Aphaereta elongata Peris-Felipo, 2015

Peris-Felipo, Francisco Javier, 2015, Review of the genus Aphaereta Foerster, 1863 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) from the Afrotropical region, with description of three new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 42, pp. 1-20 : 4-7

Aphaereta elongata Peris-Felipo sp. n.

Figs 3 , 4

Etymology.

Named after its long second submarginal cell.

Type material.

Holotype: female, Kenya, NE Kisumu (Nr. Lake Victoria), 15 mts, xi.1979 (M.D. Croft leg.) (BMNH). Paratypes: 2 females, same data as holotype (BMNH).

Description.

Female (holotype).

Head entirely smooth; in dorsal view 1.5 times as wide as median length, 1.4 times as wide as mesoscutum, with rounded gena behind eye. Eye in lateral view 1.2 times as high as wide and 1.9 times as wide as temple medially. POL 1.25 times OD; OOL 2.7 times OD. Face 1.25 times as wide as high; inner margins of eyes subparallel. Clypeus slightly curved ventrally, 2.6 times as wide as high. Mandible widened towards apex, 1.8 times as long as its maximum width. Upper tooth of mandible longer than lower tooth; middle tooth wide basally and narrowed towards apex, rounded apically; lower tooth rounded apically. Antenna longer than body, 16-segmented. Scape as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment 4.5 times as long as its apical width; second segment 6.4 times as long as its maximum width; 1.3 times as long as first segment. Third flagellar segment 5.1 times as long as its width: fourth to fifteenth segments 4.4-4.5 times, and sixteenth (apical) segment 5.0 times as long as their maximum width accordingly.

Mesosoma 1.5 times as long as high (lateral view). Mesoscutum 1.2 times as long as its maximum width. Notauli mainly absent on vertical surface of mesoscutum. Mesoscutal midpit absent. Prescutellar depression smooth, without lateral carinae. Precoxal suture smooth, not reaching anterior and posterior margins of mesopectus. Mesepimeral sulcus smooth. Propodeum sculptured, with pentagonal areola in apical half. Propodeal spiracle relatively small.

Wings. Length of fore wing 2.9 times its maximum width. Marginal cell reaching apex of wing, 4.8 times as long as its maximum width. Vein 3RSa 4.5 times as long as 2RS, 9.0 times as long as r, 0.5 times as long as 3RSb. Second submarginal cell distinctly narrowed distally, 5.5 times as long as maximum width. Hind wing 7.2 times as long as its maximum width.

Legs. Hind femur 4.4 times as long as its maximum width. Hind tibia weakly widened towards apex, about 10.5 times as long as its maximum subapical width, as long as hind tarsus. First segment of hind tarsus (basitarsus) twice as long as second segment.

Metasoma distinctly compressed. First tergite mostly smooth, finely striate in middle part, weakly widened towards apex, 1.6 times as long as its apical width. Ovipositor 2.2 times as long as first tergite, distinctly shorter than metasoma, as long as hind femur.

Colour. Body dark brown. Antenna brown. Legs and ovipositor yellow. In dorsal view, head and mesosoma dark brown; metasoma light brown. Wings hyaline. Pterostigma light brown.

Body length 1.2 mm; fore wing length 1.8 mm.

Variations. All specimens are identical.

Male. Unknown.

Comparative diagnosis.

This new species is similar to A. mosselensis Peris-Felipo, sp. n., but differs in having the eye in lateral view 1.9 times as wide as temple medially (1.2 times in A. mosselensis ), clypeus 2.6 times as wide as high (4.0 times in A. mosselensis ), mandible 1.8 times as long as its maximum width (1.4 times in A. mosselensis ), first flagellar segment 4.5 times as long as its apical width (2.8 times in A. mosselensis ), second flagellar segment 6.4 times as long as its maximum width (4.0 times in A. mosselensis ), third flagellar segment 5.1 times as long as its width (3.0 times in A. mosselensis ), hind femur 4.4 times as long as its maximum width (5.0 times in A. mosselensis ), and precoxal suture smooth, not reaching anterior and posterior margins of mesopectus (crenulate, reaching anterior margin of mesopectus in A. mosselensis ).

Figures

Figure 3. Aphaereta elongata Peris-Felipo, sp. n. (female) A Habitus, lateral view B Head, lateral view C Mandible D Antenna E Basal segments of antenna F Head, dorsal view.

Figure 4. Aphaereta elongata Peris-Felipo, sp. n. (female) A Mesosoma, lateral view B Propodeum, dorsal view C First metasomal tergite D Metasoma, hind leg and ovipositor, lateral view E Habitus, dorsal view F Fore and hind wings.