Bracon (Orientobracon) maculaverticalis sp. nov.

(Figs 2 a–j)

Holotype: Length of body 4.5 mm, fore wing 5.3 mm, ovipositor 1.4 mm.

Head. Antennae damaged, right antenna with 32 flagellomeres; first flagellomere 1.9 × longer than wide, 1.05 and 1.10 × longer than second and third respectively, the latter being 2.0 × longer than maximal width. Clypeus separated from face dorsally by a wide shallow sulcus. Clypeus height: inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance = 5: 9: 6. Clypeus with dense, long setae. Eyes glabrous, slightly excavated (Fig. 2 f). Face sparsely setose medially, polished laterally, with finely punctures. Eye height: shortest distance between eyes: head width= 15: 16: 27. Frons strongly impressed behind antennal sockets, without mid-longitudinal sulcus. Vertex and temples sparsely setose. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli: narrower diameter of elliptical posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 4: 2: 8. Head subparallel immediately behind eyes (Fig. 2 e).

Mesosoma. Mesosoma smooth and polished, with sparse setae, 1.75 × longer than deep (Fig. 2 b). Notaulus unsculptured, deep anteriorly, evanescent posteriorly; notaulus setose along entire length of mesoscutum (Fig. 2 g). Scutellum punctured basally; with dense short setae apically. Prescutellar furrow wide, with punctures. Metanotum with complete median longitudinal carinae. Propodeum with dense, long setae, median longitudinal groove and very short median longitudinal ridge apically (Fig. 2 i).

Wing. Length of fore wing veins SR1: 3-SR: r = 47: 11: 5. Fore wing vein 1-SR+M straight, and approximately as long as length of 1-M. Fore wing vein m-cu straight, 2.14 × longer than 2-SR+M. Length of fore wing veins 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m = 13: 11: 10. Fore wing veins C+SC+R and 1-SR forming an angle of approximately 55°. Fore wing vein cu-a interstitial. Length of hind wing veins SC+R1: 2-SC+R: 1r-m = 16: 4: 7.

Leg. Length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 20: 23: 33. Length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus = 27: 40: 11. Hind basitarsus 3.83 × longer than wide.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite strongly rugose, except baso-medially glabrous; 0.9 × longer than posterior width; posterior part of 1st tergite distinctly elevated medially, with short longitudinal sulcus laterally (Fig. 2 j). Second metasomal tergite 0.5 × longer than wide, moderately elevated baso-medially, with converging and lateral groove; entire tergite densely and strongly rugose, with dense setae laterally (Fig. 2 h). Second and third metasomal tergites separated by a deep, carinate suture, curved medially. Third metasomal tergite 0.33 × longer than wide. Tergites 3–5 strongly rugose, with sparse setae. Tergites 6–7 polished, with sparse setae. Ovipositor 0.32 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Antenna black brown. Head mainly yellow, with a moderately large black brown mark around ocular area, face dark yellow (Fig. 2 e). Mesosoma mainly yellow, except scutellum and propodeum black yellow. Legs dark yellow. Metasomal tergites and ovipositor sheaths black brown. Fore and hind wings pale brown.

Male. Similar to females except head mainly black brown except face.

Variation. Females: Antenna damaged, right antenna with 40 flagellomeres. Length of body 3.5–4.5 mm, fore wing 3.5–4.6 mm, ovipositor 0.8–1.7 mm. Mesosoma 1.8–2.2 × longer than deep. Length of fore wing veins SR1: 3-SR: r = (47: 13: 6) – (59: 15: 7). Length of fore wing veins 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m = (15: 13: 10) – (18: 15: 11). Hind wing veins SC+R1: 2-SC+R: 1r-m = (15: 8: 10) – (18: 4: 13). Prescutellar furrow with punctures or longitudinal ridges. Some specimens with pronotum black brown. Metasomal tergites reddish brown to dark brown. Fore legs pale brown, mid femur and tibia dark brown; hind legs black brown. Ovipositor 0.2– 0.38 × length of fore wing.

Specimens examined. Holotype, ♀, Mt. West Tianmu, Zhejiang, 1983 . VI. 18, Ma Yun, No. 830973 (ZJUH). Paratype: 1♀, Mt. West Tianmu, Zhejiang, 1993 . VI. 11, Chen Xuexin, No. 935126; 1♀, Mt. West Tianmu, Zhejiang, 1987 . VII. 22, Lou Xiaoming, No. 874627; 1♀, Mt. West Tianmu, Zhejiang, 1994 . VI. 5, He Junhua, No. 940859; 1♀, Mt. Fanjin, Guizhou, 1993 . VII. 11, Chen Xuexin, No. 937783; 1 6, Mt. Fanjin, Guizhou, 1993 . VII. 11, Xu Zaifu, No. 935756; 1 6, Mt. Fanjin, Guizhou, 1993 . VII. 11, Chen Xuexin, No. 937783 (ZJUH).

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Zhejiang, Guizhou) (Fig. 6).

Etymology. From Latin “macul” and “verticalis” meaning for maculation and vertex respectively, referring to head with a relatively large black brown mark around ocular area.

Diagnosis. This species is similar to Bracon (Orientobracon) leleji Tobias, 2000, but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: head mainly yellow, with a relatively large black brown mark around ocular area (Fig. 2 e) ( B. (O.) leleji head dark brown); eyes slightly excavated (Fig. 2 f) ( B. (O.) leleji not excavated); second metasomal tergite with converging and lateral grooves (Fig. 2 h) ( B. (O.) leleji without lateral groove); and third metasomal tergite strongly rugose (Fig. 2 h) ( B. (O.) leleji only slightly rugose posteriorly).