Braunsia nigrapiculata, 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 : 33-34

Braunsia nigrapiculata sp. n. Figs 72-80

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), Aga. 265, "C. Vietnam: Thua Thien-Hue, Nam Dong, MT, 2-6.v.2005, N.Q. Truong". Paratypes: 1 ♀ (IEBR), Aga. 190, "C. Vietnam: Quang Nam, Phuoc Son, forest, 28.vii.2004, N.Th. Huong".

Diagnosis.

The new species similar to Braunsia bipunctata Enderlein, 1906, from Indonesia, but differs by having the transverse subbasal carina of the propodeum complete and moderately developed ( Braunsia bipunctata has transverse carina partly weakly developed and irregular); the vein 1-R1 of the fore wing dark brown (bipunctata: yellow), the apical half of the third tergite longitudinally striate, with only apical fourth smooth (bipunctata: completely smooth or nearly so) and the metasoma dorsally (except basally), the inner side of the hind femur and the hind tibia largely dark brown (bipunctata: yellowish-brown).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 11.5 mm, of fore wing 10.3 mm, ovipositor 10.4 mm.

Head.

Antennal segments 50; length of third segment 1.3 times fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 2.5, 2.0 and 1.7 times their width, respectively; apical antennal segment 1.8 times as long as penultimate segment; length of maxillary palp 0.9 times height of head; in dorsal view length of eye twice temple (Fig. 80); POL:OD:OOL = 7:5:14; antennal sockets slightly tubular; occipital flange large, its ventral margin round (Fig. 79); face setose and with fine punctures; frons smooth; vertex smooth, sparsely setose.

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.5 times its height; subpronope large and deep; side of pronotum smooth; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum smooth; side of mesoscutum largely smooth with sparse setae and fine punctures; notauli deep and smooth (Fig. 74); scutellar sulcus short, 0.4 times as long as dorsal face of scutellum and without carina; scutellum smooth, distinctly convex anteriorly and sloping posteriorly; mesopleuron above precoxal sulcus shiny and smooth, below precoxal sulcus shiny with minute punctures; precoxal sulcus narrow, similar to a smooth groove (Fig. 73); metapleuron smooth; propodeum with a subbasal transverse carina, without areola, spiracle large, elliptical, close to lateral carina and 2.8 times as long as wide; lateral carina of propodeum interrupted medially.

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell pentagonal, narrow anteriorly, with rather long ramellus, distinctly angled at ramellus and 1.2 times as long as vein 2-SR (24:20) (Fig. 75); r:3-SR:SR1 = 10:5:88; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 20:5:20; vein cu-a postfurcal. Hind wing: vein 2-SR+M vertical; vein M+CU 0.9 times as long as vein 1-M (24:27); surroundings of cu-a sparsely setose.

Legs.

Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 5.0, 8.7 and 11.0 times their width, respectively; hind femur (as remainder of legs) with short and dense setosity (Fig. 77); outer side of apical third of middle tibia with a row of 5 pegs and a cluster of 3 pegs at apex; outer side of apex of hind tibia with a cluster of 7 pegs; length of outer and inner spurs of middle tibia 0.3 and 0.4 times middle basitarsus, respectively; length of outer and inner spurs of hind tibia 0.4 and 0.5 times hind basitarsus, respectively.

Metasoma.

First tergite moderately long, widened apically, 1.9 times as long as its apical width (Fig. 76); basal half of first tergite smooth, apical half longitudinally striate as second tergite; dorsal carinae of first tergite strong, diverging apically (Fig. 76); second tergite as long as third tergite, longitudinally striate, deep striate transverse groove on apical third; third tergite with parallel striae but smooth on extreme apex; striate transverse groove on apical third wide; remainder of metasoma smooth with sparse setae apically; ovipositor sheath broken; ovipositor about as long as fore wing.

Colour.

Brownish-yellow; antenna brown; malar space pale yellow; fore wing with a vague brown stigmal spot (Fig. 75); apical third of wings dark brown, basal two thirds yellow; parastigma dark brown; hind tarsus yellowish-brown; hind tibia and tarsus dark brown; metasoma black, but basal two thirds of first tergite yellow; first-third metasomal segments ivory ventrally.

Distribution.

C Vietnam: Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “nigra” (Latin for “black”), and “apiculatus” (Latin for “small-pointed”), because of the black apical part of the body.