Therophilus rugosiferus, van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010, Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Vietnam, with the description of forty-two new species and three new genera, ZooKeys 54, pp. 1-184 : 108-109

Therophilus rugosiferus sp. n. Figs 374-382

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), "NW. Vietnam: Tonkin, Hoang Lien N.P., 10 km SW Sa Pa, c 1550 m, 22-29.x.1999, Malaise traps, C. v. Achterberg, RMNH’99”. Paratype: 1 ♂ + 1 ♀ (IEBR, RMNH), "NE Vietnam: Hoa Binh, Mai Chau, Pa Co N.P., 1100 m, 21.iv.2001, K.D. Long".

Diagnosis.

Easily recognizable because of the large reticulate-rugose area on the mesoscutum subapically. The new species is similar to the Palaearctic Therophilus cingulipes (Nees, 1812) comb. n. (described as Bassus nantouensis Chou & Sharkey, 1989, from China and synonymized by Sharkey, 1996), but differs by having the pronotal trough rugose ( Therophilus cingulipes : weakly crenulate), the notauli widened posteriorly (cingulipes: narrow posteriorly) and the propodeum with a transverse carina dividing the propodeum into two areas (cingulipes: without a distinct transverse carina).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.8 mm, of fore wing 3.2 mm.

Head.

Antenna broken, length of third segment 1.2 times fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 4.5, 3.5 times their width, respectively; maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; malar space 3.6 times as long as basal width of mandible; in dorsal view, length of eye 7.0 times temple; temple roundly narrowed posteriorly; ocelli in high triangle (Fig. 381), POL:OD:OOL = 6:5:11; face densely setose with dense distinct punctures; frons with distinct fine punctures; vertex and temple shiny with sparse fine punctures; area near lateral ocelli densely punctate.

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.5 times its height; pronotum setose and rugose-punctate ventrally and dorsally, smooth medially; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum crenulate; mesoscutum shiny almost coriaceous with very sparse minute punctures anteriorly, slightly flat and smooth posteriorly; notauli complete, crenulate and widened posteriorly, forming a large reticulate-rugose area (Fig. 376); scutellar sulcus 0.4 times as long as dorsal face of scutellum and with 6 carinae; scutellum convex, shiny with very sparse minute punctures, subposterior crest curved (Fig. 376); precoxal sulcus narrow, short and crenulate (Fig. 375); mesopleuron shiny with sparse fine punctures; metapleuron densely setose with distinct punctures anteriorly, rugose posteriorly; propodeum areolate-rugose, with a transverse carina dividing the propodeum into two areas (Fig. 376); propodeal spiracle small, as long as wide

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell small and petiolate (Fig. 378); vein SR1 curved; r:3-SR+SR1 = 3:42. Hind wing: vein M+CU 0.8 times as long as vein 1-M.

Legs.

Hind femur robust; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 2.6, 5.0 and 9.5 times their width, respectively; hind femur (as remainder of legs) with short setae (Fig. 379); length of outer and inner spur of middle tibia 0.3 and 0.5 times middle basitarsus, respectively; outer side of middle tibia with 2 pegs and 2 pegs at apex; outer apex of hind tibia with a cluster of 13 pegs; length of outer and inner spur of hind tibia 0.3 and 0.4 times hind basitarsus, respectively; tarsal claws with lobe.

Metasoma.

Length of first metasomal tergite 1.4 times its apical width (Fig. 377); first tergite with dense longitudinal striae; second tergite with striate transverse groove, large basal area of second tergite smooth, apical half striate medially and smooth laterally (Fig. 377); remainder of metasoma shiny smooth; length of ovipositor 1.1 times fore wing, its sheath missing.

Colour.

Black; clypeus, mouthparts, fore legs (but reddish yellow trochantellus and basal half of tibia); middle legs light brown or infuscate (but yellow femur apically, tibia and hind basitarsus basally); hind spurs, basal two thirds of hind tibia and basal half of hind basitarsus yellowish; pterostigma dark brown; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Variation.

Antenna with 33 segments (female); vein M+CU of hind wing 0.8-0.9 times as long as vein 1-M; POL:OD:OOL = 6:5:8 (male); outer side of middle tibia with 2-3 pegs and 2 pegs at apex; length of body 3.8-4.2 mm, of fore wing 3.0-3.5 mm.

Distribution.

NW Vietnam: Lao Cai and NE Vietnam: Hoa Binh.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “rugosus” (Latin for “wrinkled”), and “fero” (Latin for “carry”), because of the rugose part of the mesoscutum.