Cotesia zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

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Fig. 3

Diagnosis

Penultimate segment of antenna 1.5 × as long as wide; mesoscutum subshiny, more or less with traces of punctatations (Fig. 3C); scutellum smooth and shiny; pterostigma 2.6× as long as wide, light brown (Fig. 3D); first tegite sub-parallel sided, strongly rounded apically, 1.3× as long as apical width, smooth, light brown (Fig. 3E); apical width of second tergite 4 × as long as median length, smooth, light brown (Fig. 3E); third tergite 1.6× as long as second tergite (Fig. 3E).

Etymology

The name refers to the Zagros mountain range, which is also the distribution range of the species.

Material examined

Holotype IRAN • ♀; Khuzestan, Lali, Taraz; 32°20ʹ49.70″ N, 49°05′11.31″ E; 390 m a.s.l.; 6– 20 Jul. 2017; Malaise trap; citrus orchards; M. Zargar leg.; ICAR-NBAIR/NIM/MICROG/COT/6717H.

Paratype IRAN • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; TMUC-HBMC0048 .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENT. Body length 2.5 mm, fore wing length 2.5 mm.

HEAD (Fig. 3 A–B). Smooth except shallowly punctate on face; width of head in dorsal view 1.8× as long as height; width of face 1.3× as long as height; POL:MOD:OOL 4.1: 2:3.5; gena 0.4 × as long as width of eyes; malar space 1.3× as long as width of mandibular base; antenna shorter than body; flagellomeres finely setose. FL1 l/w:2.8, FL12 l/w:1.6, FL13 l/w:1.5, FL14 l/w:1.5, FL15 l/w:1.5.

MESOSOMA (Fig. 3C). Mesoscutum subshiny more or less with traces of punctatations; notauli indistinct; scutellum smooth and shiny; scutellar sulcus crenulate; postscutellum crenulate and shiny; prepectal carina absent; propodeum rugose with median carina.

WINGS (Fig. 3D). Areolet absent, vein r arising from middle of pterostigma; 1–R1 1.3× as long as pterostigma, 3.5 × as long as distance from end of 1–R1 to tip of radial cell, 3.7× as long as r; pterostigma 2.6× as long as wide; r 1.4× as long as 2–SR; 1–cu1 0.8 × as long as 2–cu1; width of discoidal cell 1.2× as long as height.

LEGS (Fig. 3F). Metacoxa 1.5× as long as first tergite; metafemur length 3.1× as long as median width; inner and outer spur of metatibia equal, 0.4× as long as basitarsus.

METASOMA (Fig. 3E). TI parallel sided, 1.3× as long as apical width, shallowly rugolose at apex near hind margin, remaining smooth, shiny. TII apical width 4 × as long as median length, smooth. TIII median length 1.6× as long as TII; tergites posterior to TI smooth and shiny; ovipositor sheath 0.7× as long as metabasitarsus; hypopygium 0.7× as long as metatibia, truncated apically.

COLOUR. Antenna dark brown; head, mesosoma black; metasoma, first and second tergite light brown, third tergite dark brown, remaining black; labial palp and maxillary palp yellow; tegula dark brown; profemur reddish brown, mesofemur dark brown in anterior half, reddish brown in posterior half; metafemur dark brown; protibia, mesotibia yellowish brown, metatibia reddish brown except black infuscations at apex; protarsus and mesotarsus yellowish brown; metatarsus dark brown. Pterostigma light brown.

Male

Unknown.

Host

Unknown.

Biology

Unknown.

Distribution

Khuzestan Province (Iran).

Comments

In the key of Nixon (1974) the new species runs smoothly to Cotesia onaspis (Nixon, 1974) from which it can be easily separated by: (1) second tergite conspicuously transverse and 4× as long as median length (Fig. 3E) vs 2.5× in C. onaspis, (2) phragma of scutellum not visible (Fig. 3C) vs narrowly visible in C. onaspis, (3) metafemur dark brown (Fig. 3F) vs reddish yellow in C. onaspis .

The new species can be included in the identification key of Cotesia compiled by Nixon (1974), which is modified below:

55. Gaster blackish; first tergite (as also basal field) dull, densely rather finely rugose all over; metacarp hardly three times as long as its distance from apex of radial cell. Basella meeting submediella almost at right-angle ............................................................................... C. notha (Marshall, 1885)

– Gaster frequently pale brownish with tergites 3–5 showing broad dark apical bands; first tergite shiny, sculpture of apical part consisting of coarse rugose-punctation that tends to fade out along middle line; metacarp nearly four times as long as its distance from apex of radial cell. Basella curved; fringe of vannal lobe hardly noticeable .............................................................................A

A. Second tergite conspicuously transverse, 4.0 times as long as median length (Fig. 3E); phragma of scutellum not visible (Fig. 3C); metafemur dark brown (Fig. 3F) ................................................... ........................................................................................... C. zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

– Second tergite less transverse, 2.5 times as long as median length; phragma of scutellum narrowly visible; metafemur reddish yellow ........................................................... C. onaspis (Nixon, 1974)

In Papp’s key, this species runs to Cotesia notha (Marshall, 1885) . The key can be modified as follows:

175. Second tergite conspicuously less transverse, 1.9–2.2 times, usually twice as wide as long medially; first tergite sometimes less broadening posteriorly; pterostigma rather wide, 2–2.3 times as long as wide ................................ C. juniperatae (Bouché,1834) [valid name: C. sessilis (Geoffroy,1785)]

– Second tergite transverse, at least 2.5 times as wide as long medially...........................................A

A. Metacarp relatively short, about thrice as long as distance between its distal end and tip of radial cell; first tergite less rounded behind; nervellus (of hind wing) almost straight; metafemur black or blackish, sometimes light brown to brownish yellow, rarely with rusty suffusion ................................................................................................. C. notha (Marshall, 1885)

– Metacarp long, 3.7 as long as distance between its distal end and tip of radial cell (Fig. 3D); first tergite strongly rounded behind (Fig. 3E); nervellus curved; metafemur dark brown (Fig. 3F) ............................................................................. C. zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

New records of Cotesia from Iran