Baeus chakora Veenakumari, 2020

Kamalanathan, Veenakumari, Mohanraj, Prashanth, Samuel, D. K. & Reddy, M. Krishna, 2020, Revision of Indian species of Baeus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Scelionidae), Journal of Natural History 54 (13 - 14), pp. 813-917 : 839-841

Baeus chakora Veenakumari , sp. n. ( Figure 7 (a–e))

http: //www.zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4B750C7A-003D-4FF8-AC79-B775CE9F3823

Holotype. Female; body length = 0.57 (0.51–0.65) mm; n = 5

Colour ( Figure 7 (a)). Head, mesoscutum and metasoma brownish black, except paler mesoscutellum; propodeum brown; hyperoccipital carina black; posterior margins of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with shining blue tinge; A1 and A2 dark brown with apical yellow patch; A3–A6 pale yellow; clava yellowish brown; legs brown with uneven patches of yellow and black.

Head ( Figure 7 (a–e)). Head 1.15 (1.11–1.21)× as wide as high; IOS 0.52 (0.48–0.54)× width of head and 1.10 (0.95–1.16)× eye length; eye (L: W = 11.3: 8.1) setose, touching hyperoccipital carina posteriorly; head height 1.79 (1.73–1.83)× eye length; POL>LOL in ratio of 15.0:8.6; lateral ocellus contiguous with orbit; distance from posterior margin of lateral ocellus to hyperoccipital carina 0.31 (0.27–0.32)× MOD; pilosity of moderate density, setae of medium length but shorter than those on mesonotum and metasoma; interantennal process triangular, rugose; central keel consisting of small longitudinal rugae, reaching 0.51 (0.48–0.53)× distance to median ocellus; facial striae extending 0.91 (0.89–0.94)× the length from mandibular end to lower orbit; malar striae sparse; frons adjacent to central keel weakly reticulate followed by semicircular imbricate sculpture; upper frons above central keel and vertex with imbricate sculpture; gena weakly reticulate, with foveae on postero-ventral margin, 4.71 (4.63–4.85)× as long as wide; anterior margin of gena in contact with 0.64 (0.61–0.67)× length of ventral margin of eye; length of A1 0.86 (0.84–0.91)× that of clava; length of A2 0.42 (0.40–0.44)× that of A1.

Mesosoma ( Figure 7 (a,c,e)). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum 0.40 (0.38–0.42)× and 0.15 (0.13–0.16)× as long as wide, respectively; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum imbricate; metascutellum not visible; propodeum smooth dorsally, 0.54 (0.50–0.56)× length of mesoscutellum medially; pilosity of medium density, setae of medium length; lateral pronotal area dorsally foveate, setose, remainder smooth except for sparse weak vertical striae antero-medially; postero-dorsal margin of lateral pronotal area with two short, weak projections; ventral margin of lateral pronotal area extending as a blunt projection; transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron extend below the level of dorsal metapleuron; mesopleuron ventrally with a foveate patch, remainder smooth; mesopleuron extending as a short, narrow projection ventrally; mesopleural pit elongate; metapleuron dorsally transversely carinate, ventrally with weak carinae, remainder smooth; posterior suture of metapleuron almost straight with a basal curve, bending dorsally towards mesopleuron; dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture level with antero-lateral margin of T 2; sculpturing of propodeum anterior to spiracle transversely carinate, region posterior to spiracle smooth with a transverse carina; region ventral to spiracle with several transverse carinae; remainder of lateral propodeum smooth with sparse transverse carinae antero-ventrally; propodeal spiracular opening tear-drop shaped.

Metasoma ( Figure 7 (a,c,e)). Metasoma 0.93 (0.90–0.98)× as long as wide; pilosity of medium density, setae of medium length; T 2 antero-medially weakly imbricate, remainder smooth; remaining tergites smooth.

Material examined. Holotype: Female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2878 ), INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh: Pasighat , CHF, 28 ° 04 ʹ 28 ʹ ’ N 95 ° 19 ʹ 28 ʹ ’E, 173 m, SN, 03.V.2014 ; Paratypes: 30 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2879 – P2908 ), same as holotype, YPT, 03–10 . V .2014; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2909 ), same as holotype; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2910 , P2911 ), same as holotype, YPT, 11 .XI .2014; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2912 , P2913 ), New Delhi: Yamuna Biodiversity Park , 28 ° 44 ʹ 03 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 12 ʹ 52 ʹ ’E, 209 m, SN, 26 .XI .2010; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2914 ), New Delhi: Pusa, Indian Agricultural Research Institute ( IARI), 28 ° 38 ʹ 15 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 09 ʹ 25 ʹ ’E, 221 m, SN, 17 .VII .2010; 11 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2915 – P2925 ), Great Nicobar: Campbell Bay , 7 ° 00 ʹ 77 ʹ ’N 93 ° 91 ʹ 47 ʹ ’E, 13 m, YPT, 20–23 .III .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2926 ), Sikkim: Tadong, ICAR complex for NEH region, 25 ° 41 ʹ 02 ʹ ’ N 91 ° 54 ʹ 48 ʹ ’ E, 1330 m, YPT, 01 .XI .2014; 3 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2927 – P2929 ), Uttar Pradesh: Mainpuri, Nagla Daudpur , 27 ° 05 ʹ 45 ʹ ’ N 79 ° 15 ʹ 43 ʹ ’E, 149 m, SN, 16 .IX .2007; 4 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2930 – P2933 ), Tamil Nadu: Dharmapuri, Hosur, Uddanapalli , 12 ° 37 ʹ 28 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 55 ʹ 29 ʹ ’E, 758 m, YPT, 28 .X .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2934 ), same as P2930, MT, 18 . V .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2935 ), Tamil Nadu: Dharmapuri, Kelamangalam, Jakkeri , 12 ° 42 ʹ 17 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 48 ʹ 37 ʹ ’E, 899 m, YPT, 16 .III .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2936 ), same as P2930, YPT, 31 . I .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2937 ), Tamil Nadu: Yercaud, HRS, 11 ° 47 ʹ 44 ʹ ’ N 78 ° 12 ʹ 42 ʹ ’E, 1399 m, YPT, 05 .VIII .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2938 ), Tamil Nadu: Vellore, Yelagiri , 12 ° 34 ʹ 43 ʹ ’ N 78 ° 39 ʹ 46 ʹ ’E, 969 m, YPT, 15 . VI .2016; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2939 , P2940 ), Tamil Nadu: Lower Pulney Hills , Thadiyankudisai, HRS, 10 ° 17 ʹ 58 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 42 ʹ 42 ʹ ’E, 990 m, YPT, 25–27 . XI .2016; 4 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2941 – P2943 , P2946 ), Tamil Nadu: Dindugul, Thandikudi, RCRS, 10 ° 18 ʹ 34 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 38 ʹ 34 ʹ ’E, 1305 m, YPT, 27–29 .XI .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2944 ) Karnataka: Mandya , 12 ° 33 ʹ 51 ʹ ’ N 76 ° 44 ʹ 01 ʹ ’E, 749 m, MT, 25 .I .2012; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2945 ) Karnataka: Chintamani: College of Sericulture , 13 ° 20 ʹ 07 ʹ ’ N 78 ° 04 ʹ 56 ʹ ’E, 862 m, SN, 08 . XI .2013; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2947 ), Karnataka: Bengaluru, Hebbal , 13 ° 02 ʹ 08 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 35 ʹ 49 ʹ ’E, 906 m, PFT, 18 .VII .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2948 ), Karnataka: Tumkur, Kunigal , 13 ° 02 ʹ 01 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 03 ʹ 48 ʹ ’E, 784 m, YPT, 26 .X .2013; 3 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2949 – P2951 ), same as P2948, SN, 19 .IX .2014; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2952 ), Karnataka: Bengaluru, Hessaraghatta , 13 ° 08 ʹ 01 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 29 ʹ 27 ʹ ’E, 859 m, YPT, 21 .VIII .2015; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2953 – P2954 ), Karnataka: Mudigere, College of Horticulture , 13 ° 06 ʹ 54 ʹ ’ N 75 ° 37 ʹ 57 ʹ ’E, 976 m, YPT, 30 .IX .2015; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2955 – P2956 ), same as P2953, MT, 02 .X .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2957 ), Karnataka: Kodagu, Chettalli, Central Horticultural Experiment Station , 12 ° 23 ʹ 20 ʹ ’ N 75 ° 50 ʹ 43 ʹ ’E, 932 m, YPT, 22 .III .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2958 ), Karnataka: Bengaluru, Attur , 13 ° 05 ʹ 48 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 33 ʹ 59 ʹ ’E, 936 m, PFT, 13 .I .2012; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2959 ), same as P2958, 24 .XI .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2960 ), same as P2958, 02 .I .2012; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2961 – P2962 ), same as P2958, YPT, 05 .XI .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2963 ), same as P2958, YPT, 07 .I .2012; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2964 ), Karnataka: Bengaluru, GKVK, 13 ° 04 ʹ 25 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 34 ʹ 49 ʹ ’ E, 938 m, YPT 03 .IX .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2965 ), same as P2964, 29 .VIII .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2966 ), same as P2964, 26 .IX .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2967 ), same as P2964, PFT, 26 . IX .2011.

Etymology. This species is named after a legendary bird ‘Chakora’ in Hindu mythology believed to reside on moonbeams. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. B. chakora sp. n. is closer to B. ciprianii sp. n. but differs from it by the combination of the following character states; in B. chakora sp. n. the transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron extend below the dorsal level of metapleuron and the dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture is level with antero-lateral margin of T2; whereas in B. ciprianii sp. n. the transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron terminate much above the dorsal level of metapleuron and the dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture ventral to the level of antero-lateral margin of T2.

Figures

Figure 7. Baeus chakora sp. n. (a) Habitus (colour); (b) Frons; (c) Habitus; (d) Antenna; (e) Habitus (lateral view).