La Vega, La Sal, Res. Ebano Verde (19°4'101"N 70°34'89"W), 1043 m, 11–12 July 2002, coll. D. Perez, B. Hiero, R. Bastardo” [red label] “HOLOTYPE Sirex hispaniola Goulet”. Type locality: Dominican Republic, La Vega, Reserva Ebano Verde.

Taxonomic Notes

This is the first species of Sirex recorded from the Greater Antilles. The female was captured at high elevation (1040 m, at the lower reaches of pine forests). Hispaniola has three isolated, high mountain ranges. Each could have different species of Siricidae. The same could be said of the three isolated mountain ranges of Cuba. Sirex hispaniola is found in the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. It is most similar to the eastern North American S. nigricornis. Both have very dense pits on the head and mesoscutum, a short angular cornus, and the unusual basal black transversal band on the ventral surface of segment 10. These two species differ in several characters: the proportions in lateral view and the relative length of the tarsal pad of metatarsomere 2, ovipositor annulus number at the junction of the apical and basal sheath sections, and the long and deep second annulus pit. These differences suggest a rather long period of isolation between the species from continental North America and Hispaniola.

Origin of Specific Epithet

The name, hispaniola, is a noun in apposition and refers to the island that includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Julio A. Genaro found an unexpected specimen of Sirex while examining the insect collection in Santo Domingo. The discovery is significant and similar discoveries in coniferous forests of other high mountain ranges of Hispaniola and Cuba may be expected. Julio proposed most appropriately that we use the name hispaniola for the new species to emphasize its origin.

Hosts and Phenology

Hosts are unknown, but are most likely Pinus spp. This is supported by the short apical section of the sheath and the trough development of the pit on annulus 2, a character shared by all New World species of Sirex associated with pines. The single female was captured in mid July.

Range

Sirex hispaniola is known from a single female captured in the Cordillera Central of Hispaniola (Fig. C9.6).