Therophilus aalvikorum Stevens, 2011

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 : 14-17

Therophilus aalvikorum Stevens , n. sp.

( Figs 6A , 12A , 18A )

Diagnosis. Labial palpomere 3 length equal to or exceeding half labial palpomere 4 length; preapical spines extending onto basal half of mid tibia; head triangular in anterior view; with BROW colour pattern.

Description (female). Body length 4.8 (4.6–5.5) mm; ovipositor 3.2 (3.1–3.6) mm; head ranging from mostly orange to mostly black and dark brown; antenna dark brown to black; mesosoma with varying amounts of orange and black, generally orange anteriorly and black posteriorly; all legs black to dark brown with lighter brown on fore tibiae and tarsomeres; metasoma with varying amounts of black and white, ranging from mostly white anteriorly and black posteriorly to mostly black with white on S1 and S2 only.

Head width 1.0 (1.0–1.2) mm, length 0.5 (0.5–0.7) mm, height 0.7 (0.7–0.9) mm; eye width 0.2 (0.2–0.3) mm, length 0.35 (0.3–0.5) mm, height 0.5 mm; head triangular in anterior view; inter-orbital distance 0.6 (0.6–0.7) mm; median ocellus diameter 0.09 (0.06–0.09) mm; distance between lateral ocelli and median ocellus 0.07 (0.07–0.1) mm; distance between lateral ocelli 0.14 (0.14–0.18) mm; broad rounded elevation between antennae; ante-ocular pit absent; antennal segment number 36; clypeus width 0.3 (0.3–0.4) mm, height 0.1 (0.1–0.2) mm; malar space height 0.2 (0.2–0.3) mm; distance from ventral eye margin to latero-ventral mouth margin 0.3 mm; labial palpomere 3 0.7x labial palpomere 4 length (lengths 0.06 and 0.09 mm, respectively); gena not expanded ventro-posteriorly.

Mesosomal width 0.8 (0.8–1.1) mm, length 1.8 (1.8–2.2) mm, height 1.2 (1.2–1.5) mm; pilosity mostly 0.07– 0.1 mm in length, more sparse dorsally; white reflective setal field on metapleuron and mesepimeron, associated setae of similar length to other mesosomal setae but thicker; subpronope bordered posteriorly by single distinct carina extending to anterior margin of pronotum; notauli absent anteriorly, faint impression posteriorly; scutellar sulcus divided into 2 pits by distinct medial longitudinal carina (distinct lateral longitudinal carinae sometimes present); propodeum mostly smooth, with small area of faint rugose-punctate sculpturing antero-medially; suture line between metapleuron and propodeum delineated by scrobiculate groove; hind coxal cavities closed to metasomal foramen by hind coxal bridge (minimum width 0.05 mm), with carinate margins; sternalus distinctly scrobiculate, straight and horizontal.

Legs with all claws with small, quadrate basal lobes; mid tibia with 2 apical and 12 preapical spines; preapical spines staggered at intervals along anterior surface, extending well into basal half of mid tibia; hind tibia with 3 apical and 18 preapical spines; preapical spines situated close together forming triangular shaped patch of spines just basal to apical spines.

Fore and hind wings infuscate; fore wing maximum width 1.4 (1.4–1.7) mm, length 4.0 (4.0–4.7) mm; cell 1-

Rs petiolate and triangular, maximum distance across cell (0.13 mm); petiole vein short, width equal to length (0.04 mm); basal third of M+Cu darkly pigmented; hind wing maximum width 0.8 (0.7–1.0) mm, length 3.1 (3.1–3.9) mm.

Metasomal length 2.4 (2.3–2.6) mm, maximum width 0.8 (0.8–1.0) mm; dorsal surfaces smooth; T1 length 0.7 (0.7–0.9) mm; anterior width 0.2 (0.2–0.3) mm, posterior width 0.5 (0.5–0.7) mm; both T2 medial transverse groove and T2–T3 boundary transverse groove shallow and indistinct.

Male. Unknown.

Holotype: ♀ ‘ Western Australia: Mount Barker , 12 km E 34º40'99 S 117º47'44 E 25.IV.2000 malaise trap M. Court & S. Cunningham’ ( WAMP).

Paratypes: South Australia: 2 ♀, Gawler Ranges National Park, 32º49'38 S 135º36'02 E 25.IV.2000 Kododo area , M. & N. Stevens, yellow pan trap ( SAMA; WINC) ; Western Australia: 3 ♀, same data as holotype ( ANIC, WAMP, WINC) ; M. Court & S. Cunningham, malaise trap; 2 ♀, Albany , 21 km NE, 34º51'25 S 117º48'51 E 07.V.2000 ( ANIC) ; Mount Barker , 25.IV.2000, 10 km W , 1 ♀ 34º42'65 S 117º34'21 E, 3 ♀ 34º42'10 S 117º34'13 E, 1 ♀ 34º42'63 S 117º34'39 E ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, 12 km E, 34º40'99 S 117º47'44 E ( ANIC) .

Comments. Therophilus aalvikorum is distributed from the south-west of Western Australia across the Nullarbor region to South Australia ( Fig. 18A ). This species is distinguished from other described and undescribed species by the presence of a long labial palpomere 3 and the extension of the preapical spines onto the basal half of the mid tibia. It is named in honour of the Aalvik family (Peir, Liv, Kari, Stein and Gere) originating from Aalvik, Norway.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Lateral views of head and mouth-parts of Therophilus spp.: A, antero-lateral view of head of T. aalvikorum; B, labial palpomeres T. martialis (holotype); C, lateral head undescribed Therophilus species,; D, lateral head undescribed Therophilus species, ventro-posterior expanded gena arrowed; mc = medial carina; lp2 = labial palpomere 2; lp3 = labial palpomere 3; lp4 = labial palpomere 4. Scale lines, A, C, D = 0.5 mm; B= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Lateral habitus of Therophilus spp.: A, female T. aalvikorum; B, female T. malignus (holotype); C, female T. nr latibalteatus; D, female T. festinatus (holotype); E, male T. leucogaster (holotype); F, female T. nr meridionalis. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 18. Distribution maps of described Camptothlipsis, Lytopylus and Therophilus species: A, Camptothlipsis oliveri o, Lytopylus rufipes, Therophilus aalvikorum ●, T. leucogaster ̝, T. martialis; B, T. malignus ●, T. meridionalis o, T.minimus ̝, T. minor ̝.