Notogaster avilai Fernandez-Triana & Ward, 2020

Fernández-Triana, Jose L. & Ward, Darren F., 2020, Notogaster, a new genus of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from New Zealand, Zootaxa 4801 (2), pp. 251-279 : 260-262

Notogaster avilai Fernandez-Triana & Ward , sp. nov.

( Figs 11 A–G)

Holotype. Female ( NZAC), NEW ZEALAND, NC, Arthur’s Pass National Park, Crow Valley track, -42.9879 171.5103, 645m, sweeping in meadow with ferns, 3/iii/2009, H. Goulet. Voucher code: NZAC04192895 . DNA sequence code: WMIC0110 .

Paratypes. 37 Females, 12 Males ( CNC, LUNZ, NHM, NZAC) . 2 Females, BR , Mt Robert , 1800m, 10/12/1980, JS Noyes, EW Valentine, AK Walker, CNC1196523 , CNC1180147 ; 1 Female, BR , Nelson Lakes National Park, Mt Robert , 1200m, 18/12/1983 – 23/12/1983, L Masner, Malaise trap, GOU 0476 ; 16 Females, BR , St Arnaud , 650m, 12/12/1980, JS Noyes, EW Valentine, AK Walker, NHM ; 4 Females, BR , Mt Robert , 1800m, 10/12/1980, JS Noyes, EW Valentine, AK Walker, NHM ; 1 Female, CO, Watts Rock , 1200m, 15/1/1981, CNC 280797; 3 Females, CO, Rock & Pillar Range, McPhees Rock , 1280m, 9/2/1986 – 12/2/1986, JW Early, Yellow pan, Tussock grassland, LUNZ ; 1 Male, CO, Rock & Pillar Range, Stonehenge Track , 1250m, 10/2/1986, JW Early, Sweeping, LUNZ ; 1 Male, CO, Rock & Pillar Range, Stonehenge Track , 1280m, 12/2/1986, JW Early, Sweeping, Tussock and Hebe scrub, LUNZ ; 1 Male, CO, McPhees Rock , 12/2/1986, RM Emerson , Pitfall trap, LUNZ ; 3 Males, CO, Rock & Pillar Range, McPhees Rock , 1280m, 9/2/1986 – 12/2/1986, JW Early, Yellow pan, Tussock grassland, LUNZ ; 1 Male, CO, Lamermoor Range, Rocklands, above Deep Creek , 850m, 3/4/1979, JS Dugdale, Sweeping, NZAC04044295 ; 2 Females, CO, Rock & Pillar Range, 1030m, 24/1/1996, BIP Barratt, Malaise trap, NZAC 04192770, NZAC04198782 ; 1 Male, MC , Craigeburn Forest Park, 829m, 4/3/2009, H Goulet, Pan trap, meadow, tussock, WMIC0108 ; 1 Female, MC , Craigeburn Forest Park, 829m, 4/3/2009, H Goulet, Pan trap, meadow, tussock, WMIC0109 ; 1 Male, NC , Arthur’s Pass National Park, Crow Valley track, 645m, 3/3/2009, H Goulet, Sweeping, meadow, ferns, WMIC0111 ; 1 Male, NN , Cobb River Valley , 22/2/1993, L LeSage, Sweeping, around picnic area, GOU 0389 ; 1 Male, OL, Moke Lake , 7/8/1993, L LeSage, Beating, Pasture, on Rosa, GOU 0466 ; 2 Females, OL, Coronet Peak , 1640m, 25/1/1996, BIP Barratt, NZAC04044028 , NZAC04049324 ; 1 Female, OL, Coronet Peak , 1450m, 24/3/1996, BIP Barratt, Malaise trap, NZAC04049633 ; 1 Female, OL, Coronet Peak , 1640m, 19/1/1981, JS Noyes & EW Valentine, Sweeping, tussock alpine plants, NZAC04099356 ; 1 Female, OL, Coronet Peak , 1640m, 26/1/1981, JS Noyes & EW Valentine, tussock alpine shrubs, NZAC 04192924; 1 Female, OL, Glenorchy State Forest, Dart River , 21/1/1981, JS Noyes & EW Valentine, Sweeping, NZAC04198785 ; 1 Female, OL, Coronet Peak , 1640m, 26/1/1981, JS Noyes & EW Valentine, tussock alpine plants, NZAC04198787 ; 1 Male, RI, Ohutu Pass , 500m, 7/2/1973, O Peak, WAM 0357 .

Diagnostic description. Mesosoma entirely to mostly dark (dark brown or black), lighter areas very small and localized; metasoma dorsally entirely dark (brown or black); gena without pale spot; tegula dark; first two pairs of legs mostly dark (brown to black); metacoxa dark; metafemur mostly dark (brown or black); metatibia mostly dark brown; T 2 mostly smooth. See Table 1 for additional morphological measurements. Notogaster avilai is morphologically similar to N. sucklingi , as both species are mostly dark in coloration (including most of mesosoma and metasoma, as well as most of the first two pairs of legs). However, most of the studied N. sucklingi specimens have the gena with pale spot clearly distinguishable, the T 2 tends to be mostly sculptured, and the metafemur and metatibia are completely or partially yellow, clearly lighter in color than metacoxa; whereas in N. avilai the gena lacks a pale spot, T 2 is smooth at least on posterior 0.5, and the metafemur and metatibia are usually mostly brown and similar in colour to the metacoxa ( Fig. 11 ).

Molecular data. The species has four DNA barcode compliant sequences in BOLD corresponding to BIN BOLD:AAH1154, which is 4.64% different to the closest BIN in BOLD.

Distribution. BR, CO, MC, NC, NN, OL, RI ( Fig. 1 ).

Etymology. Named after Gonzalo Avila for his contribution to entomology in New Zealand.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Notogaster avilai sp. nov., holotype, female: A—habitus, lateral; B—head, frontal; C—fore wing; D—head and mesosoma, lateral; E—mesosoma, dorsal; F—metasoma and ovipositor, lateral; G—antennae, mesosoma and metasoma, dorsal.

FIGURES 1−9. Distribution maps of Notogaster spp.: 1—N. avilai sp. nov.; 2—N. charlesi sp. nov.; 3—N. macdonaldae sp. nov.; 4—N. martini sp. nov.; 5—N. poultonae sp. nov.; 6—N. sucklingi sp. nov.; 7—N. toddae sp. nov.; 8—N. walkeri sp. nov.; 9—N. withersae sp. nov. (star), N. wornerae sp. nov. (circle).