Zelodia albobasalis, 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 : 120-121

Zelodia albobasalis sp. n. Figs 409-417

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), "S. Vietnam: Dong Nai, Cat Tien N.P., Mal. traps c. 100 m, 9.iv-13.v.2007, Mai Phu Quy & Nguyen Thanh Manh, RMNH’07”.

Diagnosis.

The new species is similar to Zelodia similis (Bhat & Gupta, 1977) comb. n., from Philippines, but differs by having POL 0.9 times as long as OOL ( Zelodia similis : 2.5 times); the malar space 1.3 times as long as basal width of the mandible (similis: twice) and the first tergite about 3 times as long as its apical width (similis: about 1.7 times). Alsosimilar to Zelodia quadrifossulata (Enderlein, 1920) comb. n., but differs by having the malar space comparatively short ( Zelodia quadrifossulata : twice as long as basal width of mandible); the propodeal spiracle small (quadrifossulata: rather large) and the first tergite of female almost parallel-sided (quadrifossulata: distinctly widened apically).

Zelodia longiptera (Yang & Chen, 2006) comb. n. is similar, but that species has smaller ocelli (OOL 1.5 times POL), length of the malar space twice basal width of the mandible, the first tergite about twice as long as its apical width (not 3.2 times as indicated in the original description), the hind femur 4.3 times as long as wide, the scapus dark brown and the wings subhyaline.

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 6.2 mm, of fore wing 5.7 mm.

Head.

Antennal segments 41; length of third segment 1.1 times as long as fourth segment; length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 2.3, 2.0 and 1.5 times their width, respectively; penultimate segment as long as apical segment without spine; antenna densely setose; length of maxillary palp 0.8 times as long as height of head; in dorsal view length of eye 3.0 times temple (Fig. 415); in lateral view 2.5 times as wide as width of eye (Fig. 410); ocelli large, POL:OD:OOL = 9:8:10; malar space 1.3 times as long as basal width of mandible, 0.3 times height of eye and 0.2 times as long as height of head in lateral view (Figs 410, 417); face distinctly punctate; frons shiny and smooth without lateral carinae; vertex shiny with sparse fine punctures; pair of crests between antennal sockets short, occipital flange medium-sized, its ventral margin convex (Fig. 410).

Mesosoma.

Length of mesosoma 1.3 times its height; subpronope small, deep; side of pronotum smooth, upper side with sparse fine punctures; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum smooth; mesoscutum shiny with sparse distinct punctures; notauli shallow areolate-punctate (Fig. 411); scutellar sulcus with three carinae and 0.8 times as long as dorsal part of scutellum; scutellum rugose-punctate; subposterior crest curved (Fig. 411); precoxal sulcus rather wide and strongly crenulate (Fig. 410); mesopleuron below and above precoxal sulcus with sparse and distinct fine punctures; upper side of metapleuron rugose-punctate, lower side with strong rugae; propodeum with long pentagonal areola, short basal carina (Fig. 411); propodeal spiracle small, round, twice as long as wide; distance between spiracle and lateral carina 1.2 times as long as width of spiracle.

Wings.

Fore wing: second submarginal cell narrow anteriorly, without ramellus (Fig. 416); r:3-SR:SR1 = 5:3:100; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 17:5:13. Hind wing: M+CU 0.6 times as long as 1-M (19:33); surroundings of cu-a sparsely setose.

Legs.

Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.5, 3.9 and 4.5 times their width, respectively; outer side of hind coxa punctate; hind femur (as remainder of legs) with long and dense setosity (Fig. 413); outer side of apex of hind tibia with two pegs, and upper peg twice as long as lower peg; outer and inner spurs of middle tibia 0.5 and 0.8 times as long as middle basitarsus, respectively; length of outer and inner spurs of hind tibia 0.4 and 0.6 times hind basitarsus.

Metasoma.

First tergite rather long almost parallel-sided; length of first tergite 2.9 times its apical width (Fig. 412); length of second tergite subequal to its apical width; second metasomal suture developed; ovipositor sheath densely setose, 0.4 times as long as hind basitarsus.

Colour.

Brownish-yellow; antenna (but scapus yellow basally), apex of vein C+SC+R and pterostigma dark brown; hind leg black or blackish brown; first-third metasomal segments white (but third tergite black dorso-laterally); remainder of metasomal segments black and metasoma ivory ventrally; wings slightly infuscate (Fig. 409).

Distribution.

S Vietnam: Dong Nai.

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “albus” (Latin for “white”) and “basis” (Latin for "foundation, base"), because of the white base of the metasoma.