Andesipolis framea Whitfield & Choi

Whitfield, James B., Choi, Won-Young & Suh, Kyong-In, 2004, Andesipolis, a puzzling new genus of cyclostome Braconidae (Hymenoptera) from the Chilean Andes, with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 438, pp. 1-15 : 6-7

Andesipolis framea Whitfield & Choi , n. sp. ( Fig. 3 , 20–25 )

Female. Body length 2.2–2.9 mm; forewing length 3.0– 3.9 mm.

Head 1.1X wider than mesoscutum. Face 1.9X as broad at midheight as long medially, smooth and polished with scattered setae. Clypeus 2.4X as broad as its height. Malar space 0.4X eye height in frontal view. Eyes 1.2–1.3X higher than width; eyes 1.7–1.8X longer than temple in lateral view. Vertex smooth and polished with scattered setae. Occipital and hypostomal carinae remaining separate to mandibular base. Antennae slightly longer than forewing; 27–30 segmented. Maxillary and labial palps 6 and 3­ segmented respectively.

Mesosoma 1.8 1.9X longer than high. Pronotum rugose dorsally; mostly polished laterally. Mesonotum 0.9X longer than width between tegulae, weakly punctate with scattered setae; notauli short, presenting only anterior one­third of mesonotum; midpit shallow and long, 0.5X as long as mesonotum. Scutellum 1.1X as long as width, smooth and polished; scutellar sulcus 0.3X as long as width. Propodeum with roughly pentagonal shape areola and distinct areolar cross­bridge with irregular ridges arising inside of areola; median carina present; with short irregular ridges around median carina and transverse carinae; polished anterior­laterally. Hind coxa 1.6X as long as width, slightly shorter than first abdominal tergum, smooth and polished; hind tibial spur short, 0.3X as long as basitarsus; hind tarsal claw simple.

Wing Forewing: Stigma about 2.4X longer than broad; vein r arising from middle of stigma; Vein r 0.4X as long as vein 3RSa. Vein 2RS 0.9X as long as vein 3RSa. Vein 3RSa 0.4X as long as vein 3RSb. Vein r­m spectral, 0.5X as long as vein 3RSa. Vein 1CUb 2.0X as long as vein 1CUa. Vein (RS+M)b present, short and spectral. Vein 1­1AC 0.4X as long as vein 2­1A. Hindwing: Vein M+CU 1.9X as long as vein 1M. Vein cu­a 0.5X as long as vein 1M, slightly curved. Vein r­m 0.6X as long as vein 1M.

Metasoma Length of tergite I 1.1X its apical width, distinctly sclerotized, strongly convex dorsally, reticulate­rugose to striate; dorsal carinae converging but not jointed; dorsope rather large and deep. Tergite II and III smooth to granulate and polished, tergite II 1.6X as long as tergite III. Hypopigium small. Ovipositor 1.0–1.2X longer than hind tibia, straight; ovipositor sheath 0.5 0.6X shorter than ovipositor.

Color Body generally brown to dark brown; maxillary and labial palps pale yellow; antenna brown except dark brown scape and pedicel; mesonotum brown except dark brown notauli; scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, tergite I, anterior 1/3 of tergite II, Tergite IV to VIII, and ovipositor sheath dark brown; legs generally yellowish brown; hind tibia pale yellow except dark brown apex.

Male Unknown.

Biology Unknown.

Diagnosis This species is similar to Andesipolis masoni in its straight ovipositor and presence of pentagonal areola and distinct areolar cross­bridge (forming a “double areola”) on the propodeum, but differs from A. masoni in its relatively longer ovipositor and maculate forewing.

Material examined. Holotype female: Chile: Carelmapu, Llonquihue, 21–28.ii.1957, L. E. Pena ( CNC). Paratype: 4 females, same data as holotype ( CNC).

Etymology. “ Framea ” is a little­known Latin word that refers to long spears carried by the Germans of their day. We use this name in reference to the spearlike ovipositor.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. 1: Andesipolis masoni Whitfield and Choi, n. sp., fore wing. 2: A. whartoni Whitfield and Choi, n. sp., fore and hind wing. 3: A. framea Whitfield and Choi, n. sp., fore wing. Unusual anal vein indicated by arrow.

FIGURES 20 – 25. A. framea, n. sp. 20: mesosoma, lateral view, with epicnemial carina indicated by arrow. 21: propodeum and anterior metasomal tergites, nearly dorsal view, with areolar “ crossbridge ” indicated by arrow. 22: metasoma and ovipositor mechanism, lateral view, with straight ovipositor highlighted by arrow. 23: Head, posterolateral view, showing occipital carina meeting mandibular socket without meeting any obvious hypostomal carina. 24: close­up of ovipositor tip. 25: even closer­up of ovipositor tip.