Therophilus latibalteatus (Cameron)

Stevens, Nicholas B., Austin, Andrew D. & Jennings, John T., 2011, Diversity, distribution and taxonomy of the Australian agathidine genera Camptothlipsis Enderlein, Lytopylus Foerster and Therophilus Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae), Zootaxa 2887 (1), pp. 1-49 : 23-24

Therophilus latibalteatus (Cameron)

Agathis latibalteata Cameron, 1906: 26 [examined]. lectotype BMNH ♂; Type locality: Australia. Shenefelt 1970b: 340 [lecotype designation]; Yu et al., 2005 [catalogue].

Agathiella latibalteata (Cameron) ; Turner, 1918a: 110 [key, notes, generic transfer]; Parrott, 1953: 198 [catalogue].

Therophilus latibalteatus (Cameron) ; Stevens et al., 2010: 20 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Diagnosis. Distinct carina between antennae; gena slightly expanded ventro-posteriorly; sternalus distinctly scrobiculate; ovipositor and fore wing nearly as long or longer than body; pronounced carinae associated with subpronope; faint striations on T1; with BROW colour pattern.

Description (male). Body length 6.7 mm; head orange; mesosoma entirely black; legs mostly dark brown to black except fore femur and tibia orange-yellow; T1 white except large black patch on median tergite; S1 and S2 white except large black patch in medial regions of each; T2 white except median tergite with black patch medioanteriorly; T3 black except white on antero-lateral margins; remainder of metasoma black.

Head width 1.5 mm, length 0.8 mm, height 1.1 mm; eye width 0.3 mm, length 0.5 mm, height 0.6 mm; interorbital distance 0.9 mm; median ocellus diameter 0.1 mm; distance between lateral ocelli and median ocellus 0.1 mm; distance between lateral ocelli 0.2 mm; distinct carina between antennae; ante-ocular pit triangular but not distinct; antennae incomplete; clypeus width 0.6 mm, height 0.2 mm; malar space height 0.4 mm; distance from ventral eye margin to latero-ventral mouth margin 0.4 mm; labial palpomere 3 length 0.3x labial palpomere 4 length (lengths 0.04 and 0.17 mm, respectively); labial palpomere 2 length 0.13 mm; posterior margin of head, when viewed dorsally, excavated (incursion 0.1 mm); posterior genal margin distinctly carinate, slightly expanded ventro-posteriorly.

Mesosomal width 1.4 mm, length 2.9 mm, height 1.8 mm; distinct setal field on metapleuron and mesepimeron, extending marginally onto mesopleuron and lateral propodeum, associated setae longer (0.1 mm), more robust than other mesosomal setae; subpronope large and distinct, bordered posteriorly by 3 carinae that curve down to anterior margin of pronotum; notauli absent; mesoscutellum too damaged to discern characteristics; propodeal surface smooth except for medial rugose-punctuate sculpturing; suture line between metapleuron and propodeum delineated by faint scrobiculate groove; propodeal spiracle ovoid (maximum distance across 0.09 mm), hind coxal cavities closed to metasomal foramen, margins of hind coxal bridge carinate; sternalus distinctly scrobiculate; metapleuron with dense setal field obscuring surface sculpturing.

Legs with basal lobe on all claws quadrate; mid tibia with 5 apical and 8 preapical spines; preapical spines spaced on anterior margin; hind tibia with 3 apical and 3 preapical spines; preapical spines clumped in unorderly row just basal to apical spines.

Both fore and hind wings infuscate; fore wing maximum width 2.1 mm, length 6.6 mm; cell 1-Rs petiolate and triangular, reduced in size so that width of petiolate vein equal to or marginally greater than maximum distance across cell, petiole of cell 0.1 mm long; M+Cu entirely pigmented; hind wing maximum width 1.3 mm, length 5.4 mm.

Metasomal length 3.1 mm, maximum width 0.9 mm; most dorsal surfaces smooth except faint striate sculpturing on T1; T1 median area elongate and rectangular in dorsal view, length T1 1.2 mm, anterior width 0.4 mm, posterior (maximum) width 0.5 mm, raised nodes on antero-lateral margins associated with spiracles distinct; T2 medial transverse groove faint, curving around posterior margin of black patch; T2–T3 boundary marked by shallow groove.

Female. As for male except ovipositor nearly as long or longer than body; ovipositor 6.7 mm.

Lectotype: ♂, ‘ Agathis latibalteata Cam. Type. Australia’ ( BMNH). [examined].

Paralectotype: ♀, ‘ Agathis latibalteata Cam. Type. Australia’ ( BMNH). [examined] .

Comments. Therophilus latibalteatus belongs to the BROW mimicry complex and displays a similar colour pattern to T. antipodus and T. festinatus (see comments under T. antipodus ). The distribution of this species is unknown because the type localities were not stated and no additional material of this species has been identified. The female paralectotype has extensive damage to the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; the male lectotype has both hind legs missing, and both specimens have incomplete antennae.