Uncobracon pappi ( Tobias, 2000 ) Tobias, 2000

Tan, Jiang-Li, Sheng, Mao-Ling, Achterberg, Kees Van & Sun, Shu-Ping, 2012, The first record of the genus Uncobracon Papp from China (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Zootaxa 3323, pp. 64-68 : 65-66

Uncobracon pappi ( Tobias, 2000) comb. nov.

Uncobracon appoderi ab. testaceus Papp, 1996: 169.

Bracon (Uncobracon) pappi Tobias in Tobias & Belokobylskij, 2000: 121.

Material examined. 1Ƥ, CHINA: Pengyang (N35ο48', E106ο36'), Ningxia, 18.vi.2006, reared from a cocoon in the branch of Hippophae rhamnoides Linnaeus ssp. sinensis Rousi by Mao-Ling Sheng. Deposited in the Insect Museum, General Station of Forest Pest Management, State Forestry Administration, Shenyang ( GSFA).

Diagnosis. Female, length of body 3.8 mm (without length of ovipositor) ( Fig 1 A).

Head.— Comparatively long, gradually narrowed ventrally in anterior view, its width 1.7 times its median length in dorsal view ( Fig. 1 E); ratio of width of head/width of mesoscutum 1.2. Ocelli medium-sized, in almost equilateral triangle; OOL: diameter of ocellus: POL = 1.9:1.0:1.0; distance from posterior ocellus to occipital carina about 2.4 times as long as POL; frons convex antero-medially with sparse setae. Face punctate, convex medially, about twice wider than high; clypeus semicircular, convex; anterior tentorial pits conspicuous; hypoclypeal depression circular, 0.5 times as wide as face ( Fig. 1 B). Length of eye 1.55 times temple in dorsal view and 1.65 times as high as broad in anterior view; temple behind eye (in dorsal view) strongly narrowed ( Fig. 1 E). Length of malar space nearly 0.3 times height of eye and 0.5 times basal width of mandible; malar suture present ( Figs 1 B), cheek below with a hook-like process directed anteriorly ( Fig. 1 C, D). Mandible broad basally and bidentate apically. Antenna with 32 segments ( Fig. 2 A); antennal sockets not protruding, much closer to eyes than to each other ( Fig. 1 C).

Mesosoma.— Length of mesosoma about 1.4 times its height ( Fig. 1 A). Pronotal keel distinct, and crenulate dorsally; side of pronotum smooth; propleuron evenly convex. Mesoscutum steeply raised above pronotum in lateral view; notauli distinct and evenly deep ( Fig. 1 E); scutellar sulcus narrow and with 10 carinae; scutellum convex and coriaceous, without subposterior depression, side of scutellum smooth ( Fig. 1 E). Mesopleuron smooth; precoxal sulcus absent; mesosternal sulcus narrow and smooth. Metanotum with a distinct and complete median carina; metapleuron smooth. Propodeum finely longitudinally rugose, with a distinct medio-longitudinal carina ( Fig. 2 B) and a distinct carina near spiracle.

Wings.— Fore wing ( Fig. 2 C): length about 3.1 times as long as maximum width; pterostigma 2.9 times as long as maximum width, 0.74 times as long as vein R1; parastigma distinct; vein M+CU1 straight; vein 1-1A slightly bent; cross vein r-m present; vein 2-M present; cross vein r arising a little before middle of pterostigma; length of r about 1.3 times as long as maximum width of pterostigma; r:2-SR:SR1:3-SR:r-m = 1.0:2.1:5.0:2.9:1.2; vein 1-SR+M straight; vein m-cu antefurcal; vein cu-a slightly postfurcal; 1-CU1: 2-CU1 = 1.0:6.6. Length of hind femur 4.0 times its width. Claws robust, with a simple basal lobe ( Fig. 2 D).

Metasoma.— About equal to length of mesosoma, with six strongly sclerotized tergites exposed. First tergite as long medially as its apical width, scutal part anteriorly smooth and shiny, with its posterior margin foveolaterugose. Second tergite foveolate-rugose, third-sixth tergites with discrete and separate punctures, interspaces smooth; second suture bisinuate and crenulate ( Fig. 2 B). Ovipositor sheath narrow, about as long as head and mesosoma combined.

Colour ( Fig 1 A, B).— Generally yellowish brown, but antenna, eyes, ocellar triangle and apex of mandible black; distal half of middle femur, middle and hind tibiae and tarsi dark brown to black; wing membrane hyaline, with veins dark brown; pterostigma and parastigma fuscous; ovipositor sheath dark brown.

Host. Probably an ectoparasitoid of a borer in branches of Hippophae rhamnoides Linnaeus ssp. sinensis Rousi (Dicotyledoneae: Rosidae: Rosales : Elaeagnaceae ). The only connection so far is the place where the cocoon was found: in a larval tunnel of the cerambycid beetle Asias halodendri (Pallas) . The adult wasp emerged end of June, 2006.

Host food. Hippophae rhamnoides Linnaeus ssp. sinensis Rousi.

Cocoon. White, long oval-shaped; 5.9mm in length ( Fig. 2 E). A discarded head capsule is connected to the outside of the cocoon ( Fig. 2 F).

Distribution. China (Ningxia); Russia; Korea.

Remarks. Characters of this specimens agree well with the description of Tobias & Belokobylskij (2000), but its antennae are black, the fore tibiae and tarsi darkish brown, the femora (or its distal half), tibiae and tarsi of middle and hind legs dark to black. The colour pattern fits the description of Uncobracon appoderi ab. testaceus ( Papp, 1996) well except for the colour of the antenna. Papp (1996) stated that the supposed morphological differences of the new aberration were not observable. Tobias & Belokobylskij (2000) described the aberration as the new species B. (U.) pappi because of the somewhat longitudinally rugose propodeum and its different colour pattern. However, the sculpture of the propodeum is superficially, the integument is narrowly pigmented slightly and the more or less visible inner muscles may be easily misinterpreted as sculpture..

Figures

FIGURE 1. Uncobracon pappi (Tobias) (female from China (Ningxia )). A, habitus (without wings), lateral view; B, head, frontal view; C, head, lateral view; D, lower part of head, eye, cheek, mandible and hook in front-lateral view; E, head and mesosoma, dorsal view. Scale bar A, B, C, E = 0.25 mm; D = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Uncobracon pappi (Tobias) (female from China (Ningxia )). A, right antenna; B, propodeum and metasoma; C, wings; D, the 3 rd- 5 th hind tarsi and claw; E, cocoon; F. larval head capsule connected to outside of cocoon. Scale bar A, B, C, E = 0.25 mm; D = 0.1 mm; E = 1.0 mm.