Blacus (Hysterobolus) variegatus, Lu & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2023

Lu, Qian-Yu, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2023, The discovery of the subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae, Blacini, Blacus) in China, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5293 (3), pp. 472-498 : 488-491

Blacus (Hysterobolus) variegatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 13-14 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Chongqing, Jinfo Mtn , (29º3′N, 107º7′E), 18.VIII.2012, Huang Xinlei, No. 201207984 ( ZJUH) . Paratypes: 5 ♀ ♀, China, Zhejiang, Tianmu Mtn , 3-5.X.1983, Ma Yun, No. 834329; 25-29.VII.2011, yellow pan trap, No. 201501198; Chanyuan Temple, 9. V.1998, Zhao Mingshui, No. 20003401; Zhejiang, Fengyang Mtn, 1. VI.2005, Liu Jingxian, No. 200809039; Zhejiang, Longtang Mtn, 29. V.2012, Tang Pu, No. 201204960 ; 1 ♀, China, Hunan, Shimen, Huping Mtn , 12.VII.2009, Zeng Jie, No. 200903015 ; 1 ♀, China, Guizhou, Leigong Mtn, Tree Farm , 12.VII.2009, Zhang Hongying, No. 200606873 ( ZJUH) .

Description. Female. Length of body 2.6 mm, length of fore wing 2.65 mm.

Body setosity. Body with dense pubescence, pubescence on head and mesopleuron sparser, propodeum denser.

Head. Antennomeres 18; length of first flagellomere 1.7 × second flagellomere; length of first, second, penultimate and terminal flagellomere 4.0, 2.4, 1.2 and 2.8 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.1 × height of head; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 24:8:9; frons smooth, with a shallow longitudinal groove in upper second and five groove between antennal sockets; eyes with short setose, sparse; length of eye in dorsal view 0.9 × temple; occiput concave; face transversely rugose; temple smooth; clypeus convex, smooth; width of clypeus 2.4 × its medial height; tentorial pits large, distance between pits 1.55 × distance from pit to eye; malar suture absent, length of malar space 2.0 × basal width of mandible, mandible with long setae.

Mesosoma. Pubescence on mesonotum sparser than remainder. Length of mesosoma 1.25 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely reticulate; precoxal sulcus wide, with some long striae, reaching the anterior edge of mesopleuron; notauli complete, wide and crenulate, with short transversely carina in anterior third; mesoscutal lobes rather convex, densely pubescent; scutellar sulcus with distinct median carina, and distinctly crenulate laterally; scutellum sculpture reduced and smooth medially, its lateral carina lamelliform, distinctly protruding apically; propodeal tubercles small, obtuse apically, lateral apical angle almost 90°; surface of propodeum rugulose.

Wings. Fore wing: parastigma small; length of pterostigma 5.0 × its maximum width; length of vein r 1.4 × width of pterostigma; vein r arising from apical of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 13:15. Hind wing: 1r-m:1-M = 9:17; M+CU about subequal to 1-M; 2-1A absent.

Legs. Fore leg tibial spur large and long; hind coxa coarsely rugose dorsally, with distinct dorsal carina; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.8, 9.3 and 8.0 × their width, respectively; fore tarsal claws with blackish bristles.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 2.0 × its apical width, widened apically, medio-dorsally rugose, both sides with longitudinally striae; dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.4; remainder of tergites smooth; length of ovipositor sheath 0.16 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Dark reddish-brown; dorsal head, propodeum and metasomal first tergite black; palpi, tegulae, fore and middle legs yellow; several basal flagellomeres reddish-brown, gradually paler towards apex, but two apical flagellomeres dark brown; clypeus and mandible yellowish-red; parastigma and bottom margin of pterostigma white; side of pronotum yellowish-red, remainder reddish-brown; most mesonotum and scutellum yellowish-red, mesoscutum partly brown; metasomal second tergite yellowish-red, remainder of metasomal tergites and sternum, ovipositor and sheath, veins and pterostigma brown; hind leg (except second, third and fourth tarsus) reddish-brown; all basitarsi apically brown; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Variation. Length of first tergite 1.8–2.1 × its apical width; penultimate flagellomere 1.25–1.3 (occasionally 1.4) × its width; length of fore wing 2.4–2.65 mm; length of ovipositor sheath 0.16–0.18 × length of fore wing; propodeal tubercles medium size to large; scutellum sculpture reduced, at most slightly rugose; head and propodeum dark reddish-brown; two (or at most three) apical flagellomeres dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Chongqing, Hunan, Zhejiang, Guizhou)

Etymology. The specific name refers to the particular different difference in colour of head and mesonotum and is derived from “ varius” (Latin for different).

Notes. The new species is similar to B. (H.) fuscitibialis van Achterberg, 1988 because the malar suture is absent, the face transversely rugose, and the first metasomal tergite widened apically, but differs by having the precoxal sulcus with long striae (with a few medium-sized striae in B. fuscitibialis ), hind leg (except second, third and fourth tarsal flagellomeres) reddish-brown (only hind tibia infuscated medially), fore claw with blackish bristles (brownish bristles), length of penultimate flagellomere 1.2 × its width (1.5 ×), dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.4 of tergite (basal 0.7), and length of ovipositor sheath 0.16 × length of fore wing (0.18 ×). This new species is also similar to B. (H.) melanoapicalis sp. nov., but differs by having 18 antennomeres (19 antennomeres in B. melanoapicalis ), occiput comparatively slightly concave (distinctly concave), and the colour of head and mesonotum particularly different (similar).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Hysterobolus variegatus sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Hysterobolus variegatus sp. nov. A. head, dorsal aspect; B. head, anterior aspect; C. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D. antenna; E. propodeum and metasoma, dorsal aspect; F. mesopleuron; G. hind leg; H. fore claw; I. wings; J. ovipositor and ovipositor sheath.