Cotesia typhae Fernandez-Triana

Kaiser, Laure, Fernandez-Triana, Jose, Capdevielle-Dulac, Claire, Chantre, Celina, Bodet, Matthieu, Kaoula, Ferial, Benoist, Romain, Calatayud, Paul-Andre, Dupas, Stephane, Herniou, Elisabeth A., Jeannette, Remi, Obonyo, Julius, Silvain, Jean-Francois & Ru, Bruno Le, 2017, Systematics and biology of Cotesiatyphae sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), a potential biological control agent against the noctuid Mediterranean corn borer, Sesamianonagrioides, ZooKeys 682, pp. 105-136 : 106-107

Cotesia typhae Fernandez-Triana sp. n. Figs 1, 2

Holotype.

Female (CBGP).

Type locality.

Kenya, Makindu, 2.28°S, 37.82°E.

Holotype label details.

Kenya, Makindu, xi.2010, ex Sesamia nonagrioides on Typha domingensis Pers. Voucher code: CNC634434. Other code on label: F78.

Paratypes.

CBGP, Montferrier s/Lez, France; CNC, Canada; International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya; Natural History Museum London, UK; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA. 24 female, 5 male specimens, same locality as holotype; 25 female, 5 male specimens from Kenya, Kobodo, 0.41°S, 34.25°E. iii.2013, ex Sesamia nonagrioides on Cyperus dives Delile.

Previous records.

This species has been referred to as the C. sesamiae population, harbouring Cs Snona haplotype on CrV1 locus ( Branca et al. 2011), as the C. sesamiae lineage 2 analysed by Kaiser et al. (2015) and as the sample CsBV G4675 sequenced for 3 viral genes in Jancek et al. (2013).

Diagnosis.

The new Cotesia is relatively distinct from other members of the flavipes complex (Table 2). The most distinctive diagnostic characters are the median projection present between the base of the antennae, the punctures on the anteromesoscutum, the length and shape of the paramere, and the relative length of the antennal flagellomere. The median projection between the base of the antennae is depressed (compared to the rest of the face), usually paler than the rest of the face, and has a strongly excavated median longitudinal sulcus (Figs 1B, 2B); all other species within the flavipes complex have a less depressed median projection on the face, usually the same color (or at most slightly lighter) as the rest of the face, and the median sulcus is not defined ( nonagriae ) or is less strongly excavated (Figs 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B). The anteromesoscutum punctures (Figs 1G, 2E) are the largest, densest, and most widely distributed (present near the posterior margin of the anteromesoscutum) among all species within the flavipes complex (compare against Figs 5G, 6F, 7G, 8H). The paramere length (Figs 3A, B, 4C, F, G) is intermediate compared to the other species (longer than in chilonis / sesamiae and shorter than in flavipes / nonagriae ; compare Figs 3D, F, H, 4D, E), and its shape seems to be distinctive, with a somewhat widened part near the apex (Fig. 4F, G). The antennal flagellomeres (Figs 1A, D, 2A, B) are the longest among the entire flavipes complex (compare versus Figs 5A, B, D, 6A, B, 7A, B, 8A, D). The color of metasoma laterally and ventrally (laterotergites, sternites and hypopygium) is light yellow-orange (Figs 1A, F, 2A, F). This character is useful in recognizing typhae , at least in Africa, as all other Cotesia species within this complex generally have a much darker metasoma latero-ventrally (e.g. Figs 5A, F, 6A, E, 7A, F, 8G); however, some populations of C. flavipes we have examined have a light-colored metasoma, so this character is not absolutely diagnostic.

Description.

Head and mesosoma mostly dark brown to black (except for scape, pedicel, wing base and tegula yellow; antennal flagellomeres brown; mandibles and labrums orange-yellow, and face projection between antennal base usually light brown); legs mostly yellow (except for metafemur with brown dorsal tip on posterior 0.1, and metatarsus light brown to brown); metasoma mostly yellow-brown to yellow-orange (except for mediotergites 1 and 2 dark brown to black, and mediotergites 3+ usually with brown spot centrally, near anterior margin). Wings with veins mostly brown, pterostigma brown with pale spot on anterior 0.3.

Head wider than high; face with acute, triangular projection between antennal base, the projection with clearly impressed median longitudinal sulcus; head dorsally smooth; gena laterally and dorsally as wide or wider than eye width; anteromesoscutum with relatively deep, coarse and large punctures (puncture diameter larger than distance between punctures), puncture density similar on most of the anteromesoscutum, including posterior half; scutoscutellar sulcus strongly curved, with 10-12 impressions; scutellar disc mostly smooth, with shallow and sparse punctures; propodeum mostly sculptured with an irregular pattern of strong carinae; mediotergites 1-2 mostly covered by strong longitudinal striae, mediotergites 3+ mostly smooth; hypopygium relatively small, apical tip in lateral view shorter than apical tip of tergites; paramere with broad, widened area near apex; paramere relatively large, around 1.50 × as long as median length of sternite 8.

Body ratios. Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.71 × (1.50-1.86). Metafemur length/width: 3.06 × (2.92-3.25). Length of inner spur of metatibia/length of first segment of metatarsus: 0.48 × (0.46-0.52). Length of inner spur of metatibia/length of outer spur of metatibia: 1.07 × (1.07-1.18). Pterostigma length/width: 2.81 × (2.61-2.88). Length of fore wing vein r/length of fore wing vein 2RS: 0.82 × (0.82-1.00). Mediotergite 1 length/mediotergite width at posterior margin: 1.07 × (0.93-1.20). Length of mediotergite 2/length of mediotergite 3: 0.89 × (0.83-1.00).

Body measurements (all in mm). Body length: 2.40 (2.20-2.50). Fore wing length: 2.10 (2.10-2.20). Length of antennal flagellomere (F), F1: 0.15 (0.14-0.17), F2: 0.12 (0.12-0.13), F3: 0.11 (0.10-0.11), F14: 0.07 (0.06-0.08), F15: 0.07 (0.06-0.08), F16: 0.10 (0.09-0.11). Metafemur length: 0.55 (0.51-0.56). Metafemur width: 0.18 (0.16-0.19). Metatibia length: 0.71 (0.66-0.74). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.31 (0.28-0.31). Length of inner spur of metatibia: 0.15 (0.13-0.16). Length of outer spur of metatibia: 0.14 (0.11-0.14). Ovipositor sheaths length: 0.18 (0.15-0.18). Pterostigma length: 0.45 (0.145-0.49). Pterostigma width: 0.16 (0.16-0.18). Length of fore wing vein r: 0.09 (0.09-0.11). Length of fore wing 2RS: 0.11 (0.10-0.12). Length of mediotergite 1: 0.30 (0.27-0.31). Width at posterior margin of mediotergite 1: 0.28 (0.25-0.32). Length of mediotergite 2: 0.16 (0.14-0.20). Length of mediotergite 3: 0.18 (0.15-0.20).

Etymology.

Named after the main host plant on which the wasp parasitizes its host caterpillar, Kaiser et al. (2015).

Notes.

Cotesia typhae occurs sympatrically with C. sesamiae and C. flavipes (the latter introduced into Africa). Among these three species, typhae is the largest (body and fore wing lengths usually 0.2-0.3 mm longer than the two others), it also has a more sculptured anteromesoscutum and a longer antenna (especially flagellomeres 1-4 which are significantly longer).