Therophilus levisoma, van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010, Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Vietnam, with the description of forty-two new species and three new genera, ZooKeys 54, pp. 1-184 : 87-91

Therophilus levisoma sp. n. Figs 285-293

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH) "NW Vietnam: Tonkin, Hoang Lien N.R., 15 km W Sa Pa, c 1900 m, 15-21.x.1999, Malaise traps, C. v. Achterberg, RMNH’99”. Paratypes: 2 ♀ + 2 ♂, (RMNH, IEBR), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis.

The new species is similar to Therophilus sungkangensis (Chou & Sharkey, 1989) comb. n., but differs by having the propodeum with a strong transverse carina dividing propodeum in anterior and posterior areas and its posterior half steep ( Therophilus sungkangensis : without transverse carina and posteriorly convex); precoxal sulcus narrow, largely crenulate (sungkangensis: rather wide and anterior 0.4 absent); notauli strongly crenulate (sungkangensis: weakly crenulate); the new species is also similar to Therophilus rugosiferus sp. n., but differs by having the apical half of the second tergite smooth ( Therophilus rugosiferus : apical half striate; vein M+CU of the hind wing as long as vein 1-M (rugosiferus: 0.8 times) and the outer and inner spurs of the middle tibia subequal (rugosiferus: inner spur 1.7 times longer than outer spur). The new species is similar to Therophilus daanyuanensis (Chen & Yang, 2006) comb. n. from Fujian (China), because of the coarsely crenulate notauli and the absence of a medio-posterior groove of the mesoscutum. However, Therophilus daanyuanensis has the frons largely smooth (only punctulate), the tegulae, the mesopleuron and the metapleuron partly orange brown, the marginal cell of the fore wing comparatively narrow basally, the first tergite distinctly longitudinally striate, the second tergite striate and with a wide curved transverse depression, the fore coxa and trochanter and trochantellus brownish-yellow and the middle tibia completely ivory. Bassus canaliculatus Chen & Yang, 2006, from China, is superficially similar, but has a distinct medio-posterior groove of mesoscutum and finely crenulate notauli, head and mesosoma completely black, pronotum ventrally and fore coxa blackish; simple tarsal claws and depression of second tergite distinctly sinuate. Therophilus tonghuaensis (Chen & Yang, 2006) comb. n. from China belongs also here and differs from Bassus canaliculatus by having the fore coxa pale yellowish, vein r-m of the fore wing short, resulting in a minute second submarginal cell, hind femur brownish and less robust and the transverse depression of the second tergite is nearly straight.

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 4.1 mm, of fore wing 4.0 mm, ovipositor sheath 3.1 mm.

Head.

Antennal segments 32, length of third segment 1.3 times fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 5.0, 4.0 and 2.0 times their width, respectively; length of apical antennal segment 1.5 times as long as penultimate se gment; maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; malar space 2.8 times as long as basal width of mandible; in dorsal view length of eye 2.7 times temple; temple roundly narrowed posteriorly (Fig. 293); ocelli in high triangle, POL:OD:OOL= 8:4:10; face distinctly punctate laterally, rugose-punctate medially; frons densely punctate; vertex and temple shiny with very sparse minute punctures.

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.5 times its height; pronotum largely smooth, ventrally punctate, dorsally with distinct punctures; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum crenulate; mesoscutum shiny, sparsely punctate and setose; middle lobe of mesoscutum shiny and punctate; notauli narrow anteriorly, widened posteriorly, largely crenulate (Fig. 287); scutellar sulcus about as long as dorsal part of scutellum and with 4 carinae; scutellum largely smooth with very sparse fine punctures, subposteriorly with a transverse elevation (Fig. 287); precoxal sulcus short, narrow and largely crenulate; mesopleuron shiny with very sparse fine punctures, area near precoxal sulcus smooth; metapleuron densely setose, rugose-punctate; propodeum irregularly rugose and divided in two areas by a transverse carina (Fig. 287), apical half rather steep; propodeal spiracle small, as long as wide.

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell small and petiolate (Fig. 289); vein SR1 straight; r:3-SR+SR1=3:63. Hind wing: vein M+CU as long as vein 1-M.

Legs.

Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.3, 5.4 and 9.5 times their width, respectively; hind femur (as remainder of legs) with short setae; outer and inner spurs of middle tibia subequal and 0.5 times as long as middle basitarsus, respectively; outer side of middle tibia with 4 pegs; hind tibia compressed basally and distinctly widened apically; length of outer and inner spur of hind tibia 0.3 and 0.5 times hind basitarsus, respectively; outer apex of hind tibia with a cluster of 9 pegs; tarsal claws with lobe.

Metasoma.

First tergite slightly depressed laterally, 1.3 times as long as its apical width (Fig. 288), shiny with some longitudinal striae, smooth apically; second tergite with V-shape transverse groove (Fig. 288); remainder of metasoma shiny and smooth; ovipositor sheath 0.8 times as long as fore wing.

Colour.

Black; fore leg brown (but coxa, trochanter, trochantellus and largely femur dark brown); basal ring of middle tibia and one third of middle basitarsus, two thirds of hind tibia (except small patch (Figs 285, 290), one third of hind basitarsus and spurs ivory; pterostigma dark brown; wing membrane infuscate.

Variation.

Antennal segments of male 30 and of female 28-32; length of body of female 3.3-4.1 mm and of male 3.7 mm; length of fore wing of female 2.6-4.0 mm and of male 3.9 mm; face entirely punctate or partly rugose-punctate; apical antennal segment 1.2 times as long as penultimate segment; outer side of middle tibia with a row of 3 pegs; fore leg yellow or largely dark brown and brown; frons smooth to punctate laterally.

Distribution.

NW Vietnam: Lao Cai.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “levis” (Latin for “smooth”), and “soma” (Greek for “body”), because of the smooth body.