A new species, Anteon tucumanense, is described from San Miguel de Tucumán (Tucumán Province, Argentina). This new species can be distinguished from the related Neotropical species A. molle Olmi and A. parkeri Olmi by differences in segment 5 of the fore tarsus (distal part large and straight in A. tucumanense, slender and curved in the other 2 species). A key is provided for the determinations of the above species with an illustration of the female chela of the new species.
Anteon Jurine, 1807 was last revised by Olmi (1984). It contains about 326 described species from all continents (Olmi 1999). However, since then many new species have been described, another revision is necessary.
The species of Anteon inhabiting Argentina were studied mainly by Ogloblin (1938); Olmi (1984, 1987, 1991, 1992); Olmi et al. (2000); Olmi & Virla (2004); Virla (1998); and Virla & Olmi (1998). In 2007 we have examined additional specimens of Anteon from Argentina and have found the new species described below.
Materials and Methods
The measurements reported are relative, except for the total length (head to abdominal tip, without the antennae), which is expressed in millimeters. The description uses the terminology of Olmi (1984, 1994, 1999), with the following additional abbreviations: POL is the distance between the inner edges of the 2 lateral ocelli; OL is the distance between the inner edges of a lateral ocellus and the median ocellus; OOL is the distance from the outer edge of a lateral ocellus to the compound eye; OPL is the distance from the posterior edge of a lateral ocellus to the occipital carina; TL is the distance from the posterior edge of an eye to the occipital carina.
The material studied in this paper is deposited in the Hymenoptera collection of Instituto de Zoologia, Fundación Miguel Lillo (IMLA), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
Anteon tucumanense sp. nov. (Fig. 1)
Description. Holotype Female. Fully winged. Length 2.37 mm. Head black, except mandibles testaceous; antennae testaceous, except segments 7-10 darkened; mesosoma black, except anterior margin of pronotum testaceous-brown; gaster brown; legs testaceous. Antennae clavate; antennal segments in the following proportions: 12:5:5:4:4:5:5:5.5:5:7. Head granulated and with many irregular slight areolae; frontal line complete; occipital carina complete; POL = 7; OL = 4; OOL = 5; OPL = 4; TL = 5; greatest diameter of posterior ocelli: 1. Pronotum dull, granulated and crossed by numerous transverse keels; posterior surface of pronotum much shorter than scutum (4:15), broader than long; pronotal tubercles reaching the tegulae. Scutum dull, smooth, granulated. Notauli incomplete, reaching approximately 0.2× length of scutum. Scutellum and metanotum shiny, smooth, without sculpture. Propodeum reticulate rugose, with a strong transverse keel between dorsal and posterior surface; posterior surface without longitudinal keels. Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands; distal part of stigmal vein much shorter than proximal part (2:6). Fore tarsal segments in the following proportions: 4:2:2:4.5:12. Segment 5 of fore tarsus (Fig. 1) with basal part slightly longer than distal part (7:5), 2 rows of 17 lamellae without interruption to the distal apex, and enlarged claw with a proximal prominence bearing a long bristle. Tibial spurs 1,1,2.
Male: Unknown.
Holotype: Female, Argentina, Tucumán Prov., San Miguel de Tucumán, 8.i.2007, E. Virla reared ex Xerophloea viridis (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) (IMLA).
Etymology: The species is named tucumanense = inhabiting Tucumán.
Remarks. For the pronotum not crossed by a transverse raised carina (Fig. 34 in Olmi, 1998), A. tucumanense is similar to A. molle Olmi, 1984 and A. parkeri Olmi, 1998. The main difference among the above species concerns the shape of the chela. Following the description of A. tucumanense, the key to the females of Neotropica Anteon presented by Olmi (1998) can be modified by replacing couplet 14 as follows:
14Segment 5 of fore tarsus with distal part large and straight (Fig. 1).
--Segment 5 of fore tarsus with distal part slender and curved (Fig. 311 in Olmi, 1984; Fig. 37 in Olmi, 1998)
14’Posterior surface of pronotum shorter than half of scutum
--Posterior surface of pronotum longer than half of scutum
Acknowledgments
The research described in the present paper was supported by the scientific and technological co-operation between Italy and Argentina (IT-PA05-AYE/XV/040). The authors thank Dr. Susana Paradell (Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata) for identification of the host of Anteon tucumanense sp. nov.
