Mesocentrus, Szepligeti, 1900

Butcher, Buntika Areekul, Zaldivar-Riverón, Alejandro, Kamp, Thomas Van De, Rolo, Tomy Dos Santos, Baumbach, Tilo & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2014, Extension of historical range of Betylobraconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) into Palaearctic Region based on a Baltic amber fossil, and description of a new species of Mesocentrus Szépligeti from Papua New Guinea, Zootaxa 3860 (5), pp. 449-463 : 451

Key to the species of Mesocentrus from Papua New Guinea

The following key is largely based on original descriptions ( Szépligeti 1900, 1902) together with Papp (2005). The female lectotype and one male paralectotype of M. crassipes and the type and only known specimen of M. pusillus have been lost, so it is therefore impossible to be completely sure about all the features of M. pusillus and at some point, a neotype is likely to be needed.

1. Antenna with more than 25 flagellomeres (26) ( Fig. 1A ); frons hardly depressed behind antennal sockets and laterally ( Fig. 1C )................................................................................ M. sasquatch sp. nov.

- Antenna with fewer than 16 flagellomeres (13–15); frons more strongly depressed laterally.......................... 2

2 3 rd metasomal tergite distinctly longitudinally striate basally; 2 nd metasomal tergite approximately as long as posteriorly wide (“ fast quadratisch ”); pterostigma entirely light brown....................................... M. pusillus Szépligeti

- 3 rd metasomal tergite entirely smooth basally; 2 nd metasomal tergite 1.35 to 1.8 x wider posteriorly than long; pterostigma either yellow brown with a darker median spot ( M. crassipes ) or brown with distinct yellow base ( M. reptus )............. 3

3 Flagellum not narrowing (attenuating) distally, 1st flagellomere approximately 2 x longer than wide; head rather strongly narrowing immediately behind eyes; pterostigma yellow brown with a darker median spot; 2 nd ......... M. crassipes Szépligeti

- Flagellum strongly narrowing (attenuating) distally, 1st flagellomere approximately 4 x longer than wide; head nearly parallelsided immediately behind eyes; pterostigma brown with distinct yellow base........................... M. reptus Papp

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mesocentrus sasquatch sp. nov. A, habitus; B, head, front view; C, head dorsal view.