Bracalba sculptifrons 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 : 32-34

Bracalba sculptifrons Burks sp. n. Figures 51-54Morphbank27

Description.

Female. Body length 5.75-6.13 mm (n=2). Color of antenna beyond radicle: entirely dark. Radicle color: same as 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: with irregular rugae indicating large foveae. Smooth depression extending dorsolaterally from antennal foramen: present. Dorsal clypeal margin: angular, emarginate medially. Clypeal median carina: present. Ventral clypeal margin: with a small median point. Mandibular color: dark basally and at teeth, becoming lighter reddish brown between these areas. Mandibular teeth: three, but middle tooth tiny. Smooth area obliquely posterior to lateral ocellus: present. Genal sculpture: reticulate-rugose with strong dorsoventral carinae.

Dorsal pronotal area: not set off by carina ventrally. Anterolateral corner of dorsal pronotal area: truncate anteriorly. Sculpture of posteromedian area of mesoscutum: densely foveolate. Lateral margin of dorsal axillar area: with a semicircular expansion, broadest near midlength. Mesoscutellar sculpture: densely foveolate. Metascutellum in dorsal view: trapezoidal with broad apex. Dorsal surface of metascutellum: apex protruding dorsally. Femoral depression: centrally smooth, peripherally foveolate. Leg color: coxae and at least the last three tarsomeres dark, otherwise reddish. Anterior corner of lateral propodeal carina: flat, without tooth. Posteromedial corner of lateral propodeal area: protruding posteriorly.

Metasoma color: T2 to flat part of T4, troughs of S1 to variable part of S5 reddish, otherwise dark. Median lobe of T1: with 7 or more longitudinal carinae. Metasoma at middle of T4: with metasomal bend and abrupt transition in sculpture. Posterolateral margins of metasomal terga: without protrusions. T5 median carina: absent. Longitudinal sculptural septa on T5: strong, sharply raised. Transverse sculptural septa on T5: weak or absent, much weaker than the longitudinal septa. T5 setae: not directed posteriorly, arising from center of sculptural mesh. T6: longer than broad. T6 laterotergite: overlapping S6. S4 median carina: present. Transverse sculptural septa on S5: weak or absent, much weaker than the longitudinal septa. S5 setae: not directed posteriorly, arising from center of sculptural mesh. Lateral carinae of S6: not meeting apically. Apex of S6: without notch.

Male. unknown.

Diagnosis.

Female. A6 with 2 large ventral sensilla; 3 mandibular teeth, with middle tooth much smaller than the others; metascutellum broadly trapezoidal with a broad truncate apex; metasomal bend present; sculpture posterior to metasomal bend strong longitudinal septa and weaker transverse septa; T4-T6 and S4-S6 with or without median carina; T6 longer than broad; S6 without apical notch. This species is very similar to Bracalba magnirubra in coloration and in having a relatively large body, but it differs in many characters, especially in lacking the apical S6 notch in females.

Etymology.

Used as a noun in apposition to the generic name, derived from a combination of the Latin participle sculptus and noun frons, referring to its strong network of frontal carinae.

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=302161

Material examined.

Holotype, female: AUSTRALIA: WA, ~25km E Perth, John Forrest National Park, 23.XII-27.XII.1986, J. S. Noyes, OSUC 231799 (deposited in WAMP). Paratype: AUSTRALIA: 1 female, OSUC 148704 (CNCI).