Helconichia reina Sharanowski and Sharkey

Sharanowski, Barbara J. & Sharkey, Michael J., 2007, Description of three new species of Helconichia Sharkey & Wharton (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Ichneutinae) with a revised key to all species, Zootaxa 1502, pp. 45-53 : 48

Helconichia reina Sharanowski and Sharkey , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Helconichia reina can be distinguished from all other species of Helconichia by the following combination of characteristics: Y-shaped inter-antennal carina present, mesosoma melanic in color, and forewing vein (RS+M)b absent. The only other species of Helconichia lacking forewing vein (RS+M)b is H. areolata , which is primarily orange in color.

Female ( Figs. 1 B; 4A, B, D, G). Length: 4.03 mm.

Color: Head melanic except as follows: clypeus, mandible, lower portion of gena, and labial and maxillary palpi all testaceous; all legs from base of coxae to apex of femora testaceous except hind trochanter and trochantellus brown; all tibiae and tarsi brown; mesonotum melanic; anterior region of propodeum melanic, posterior region off-white; metasomal terga 1–2 and all metasomal sterna off-white; metasomal tergum 3 offwhite with subapical brown horizontal band, metasomal tergum 4 brown with apical off-white horizontal band, remaining terga brown; wings lightly infuscate.

Head: Antenna with 29 flagellomeres; setae of eye short, about equal to diameter of one ommatidium; head with Y-shaped, lamellate carina between antennal sockets ( Fig. 4A ); vertex smooth and uniformly setose, most setae shorter than diameter of one ommatidium.

Mesosoma: notaulus weakly crenulate; median areola of metanotum bifurcated with longitudinal carina; propodeum without posterior median longitudinal carina ( Fig 4 D); propodeal areola narrow, approximately 2X longer than wide, ratio of areola width (at widest point):length 0.53 ( Fig. 4 D).

Wings: forewing (RS+M)b absent ( Fig 4 B), ratio of 2RS:3RSa length 1.66, anal region glabrous basally ( Fig 4 G); hind wing with 3 hamuli, anal region virtually glabrous basally, subbasal cell with sparse, irregular arrangement of setae.

Metasoma: median tergite 1 with length (from base of dorsal carina) to apical width ratio 0.81; dorsal carinae of median tergite 1 widely separated medially, distance between carinae at narrowest point about equidistant from carinae to lateral margin of tergite.

Male: Unknown

Biology: Unknown

Type material: HOLOTYPE, Ψ: “ COLUMBIA Valle del Cauca PNN [National Natural Park] Farallones de Cali Cgto. [Corregimiento] La Meseta 3°34’N 76º40’W, 2080m Malaise 10/02/2004 25/02/2004 S. Sarria & M. Losso Leg. 4555”. Deposited in the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute, Colombia.

Etymology: This species is named in honor of Pedro Reina from Iguaque National Park, Colombia. Pedro was one of the collaborators with the Colombian Arthropod Project. Collecting during a time of political instability, he was often exposed to dangerous situations in the field.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Lateral habitus of female holotype of Helconichia sarria Sharanowski & Sharkey, sp. nov. B. Lateral habitus of female holotype of H. reina Sharanowski & Sharkey, sp. nov.

FIGURE 4. A. Head of Helconichia reina Sharanowski & Sharkey, sp. nov., anterior view. Arrow showing Y-shaped lamellate inter-antennal carina. B. Forewing of H. reina. C. Forewing of H. trichiops Sharkey & Wharton. Arrow pointing to forewing vein (RS + M) b. D. Propodeum of H. reina, dorsal view. E. Propodeum of H. areolata Sharkey & Wharton, dorsal view. F. Propodeum and first metasomal tergum of H. trichopteryx Sharkey & Wharton, dorsal view. Arrow showing posterior longitudinal median carina of propodeum. G. Basal region of forewing of H. reina. H. Basal region of forewing of H. sarria Sharanowski & Sharkey, sp. nov.