Snellenius irenebakerae Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Whitfield, James B., Smith, M. Alex, Kula, Robert R., Winnie Hallwachs, & Janzen, Daniel H., 2015, Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (2), pp. 137-201 : 149-150

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius irenebakerae Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 96-102

Holotype.

♀ in USNM. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Santa Rosa, Bosque San Emilio, 300m, 10.84389, -85.61384. ACG database code: DHJPAR0013323.

Paratypes.

5♀, 3♂ (BMNH, CNC, INBio, INHS, USNM). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0013315, DHJPAR0013316, DHJPAR0013319, DHJPAR0013320, DHJPAR0013325, DHJPAR0024714; 1♂, Costa Rica, ACG, Guanacaste, Santa Rosa National Park, 300m, regenerating woodland less than 10 years old, 5-26.vii.1986, I. Gauld; 1♂, Costa Rica, ACG, Guanacaste, Cerro El Hacha, NW of Volcan Orosi, 300m, 1988.

Diagnosis.

This is one of the most easily identifiable species of Snellenius in the region, based on the unique color pattern of mesosoma and hind legs.

Description.

Female. Scape color: Orange-brown. Mesosoma color: Partially orange (mostly on anteromesoscutum and parts of propleuron, pronotum, mesopleuron, scutellar complex, metascutellum). Metasoma color: Dark brown, except for light yellow T2. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, mostly reddish-brown (except for yellow ventraly). Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, dark brown (except for anterior 0.1 which is yellow-orange). Metatibia spurs color: Yellow-white. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Yellow, yellow. Wings: Hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown, with very small pale spot at base. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.2-3.4 mm. Fore wing length: 3.1-3.2 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.9 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.8-1.9 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.13 –0.15/0.07–0.08/0.13– 0.14 mm. Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: 3.0 × (0.27/0.09-0.10 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 2.2 × (0.20 –0.21/0.09– 0.10 mm). Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.3-1.4 x. Antenna in males: Of normal appearance, not flattened. Epicnemial carina: Present but weakly defined. Anteromesoscutum: With relatively shallower and sparser sculpture, central area not appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli strongly excavated. Scutellar disc sculpture: With margins and central part of disc equally sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: Three or four. Metafemur length/width: 3.3 × (0.86 –0.87/0.25– 0.26 mm). Metatibia length: 1.08-1.12 mm (X = 1.10 mm). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.38-0.41 mm (X = 0.40 mm). Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 3.0-3.1 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.45 –0.48/0.26–0.24/0.22–0.20/0.15– 0.16 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Male. As in female.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Host.

Noctuidae : An undetermined species with interim name 'noctJanzen01 05-SRNP-23743'. Solitary parasitoid.

Molecular data.

Two haplotypes, nine sequences (nine barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of Irene Baker in recognition of her contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.