Bracon (Ophthalmobracon) elevatus, Li, Yang, He, Jun-Hua & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2016

Li, Yang, He, Jun-Hua & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2016, Four subgenera of Bracon Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) newly recorded from China, with description of five new species, Zootaxa 4208 (5), pp. 459-473 : 461

Bracon (Ophthalmobracon) elevatus sp. nov.

( Figs 1 a–j)

Holotype: Length of body 2.7 mm, fore wing 3.0 mm, ovipositor 1.6 mm.

Head. Antenna with 27 flagellomeres; terminal flagellomere strongly acuminate, 2.8 × longer than basally wide; first flagellomere 2.4 × longer than wide, 1.3 and 1.6 × longer than second and third respectively, the latter being 2.0 × longer than maximal width. Clypeus height: inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance = 3: 11: 4. Clypeus with dense short setae. Eyes glabrous, moderately excavated ( Fig. 1 f). Face with minute punctures, and dense short setae laterally. Eye height: shortest distance between eyes: head width = 20: 12: 33. Frons weakly punctate, and hardly impressed behind antennal sockets, with a slightly developed mid-longitudinal sulcus. Vertex weakly punctate. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli: narrower diameter of elliptical posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 4: 2: 5. Head subparallel immediately behind eyes ( Fig. 1 e).

Mesosoma. Mesosoma with dense punctures, 1.3 × longer than deep ( Fig. 1 b). Notaulus not sculptured, deep anteriorly, evanescent posteriorly; notauli setose along entire length of mesoscutum ( Fig. 1 g). Scutellum with dense short setae apically. Metanotum with complete median longitudinal carinae. Propodeum with sparse setae medially, denser long setae laterally, and short median longitudinal ridge apically ( Fig. 1 i).

Wing. Length of fore wing veins SR1: 3-SR: r = 25: 18: 5. Fore wing vein 1-SR+M straight, and 1.56 × length of 1-M. Fore wing vein m-cu straight, 2.8 × longer than 2-SR+M. Length of fore wing veins 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m = 35: 71: 36. Fore wing veins C+SC+R and 1-SR forming an angle of approximately 70°. Fore wing vein cu-a weakly postfurcal. Length of hind wing veins SC+R1: 2-SC+R: 1r-m = 13: 3: 5.

Leg. Length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 17: 21: 36. Length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus = 25: 32: 11. Hind basitarsus 5.0 × longer than wide.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite 0.6 × longer than posterior width; posterior part of 1st tergite distinctly elevated medially, with punctures and short longitudinal sulcus laterally ( Fig. 1 j). Second metasomal tergite 0.25 × longer than wide, with a relatively small elevated area baso-medially, but without converging and lateral groove; entire tergite strongly punctate ( Fig. 1 h). Second and third metasomal tergites separated by a narrow, carinate suture, which is curved medially. Third metasomal tergite 0.29 × longer than wide, punctate and with short setae. Tergites 4–7 punctate. Ovipositor 0.53 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Head and body mainly reddish yellow, tergites 2–7 yellow brown. Ovipositor sheaths black. Fore and hind wings light yellow.

Variation. Female: Similar to holotype except as follows: length of body 2.8 mm, fore wing 3.1 mm. Mesosoma 1.1 × longer than deep. Fore wing vein cu-a interstitial. Hind basitarsus 5.5 × longer than wide.

Specimens examined. Holotype, ♀, Xiamen, Fujian, 1988. VII. 26–27, Ma Yun , No. 883838 ( ZJUH) . Paratype: 1♀, Xiamen, Fujian, 1988. VII. 26–27, Ma Yun , No. 883837 ( ZJUH) .

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Fujian) (Fig. 6).

Etymology. From Latin “ elevatus ” meaning for elevated, referring to second metasomal tergite with a relatively small elevated area baso-medially.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to Bracon (Ophthalmobracon) ophthalmicus Telenga, 1933 , but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: body mainly reddish yellow ( Fig. 1 a) ( B. (O.) ophthalmicus dark brownish yellow); second metasomal tergite with a relatively small elevated area baso-medially ( Fig. 1 h) ( B. (O.) ophthalmicus not elevated baso-medially); and 2nd submarginal cell of fore wing relatively long, vein SR1 only 1.4 × longer than 3-SR ( Fig. 1 c) ( B. (O.) ophthalmicus relatively short, vein SR1 2.6 × longer than 3-SR).

Figures

FIGURE 1 Bracon (Ophthalmobracon) elevatus sp. nov.: a. body, lateral view; b. mesosoma, lateral view; c. fore wing; d. hind wing; e. head, dorsal view; f. head, frontal view; g. mesosoma, dorsal view; h. 2 – 7 metasomal tergites, dorsal view; i. propodeum, dorsal view; j. first metasomal tergite, dorsal view. Scar bar 200 µm