Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, Zootaxa 5412 (1), pp. 1-127 : 69-73

Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus sp. nov.

Figs 65–68

Material examined. Holotype: 1 female, Xiangtou Mt. , Guangdong Prov., China, 11.V.2004, Zaifu Xu, No. 20048105 ( ZJUH) . Paratypes: 2 males, same label data as holotype but Nos. 20048092, 20048100 .

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) depressus ( Thomson, 1874) sharing the medio-posterior depression of the metasomal carapace ( Fig. 66D ), but the two species can be separated by the following characters: antenna of female as long as head and 0.5 mesosoma combined ( Fig. 66H ) (versus slightly longer than head and mesosoma in C. (M.) depressus ); maximum height of metasomal carapace posteriorly ( Fig. 66D ) (versus medially); 3 rd antennomere 2.2 × longer than wide ( Fig. 66H ) (versus 3.0 ×).

Description. Holotype, male, length of body 3.0 mm, of fore wing 1.6 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 2.2 × its dorsal length, occiput slightly excavated; antennomeres 16, antenna slightly widened medially, length of 3 rd and penultimate antennomeres 2.2 × and 1.4 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 66H ); eye 1.3 × as long as temple in dorsal view; OOL: OD: POL= 15: 6: 11; temple parallel-sided behind eyes; vertex striate-rugulose; frons distinctly concave, smooth near antennal sockets ( Fig. 66G ); face flat, concentric punctate-rugose; clypeus densely punctulate and shiny, width of face 1.8 × its height; eyes slightly converging ventrally ( Fig. 66F ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height; side of pronotum finely punctate, mesopleuron areolate-rugose ( Fig. 66B ); notauli indistinct, mesoscutum evenly convex, densely alveolate-rugose; scutellum rugulose, shiny; scutellar suture comparatively deep, narrow, with carinae; propodeum coarsely rugose, tubercles small and weak ( Fig. 66C ).

Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.5 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 2.8 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=10: 11: 43; SR1 slightly curved outwards; marginal cell 1.8 × longer than submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2-CU1=6: 18; 2-R1 absent ( Fig. 66A ).

Legs. Hind coxa mainly smooth and shallowly punctate with dense setosity; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.1 ×, 4.3 × and 4.3 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 2.2 × its maximum width in dorsal view, widest at middle, apically narrowed; carapace longitudinally -rugose up to basal 70%, rugulose apically ( Fig. 66E ); carapace in lateral view 2.8 × longer than high, posterior height of metasoma 1.5 × its anterior height, medio-posteriorly with a depression in carapace in lateral view, apex of metasomal carapace slightly incurved ( Fig. 66D ).

Colour. Body black; antenna brown but scapus yellowish; palpi light yellow; pterostigma dark brown; middle of wing and its veins medium dark brown, wing base and its veins light brown; legs almost entirely dark brown, but hind tibia with a wide pale yellowish ring basally; carapace with yellowish irregular edge band in basal 1/3.

Male. Antennomeres 23, antenna filiform, not widened medially; occiput excavated ( Fig. 68H ); apex of metasomal carapace distinctly incurved ( Fig. 68D ); apical aperture in posterior view large, nearly round and median process of aperture with vertical carina ( Fig. 68F ); other characters as in female.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Etymology. Named after the medio-posterior depression of the carapace: “ recavus ” is Latin for arched inward, concave.

Figures

FIGURE 65. Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus sp. nov., female, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 66. Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus sp. nov., female, holotype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, head, anterior aspect; G, head, dorsal aspect; H, antenna; I, head, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 67. Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus sp. nov., male, paratype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 68. Chelonus (Microchelonus) recavus sp. nov., male, paratype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, metasoma, posterior aspect; G, head, anterior aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, lateral aspect.