Two new genera of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) with reduced ovipositor sheaths

Abstract

Archaeocercoides puchkovi Simutnik, gen. et sp.nov., and Rovnopositor voblenkoi Simutnik, gen. et sp.nov., are described and illustrated based on female specimens from late Eocene Rovno amber. Like most previously described Eocene Encyrtidae, the new taxa differ from the majority of extant encyrtids by the apical or nearly apical position of the cerci, the short radicle, and the long marginal vein of the forewing. Both new genera are characterized by a strongly reduced ovipositor sheaths but long and upwardly bent ovipositor stylets (in the “ovipositing position”), a stigmal vein with a long uncus, and the absence of a filum spinosum. The new genera differ from each other in the width of frontovertex, the location of the cerci, and the lengths of funicular segments and marginal vein. A. puchkovi was fossilized near a Coccoidea crawler.

Protaphycus shuvalikovi Simutnik gen. et sp. nov. (Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae, Encyrtinae) from Rovno amber

“…The specimen was examined and photographed using the equipment and techniques described in Simutnik et al (2022). Photographs were taken using Leica Z16 APO stereomicroscope equipped with a Leica DFC 450 camera and processed with LAS Core and Adobe Photoshop software (brightness and contrast only).…”

“…The data on fossil Encyrtidae were summarized in Simutnik et al 2014Simutnik et al , 2021aSimutnik et al , 2021bSimutnik et al , 2022Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018;Simutnik 2021. The earlier described Paleogene Encyrtidae demonstrate remarkable morphological differences from extant ones.…”

Electronoyesella antiqua Simutnik, gen. et sp. nov. (Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) from Rovno amber

“…The specimen was examined using the equipment and techniques described in Simutnik et al (2022a). Photographs were taken using a Leica Z16 APO stereomicroscope equipped with a Leica DFC 450 camera and processed with LAS Core and Adobe Photoshop software (brightness and contrast only).…”

“…This process was most likely the result of adaptation to parasitization of the host, probably by Coccinea (for example, Archaeocercoides puchkovi Simutnik, 2022 from Rovno amber was fossilized near an undescribed crawler, see fig. 1C, D in Simutnik et al 2022a). As the cerci advanced forward, Mt8 (or syntergum Mt8+Mt9) and then the previous terga began to separate into a dorsal part and lateral lobes (Fig.…”

“…At the same time, distinct paratergites (the presence of which is one of the main features of the Tetracneminae: Trjapitzin 1968) have not been previously found in fossil females. Therefore, there is not enough morphological evidence to classify them as members of the Tetracneminae (Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018;Simutnik et al 2022a). Electronoyesella has a sclerotized, ribbon-like, separated part of Mt8 along the lateral edge of the syntergum (Figs 6B, 7C: ptrg?).…”