FIRST RECORD OF PAPUOPSIA BOUCEK FROM THE ORIENTAL REGION WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM SRI LANKA ( HYMENOPTERA : CHALCIDOIDEA : PTEROMALIDAE )

During the studies on a collection of Pteromalidae received from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, I encountered some interesting taxa from the countries of Southeast Asia, some of them are being described and published [(Sureshan & Narendran, 2004, Sureshan, 2004, Sureshan & Narendran (in press)]. In continuation of such studies, a rare genus is reported here for the first time from the Oriental region by describing a new species from Sri Lanka. Papuopsia Boucek is a monotypic genus with the type species P. setosa Boucek described from Papua New Guinea which belongs to the rare subfamily of Pteromalidae viz. Erotolepsiinae Boucek. The subfamily was erected by Boucek to hold the genera Erotolepsia Howard from the .Neotropical region, Eunotopsia Boucek and Papuopsia Boucek from the Australasian re~ion and Balrogia Hedqvist from Brazil (Boucek, 1988). All these genera have very limited distribution and known by their type species only. A new species of Papuopsia is described here based on the collections made from Sri Lanka. Affinities of the new species with P. setosa Boucek is discussed and a key to separate the species of Papuopsia is also provided.


INTRODUCTION
During the studies on a collection of Pteromalidae received from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, I encountered some interesting taxa from the countries of Southeast Asia, some of them are being described and published [ (Sureshan & Narendran, 2004, Sureshan, 2004, Sureshan & Narendran (in press)].In continuation of such studies, a rare genus is reported here for the first time from the Oriental region by describing a new species from Sri Lanka.Papuopsia Boucek is a monotypic genus with the type species P. setosa Boucek described from Papua New Guinea which belongs to the rare subfamily of Pteromalidae viz.Erotolepsiinae Boucek.The subfamily was erected by Boucek to hold the genera Erotolepsia Howard from the .Neotropical region, Eunotopsia Boucek and Papuopsia Boucek from the Australasian re~ion and Balrogia Hedqvist from Brazil (Boucek, 1988).All these genera have very limited distribution and known by their type species only.A new species of Papuopsia is described here based on the collections made from Sri Lanka.Affinities of the new species with P. setosa Boucek is discussed and a key to separate the species of Papuopsia is also provided.Key to the species of Papuopsia Boucek 1. Gaster with Tl having short striae, middle one the longest; antenna with 6 funicular segments, club 2 segmented, as long as pedicel; toruli above lower margin of eyes and is much closer Gaster (Fig. 2) with TI having longer striae on sides reaching up to middle; antenna (Fig. I) with 7 funicular segments when club counted 3 segmented, "longer than pedicel; toruli below lower margin of eyes, separated from lateral eye margins by a distance almost equal to that between them; eyes 2x as long as wide.Length 2.2 mm.Sri Lanka ............ P. striata sp.nov.
Head: (Fig. 1) In front view 1.25x as wide as long, closely and shallowly reticulate with shallow piliferous punctures and sparse strong brown bristles; malar space O.3x as long as eye; eyes with minute pubescence, 2x as long as wide, separated by 0.71 x their height (measured at maximum width at lower face); scrobal cavity deep, smooth and polished, converging upwards, margin carinate, on lower half reaching orbits, inter antennal ridge reaching one third length; upper edge of scrobe I separated from front ocellus by a distance slightly shorter than its diameter; clypeus reduced, its anterior margin round; mandibles 2 toothed; malar grooves distinct, slightly arched; gneae narrow with several irregular longitudinal rugae, posteriorly carinate; toruli separated from lateral eye margin by a distance almost equal that between them; no temple; POL slightly greater than 2x DOL, ocelli large.Antennae (Fig. 1) slender, scape long, O.75x as long as eye, pedicel as long as FI and F2 combined; anellus small, transverse, funicle with 6 segments (if club counted 2 segmented, then funicle with 7 clearly separated segments) each with a single row of sensillae, pubescence small, basal funicular segments longer than wide, distal segments sub transverse, gradually becoming thick towards the tip, club three segmented, longer than pedicel, sub acuminate.
Thorax: Pronotum short and broad, crescentric, dorsally not carinate, anterior margin of collar with a row of strong bac~wardly directed bristles, collar almost smooth, neck transversely reticulate; lateral panel with a distinct transversely striated area; prepectus smooth and shiny.Mesoscutum uniformaly reticulate, covered with long bristles, notauli finely groove like, complete; axillae smooth.Scutellum similarly sculptured as on mesoscutum and covered with strong bristles, frenal area smooth and bare; its beginning marked on either side by a strong long bristle.Dorsellum smooth, broad, medially with a crescentric depression.Propodeum (Fig. 2) with distinct median carina, plicae and a weak oblique costula, which never connect to median carina directly, in front of costula with several longitudinal rugae, behind costula depressed, outside of plicae with deep depressions sloping to short supracoxal flanges; spiracles small, oval, near to metanotal border.Thoracic pleura smooth with mesepistemum distinctly reticulate, upper mesepimeron with a sizeable depression.Metapleuron smooth and concave.Legs slender, but hind coxae stout, transversely striate reticulate, dorsally bare, ventrolaterally hairy; hind femur slightly clavate, hind "tibiae with 2 strong unequal spurs.Forewing (Fig. 3) 2.61x as long as broad, pilosity becoming proximally longer, almost bristly, including basal and cubital hairline; marginal fringe moderate; SMV with 8 strong setae; speculum very narrow and closed below; basal cell with 8 strong setae and few small scattered setae, closed below by complete cubital hair line; basal hair line complete; speculum open below; costal cell hairy on the upper half.Relative lengths of SMV 19, MV 9, PMV 4.5, STY 3.5.
Gaster: (Fig. 2) Petiole 2x as broad as long; gaster 1.7x as long as broad in dorsal view; Tl covering O.6x total length of gaster, anteriorly narrowed, dorsally at base depressed and with radiating striae, longer on sides reaching up to middle of T I.

Etymology:
The species is named is after the nature of peculiar striae on gaster.
Remarks: This species closely resembles P. setosa Boucek in general morphology but differs from it in having gaster with base of Tl having longer striae on sides reaching up to middle and antenna with 6 funicular segments (when club counted 3 segmented (which is longer than pedicel), but the basal segment of club is well separated and can be considered as the 7th funicular segment, then club with 2 segments, toruli situated below lower margin of eyes and are separated from lateral eye margin by a distance almost equal to that between them and eyes 2x as long as wide and malar space wide.In Paupopsia setosa Boucek Tl of gaster with only short striae at the base, of which the middle longest and antenna with 6 funicular segments and club three segmented which is as long as pedicel, the basal segment of club is not well separated as in the opposite case; the toruli above lower margin of eyes and are also much closer to lateral eye margins than to each other.It has eyes 1.4x as long as wide and narrow malar space.
P. stiata also shares some character states with Erotolepsia Howard (Bocuek & Heydon, in Gibson et al., 1997) such as the facial features, mainly arrangement of bristles, position and nature of antenna to some extant etc.However, it has the characteristic propodeum, gastral petiole, thoracic and wing features of Papuopsia.Later studies of more material belonging to both these genera may clarify the true relationship and status of this species in the subfamily.