Pseudorhadinobracon Ranjith & van Achterberg, 2023

Ranjith, A. P., Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Kumar, P. Girish & Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, 2023, A new genus and two new species of Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Oriental region, Zootaxa 5374 (2), pp. 196-210 : 197-199

Pseudorhadinobracon Ranjith & van Achterberg gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D2DAF566-FB50-4C1E-94D0-1A5964671C63

( Figs 1–2 )

Type species. Rhadinobracon luteus Szépligeti comb. nov. Gender: masculine.

Description: female

Head. Scapus longer ventrally than dorsally, not compressed laterally, slightly flared apically ( Fig. 1E ) and with basal oblique rim. Medial flagellomeres transversely wider than long ( Figs 1A–B ). Face rugose with shallow groove antero-medially ( Fig. 1C ). Face and clypeus separated by a distinct transverse suture ( Fig. 1C ). Clypeus rugose with distinct apical transverse carina ( Fig. 1C ). Tentorial pit deep ( Fig. 1C ). Malar space smooth with distinct suture ( Figs 1C, E ). Mandible twisted ( Figs 1C–D ). Eye glabrous ( Figs 1C–D ). Inner eye margin diverging beyond antennal torulus ( Fig. 1D ). Lateral temple longer than transverse diameter of eye ( Fig. 1E ). Frons, vertex and occiput smooth ( Fig. 1D ). Frons with shallow midlongitudinal groove ( Fig. 1D ). Ocelli form an equilateral triangle ( Fig. 1D ).

Mesosoma. Mesosoma longer than high ( Fig. 1F ). Pronotum smooth ( Fig. 2A ). Mesoscutum smooth, shiny, sparsely setose ( Fig. 2A ). Middle lobe of mesoscutum rounded anteriorly ( Fig. 2A ). Notauli smooth, shallow and present on 2/3 rd of mesoscutum ( Fig. 2A ). Scutellar lunules smooth, divided by indistinct crenulae ( Fig. 2A ). Scutellum smooth, sparsely setose ( Fig. 2A ). Metanotum largely smooth medially, without longitudinal carina ( Fig. 2A ). Mesopleuron smooth, sparsely setose ( Fig. 1F ). Mesopleural sulcus impressed, smooth ( Fig. 1F ). Metapleuron smooth, setose ( Fig. 1F ). Propodeum smooth without any carinae or rugae, shiny, sparsely setose, glabrous medio-posteriorly ( Fig. 2A ).

Legs. Fore tibia with stout spines on dorsal margin. Fore tarsus nearly twice as long as fore tibia. Tarsal claws with acute basal lobe.

Wings. Evenly setose ( Fig. 2C ). Fore wing: Angle between veins C+SC+R and 1RS less than 45° ( Fig. 2C ). Vein (RS+M)a slightly curved posteriorly ( Fig. 2C ). Vein r-rs arising at 0.4 × of distance from base of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell elongate, slightly broad apically ( Fig. 2C ). Vein 3-M long and largely tubular most of the way to the wing margin ( Fig. 2C ). Vein 1cu-a interstitial ( Fig. 2C ). Vein 2CUa reclivous posteriorly forming a smooth curve with 2CUb, forming obtuse angle with 1Cub ( Fig. 2C ). Second subdiscal cell narrowing apically ( Fig. 2C ). Hind wing: Vein 1r-m slightly curved, distally running parallel to but free from SC+R ( Fig. 2C ).

Metasoma. Metasoma elongate with six tergites, distinctly longer than head and mesosoma combined. Metasomal tergites 1–3 largely coarsely sculptured ( Fig. 2B ). Metasomal tergite 1 with distinct longitudinal striations apically, with narrow lateral areas moderately crenulated and groove-like, with complete midlongitudinal carina and smooth area medio-posteriorly ( Fig. 2B ). First metasomal tergite not crenulated, except anteriorly ( Fig. 2B ). Second metasomal tergite longitudinally striate with smooth area antero-laterally, with narrow triangular midbasal area, connected to more or less elevated midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 2B ). Third metasomal tergite longitudinally striate with well-defined antero-lateral areas ( Fig. 2B ). Second and third metasomal suture distinctly crenulated ( Fig. 2B ). Fourth metasomal tergite completely smooth ( Fig. 2B ). Fifth and sixth metasomal tergites smooth ( Fig. 2B ). Hypopygium acute apically, extending past to metasomal apex ( Fig. 1B ). Ovipositor sheath setose. Ovipositor as long as body, with dorsal nodus and ventral serrations ( Fig. 1B ).

Etymology. The genus is named after the close morphological affinities with the genus, Rhadinobracon Szépligeti, 1906 .

Comments. Quicke (1991) commented on the generic placement of R. luteus and mentioned the possible inclusion of this species into Atanycolus group except R. luteus species has an unmodified scapus. The less modified scapus is enough to separate this species from typical Atanycolus , but it shares with Monilobracon Quicke, 1984 the narrow lateral areas of the first tergite (which are laterally upcurved), vein 3-SR of fore wing straight, second and third tergites sculptured, and vein 3-SR of fore wing 0.7–1.0 x as long as vein SR1. It differs by having the medio-basal area of second tergite narrow, striate and posteriorly crest-like (wide and smooth in Monilobracon , with posterior crest) and the third tergite with distinct and triangular antero-lateral areas (absent in Monilobracon ). This species would run to couplet 35 in the key to the Old World genera of Braconinae ( Quicke 1987) . The new genus can be differentiated from Rhadinobracon by the following key.

1. Second metasomal tergite with wide midbasal triangular field ( Figs 4C , 7A , 9F ); fore tibia with distinct spines ( Fig. 7D ); tarsal claws without acute lobe ( Fig. 7E ); second metasomal tergite with posteriorly converging crenulated depression ( Figs 4C , 7A , 9F ); ovipositor sheath at least 1.2 × longer than body ( Fig. 3A ); fourth metasomal tergite sculptured ( Figs 4C , 7A , 9F ); lateral temple as long as or shorter than transverse diameter of eye ( Figs 3D , 5D , 9J ); basal half of fore wing partly yellow or entirely black ( Figs 4D–F , 7B )........................................................ Rhadinobracon Szépligeti, 1906

- Second metasomal tergite with narrow and elongate midbasal triangular field ( Figs 1A , 2B ); fore tibia without distinct spines; tarsal claws with acute lobe; second metasomal tergite without posteriorly converging crenulated depression ( Figs 1A , 2B ); ovipositor sheath less than 1.2 × longer than body ( Fig. 1B ); fourth metasomal tergite completely smooth ( Figs 1A , 2B ); lateral temple longer than transverse diameter of eye ( Figs 1B, E ); basal half of fore wing completely yellow ( Figs 1A–B , 2C ).......................................................... Pseudorhadinobracon Ranjith & van Achterberg gen. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pseudorhadinobracon luteus (Szépligeti), Ranjith & van Achterberg gen. et comb. nov., holotype, female A) habitus, in dorsal view; B) habitus, in lateral view; C) head, in anterior view; D) head, in antero-dorsal view; E) head, in lateral view; F) mesosoma, in lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Pseudorhadinobracon luteus (Szépligeti), gen. et comb. nov., holotype, female A) mesosoma, in dorsal view; B) metasoma, in dorsal view; C) wings.

FIGURE 3. Rhadinobracon levigatus Ranjith sp. nov., holotype, female A) habitus, in lateral view; B) head, in anterior view; C) head, in dorsal view; D) head, in lateral view; E) mesosoma, in lateral view; F) mesosoma, in dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Rhadinobracon levigatus Ranjith sp. nov., holotype, female A) propodeum, in dorsal view; B) first metasomal tergite, in dorsal view; C) metasoma, in dorsal view; D) wings, E) basal area of wings.

FIGURE 5. Rhadinobracon nitidus Ranjith sp. nov., holotype, female A) habitus, in lateral view; B) head, in anterior view; C) head, in dorsal view; D) head, in lateral view; E) mesosoma, in lateral view; F) mesosoma, in dorsal view.

FIGURE 7. Rhadinobracon nitidus Ranjith sp. nov., holotype, female A) metasoma, in dorsal view; B) wings; C) basal area of hind wing; D) fore tibia; E) tarsal claw.

FIGURE 9. Rhadinobracon traegardhi (Szépligeti, 1904), holotype, female A) wings; B) hind leg; C) head, in anterior view; D) head, in dorsal view; E) mesosoma, in dorsal view; F) metasoma, in dorsal view; G) scapus, in lateral view; H) apical flagellomeres, in lateral view; I) antenna; J) habitus, in lateral view; K) tarsal claw; L) ovipositor; M) apex of ovipositor.