Cyranorogas Quicke and Butcher gen. nov.

Generic description

FEMALE. Terminal flagellomere pointed but not acuminate. All flagellomeres with prominent sensilla placodea occupying entire length. Occipital carina incomplete, broadly absent mediodorsally, weak but distinctly joining hypostomal carina far from mandible base. Cyclostome, but hypoclypeal depression small. Mandibles very small, twisted so appearing unidentate when viewed from the front, but concealed rear tooth quite broad at apex but not bifid as in Yelicones . Face strongly produced into a blade-like form. Frons rather flat with mid-longitudinal groove. Trancutal articulation complete. Prepectal carina complete. Precoxal sulcus present. Fore wing vein M+CU quite strongly curved on apical half making sub-basal cell somewhat narrowed. 2nd submarginal cell rather long. Vein 2cu-a absent. Propodeum with midlongitudinal carina on anterior half. Femora strongly swollen. Claws rather small, simple, without obvious pecten. Dorsal carinae of 1st tergite uniting close to base and forming strong midlongitudinal carina. 2nd metasomal tergite with a broad basal triangular area and well-differentiated midlongitudinal carina. Ovipositor short, exserted part about as long as hind basitarsus, needle-like and sharply-pointed.

Etymology

Named in allusion to the facial protuberance after the Parisian poet, dramatist and duelist, Hercule-Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619–1655), who reportedly had such an exceptionally large nose that people would travel miles to see it. (Masculine.)

Type species

C. depardeui sp. nov.

Notes

In van Achterberg’ s (1995) key to the genera of Braconidae with highly modified fore tarsi, the new genus falters at couplet 42, but is immediately recognisable by its strongly and sharply produced face. The new genus differs from Rhinoprotoma van Achterberg, from New Zealand, which also has a somewhat protruding face in that, in Rhinoprotoma, the face is smoothly rounded and not formed into a midlongitudinal ridge (see Figure 346 in van Achterberg 1995). In addition, Rhinoprotoma lacks a mid-longitudinal propodeal carina, lacks a mid-longitudinal carina on the 1st tergite, lacks a mid-basal area on the 2nd tergite and does not have such robust legs.