Kotenkosius 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 : 76-77

Kotenkosius Fernandez-Triana gen. n.

Type species.

Kotenkosius tricarinatus Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.

Diagnostic description.

Face with slightly coarse punctures. Mesosoma mostly smooth, at most with areas with sparse and shallow punctures. Polished area of lateral face of scutellum (lunules) relatively very small, less than 0.2 height of lateral face (Fig. 27D ). Propodeum carination pattern that includes three complete longitudinal carinae (one medially, the other two sublaterally) and a complete transverse carina (subapically), with additional small striae radiating from the median and sublateral carinae (Figs 27D, F ); most carinae are strongly defined and raised. Fore wing with relatively large and quadrate areolet (Fig. 27C ). Hind wing with vannal lobe entirely setose. Metasomal terga smooth. T1 rectangular, T2 trapezoidal (Figs 27E, F ). Hy popygium inflexible, without pleats. Ovipositor sheaths setose and less than half the length of the metatibia (Fig. 27A ).

Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.

The carination pattern of propodeum is unique among Microgastrinae . Kotenkosius is likely related to Choeras s.l. (see Discussion below) but it has a very different propodeum carination and an inflexible, unpleated hypopygium.

Biology.

Host unknown.

Distribution.

The only species known is found in the Oriental region.

Molecular data.

Among the specimens we have been able to study, three have sequences available in BOLD, all corresponding to BIN BOLD:AAV2185. Another three sequences (from specimens we have not seen) are part of that same BIN, suggesting they all belong to the same species. That BIN is far apart from other Microgastrinae with available DNA barcodes (with the exception of BIN BOLD:ADB2437, which seems related to K. tricarinatus and could represent a second species of Kotenkosius , see more comments on the section " Species " below).

Etymology.

The genus name refers to and honors the Ukrainian braconid expert Anatoly G. Kotenko, in recognition of his significant contributions to the knowledge of Braconidae , specially his work on East Palearctic Microgastrinae . The gender of the genus is neuter.

Species.

Although there are slight differences between specimens from several countries (with some specimens being lighter coloured) we consider them all to be conspecific. Thus, we recognize here only one species, which seems to be rather widespread in the Oriental region (Bangladesh, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam). However, in BOLD there is another BIN (BOLD:ADB2437), which contains five sequences of specimens from Indonesia, which seems closely related to K. tricarinatus and thus could represent a second species in this genus. However, we have not seen those specimens nor have access to those sequences and thus cannot conclude on that nor describe that putative second species.

Figures

Figure 27. Kotenkosius tricarinatus female holotype. A Habitus B Head frontal C Fore wing and hind wing D Mesosoma dorsal E Metasoma dorsal F Propodeum.