Admonitosoter Mahmood, Quicke & Papp

Mahmood, Khalid, Papp, Jeno & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2010, Two new Afrotropical genera and species of braconine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 2476, pp. 14-22 : 18-21

Admonitosoter Mahmood, Quicke & Papp , gen. nov. ( Figs 3 c-f, 4, 5)

Head: Median flagellomeres approximately 1.2 times wider than long. Scapus large subglobose, longer ventrally than dorsally ( Fig. 3 d), apico-laterally emarginated. Head sparsely setose, transverse (wider than long) in dorsal view and shiny dorsally ( Fig. 3 e). Eye moderately large, glabrous and weakly emarginated ( Fig. 3 f). Face densely foveate-rugose. Clypeus separated from the hypoclypeal depression by a carina, clearly delineated from face dorsally by a distinct carina. Frons not depressed, foveae and sparsely setose, with a clear median longitudinal carina.

Mesosoma: Mesosoma smooth, notauli distinct and deep along their entire length ( Fig. 4 a). Mesoscutum smooth and shiny, sparsely setose. Scutellar sulcus narrow and finely crenulate. Median area of metanotum large and swollen. Pre-coxal suture absent. Epicnemial area smooth. Propodeum foveae. Propodeal spiracle oval (taller than wide).

Wings ( Fig. 4 c): 2nd sub-marginal cell of forewing long (veins 2-M & 3-SR, 3.4 times & 2.3 times as long as r-m, respectively), veins 2-M and 3-SR more or less parallel. Vein SR1 reaching wing margin more than 0.8 of the distance from apex of the pterostigma to the wing tip. Vein 1-SR+M slightly curved near the apex. Vein 1-SR distinct. Vein 1-M slightly curved. Vein cu-a interstitial to marginally post furcal and slightly curved. Vein 3-CU distinctly thickened posteriorly. Vein r more than 0.75 times longer than m-cu. Vein 2-SR+M longitudinal. Hind wing evenly setose. Vein 2-SC+R short, longitudinal. Vein 1r-m shorter than SC+R1. Vein 2-1A absent or indistinct.

Legs: Apex of fore tibia without transverse row of apical pegs. Fore and mid tarsal claws with a basal lobe and claw strongly curved, though short on fore legs ( Fig. 4 d). Fore basitarsus more than 4 times longer than the sub-apically deep. Hind femur robust. Hind tibia slender, without a longitudinal lateral groove.

Metasoma: Metasoma transverse ( Fig. 4 e). 1st tergite with dorso-lateral carina ( Fig. 4 e). 2nd tergite finely and weakly crenulated, with clearly defined antero-lateral areas ( Fig. 4 f). Second metasomal suture narrow. Combined length of tergites 2+3 almost equals to the posterior width of 3rd tergite. Posterior margin of tergites 3-5 with spinules and with a median notch ( Fig. 5 a-c). Poster-lateral margin of sixth tergite smooth, posterior margin emarginated ( Fig. 5 d). Ovipositor sheath long. Ovipositor with a pre-apical dorsal nodus and lower valve of ovipositor with teeth ( Fig. 5 e).

Etymology: From Latin admonere (to caution against) and the generic name Soter in reference to the superficial similarity.

Phylogenetic position: Despite the puatively apomorphic scapus (small, but rather narrow and with ventrally produced apex and well-developed pre-apical false margin) the straight fore wing vein 1-SR+M and the acutely lobed claws indicate placement within the Braconini as opposed to the larger Aphrastobraconini (=Iphiaulacini) that includes the vast majority of genera with ventrally produced scapus). Apomorphies within the Braconini are six coarsely-sculptured metasomal tergites, the enlarged and strongly hooked claws. Six sculptured tergites are characteristic (apomorphic) of the Aspidobraconina, but this subtribe has the 1st metasomal tergite immovably joined to the 2nd+3rd, and the propodeum has a complete mid-longitudinal carina. It is possible therefore that Admonitosoter may be derived from close to the stem leading to the Aspidobraconina.

Discussion: This genus is similar to Syntomernus Enderlein in possessing marginal transverse posterior crenulate groove on 5th and 6th metasomal tergite, though the new genus has only a very narrow. It can be distinguished from Syntomernus by the cylindrical ventrally produced scapus with distinct false margin, the modified claws and the mid basal area of the 2nd metasomal tergite being coarsely sculptured and reaching the posterior margin of the tergite. Similarly, this genus differs from Soter by its strongly hooked fore and mid tarsal claws, 2nd metasomal tergite without mid-basal triangular area, metasomal tergites 3-5 with small denticules on their poster margins, posterior margins of 6th metasomal tergite medially emarginated.

Type species: Admonitosoter rafiqui sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Presoter yusufi sp. nov. female holotype: (a-b); a, metasoma, tergite 5 posterolateral aspect; b, apex of ovipositor; Admonitosoter rafiqui sp. nov. female holotype: (c-f); c, habitus, lateral aspect; d, antennae (scapus), lateral aspect; e, head, dorsal aspect; f, head, frontal aspect.

FIGURE 4. Admonitosoter rafiqui sp. nov., female holotype: a, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; b, mesosoma, lateral aspect; c, wings, distal part; d, fore tarsal claw; e, metasoma, lateral aspect; f, metasoma, dorsolateral aspect.

FIGURE 5. Admonitosoter rafiqui sp. nov., female holotype: a, metasoma, tergite 3 dorsal aspect; b, metasoma, tergite 4 dorsal aspect; c, metasoma, tergite 5 dorsal aspect; d, metasoma, tergite 6 dorsal aspect; e, apex of ovipositor.