Braunsia maculifera, 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 : 30-33

Braunsia maculifera sp. n. Figs 63-71

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), Aga. 162, "NE Vietnam: Phu Tho, Xuan Son N.P., 6.vii.2003, Tr.X. Lam".

Diagnosis.

The new species is morphologically similar to Braunsia margaroniae Nixon, 1950, from India, but differs by having the sides of the propodeal areola slightly curved (distinctly curved in Braunsia margaroniae ), the pterostigma completely yellow (apical two thirds brown), the hind tibia yellowish apically (brown) and the hind tarsus infuscate (brown), frons shallowly depressed near antennal sockets (distinctly concave), the antenna (except scapus and pedicellus) dark brown (brown), the first tergite 1.4 times (1.6 times) as long as its apical width, the fore wing without an isolated dark brown stigmal spot (present) and the ovipositor sheath about 0.6 times (1.0-1.1 times) as long as body.

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 8.7 mm, of fore wing 7.8 mm, ovipositor 4.8 mm.

Head.

Antennal segments 42; length of third segment 1.1 times fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 2.9, 2.6 and 1.4 times their width, respectively; apical antennal segment 1.7 times as long as penultimate segment; length of maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; in dorsal view length of eye 2.2 times temple (Fig. 71); POL:OD:OOL = 8:5:14; antennal sockets distinctly protruding (Fig. 71); occipital flange large, its ventral margin convex (Fig. 70); length of malar space 1.9 times basal width of mandible; face setose and punctulate; frons smooth, moderately concave near antennal sockets; vertex slightly punctulate and sparsely setose.

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.4 times its height; subpronope large and deep; side of pronotum smooth; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum smooth; side of mesoscutum largely smooth, moderately setose and punctulate; notauli deep and nearly completely smooth (Fig. 65); scutellar sulcus deep, 0.4 times as long as dorsal face of scutellum and with two short crenulae; scutellum smooth, distinctly convex and rather steep posteriorly; mesopleuron shiny and smooth; precoxal sulcus narrow, deep (but absent anteriorly) and with few short crenulae (Fig. 64); metapleuron largely smooth, punctulate and with some rugulae ventrally; propodeum with a rather weak complete transverse carina and a subparallel-sided areola (Fig. 65); spiracle rather large, elliptical, close to lateral carina and twice as long as wide; lateral carina of propodeum comparatively weak medially.

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell pentagonal, narrow anteriorly, with medium-sized ramellus slightly shorter than vein 2-SR (Fig. 67); r:3-SR:SR1 = 6:2:54; SR1 distinctly sinuate; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 5:1:5; vein cu-a interstitial. Hind wing: vein 2-SR+M longitudinal; vein M+CU 0.9 times as long as vein 1-M; surroundings of vein cu-a moderately setose.

Legs.

Hind coxa largely smooth, punctulate; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 4.2, 8.2 and 8.2 times their width, respectively; hind femur (as remainder of legs) with medium-sized dense setosity; fore tarsal segments rather short, fourth segment about as long as wide; outer side of apical two thirds of middle tibia with a row of 3 pegs and a cluster of 2 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 0.4 and 0.5 times middle basitarsus, respectively; length of outer and inner spurs of hind tibia 0.3 and 0.5 times hind basitarsus, respectively.

Metasoma.

First tergite distinctly widened apically, 1.4 times as long as its apical width (Fig. 66); basal third of first tergite smooth, remainder longitudinally costate as second tergite; dorsal carinae of first tergite strong lamelliform, slightly diverging posteriorly and nearly complete (Fig. 66); second tergite 0.8 times as long as wide apically and about as long as third tergite, longitudinally costate, with transverse groove submedially; third tergite with parallel costae and after striate transverse groove smooth; remainder of metasoma smooth and with sparse setae apically; ovipositor sheath narrow (Fig. 63) and 0.6 times as long as body or fore wing.

Colour.

Yellowish-brown; antenna dark brown, but scapus and pedicellus yellowish-brown; malar space slightly paler yellow than surroundings; fore wing with dark brown stigmal spot (Fig. 67); apical third of wings brownish, basal two thirds and veins yellow (but R1 dark brown); pterostigma entirely yellow; parastigma dark brown; legs brownish-yellow; hind tarsus slightly more brownish; first tergite yellow basally; ovipositor sheath black.

Distribution.

NE Vietnam: Phu Tho.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “macula” (Latin for “spot”), and “fero” (Latin for “carry”), because of the dark brown stigmal spot.