Chelonus (Microchelonus) aequus, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, Zootaxa 5412 (1), pp. 1-127 : 17-19

Chelonus (Microchelonus) aequus sp. nov.

Figs 7–8

Material examined. Holotype: male, Hangzhou , Zhejiang Prov., China, 1.V.2001, Junhua He, No. 20022349 ( ZJUH).

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) mellipes (Tobias, 1990) , both species having the metasomal carapace parallel-sided in dorsal view ( Fig. 8E ), very flat and even in lateral view ( Fig. 8D ), but the two species can be separated by the following characters: mesosoma 2.0 × longer than high ( Fig. 8B ) (versus 1.5 × in C. (M.) mellipes ); lateral tubercles of propodeum very distinct and strong ( Fig. 8C ) (versus weak and small) and hind femur 3.3 × longer than wide (versus 2.7 ×).

Description. Holotype, male, length of body 3.2 mm, of fore wing 2.4 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 1.6 × its dorsal length; occiput hardly excavated; antennomeres 24, antenna slightly widened medially, length of 3 rd and penultimate antennomeres 3.0 × and 1.5 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 8J ); eye 1.7 × longer than temple in dorsal view; OOL: OD: POL=11: 5: 9; temple strongly narrowed behind eyes; vertex and frons coarsely transverse-rugose ( Fig. 8H ); face flat, coarsely transverse reticulate-rugose, width of face 1.7 × its height; eyes about parallel; clypeus smooth to uneven, shiny and 2.0 × wider than high, distance between tentorial pits 1.8 × distance between pits and eyes ( Fig. 8G ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 2.0 × its height; side of pronotum and mesopleuron punctate-rugose; mesopleuron completely coarsely reticulate-rugose, lower part of it densely setose ( Fig. 8B ); notauli slightly impressed, mesoscutum entirely coarsely reticulate; scutellum evenly convex, rugulose medially and punctate laterally; scutellar suture comparatively deep, with carinae; propodeum coarsely rugose, tubercles very distinct and strong ( Fig. 8C ).

Wings. Vein r straight; marginal cell 0.7 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 3.8 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=10: 9: 50; SR1 sinuate; marginal cell 2.7 × longer than second submarginal cell;1-CU1: 2-CU1=7: 29; 2-R1 indistinct ( Fig. 8A ).

Legs. Hind coxa smooth and shiny; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.3 ×, 4.3 × and 4.2 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 2.9 × its maximum width in dorsal view, parallel-sided, apically rounded; carapace reticulate-rugose up to middle, rugose apically ( Fig. 8E ); carapace in lateral view 4.8 × longer than high, posterior height of metasoma 1.2 × its anterior height, rather flat and even, apically carapace almost not incurved. ( Fig. 8D ); apical aperture in posterior view large, nearly round and median process of aperture consists of vertical carina ( Fig. 8F ).

Colour. Body dark brown; antenna brown; mandibles yellow but with dark tip; palpi light brown; pterostigma light brown; wing and its veins light yellow; legs almost entirely yellowish brown but apex of hind femur dark brown; carapace entirely dark.

Female. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Zhejiang).

Etymology. Named after the rather evenly flat metasomal carapace in lateral view: “ aequus ” is Latin for even, flat.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Chelonus (Microchelonus) aequus sp. nov., male, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 8. Chelonus (Microchelonus) aequus sp. nov., male, holotype.A, fore wing; B, mesosoma,lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, metasoma, posterior aspect; G, head, anterior aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, lateral aspect; J, antenna.