MalagasyConostigmus(Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea) and the secret of scutes

Abstract

We revise the genusConostigmus Dahlbom1858 occurring in Madagascar, based on data from more specimens than were examined for the latest world revision of the genus. Our results yield new information about intraspecific variability and the nature of the atypical latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) observed in Ceraphronoidea. We also investigate cellular processes that underlie body size polyphenism, by utilizing the correspondence between epidermal cells and scutes, polygonal units of leather-like microsculpture. Our results reveal that body size polyphenism in Megaspilidae is most likely related to cell number and not cell size variation, and that cell size differs between epithelial fields of the head and that of the mesosoma. Three species,Conostigmus ballescoracasDessart, 1997,C. babaiaxDessart, 1996 andC. longulusDessart, 1997, are redescribed. Females ofC. longulusare described for the first time, as are nine new species:C. bucephalusMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. clavatusMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. fianarantsoaensisMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. lucidusMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. macrocupula, Mikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. madagascariensisMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. missyhazenaeMikó and Trietsch sp. nov.,C. pseudobabaiaxMikó and Trietsch sp. nov., andC. toliaraensisMikó and Trietsch sp. nov. A fully illustrated identification key forMalagasy Conostigmusspecies and a Web Ontology Language (OWL) representation of the taxonomic treatment, including specimen data, nomenclature, and phenotype descriptions, in both natural and formal languages, are provided.