Snellenius felipechavarriai Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Whitfield, James B., Smith, M. Alex, Kula, Robert R., Winnie Hallwachs, & Janzen, Daniel H., 2015, Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (2), pp. 137-201 : 148-149

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius felipechavarriai Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 83-88, 222

Holotype.

♀ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Santa Rosa, Area Administrativa, 295m, 10.83764, -85.61871. ACG database code: DHJPAR0004293.

Diagnosis.

The combination of hyaline wings, mesosoma and metasoma mostly black or dark reddish brown, and metafemur and metatibia (posterior 0.6) dark brown, separates this species from all other ACG Snellenius , except for Snellenius johnkressi . It is distinguishable from the latter species by wider T2 and scutoscutellar sulcus with only one clearly defined carina (3-5 carinae in Snellenius johnkressi ).

Description.

Female. Scape color: Brown. Mesosoma color: Black. Metasoma color: Dark brown to black, except for reddish-brown T2-T3. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Light brown, brown, brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Orange, dark brown, dark brown. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Orange, orange-brown, anterior 0.2 yellow-white, posterior 0.8 dark brown. Metatibia spurs color: Yellow-white. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Black, dark brown to black. Wings: Hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins, although slightly lighter). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 2.9 mm. Fore wing length: 2.6 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.6 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 2.0 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.14/0.09/0.18 mm. Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: (0.21/0.08 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 missing. Epicnemial carina: Present but weakly defined. Anteromesoscutum: With relatively shallower and sparser sculpture, central area not appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli slightly to strongly excavated. Scutellar disc sculpture: With deeper sculpture near margins, central part appearing slightly elevated and less sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: One centrally, with other 4 smaller and partially defined carinae. Metafemur length/width: 3.3 × (0.75/0.23 mm). Metatibia length: 0.98 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.35 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 2.0 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.52/0.28/0.26/0.26 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Partially sculptured.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Host.

Erebidae : Coenipeta bibitrix . Solitary parasitoid (Fig. 222).

Molecular data.

One haplotype, four sequences (none barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of Felipe Chavarría in recognition of his contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.