Sesioctonus stephaniai Sharkey and Briceño, 2005

Briceño, Michael J. Sharkey Rosa A., 2005, Review of Sesioctonus Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae) from Colombia with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 1002 (1002), pp. 45-58 : 54-55

Sesioctonus stephaniai Sharkey and Briceño sp. n.

FIG. 1b

Diagnosis. Distinguished from all other known species of Sesioctonus by the following suite of characters. (RS+M)a vein of fore wing complete, hind tibia with 8–10 spines; fore and mid coxae pale yellow; coloration unique Fig. 1b.

Description.

♀. Length. Length of body, excluding ovipositor, 4.2–4.4 mm.

Head. Flagellum broken after flagellomere 28 on holotype (paratype has complete, 26­ segmented flagellum). Interantennal space without sharp longitudinal keel. Antennal sockets not excavated. Face without median longitudinal carina. Gena not expanded posteroventrally. Occipital tubercles absent. Occiput not excavated. Mandible concave. Outer tooth of mandible longer than inner tooth. Maxillary palpus with 5 palpomeres. Third and fourth labial palpomeres not fused. Mesosoma . Subpronope elongate. Scutellar depression with 3 (1–3) longitudinal carinae. Scutellum convex. Median areola of metanotum with rugosities, without median longitudinal carina, and with lateral carinae present and meeting posteriorly (not meeting in paratype). Propodeum convex. Median longitudinal carina of propodeum absent. Epicnemial carina absent (a few rugae that may be remnants of the carina occur on the anterior margin of the mesopleuron). Fore tibial spines absent. Mid tibia with 5–6 spines. Hind tibia with 8–10 spines. Hind femur 3.6 (3.1 in paratype) times as long as wide. (RS+M)a vein of fore wing complete or with some weakness medially. 3RSa vein of fore wing absent. 2 nd submarginal cell of fore wing sessile (petiolate in paratype). 2­1A vein of hind wing tubular. CUb vein of hind wing absent. Hind wing with 3 hamuli. Metasoma. Median tergite of first metasomal segment without pair of lateral longitudinal carinae. First metasomal median tergite without depression posterad spiracle. Length: width ratio of first metasomal median tergite 1.25. Ovipositor length 3.7 mm.

Color. Head black. Antenna melanic. Maxillary and labial palpomeres pale yellow. Mesosoma melanic. Fore leg pale yellow with scattered brown areas. Mid leg brownish except coxa and femur distolaterally pale yellow. Hind leg brownish with scattered pale yellow areas. Fore wing weakly infuscate, stigma melanic. Hind wing weakly infuscate. Metasoma with first and second terga pale yellow, remainder melanic; first and second sterna white, remainder melanic. (paratype with first and second terga melanic medially. Ovipositor sheath melanic.

♂. Unknown.

Etymology. Named after Stephania Sharkey, daughter of the senior author.

Material examined. Holotype. COLOMBIA.: ♀, Huila, PNN Guácharos, Cabaña Cedros , 1°37’N, 76°06’W, 2100 m, Malaise trap, 21.xii.2001 – 05.i.2002, C. Cortés. Leg. M2804. (IAvH).

Paratype. COLOMBIA. ♀, Boyacá, SFF Iguaque, Cabaña Mamarramos , 5º25'N 73º27'W, 2,855m., Malaise, 1– 19.iv.–19.iv.2000, P. Reina Leg., M.23 ( HIC) .

Distribution. Known only from two, high altitude, localities in Colombia.