Bracalba globosa Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Bracalba Dodd (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), a parasitoid wasp genus endemic to Australia, ZooKeys 236, pp. 1-53 : 10-12

Bracalba globosa Burks sp. n. Figures 7-11Morphbank16

Description.

Female. Body length 3.12-3.25 mm (n=2). Color of antenna beyond radicle: entirely dark. Radicle color: lighter than scape. Number of claval segments with ventral gustatory sensilla: 7. Number of ventral gustatory sensilla on A6: 2.

Ocular setae: short and dense. Frontal depression: smooth dorsally, torular triangle foveolate with 1 transverse carina extending laterally from inner margin of antennal foramen. Smooth depression extending dorsolaterally from antennal foramen: present. Dorsal clypeal margin: but without other sculpture. Clypeal median carina: absent. Ventral clypeal margin: with a small median point. Mandibular color: dark basally and at teeth, becoming lighter reddish brown between these areas. Mandibular teeth: two, separated by narrow incision. Smooth area obliquely posterior to lateral ocellus: present. Genal sculpture: reticulate-rugose without any strong carinae.

Dorsal pronotal area: not set off by carina ventrally. Anterolateral corner of dorsal pronotal area: weakly rounded anteriorly. Sculpture of posteromedian area of mesoscutum: foveolate with slightly stronger longitudinal septa. Lateral margin of dorsal axillar area: triangularly expanded or with posterior tooth, broadest posteriorly. Mesoscutellar sculpture: densely foveolate with slightly stronger longitudinal septa. Metas cutellum in dorsal view: trapezoidal with broad apex. Dorsal surface of metascutellum: apex protruding dorsally. Femoral depression: crossed by rounded carinae. Leg color: dark except for tibiae, 2nd trochanter, and tarsomeres 2-5. Anterior corner of lateral propodeal carina: flat, without tooth. Posteromedial corner of lateral propodeal area: protruding posteriorly.

Metasoma color: black to dark reddish brown. Median lobe of T1: with a set of rugae that merge with one another. Metasoma at middle of T4: without bend. Posterolateral margins of metasomal terga: without protrusions. T5 median carina: absent. Longitudinal sculptural septa on T5: weak, blunt and hardly raised. Transverse sculptural septa on T5: about as strong as the longitudinal septa. T5 setae: directed posteriorly, arising from anterior edge of sculptural mesh. T6: as broad or broader than long. T6 laterotergite: overlapping S6. S4 median carina: absent. Transverse sculptural septa on S5: weak or absent, much weaker than the longitudinal septa. S5 setae: directed posteriorly, arising from anterior edge of sculptural mesh. Lateral carinae of S6: absent. Apex of S6: without notch.

Male. Body length 2.88 mm (n=1). Flagellomere length: A3 over 1.5 × as long as broad, most others as long or longer than broad. T7: flat and posteriorly truncate.

Diagnosis.

Female. A6 with 2 large ventral sensilla; 2 mandibular teeth; anterolateral corner of dorsal pronotal area weakly rounded anteriorly; metascutellum trapezoidal with a broad apex, extending dorsally; metasomal bend absent; T4-T6 without median carina, S4-S6 without median carina; T6 broader than long; S6 without apical notch. Bracalba globosa is very similar to Bracalba cuneata , but differs mainly in mesosomal shape and sculpture. The metascutellum also differs subtly between most specimens of the two species, being smaller in most Bracalba globosa . Bracalba plana is also very similar to Bracalba globosa , but has a very different mesosomal shape.

Etymology.

Latin adjective, named after the convex mesoscutum of most specimens in this species.

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=302153

Material examined.

Holotype, female: AUSTRALIA: WA, Kalbarri National Park, 12.XII-19.XII.1986, malaise trap/pan trap, J. S. Noyes, OSUC 148701 (deposited in WAMP). Paratype: AUSTRALIA: 1 female, OSUC 148612 (CNCI).