Aleiodes maritimus Shaw and Marsh

Shaw, Scott R. & Marsh, Paul M., 2004, Two new Eastern North American species of the Aleiodes coxalis (Spinola) species­group (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Rogadinae) reared from Geometridae, Zootaxa 656, pp. 1-10 : 6-7

Aleiodes maritimus Shaw and Marsh , NEW SPECIES

Female.— Body color: head, including antennae, mesosoma and metasoma black, head often with yellow marking on face and vertex, pronotum often entirely or partly yellow, mesonotum sometimes with yellow spots at anterior lateral corners, second metasomal terga often yellow; legs yellow, fore and middle tarsi light brown, hind femur at apex, hind tibia and tarsus brown; wings hyaline, veins brown, tegula yellow. Body length, 3.5–4.5 mm; fore wing length, 3.0–3.5 mm. Head: eyes and ocelli small; 42–43 antennomeres, all flagellomeres slightly longer than wide; malar space moderate, equal in length to basal wisth of mandible and 1/3 eye height; temple narrow, about 1/2 eye width; occipital carina complete, reaching hypostomal carina; oral space small and circular, diameter equal to basal width of mandible and 1/2 face height; clypeus weakly swollen; ocelli small, ocellocular distance slightly greater than diameter of lateral ocellus; head coriaceous, face and vertex sometimes weakly rugulose; maxillary palpus not swollen; mandibles small, tips not crossing when closed. Mesosoma: pronotum porcate laterally along median line, remainder weakly coriaceous; mesonotum and scutellum strongly coriaceous and dull, notauli weakly scrobiculate, meeting in weakly rugose area before scutellum; mesopleuron coriaceous, subalar sulcus weakly rugulose, sternaulus absent, area above episternal scrobe often smooth; propodeum strongly areolate dorsally, coriaceous laterally, median carina strong and complete, forked at extreme apex. Legs: tarsal claws not pectinate; hind coxa weakly coriaceous dorsally. Wings: fore wing with vein r 2/3 length of 3RSa and mcu, vein 1cu­a beyond 1M by distance equal to length of 1cu­a, vein 1CUa about 1/4 length of 1CUb; hind wing with vein RS weakly sinuate, marginal cell narrowest in middle, vein 1r­m 2/3 length of 1M, vein 1M about 2/3 length of M+CU, vein m­cu represented by weak fuscous line. Metasoma: first tergum costate­rugose, longer than apical width, median carina complete; second tergum costate­rugose, median carina complete; third tergum rugose, median carina complete; fourth tergum rugose; remainder of terga weakly coriaceous; ovipositor about 1/2 length of hind basitarsus.

Male.—Essentially as in female; 42–44 antennomeres.

Holotype.—Female: NEWFOUNDLAND, South Branch, July 17–23, 1974, G. Heinrich, mal. trap. Deposited in CNC.

Paratypes.—NEWFOUNDLAND: 6 females, 22 males, same data as holotype with dates in July and August, 1974; 1 female, Portland Creek, June 1974, G. Heinrich, mal.trap. NEW BRUNSWICK: 2 females, 88 males, Kouchibouguac N. P., dates of July 4–September 20, 1977, collectors J. R. Vockeroth, M. Ivanochko, G. A. Calderwood, S. J. Miller; 1 male, Baker Brook, Mad. Co., February 20, 1961, ex. Semiothisa dispuncta ; 1 male, Benton, Car. Co., February 24, 1961, ex. Semiothisa dispuncta ; 1 male, Flatlands, Rest. Co., February 20, 1961, ex. Semiothisa dispuncta . NOVA SCOTIA: 1 male, Richmond County, Isle Madame, Crichton Is., July 20–22, 1977, G. B. Faichild, insect flight trap; 1 male, Halifax Co., ex. Semiothisa granitata ; 1 male, Mt. Uniacke, March 3, 1951, D. C. Ferguson, ex. Semiothisa sexmaculata ; 1 male, Digby Co., March 16, 1944, ex.

Semiothisa granitata ; 1 male, Rich. Co., March 8, 1949, ex. Semiothisa granitata . BRIT­ ISH COLUMBIA: 1 male, Stillwater, March 20, 1952, ex. Semiothisa granitata ; 1 male, Lillooet, August 27, 1948, J. H. McLeod; 1 male, Mt. Arrowsmith, March 12, 1952, ex. Semiothisa granitata ; 1 male, Lund, March 24, 1952, ex. S. granitata ; 1 male, Hyas Lake, March 15, 1962, ex. Semiothisa granitata ; 1 male, Bella Coola, April 7, 1947, ex. S. granitata ; 1 male, Trinity Valley, January 30, 1952, ex. S. granitata ; 1 male, Surrey, June 11, 1952, ex. S. granitata ; 1 male, Lac la Hache, July 10–13, 1964, L. H. McMullen. MANI­ TOBA: 1 male, Sandilands, March 23, 1943, ex. S. sexmaculata . QUEBEC: 1 male, Noranda, March 25, 1938, ex. S. granitata ; 1 male, Three Rivers, March 2, 1939. SASKATCHEWAN: 1 male, Crooked River, January 28, 1940. ALBERTA: 2 males, Athabasca, February 4, 1950, January 31, 1952, ex. Semiothisa sexmaculata ; 1 male, Cold Lake, February 5, 1952, ex. Semiothisa sexmaculata ; 1 male, 11 mi. east Spruce Grove, January 24, 1956, ex. Semiothisa sexmaculata ; 1 female, 6 males, Eisenhower Jct., Banff N. P., July 1962, K. C. Herrmann, W. R. M. Mason; 1 male, 8 mi. east Morlwy, June 22, 1962, W. R. M. Mason; 1 male, Kananaskis, For. Exp. Stn. Seebe, June 30, 1962, W. R. M. Mason. YUKON TERRITORY: 1 male, mile 926 Alaska Hwy., April 27, 1959, ex. Semiothisa hebatata ; 1 male, Carcross, January 28, 1957. U.S.A., MINNESOTA: 1 female, Lyon Co., Camden State Park, Malaise trap, June 26, 1973; 1 male, Pipestone Co., Pipestone Nat. Mon., Malaise trap, April 24, 1973. Deposited in CNC, RMSEL, USNM, FSCA.

Distribution.—The majority of specimens in the type series are from the maritime provinces of Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. However, a few specimens from central and eastern Canada and Minnesota are also included, indicating this species is probably widespread in northern North America.

Biology.—Specimens have been reared from the following geometrids: Semiothisa granitata (Guenée) , S. sexmaculata Packard , and S. signaria dispuncta (Walker) . The host caterpillars feed on various coniferous trees including pitch pine, scrub pine, firs, hemlocks, spruces, and larch.

Comments.—This species is generally similar to itamevorus but is distinguished by the weak vein m­cu in the hind wing and the costate­rugose metasomal terga.

Etymology.—The specific name is from the Latin maritimus meaning "of the sea" in reference to the distribution of most of the type series in the maritime provinces of Canada.