Mesocentrus variicolor, Papp, 2005

Papp, J., 2005, Five New Mesocentrus Szépligeti Species From The Australian Region (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Betylobraconinae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (2), pp. 97-111 : 107-108

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12586471

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038387A1-FFD3-981B-5A4C-FC8839E0382D

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Mesocentrus variicolor
status

sp. nov.

Mesocentrus variicolor View in CoL sp. n. f

( Figs 47–55 View Figs 47–55 )

Material examined (2 f). – Female holotype and one female (without paratype status): Australia, New South Wales, Canberra , Uriara Forest , 31 July 1968, leg. I. LOKSA. – Female holotype is deposited in the Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra. – Holotype is in good condition: glued on a pointed card by its mesosternum. The second female specimen is in bad condition, unsuitable for paratype designation. It is deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest.

Etymology. – The species name “variicolor ” is an indication of its bright colour pattern.

Description of the female holotype. – Body 3 mm, fore wing 2.8 mm long. Antenna with 20 antenomeres about as long as head, mesosoma and tergites 1–2 combined. First flagellomere 2.5 times, penultimate flagellomere 2.3 times as long as broad, flagellum indistinctly attenuating distally. – Head in dorsal view ( Fig. 47 View Figs 47–55 ) less transverse, 1.65 times as broad as long, eye 1.25 times as long as temple, temple rather receded, occiput excavated. OOL clearly twice as long as POL, ocelli of average size. Eye in lateral view 1.65 times as high as wide, temple 0.9 times as wide as eye ( Fig. 48 View Figs 47–55 : see arrows); temporal carina curved (i.e. not angular) towards occipital and hypostomal carinae ( Fig. 48 View Figs 47–55 ). Maxillary palp about as long as height of head. Length of malar space 1.5 times basal width of mandible. Head densely rugulose, temple less rugulose and subshiny.

Mesosoma in lateral view twice as long as high. Precoxal suture widely rugo-rugulose, mesopleuron densely and finely punctate-uneven, interspaces shiny. Mesoscutum and scutellum densely rugulose (somewhat weaker than that of vertex). Propodeum rugose. – Fore femur 2.8 times ( Fig. 49 View Figs 47–55 ), hind femur 3.6 times ( Fig. 50 View Figs 47–55 ) as long as broad medially. Claw of hind leg as in Fig. 51 View Figs 47–55 .

Fore wing: Pterostigma 3.6 times as long as wide issuing r clearly distally from its middle, r as long as width of pterostigma; submarginal cell fairly long, 3–SR 1.6 times as long as 2–SR, r 0.7 times as long as 2–SR, SR1 almost straight and 1.6 times as long as 3–SR ( Fig. 52 View Figs 47–55 ). First discal cell elongate, 1–SR–M 1.6 times as long as 1–M, 1–M 1.4 times as long as m–cu, 1–M distinctly curved ( Fig. 53 View Figs 47–55 ).

First tegite ( Fig. 54 View Figs 47–55 ) a bit longer than broad behind, evenly broadening posteriorly, longitudinally striate, interstriations uneven and subshiny; laterotergite visible (see arrows in Fig. 54 View Figs 47–55 ). Second tergite wide trapeziform, twice wider behind than long laterally, finely striate, more shiny than first tergite. First and second suture distinct. Further tergites polished. Ovipositor sheath in lateral view as long as hind tarsomeres 1–2 combined.

Ground colour of head, mesoscutum and scutellum brownish yellow with pale yellow and brown pattern. Cheek and palpi straw yellow. Antenna brownish yellow. Side of mesosoma dark brown, pronotum medially pale. Propodeum and tergites rusty, tergites laterally and apically darkening brown. Legs pale yellow, femora 1–2 with brownish tint, hind femur medially with dark brown ring; tarsi light brownish. Wings subhyaline, pterostigma brown, basally yellow, veins brownish.

The female specimen is similar to the female holotype. 1–M of first discal cell less curved ( Fig. 55 View Figs 47–55 ).

Male and host unknown.

Distribution: Australia (New South Wales).

The new species, Mesocentrus variicolor , is nearest to M. rutilus sp. n. considering the colour of their body, curved temporal carina in lateral view, clearly broadening first tergite and venation of the fore wing; the two species are distinguished by the following features:

M. rutilus sp. n.: Temple in dorsal view constricted, eye twice as long as temple ( Fig. 37 View Figs 37–46 ). Pterostigma 3.3 times as long as wide and issuing r somewhat less distally ( Fig. 43 View Figs 37–46 ). Second tergite long trapeziform, 1.2 times as broad behind as long medially ( Fig. 45 View Figs 37–46 ). Antenna with 21 antennomeres. Second submarginal cell fairly short, 3–SR 1.3 times the length of 2–SR ( Fig. 43 View Figs 37–46 ). Legs brownish to rusty. f: 5.5 mm.

M. variicolor sp. n.: Temple in dorsal view rather receded, eye 1.25 times as long as temple ( Fig. 47 View Figs 47–55 ). Pterostigma 3.6 times as long as wide and issuing r somewhat more distally ( Fig. 52 View Figs 47–55 ). Second tergite wide trapeziform, twice wider behind than long medially ( Fig. 54 View Figs 47–55 ). Antenna with 20 antennomeres. Second submarginal cell fairly long, 3–SR 1.5 times the length of 2–SR ( Fig. 52 View Figs 47–55 ). Legs pale yellow with brownish to dark brown pattern. f: 3 mm.

wing of a female specimen

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Braconidae

Genus

Mesocentrus

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