Baeus maryae, Stevens, 2007

Stevens, N. B. & Austin, A. D., 2007, Systematics, distribution and biology of the Australian ' micro-flea' wasps, Baeus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): parasitoids of spider eggs., Zootaxa 1499, pp. 1-45 : 25-27

8. Baeus maryae, Stevens , sp. nov.

(Figs 10A-D, 15D)

Holotype, ♀, Queensland, ' 40 km W Ingham QLD. nr Wallaman Falls , 22.vi-7.viii.1982, S. & J. Peck coll. S8P45, 600m', ' Flight intercept trap, rainforest', ( ANIC).

Paratypes: Queensland: 1 ♀, Mt Glorious , 26.xi-10.xii.1979 ( QDPC) ; 4 ♀♀, O'Reillys Guest House , 2.ii-22.iii.1980 ( QDPC) ; 2 ♀♀, Mt Webb N.P. , 28-30.ix.1980, T. Weir ( ANIC) ; 3 ♀♀, Mt Webb N.P. , 27-30.iv.1981, I.D. Naumann ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Davies Creek Rd, 16 km up via Mareeba , 4-13.iii.1983, Storey & Titmarsh ( QDPC) ; 2 ♀♀, Windsor Tableland via Mt Carbine , 10.xi.-26.xii.1983, 12.xi-26.xii.1983, Storey & Walford-Huggins ( QDPC) ; 2 ♀♀, Mossman Gorge , 23.ii.1984, L. Masner ( CNC) ; 13 ♀♀, Wongabel State Forest, 6 km S Atherton , 10.xi.1983 - 9.i.1984, 13.iii -1.v.1984, 26.vii-3.ix.1984, 3.ix.-1.xii.1984, Storey & Brown ( QDPC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Glorious N.P. , 28.ii-9.iii.1984, L. Masner ( CNC) ; 13 ♀♀, Kuranda , 6 km NW, 2.x.-6.xi.1984, Storey & Halfpapp ( QDPC) ; 1 ♀, Mareeba , 22 km WSW, 7.i-12.ii.1985, Storey & Halfpapp ( QDPC) ; 13 ♀♀, Kuranda , 6 km SW, 10.xii.1984 - 15.i.1985, Storey & Halfpapp ( QDPC) ; 4 ♀♀, Kuranda , 4 km NNW, 10.xii.1984 - 15.i.1985, Storey & Halfpapp ( QDPC) ; 6 ♀♀, Mt Tozer , 3 km ENE, 12.44S 143.14E, 1-4.vii.1986, T. Weir, 28.vi-4.vii.1986, J.C. Cardale ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀, Mt Tozer , 9 km ENE, 12.43S 143.17E, 5-10.vii.1986, J.C. Cardale ( ANIC) ; 3 ♀♀, Mt Lewis, 8 km NW of Julatten , 8.i-2.ii.1987, A. Walford-Huggins ( ANIC) ; 3 ♀♀, Julatten , 18.viii-5.ix.1987, 29.ix-5.x.1987, A. Walford-Huggins ( ANIC) ; 8 ♀♀, Lake Eacham , 17.17S 145.39E, 15.ii-2.iii.1988, 16-19.ii. 1988, D.C.F. Rentz ( ANIC) ; 7 ♀♀, Lake Eacham , 17.17S 145.39E, 15.ii-2.iii.1988, 2-16.iii.1988, 29iii-31.v. 1988, D.C.F. Rentz ( ANIC) ; 6 ♀♀, Bald Hill, McIlwraith Range , 11 km WbyN, 13.44S 143.20E, 26.vi-13.vii.1989, I.D. Naumann ( ANIC) ; 4 ♀♀, Bald Hill, McIlwraith Range , 15 km WNW, 13.43S 143.19E, 27.vi-12.vii.1989, I.D. Naumann ( ANIC) ; 6 ♀♀, Mt Cleveland summit , 19.16S 147.03E, 23.iii-13.v.1991, D. Cook, ( QM) ; 2 ♀♀, Heathlands , 12 km SSE, 11.51S 142.38E, 22.iii-25.iv.1992, T. Mcleod, 21.viii-17.ix.1992, P. Zboroskii & L. Miller ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Guanaba Shelf, Tamborine Mountains , xii.1992 - i.1993, K.J. Lambkin ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Glorious , 27.19.54S 152.45.29E, 21-27.iii.1997, N. Power, canopy malaise trap ( CNC) ; Northern Territory: 4 ♀♀, 53 km SSW Darwin , 12.52.11S 130.35.04E, 17-23.vi.1998, M. Hoskins, malaise trap ( CNC) ; 1 ♀, 53 km SSW Darwin , 12.52.10S 130.35.04E, 1-9.vi.1998, mango patch, M. Hoskins, malaise trap ( CNC) ; Norfolk Island: 4 ♀♀, 29.03 S 167.55 E, Rocky Point Reserve , 14.xi.- 2.xii.1984, T.A.Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀ as above but 15-22.xi.1984. 2nd litter under Araucaria heterophylla ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀ 29.01 S 167.56 E NP nr Mt Pitt 8.iv.1984, St. 4, J.E. Feehan 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap ( ANIC) ; 3 ♀♀ 29.01 S 167.57 E, Filmy Fern Walk, NINP , 14.xi-2.xii.1984, T.A. Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ Anson Bay Reserve , 9.iv.1984, St. 6, J.E. Feehan. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap. ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ 29.01 S 167.57 E, Red Rd, Tr. NINP , 14.xi- 2.xii.1984, T.A. Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap. ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀ Palm Glen 1.xii.1979, G.B. Monteith, pyrethum knockdown. ( QDPI) ; New Caledonia: 2 ♀♀ Noumea, Mt. Koghis, edge of rainforest , 27.iii- 4.iv.1985, yellow pan traps, A.D. Austin ( WINC) ; 1 ♀ Noumea, Anse Vata , 1-4.iv.1985, disturbed low scrub, yellow pan traps, A.D. Austin ( WINC)

Description. Female. Mean length 0.82 mm (0.70-1.01; n = 10); body and head vary from dark brown, almost black, to brown, anterior vertex, firons and gena may be lighter than body and posterior vertex, legs and antennae generally yellow with darker markings on dorsal surfaces.

Head. 2.5 (2.1-2.6) x as wide as inter-ocular distance, and 2.1 (1.9-2.4) x as wide as long; medial ocellus 15 µm in diameter, 101 (80-110) µm from posterior head margin; lateral ocelli contacting eye margin, 21 (20- 30) µm from posterior head margin; posterior ocellar line 1.3 (1.2-1.3) x inter-ocular distance; vertex coriarious, pilosity mostly sparse and of medium length, but can be of moderate density and short in length; eyes large and ovoid, eye height 0.56 (0.51-0.59) x head height, eye width 0.58 (0.45-0.75) x eye length, pilosity short; frontal carina prominent, reaching 0.53 (0.50-0.57) distance to medial ocellus; cristulations of malar region extending to within 10 µm of eye margin, may be very faint in instances; in postero-lateral view, anterior and posterior genal margins convergent medially; anterior genal margin in contact with 0.64 (0.57-0.68) of ventral eye margin length; posterior eye margin touching hyperoccipital carina.

Mesosoma. Length 0.50 (0.42-0.59) x width; sculpturing mesoscutum coriarious, mesoscutellum varies from smooth to faintly coriarious, to distinctly coriarious, pilosity of both sclerites mostly sparse but can be moderately dense in parts, and is generally of medium length, though can be short and occassionally long in parts; propodeum glabrous medio-dorsally; mesoscutum length 0.37 (0.31-0.43) x width, 0.61 (0.56-0.65) x mesosoma length and 2.67 (2.20-3.00) x mesoscutellum length; mesoscutellum length 1.54 (1.00-2.50) x propodeum length; sculpturing dorsal mesopleuron distinctly scrobiculate, may or may not extend ventral of dorsal margin of metapleuron; sculpturing of propodeum anterior to spiracle scrobiculate, region posterior to spiracle generally smooth, but may be faintly carinulate; propodeal spiracle small and tear-drop shaped; dorsal and lateral propodeum clearly delineated by a broad laterally projecting carina (Fig. 10C); posterior margin of metapleuron parallel to anterior margin medially, curving gently dorsally, ending ventral to level of antero-lateral margin of T2, ventro-posterior margin elevated above ventro-anterior margin of lateral propodeum; hind femoral spine absent.

Metasoma. T2 length 0.85 (0.80-0.89), sculpturing varies from smooth to faintly coriarious, to distinctly coriarious, pilosity is sparse throughout and mostly short in length but can be of medium length in parts; T3 often glabrous but can be smooth with a very sparsely spaced row (> 100 µm between setae) of short setae; T4 glabrous.

Comments. The degree of dorsal sculpturing varies for this species, however, the size and shape of several characters remain relatively consistent.

Baeus maryae is most commonly collected from north-eastern Queensland (Fig. 15D), but is also found in the Pacific on New Caledonia and Norfolk Island.

This species isnamed after the mother of the senior author, Mrs Mary Stevens.