Agupta Fernandez-Triana, 2018
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.64.25453 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A27707E3-6731-4831-9A0B-AAB6C2CD1412 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/66F44A5A-A630-4C7B-8566-239342221E33 |
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taxon LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:act:66F44A5A-A630-4C7B-8566-239342221E33 |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Agupta Fernandez-Triana |
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gen. n. |
Agupta Fernandez-Triana gen. n.
Type species.
Agupta jeanphilippei Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.
Diagnostic description.
Head relatively elongate. Face, clypeus and labrum with coarse and dense punctures. Face projection between antennal base with median carina. Malar line relatively long. Mouth parts elongate, including bilobate glossa (as in Figs 1B View Figure 1 , 2B View Figure 2 , 3B View Figure 3 , 8B View Figure 8 ). First few flagellomeres with placodes irregularly distributed (so that at times three rows could be distinguished but other times rows are not clearly defined). Anteromesoscutum relatively long (longer than maximum width). Scutoscutellar sulcus relatively wide and deep, with strong crenulae. Propodeum with strongly raised median carina which has strong lateral carinae radiating across its length (Figs 1E View Figure 1 , 2E View Figure 2 , 3E View Figure 3 , 4F View Figure 4 , 5E View Figure 5 , 6D View Figure 6 , 7E View Figure 7 ). Fore wing with small, slit-shaped areolet. Fore wing vein (RS+M)b much longer than areolet width (Figs 1C View Figure 1 , 3C View Figure 3 , 4C View Figure 4 , 6C View Figure 6 , 7C View Figure 7 , 8C View Figure 8 ). Metacoxa smooth and relatively long (reaching beyond posterior margin of T3). T1 relatively strongly narrowing from anterior margin to half of tergite, then parallel sided up to posterior margin (Figs 1E View Figure 1 , 2E View Figure 2 , 3D, E View Figure 3 , 4E, F View Figure 4 , 5E View Figure 5 , 6E View Figure 6 ); T1 anterior half mostly smooth, strongly concave and with central sulcus; posterior half punctured and with a polished area on posterior margin. Hypopygium folded and with several pleats. Ovipositor sheaths setose and about same length as metatibia. Specimens of the genus are among the largest within Microgastrinae (body length and fore wing length almost always 5 mm or more, reaching up to 6.6 mm in the largest specimens).
Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.
From a morphological perspective, this genus seems to be related to Choeras (and several related groups considered to be part of Choeras ; e.g., see comments on Austin and Dangerfield 1992 and also Discussion below). From those " Choeras s.l." taxa, Agupta is unusual because a number of features. The antenna in males (and sometimes in females) has the first few flagellomeres with placodes irregularly distributed in three rows, or no row can be clearly defined. The mouth parts are elongate, including a bilobated glossa. The propodeum has a strongly raised median carina that has small radiating carinae across its length. The shape of T1 is also distinctive (Figs 1C-E View Figure 1 , 2E View Figure 2 , 3C-E View Figure 3 , 4E-F View Figure 4 , 5C-E View Figure 5 , 6C, E View Figure 6 , 7E View Figure 7 ). The large size of most specimens in Agupta is second only to Larissimus , which is the largest known Microgastrinae genus ( Nixon 1965).
Biology.
Host unknown.
Distribution.
The known species are found in the Australasian and Oriental regions.
Molecular data.
Three of the species described below have DNA barcodes available, corresponding to BINs BOLD:ADE1110 and BOLD:ADE1550. There are at least 25 additional BINs that cluster as a group and likely represent additional species of Agupta ; however, they are not described in this paper. Overall, the Agupta BINs are clearly separated from dozens of other " Choeras s.l." sequences in BOLD.
Etymology.
The genus name refers to and honors the Indian braconid expert Ankita Gupta in recognition of her significant contributions to the knowledge of Microgastrinae and other parasitoid wasp groups of India. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Ankita over the past few years and we hope she continues to shine as one of the best Indian taxonomists. The gender of the genus is neuter.
Species.
We describe below four new species for the genus. However, as the molecular data suggests, there are probably dozens of additional species awaiting description. The four new species can be separate using the following key.
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.