Rhogadopsis aciculifera Chen & van Achterberg sp. n.

Figs 1, 2-10

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (NWUX), "NW China: Shaanxi, Liping Nat. For. P., MT1+2, c. 1495 m, 22.vi.4.ix.2015, 32°47'33"N, 106°39'52"E, JL. Tan & C. v. Achterberg".

Diagnosis.

Among the Chinese species of Rhogadopsis with the second and third metasomal tergites striate or aciculate the new species can be separated as follows: from R. dimidia (Chen & Weng, 2005) by having a medio-posterior depression of the mesoscutum (absent in R. dimidia), length of eye about 2.5 times temple in dorsal view (about 7 times) and basal half of notauli largely smooth (crenulate). Rhogadopsis sculpta (Chen & Weng, 2005) has the second and third tergites partly superficially striate, a medio-posterior depression of the mesoscutum and the anterior half of the notauli present on the mesoscutal disc, but has vein 2-SR+M of fore wing slightly shorter than vein m-cu or subequal (distinctly shorter than vein m-cu in R. aciculifera). Rhogadopsis tabidula (Weng & Chen, 2005) and R. sculpturator Li & van Achterberg, 2013, are similar but the new species has the anterior half of the notauli impressed (absent or as a shallow impression on mesoscutal disc in both species), hind femur and tibia similarly ivory as the hind coxa (hind femur and tibia yellow, different from pale hind coxa), vein r of fore wing about twice as long as wide (about as long as wide) and the propodeum without distinct costulae (with distinct costulae).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.1 mm, of fore wing 3.4 mm.

Head. Antenna incomplete, with 16 segments remaining; third segment 1.6 times as long as fourth segment, length of third and fourth segments 3.6 and 2 times their width, respectively (Fig. 9); maxillary palp as long as height of head, labial palp segments slender; occipital carina rather far separated from hypostomal carina and dorsally absent; hypostomal carina narrow; length of eye in dorsal view 2.6 times temple; frons shallowly depressed, smooth and setose; face setose, with weak medial elevation, remotely and finally punctate (Fig. 6); width of clypeus 2.1 times its maximum height and 0.5 times width of face; clypeus rather flat, straight and thin ventrally (Figs 6, 10); hypoclypeal depression medium-sized (Fig. 6); malar suture wide; length of malar space 0.7 times as long as basal width of mandible; mandible triangular and with long carina (Fig. 10).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 times its height; dorsal pronope large, deep and nearly round; pronotal side glabrous, mainly smooth and only medio-anteriorly crenulate; epicnemial area finely crenulate; precoxal sulcus medium-sized and crenulate (Fig. 3), remain removed from anterior and posterior margins of mesopleuron; remainder of mesopleuron smooth; pleural sulcus smooth; anterior groove of metapleuron crenulate; anterior half of notauli present on disc and smooth; mesoscutum largely glabrous, but setose along notaulic courses and laterally; medio-posterior depression of mesoscutum large and round (Fig. 4); scutellar sulcus wide and crenulate; scutellum slightly convex medially, smooth and glabrous; anterior half of propodeum with medio-longitudinal carina and smooth anteriorly, sparsely rugose medially and posteriorly (Fig. 4).

Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 2): pterostigma elliptical; 1-R1 ending at wing apex and 1.4 times as long as pterostigma; r:3-SR:SR1 = 8:58:92; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 30:49:19; r widened; 1-M and SR1 slightly curved; m-cu and cu-a far postfurcal; 1-SR 0.35 times as long as 1-M; first subdiscal cell closed, CU1b medium-sized; apical 0.3 of M+CU sclerotized. Hind wing (Fig. 2): M+CU:1-M:1r-m = 39:20:19; cu-a slightly curved; m-cu vaguely indicated.

Legs. Length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.4, 8.4 and 7.5 times as long as wide, respectively; especially hind femur with long setae (Fig. 8).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.3 times its apical width, its surface moderately convex and striate, medially with some grooves and minute punctures, dorsal carinae united subbasally (Fig. 5); second (as third) tergite largely striate, with pair of large basal depressions; following tergites smooth; length of setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.05 times fore wing and 0.2 times hind tibia, entire visible sheath 0.09 times fore wing (Fig. 8).

Colour. Black; palpi, metasoma ventrally and legs except dark brown hind tarsus (but basal half of basitarsus yellow) pale yellow or ivory; clypeus and face dorsally orange brown (Fig. 7); mandible (except black teeth), tegulae and veins at base of wings yellow; pterostigma and veins (except basal veins) dark brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Distribution.

China (Shaanxi).

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “acicula” (Latin for "small pin"), because of the longitudinally rugulose-striate or aciculate second and third metasomal tergites (similar to the fine grooves made with a small pin), and “fera” (Latin for "carry, bear").