Carlmuesebeckius Fernandez-Triana, 2018

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L & Boudreault, Caroline, 2018, Seventeen new genera of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from tropical areas of the world, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 64, pp. 25-140 : 48-49

Carlmuesebeckius Fernandez-Triana gen. n.

Type species.

Carlmuesebeckius smithsonian Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.

Diagnostic description.

Flagellomeres with three rows of placodes. Pronotum dorsally of normal proportions, not enlarged, its median length (in dorsal view) thinner than width of flagellomeres. Mesosoma, except for propodeum, mostly smooth. Propodeum with areola strongly defined by sharp and raised carinae, transverse carinae forking around big spiracles (partially visible in Fig. 12D , as the bright yellow color of the specimen difficulties the depiction of the carinae in the picture). T1 with longitudinal striae on posterior 0.6, and with a strong and raised median carina for most of its length (Fig. 12E ). T2+ smooth. Fore wing without areolet. Hind wing with vannal lobe more or less straight and entirely setose. Tarsal claws pectinate, with two teeth near base. Hypopygium uniformly sclerotized (Fig. 12A ). Ovipositor sheaths uniformly setose and clearly shorter than metatibia length. Ovipositor bulging near apex and with two subapical serrate teeth on lower (first) valvulae.

Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.

Apical part of ovipositor with a node and two ventral teeth in the lower valvae (probably unique within microgastrines, at most similar to ovipositor of Ohenri ), and T1 with strong and raised median carina on most of its length (also probably unique within the subfamily). Other morphological features are not commonly found within Microgastrinae , and their combination in Carlmuesebeckius is highly unusual: flagellomeres with placodes irregularly distributed in three rows (restricted to a few genera, not necessarily related to each other), tarsal claws pectinate (uncommon in the subfamily, although present in a few species from several genera), vannal lobe fully setose, mesosoma mostly smooth, and propodeum fully areolated and with strong carinae forking around spiracles. The relationships of Carlmuesebeckius with other genera of Microgastrinae are not clear at present, although some morphological features are related to Sathon s.str. and two new genera, Ohenri and Qrocodiledundee , described below in this paper. Carlmuesebeckius is most similar to Ohenri , based on antennal placodes distributed in three rows per flagellomere, pectinate tarsal claws, uniformly sclerotized hypopygium and ovipositor with subapical teeth; the carination pattern in the propodeum is also similar in both genera, although in Carlmuesebeckius the areola is more complete and better defined, with carinae that are strongly raised. The main differences between these two genera are that Carlmuesebeckius does not have an enlarged pronotum dorsally, the vannal lobe is setose, the mesosoma is mostly smooth, and T1 has a median, strongly raised carina (enlarged pronotum dorsally, setoseless vannal lobe, mostly sculptured mesosoma, and T1 without carinae in Ohenri ).

Biology.

Host unknown.

Distribution.

The only known species is found in the Afrotropical region (Madagascar).

Molecular data.

No molecular data available.

Etymology.

The genus name refers to and honors the American braconid expert Carl F.W. Muesebeck in recognition of his significant contributions to the knowledge of parasitoid wasps of the world. Muesebeck papers on Nearctic Microgastrinae are still a valid source of knowledge, even though some of those papers are almost one hundred years old. The gender of the genus is neuter.

Species.

Only one species is known.

Figures

Figure 12. Carlmuesebeckius smithsonian female holotype. A Habitus B Head frontal C Fore wing D Mesosoma dorsal E Metasoma, ovipositor and ovipositor sheaths, dorsal.