Snellenius billburgeri 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 : 147

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius billburgeri Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 62-68

Holotype.

♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Santa Rosa National Park headquarters, 200m, Malaise trap, 27-30.vi.1997, L.J. van der Ent.

Diagnosis.

The color combination (metafemur orange-red, metatibia dark brown on posterior 0.5, scape yellow, T2 mostly brown, T3 with posterior half yellowish), fore wing with vein 2SR longer than vein r, and T1 2.8 × as long as width at posterior margin differentiates this species from congeners.

Description.

Male. Scape color: Yellow. Mesosoma color: Dark reddish-brown. Metasoma color: Reddish-brown except for T2-T3 partially yellow. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, reddish-brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, reddish-brown. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, anterior 0.3 yellow-white, median 0.3 orange, posterior 0.3 dark brown. Metatibia spurs color: Yellow. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark reddish-brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Yellow, and basally yellow/posteriorly brown. Wings: Hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown with pale spot at base. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.4 mm. Fore wing length: 3.0 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: 0.14/0.10/0.18 mm. Antenna in males: Strongly flattened. Epicnemial carina: Present. Anteromesoscutum: With strong, coarse sculpture, central area appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli wide and deeply excavated, with numerous crenulae. 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 four smaller and partially defined carinae. Metafemur length/width: 3.0 × (0.86/0.29 mm). Metatibia length: 1.10 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.45 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 2.8 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.54/0.29/0.27/0.19 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Hosts.

Unknown.

Molecular data.

None.

Etymology.

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