Ascogaster cornifera van Achterberg and Ng, 2009

Achterberg, C. van, Hosaka, T., Ng, Y. F. & Ghani, Idris B. A., 2009, The braconid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associated with seeds of Dipterocarpaceae in Malaysia, Journal of Natural History 43 (11 - 12), pp. 635-686 : 667-674

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930802610501

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D787DD-B42F-FFE6-FEF2-FBA97ABB9F78

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Ascogaster cornifera van Achterberg and Ng
status

sp. nov.

Ascogaster cornifera van Achterberg and Ng View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figure 6B–H View Figure 6 )

Holotype

Female, length of body 3.5 mm, length of forewing 2.5 mm.

Head

Antenna moderately widened submedially and convex ventrally, with 28 segments remaining, incomplete, scapus twice as wide as third segment ( Figure 6E View Figure 6 ), length of third segment 1.1 times fourth segment, third and fourth segments 3.8 and 3.4 times their maximum width, respectively ( Figure 6E View Figure 6 ), submedial segments slightly shorter than wide; length of maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; median length of face (including tubercle) 0.8 times its minimum width; face nearly flat, coarsely and irregularly reticulate-rugose; clypeus 1.8 times wider than high ( Figure 6F View Figure 6 ), dorsally rather densely and moderately punctate, with interspaces equal to diameter of punctures but often wider and remainder of clypeus largely smooth, convex and triangularly protruding medioventrally ( Figure 6F View Figure 6 ); area between antennal sockets with a triangular horn ( Figures 6E,H View Figure 6 ); frons distinctly concave and largely smooth medially (except for a few rugae), with a nearly complete lamelliform carina and anterior ocellus in depression, laterally convex and coarsely reticulate; vertex coarsely transversely reticulate-rugose; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL 8: 5: 17; in dorsal view length of eye 1.6 times temple; eye glabrous; temples subparallel-sided behind eyes and coarsely reticulate-rugose, lateroventrally strongly widened ( Figure 6E View Figure 6 ); occipital carina complete, medium-sized and dorsally curved and remaining below dorsal level of eye ( Figure 6E View Figure 6 ); length of malar space 1.3 times basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma

Length of mesosoma 1.4 times its height; side of pronotum very coarsely reticulate dorsally, medially largely smooth and with some punctures and ventrally with some rugae; propleuron coarsely reticulate and flattened; side of mesoscutum largely reticulate; mesopleuron, metapleuron and most of mesosternum very coarsely reticulate; mesosternal sulcus absent; mesoscutum very coarsely reticulate; notauli weakly indicated, widely crenulate; scutellum slightly convex, mainly finely punctate, but laterally finely rugose and not protruding dorsoapically, rounded; side of scutellum coarsely crenulate; metanotum medioposteriorly not protruding; propodeum largely coarsely reticulate, with short median carina anteriorly, posterior part perpendicular to rather short dorsal part, with a pair of short blunt teeth dorsally and a pair of large and more acute teeth laterally ( Figure 4D View Figure 4 ).

Wings

Forewing ( Figure 6B View Figure 6 ). r: 3-SR: SR1 8: 8: 33; 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m 13: 8: 7; 1-R1 0.95 times as long as pterostigma; 2-R1 absent; cu-a moderately inclivous; 1-CU1: 2-CU1 1: 3; 1-M evenly curved; basal half of wing evenly dark brown setose, but distinctly less setose than apical half of wing.

Hind wing. cu-a vertical; M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m 24: 26: 5.

Legs

Hind coxa transversely striate, partly smooth; tarsal claws rather small and without lobe; lengths of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 3.2, 3.4 and 2.8 times their maximum width, respectively ( Figure 6G View Figure 6 ); hind tibia with some small pegs; hind tibial spurs 0.7 times as long as hind basitarsus; second to fourth segments of fore tarsus slender and telotarsus not enlarged.

Metasoma

Carapace coarsely longitudinally rugose, elliptical, gradually narrowed apically, twice as long as its maximum width in dorsal view, gradually widened submedially ( Figure 6C View Figure 6 ); carapace rounded apically ( Figure 6C View Figure 6 ) and in lateral view subtruncate and its ventral opening remains 0.2 times of length of carapace removed from apex

( Figure 6D View Figure 6 ); in lateral view carapace 3.2 times longer than high; ovipositor sheath largely concealed.

Colour

Black; scapus, palpi, fore and middle legs (but telotarsi dark brown), most of veins in basal half of wings, hind coxa (but basally dark brown), trochanter, trochantellus and femur, and base of hind tibia brownish-yellow; remainder of hind leg (but second and third hind tarsal segments brown) and of antenna, tegulae, parastigma, pterostigma and veins of apical half of forewing dark brown; wing membrane below pterostigma rather infuscate and remainder subhyaline or slightly infuscate.

Variation

Length of forewing of 2.5–2.6 mm, and of body 3.5–3.8 mm.

Biology

A parasitoid of larvae in seeds of Shorea lepidota and Shorea parvifolia . Although we have too few specimens, the emergence pattern of the common moth Andrioplecta shoreae is matched by the emergence of the parasitoid from both earlier and later aborted fruits ( Figure 1D View Figure 1 ).

Distribution

West Malaysia.

Notes

This species runs in the key by Tang and Marsh (1994) to Ascogaster macrogaster Tang and Marsh, 1994 , from Fujian ( China), but A. macrogaster has a longer forewing (3.5–4.2 mm), the legs completely yellowish, the hind coxa smooth or finely punctate and the carapace 2.5 times longer than wide in dorsal view. Ascogaster armatoides Tang and Marsh, 1994 , from China (Guangxi) and India, has a similar triangular horn between the antennal sockets, but it has the clypeus rugose, with its ventral border straight, lacking a protuberance, the temple constricted behind the strongly protuberant eyes and the carapace 1.6 times as long as wide.

Material examined

Holotype female, ‘‘W. Malaysia, N. Sembilan Pasoh Forest Reserve , 5 July 2002. From Shorea lepidota seeds, Y.F. Ng and Hosaka’ ’, ‘‘B 6’’, ‘‘Collected (123385)’’, ‘‘ Centre for Insect Systematics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’ ’ ( UKM) . Paratypes (two males, damaged): one male, id., but from Shorea macroptera seeds, 11 January 2002, no. 215945 and C 41 ( UKM) ; one male, id., but from Shorea parvifolia seeds, 8 February 2002, no. 274803 and C 28 ( RMNH) .

Ascogaster lamellifera van Achterberg and Ng , sp. nov.

( Figure 7A–I View Figure 7 )

Holotype

Male, length of body 4.1 mm, length of forewing 2.8 mm.

Head

Antenna slightly widened submedially and more or less depressed ventrally, with 42 segments, scapus twice as wide as third segment ( Figure 7C View Figure 7 ), length of third segment 1.2 times fourth segment, third, fourth and penultimate segments 3.7, 3.2 and 1.0 times their maximum width, respectively ( Figure 7C,D View Figure 7 ); length of maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; median length of face 0.8 times its minimum width; face slightly convex, coarsely and irregularly reticulate-rugose; clypeus 1.8 times wider than high ( Figure 7H View Figure 7 ), densely and rather coarsely punctate, with narrow smooth interspaces, convex and triangularly protruding medioventrally ( Figure 7H View Figure 7 ); area between antennal sockets with slender carina ( Figure 7I View Figure 7 ); frons distinctly concave and largely smooth medially, with complete lamelliform carina and anterior ocellus in depression ( Figure 7F View Figure 7 ), laterally convex and coarsely reticulate; vertex finely transversely rugose; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL 8: 3: 14; in dorsal view length of eye 1.3 times temple; eye glabrous; temples slightly narrowed behind eyes and coarsely reticulate, lateroventrally strongly widened ( Figure 7C View Figure 7 ); occipital carina complete, medium-sized and dorsally curved and situated low ( Figure 7C View Figure 7 ); length of malar space 1.6 times basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma

Length of mesosoma 1.6 times its height; side of pronotum very coarsely punctatereticulate dorsally, medially crenulate and ventrally largely smooth; propleuron coarsely reticulate and flattened; side of mesoscutum largely reticulate; mesopleuron and most of mesosternum very coarsely reticulate-punctate; mesosternal sulcus absent; metapleuron coarsely reticulate; mesoscutum very coarsely reticulatepunctate, interspaces very narrow; notauli distinctly indicated, widely crenulate; scutellum rather convex, but posteriorly steeply protruding and coarsely reticulaterugose; side of scutellum coarsely crenulate; metanotum medioposteriorly not protruding; propodeum largely coarsely reticulate, with short median carina anteriorly, posterior part perpendicular to rather short dorsal part, with pair of short blunt teeth dorsally and a pair of large and more acute teeth laterally ( Figure 7G View Figure 7 ).

Wings

Forewing ( Figure 7A View Figure 7 ). r: 3-SR: SR1 8: 9: 36; 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m 14: 9: 7; 1-R1 0.95 times as long as pterostigma; 2-R1 0.1 times vein 1-R1; cu-a inclivous; 1-CU1: 2-CU1 3: 10; 1-M evenly curved; basal half of wing evenly dark brown setose, but distinctly less setose than apical half of wing.

Hind wing. cu-a vertical; M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m 24: 25: 5.

Legs

Hind coxa punctulate, largely smooth; tarsal claws rather small and without lobe; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 3.7, 3.9 and 3.2 times their maximum width, respectively ( Figure 7E View Figure 7 ); hind tibia without pegs; hind tibial spurs 0.55 and 0.65 times as long as hind basitarsus; second to fourth segments of fore tarsus slender and telotarsus not enlarged.

Metasoma

Carapace coarsely longitudinally rugose, elliptical, 2.3 times as long as its maximum width in dorsal view, weakly widened submedially ( Figure 7B View Figure 7 ); carapace protruding apically ( Figure 7B,G View Figure 7 ) and in lateral view subtruncate and ventral opening 0.25 times of length of carapace removed from apex ( Figure 7G View Figure 7 ); in lateral view carapace 3.6 times longer than high subapically; ovipositor sheath concealed.

Colour

Black; seven basal antennal segments largely, palpi, and most veins largely brown, remainder of antenna, legs largely (but trochanters and trochantelli, apices of coxae and fore tibia more or less brown) dark brown; parastigma, pterostigma and veins of apical half of forewing dark brown; wing membrane below pterostigma distinctly infuscate and remainder subhyaline.

Variation

Length of forewing of female 1.9–2.8 mm, and of body 3.0– 4.3 mm; antenna of female with 34 (1), 35 (1), 36 (3), 37 (2), 39 (1), 40 (2), 41 (2) or 42 (1) segments; antenna of female somewhat to distinctly widened submedially; ovipositor sheath 0.05 times as long as forewing, slender; vein cu-a of forewing moderately to strongly inclivous; vein r-m of forewing subvertical to distinctly inclivous.

Biology

A parasitoid of larvae in seeds of Shorea acuminata , Shorea lepidota , Shorea leprosula , Shorea macroptera , Shorea ovalis and Shorea pauciflora . Ascogaster lamellifera emerged both from earlier and later aborted fruits ( Figure 1D View Figure 1 ), which suggests that the host is probably Andrioplecta shoreae .

Distribution

West Malaysia.

Notes

This species runs in the key by Tang and Marsh (1994) to Ascogaster fullawayi (Baker, 1926) from Philippines and Oriental China, but A. fullawayi has the face slightly narrower (median length of face 0.9 times its minimum width); the mesoscutum between the notauli swollen, the hind coxa rugose-punctate, and the carapace elongate, triangular and strongly tapering apically in dorsal view (Figure 24 in Tang and Marsh 1994).

Material examined

Holotype male, ‘‘W. Malaysia, N. Sembilan Pasoh Forest Reserve , 9 September 2002. From Shorea acuminata seeds, Y.F. Ng and Hosaka’ ’, ‘‘C 43’’, ‘‘Collected (403875)’’, ‘‘ Centre for Insect Systematics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’ ’ ( UKM) , Paratypes (19 females): one female, id., but 2 November 2002 and C 29 ( RMNH) ; two females, id., but 20 January 2002, C 37 and C 45, and collection no. 82640 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but 25 January 2002, C 38 and no. 223861 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but 8 February 2002 and C 42 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but C 39 and no. 435018 ( UKM) ; two females, id., but 19 August 2002, C 35 and B 7 and collection no. 435018 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but 9 September 2002 and C 46 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea lepidota , 22 July 2002, B 10 and no. 184598 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but 11 July 2002 and C 33 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but 5 August 2002, C 34 and no. 123385 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea macroptera , 2 July 2002, C 30 and no. 92320 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but 11 January 2002, C 40 and no. 215945 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea acuminata , 8 February 2002, B 9 and no. 195690 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea pauciflora , 28 December 2001, C 36 and no. 164078 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea leprosula , 2 September 2002, C 44 and no. 214678 ( UKM) ; one female, id., but B 8 and no. 295767 ( RMNH) ; one female, id., but from seeds of Shorea ovalis , 10 December 2002, C 32 and no. 171136 ( UKM) .

UKM

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Braconidae

Genus

Ascogaster

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