Spathius

Ranjith, A. P., Belokobylskij, Sergey A., Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, Aswaj, Punnath & Nasser, M., 2020, A new micropterous species of the genus Spathius Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) from the North Eastern Himalayas, India, Zootaxa 4763 (1), pp. 1-16 : 3-4

Key to brachypterous, micropterous and apterous species of the genus Spathius

1. Face almost entire with excessively fine, absolutely even, transverse aciculation; clypeal suture mostly absent. (Present as fullwinged as micropterous forms). ( Fig. 11 ) Body length 2.5–3.1 mm [ India]................ Spathius critolaus Nixon, 1939

- Face without such fine aciculation, rugulose-striate or reticulate, sometimes almost smooth; clypeal suture present at least laterally................................................................................................ 2

2. Mesonotum distinctly concave (hollowed out) medially, this cavity mainly smooth and with fine median keel. (Malar space half length of longitudinal diameter of eye) ( Fig. 6 ). Body length 2.2 mm [ Australia]............ Spathius turneri Nixon 1943

- Mesonotum not concave medially, mostly sculptured, granulate or coriaceous with rugosity.......................... 3

3. Dorsal body, metapleuron and legs with extremely long dark setae; setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia more than 3.0 × longer than its maximum width; body of female having a mottled white, dark brown and brown pattern. Body length 3.9 mm [Lord Howe Island]..................................................... Spathius lubomiri Austin et Jennings, 2009

- Dorsal body, metapleuron and legs with short or long pale setae, if setae long ( Spathius cursor , S. maderi , S. himalayicus sp. nov.), then distinctly shorter than in S. lubomiri ; setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia less than 3.0 × longer than it maximum width; body of female predominantly monochromic or partly mixed pale or dark colour............................. 4

4. Mesoscutum without notauli and prescutellar depression (scutal sulcus); scutellum not delineated, indistinct; malar space distinctly longer than height of eye; promesosoma, meso-, and metapleuron entirely coarsely longitudinally striate. Body length 3.2–3.6 mm. ( Figs 7 , 8 ) [Canary Islands]...................................... Spathius canariensis Hedqvist, 1976

- Mesoscutum with rather distinctly delineated notauli, prescutellar depression (scutal sulcus) and scutellum; malar space not longer than height of eye; promesosoma, meso-, and metapleuron without longitudinally striate, granulate-rugulose and sometimes partly almost smooth.............................................................................. 5

5. Propodeum strongly convex, upper laying more or less upper level of scutellum, without protuberances and delineated basolateral areas. (scutellum distinctly convex; ovipositor sheath usually longer than metasoma; body covered by short, semi-erect setae). Body length 2.0– 3.3 mm. ( Fig. 10 ) [ U.K., Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain (with Canary Is), Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Yugoslavia (former), Poland, Czechoslovakia (former), Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Russia (European part), Georgia, Israel, New Zealand (accidental introduction)]............................................................................................. Spathius pedestris Wesmael, 1838 (= S. apterus Wollaston, 1858 )

- Propodeum weakly convex, laying far below scutellum level, with distinct protuberances and delineated basolateral areas (except S. apotanus )..................................................................................... 6

6. Scutellum in form of rounded hump or conical projection; propodeum without postero-lateral protuberances and delineated basolateral areas; metasoma behind petiole matt. Body length 2.0–4.0 mm. ( Fig. 4 ) [ South Africa]............................................................................................. Spathius apotanus Wilkinson, 1931

- Scutellum normal, weakly evenly convex or almost flat; propodeum with more or less distinct postero-lateral protuberances and delineated basolateral areas; metasoma behind petiole smooth and shining........................................ 7

7. Vertex smooth; setae of upper surface of hind tibia rather short and semi-erect, their length 0.5–0.8 × maximum width of tibia; petiole of metasoma short, 1.4–1.7 × longer than apical width; ovipositor sheath 1.0–1.3 × as long as metasoma. Body length 1.9–2.6 mm. ( Fig. 9 ) [ Spain, Serbia, Albania, Russia (south of the European part)]..................................................................................... Spathius maderi Fahringer, 1930 (= S. hirtus Hedqvist, 1976 )

- Vertex sculptured; setae of upper surface of the hind tibia long and outstanding, almost erect, much longer than maximum width of tibia; petiole of metasoma long, 2.1–3.0 × longer than apical width; ovipositor sheath shorter than metasoma.......... 8

8. Face almost entirely smooth, with delicate transverse striae partly; scutellum almost flat; body yellowish-brown with dark metasoma; hind tibiae honey-brown, faintly paler at extreme base. Body length 2.5–2.7 mm. ( Fig. 5 ) [ South Africa]................................................................................. Spathius cursor Wilkinson, 1931

- Face entirely coarsely transversely striate with rugulosity and/or granulation; scutellum distinctly convex; body brownish yellow or mainly dark reddish brown; hind tibia mainly pale brown to yellow, dark medially and at extreme base............ 9

9. Apical segments of female antennomeres dark, same colour as preceding segments; head, mesosoma and legs with sparse and shorter setae; precoxal sulcus running along anterior half of lower part of mesopleuron; areola of propodeum distinctly delineated, basolateral areas mainly smooth; second metasomal tergite entirely smooth. Body length 2.2–3.2 mm [ New Zealand]............................................................... Spathius thorpei Belokobylskij et Austin, 2013

- Apical segments of female antennomeres light brown, much paler than preceding submedial segments; head, mesosoma and legs with more dense and distinctly longer setae; precoxal sulcus running along entire length of lower part of mesopleuron; areola of propodeum not delineated, basolateral areas entirely sculptured; second metasomal tergite finely striate basally. Body length 2.2–2.8 mm. ( Figs 2 , 3 ) [ India]........................ Spathius himalayicus Ranjith et Belokobylskij , sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Spathius himalayicussp. nov., holotype, female; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Head, anterior view, C. Head, dorsal view, D. Head, lateral view, E. Head and mesosoma, lateral view, F. Pronotum and mesoscutum (in part), dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Spathius himalayicus sp. nov., holotype, female; A. Mesoscutum, dorsal view, B. Propodeum, dorsal view, C. Metasomal tergite 1, dorsal view, D. Metasomal tergites 2–5, dorsal view, E. Hind leg, F. Male habitus, lateral view.

FIGURE 4. Spathius apotanus Wilkinson, holotype, female; A. Habitus, dorsal view, B. Habitus, lateral view.

FIGURE 5. Spathius cursor Wilkinson, holotype, female; A. Habitus, dorsal view, B. Habitus, lateral view.

FIGURE 6. Spathius turneri Nixon, holotype, female; A. Habitus, dorsal view, B. Habitus, lateral view.

FIGURE 7. Spathius canariensis Hedqvist, female; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Spathius canariensis Hedqvist, male; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 9. Spathius maderi Fahringer, female; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 10. Spathius pedestris Wesmael, female; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURE 11. Spathius critolaus Nixon, male, paratype; A. Habitus, lateral view, B. Habitus, dorsal view, C. Head, anterior view.