Taxonomic studies on Oriental Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with description of two new species from South India
Author
Ranjith, A. P.
Author
Rajesh, K. M.
Author
Nasser, M.
text
Zootaxa
2015
3963
3
369
415
journal article
41039
10.11646/zootaxa.3963.3.4
46d5ef05-03f8-4b67-8e81-fd5c1cd89387
1175-5326
235263
C543FC96-D621-4BAD-8746-ED14E447F948
Microplitis ajmerensis
Rao & Kurian
Microplitis ajmerensis
Rao & Kurian 1950
: 169
;
Gupta 2013
: 435
.
Holotype
NZSI.
Female.
Body length
2.5 mm
.
FIGURE 5.
Microplitis ajmerensis
Rao & Kurian
, female, holotype A) Habitus, lateral view with cocoon; B) Mesosoma & metasoma, lateral view; C) Habitus, dorsal view; D) Fore wing.
Head
: Head densely pilose, slightly narrower than thorax, slightly constricted behind eyes in dorsal view, 2× as wide as long in dorsal view; face distinctly punctate, pilose; vertex convex, punctate; POL greater than OOL; eyes pilose; lateral temples as wide as eyes in lateral view; antennae as long as body; terminal flagellomere as long as penultimate flagellomere.
Mesosoma
: Mesoscutum coarsely punctate; scutellum micropunctate; notauli indistinct; propodeum with clear median longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity (
Fig. 5
-C); hind coxa setose; tibia longer than femur, setose; metatarsus half as long as tibia.
Wings
: Fore wing 2× as long as wide; pterostigma 3× as long as wide (
Fig. 5
-D); 1-R1 shorter than pterostigma.
Metasoma
: T1 dilated apically, converging at extreme apex (
Fig. 5
-B & D), 2× as long as its maximum width; T2–T7 smooth and shiny, sparsely setose; ovipositor short, exserted.
Colour
: Body reddish brown to black, mandibles reddish brown, legs brown, hind coxa darker basally, tibia light reddish brown, wings hyaline, pterostigma with light patch basally, venation brown, metasoma reddish brown, darker apically.
Male
: Similar to female except body length
2.8 mm
.
Distribution.
India
(Rajasthan).
Host.
Spodoptera exigua
(Hübner)
(
Lepidoptera
:
Noctuidae
).
Discussion.
Microplitis ajmerensis
is close to
M. manilae
in having a distinct medial longitudinal carina and indistinct transverse carina on the propodeum. This species is easily separated from
M. manilae
by its hyaline wings, T1 2× as long as wide and medial length of T3 less than T2 (in
M. manilae
wings are strongly infuscated, T1 1.7× as long as wide and the medial length of T3 more than T2).
Comments.
This species is included in the key based on the original description. The
type
material could not be examined, but images of the
holotype
taken by Dr. S. Sheela (NZSI) have been examined.