Tago pincer wasp (Gonatopus tagoi) and reassignment Agonatopus gracilis as Gonatopus gigantostratiotes

NEWS - A new name, Gonatopus tagoi from Japan, previously known as Agonatopus gracilis (Esaki & Hashimoto, 1932), has been redescribed based on a newly collected female. A. gracilis has been included in Gonatopus, but the name G. gracilis is still used as Kieffer (1905) and is now Gonatopus gigantostratiotes as a replacement name.

The pincer wasp (Gonatopus Ljungh, 1810, Hymenoptera, Dryinidae, Gonatopodinae) is a parasitoid and predator of Auchenorrhyncha (Hemiptera). In Japan, there are 16 known species, most of which are 2.0–4.5 mm in size, but Toshiharu Mita of Kyushu University found a series of females in Honshu and Kyushu exceeding 4.5 mm in length.

G. tagoi has a total body length of 4.70 mm, head length 0.57 mm and width 1.22 mm, antenna 2.72 mm, mesosoma 2.43 mm, procoxa 0.90 mm, protrochanter 0.67 mm, profemora 1.38 mm, protibia 1.27, T5 0.75. The etymology comes from Toshihiro Tago, a holotype collector, by raking nets from grasslands in the dry riverbed of the Edo-gawa River, Central Honshu.

G. gigantostratiotes has a total body length of 6.02-7.28 mm, head 0.89-0.92 mm long and 1.62-1.63 mm wide, antennae 4.0 mm, mesosoma 3.00-3.38 mm, procoxa 1.17-1.29 mm, protrochanter 1.02-1.06 mm, profemora 2.14-2.15 mm, protibia 1.90-2.05 mm, T5 1.20-1.23 mm. The body size of females appears smaller due to a reduced metasoma.

The etymology of the alternate name is derived from the Greek words, "gigantis" and "stratiotes" meaning Giant Warrior. This name refers to the very large species among the Japanese Gonatopus. This name is a noun in the singular nominative form standing as an apposition.

Previous research suggested A. gracilis should be moved to Gonatopus. However, the name G. gracilis was taken over by G. gracilis (Kieffer, 1905), a junior synonym of G. lunatus (Klug, 1810) and no junior synonym is available. The replacement name G. gigantostratiotes is intended to eliminate the nomenclature conflict.

Original research

Toshiharu Mita (2024). Taxonomy of Japanese Gonatopus (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae), with description of a new species. Zootaxa 5506 (1): 113-121, DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.5506.1.7

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