Andesipolis itatiaia Shimbori & Gessner

Mitio, Shimbori Eduardo, Souza, Souza-Gessner Carolina Da Silva, Maria, Penteado-Dias Angelica & Richard, Shaw Scott, 2017, A revision of the genus Andesipolis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Mesostoinae) and redefinition of the subfamily Mesostoinae, Zootaxa 4216 (2), pp. 101-152 : 128-129

Andesipolis itatiaia Shimbori & Gessner sp. n.

( Figs 16 , 38 , 49 , 102–107 )

Female. Body length 2.7–3.0 mm; fore wing length 2.8–3.1 mm

Head. Smooth and polished, with scattered setae; 1.3–1.4x wider than mesoscutum. Face 1.6–1.7x broader than long, polished. Clypeus 1.6–1.8x broader than long. Malar space 0.4x eye height in frontal view. In lateral view, eyes 1.7–2.1x longer than temple. Maximum width of lateral ocellus 0.45–0.52x ocell-ocular distance. Antenna 1.19–1.25x longer than fore wing, 30–32 segmented; first flagellomere about 4.3–5.1x longer than wide.

Mesosoma . 1.8x longer than high. Mesonotum 1.34–1.43x longer than width of mesoscutum. Pronotum dorsally more or less crenulated anteriorly with distinct mid-longitudinal carina, posteriorly smooth with pair lateral carinae, 0.9x longer than vertex; laterally smooth and polished with scattered setae along posterior and ventral margin. Mesonotum smooth and polished; setae concentrated anteriorly and on median lobe of mesoscutum, scattered setae along margin of scutellum; notauli present on anterior 0.33–0.41 of the mesoscutum, narrow and shallow dorsally but distinctly crenulate; mid pit short and roughly elliptical, 0.34–0.49x the length of mesoscutum; scutellum 1.0–1.2x longer than wide, smooth and polished; scutellar sulcus 0.23–0.31x longer than wide, with one median carina; mesoscutellar trough weakly striated proximally, mostly smooth and bare. Metanotum without median carina, laterally weakly rugose with scattered setae. Mesopleuron bare on central portion, setae concentrated on anterior corner and ventrally; sternaulus long and crenulated, extending from epicnemial carina over half length of mesopleuron; anterior corner of mesopleuron smooth. Epicnemial carina present laterally, weak or absent ventrally. Metapleuron rugose at least posteriorly, mat, with long and scattered setae. Propodeum with some rugosity inside and outside areola, areola roughly pentagonal with distinct crossbridge and two pairs of transverse lateral carinae ( Fig. 16 ), although anterior pair irregular; median carina short and irregular. Hind coxa 1.47–1.67x longer than wide, 0.79–0.95x as long as metasomal TI. Hind basitarsus about 0.45x as long as hind tibia. Hind tarsal claws without basal lobe.

Wings. Fore wing. Stigma 3.4–3.7x longer than broad; vein r arising from middle of stigma. Vein r 0.44–0.58x longer than vein 3RSa. Vein 2RS straight 0.85–1.00x longer than 3RSa. Vein 3 RSa 0.47–0.53 x 3 RSb and 1.8–2.0x as long as vein r-m. Vein 1 Cub 2.07–2.16 x 1 CUa. Vein (RS+M)b distinct and not pigmented. Vein 1-1AC 0.19– 0.23x longer than vein 2-1 A. Hind wing. Vein M +CU about 1.0–1.4x longer than 1M. Vein cu-a 0.33–0.41x as long as 1M. Vein r-m 0.37–0.48x as long as 1M.

Metasoma. TI 1.07–1.23x as long as apical width; rugose-striate, with one weak median longitudinal ridge basally; dorsal carinae converging but not meeting, irregular apically; dorsope deep and large. Metasomal terga II+III virtually membranose, but TII basally slightly more sclerotized; remainder terga weakly sclerotized. TII 1.7– 1.8x longer than TIII. Hypopygium short. Ovipositor straight, 0.7–0.8x as long as hind tibia; ovipositor sheaths 0.65–0.75x longer than ovipositor.

Color. Head dark brown; palpi whitish; clypeus, mandibles and malar space near mandibles yellow-brown; antenna dark brown but scapus, pedicel and first flagellomere honey yellow; pronotum entirely honey yellow, laterally darkening dorsally; mesosoma and petiole brown to dark brown, yellowish markings sometimes present close to tegula and laterally on propodeum, mesoscutum and metanotum sometimes lighter than mesosoma ; metasoma beyond petiole mostly brown to dark brown with whitish spot covering most of TII+III. Legs whitish to pale yellow, at least fifth tarsomeres brown, all coxa and trochanter whitish; hind leg with tibia on apical 1/3 and tarsi brown; wings hyaline, veins brown and stigma whitish.

Male. Similar to female. Body length 2 mm; antenna with 23 segments. Body color lighter than female.

Biology. Unknown

Comments. A. itatiaia sp. n. has the epicnemial carina reduced, present only laterally and the sternaulus long and crenulate, touching epicnemial carina anteriorly as diagnostic characters. This species resembles A. brasiliensis sp. n. especially in color pattern and the sculpturing of petiole. Differences between them are discussed in the comments section for A. brasiliensis sp. n.

Distribution. Known only from Itatiaia National Park, Brazil, at 1,760 until 2,200 meters above sea level.

Etymology. The species was named after the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia . The word from Tupi roots means high/pointed (tiaia) rock (ita). This is the name Native American people called the Agulhas Negras (=Black Needles) peak located in the region where the National Park was created.

Type material. Holotype, female (DCBU 210457). “ Itatiaia , RJ, Brasil / PARNA de Itatiaia / S 22°21’50,6” W 44°44’38,4” / Armadilha Malaise IV (2.176 m) / 22.XII.2011 / R.F. Monteiro e eq. col.”

Paratypes (4♀, 1♂) (DCBU 210459 – 210461). Same as holotype, different dates:1♀, 06. III.2012. Same as holotype, different dates and sampling localities: Malaise 5, S 22°21’36.9” W 44°43’56” (2,206 m): 1♀ and 1♂, 18. VI.2012; 1♀ (DCBU 22184), 19.VII.2011; 1♀, 12. VII.2012, Malaise 3, S 22°22’22.5” W 44°45’19.7” (1,763 m); 1♀, Pensa Rio – Hympar Project, 07.VII.2013, Malaise 0 3, S 22°25’42.6” W 44°37’42.2” (1,442 m).

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 25. Propodeum: 14, Andesipolis atlanticus sp. n.; 15, Andesipolis brasiliensis sp. n.; 16, Andesipolis itatiaia sp. n.; 17, Andesipolis flamengo sp. n.; 18, Andesipolis longicollis sp. n.; 19, Andesipolis monteiroi sp. n.; 20, Andesipolis cacildis sp. n.; 21, Andesipolis bicolor sp. n.; 22, Andesipolis belshawi sp. n.; 23, Andesipolis ona sp. n.; 24, Andesipolis masneri sp. n.; 25, Andesipolis supernus sp. n.

FIGURES 37 – 38. Epicnemial carina; arrow indicating ventral end portion: 37, Andesipolis atlanticus sp. n.; 38, Andesipolis itatiaia sp. n.

FIGURES 47 – 55. Mesosoma, lateral. 47, Andesipolis atlanticus sp. n.; 48, Andesipolis brasiliensis sp. n.; 49, Andesipolis itatiaia sp. n. (sternaulus long and crenulate); 50, Andesipolis shawi sp. n. (sternaulus long and crenulate); 51, Andesipolis ona sp. n.; 52, Andesipolis chilensis sp. n.; 53, Andesipolis masneri sp. n.; 54, Andesipolis supernus sp. n.; 55, Andesipolis pseudoscapus sp. n.

FIGURES 102 – 107. Andesipolis itatiaia sp. n.: 102, habitus; 103, face; 104, mesonotum, dorsal; 105, mesopleuron showing sternaulus and epicnemial carina; 106, propodeum and metasomal TI – III; 107, mesosoma, lateral.