Chelonus (Mirachelonus) melanogastrus, Ranjith & Priyadarsanan, 2023

Ranjith, A. P. & Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, 2023, New subgeneric reports of the genus Chelonus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India and Sri Lanka with description of nine species, Zootaxa 5278 (3), pp. 461-492 : 483-485

Chelonus (Mirachelonus) melanogastrus sp. nov.

( Figures 16–17 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:05808E2F-01E7-4340-8CD6-F3E365A8CF07

Material examined. Holotype, male, INDIA: Kerala, Kozhikode, Ambalappara , 11°32’46 N, 75°55’24 E, 726 m. a.s.l., 30.xii.2015, coll. A.P. Ranjith ( AIMB) . Paratypes, 2 males with same data as holotype ( AIMB) .

Description. Holotype, male, length of body 3.0 mm, of fore wing 2.2 mm.

Head. Antenna with 25 antennomeres, apical antennomeres not broadened, shorter than basal antennomeres; third antennomere 1.2 × longer than fourth; third, fourth and terminal antennomeres 2.3 ×, 1.9 × and 1.8 × longer than wide, respectively; head transverse ( Fig. 16B ), in dorsal view roundly contracted behind eyes ( Fig. 16C ); OOL: OD: POL= 2.3: 1.0: 1.4; longitudinal diameter of eye 1.5 × height of temples; vertex transversely striate ( Fig. 16C ); frons distinctly concave, striate with a complete midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 16C ); occiput transversely striate ( Fig. 16C ); temple longitudinally striate ( Fig. 16D ); face longitudinally striate laterally, transversely striate anteriorly and posteriorly, rugose medially, densely setose in lateral view ( Fig. 16B ); clypeus flat and sparsely punctate, smooth and shining ( Fig. 16B ); length of malar space 2.3 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 × its height; pronotum rugose laterally ( Figs 16D–E ); mesoscutum areolate-rugose, without longitudinal depressions medially ( Fig. 16F ); notauli impressed as large pits ( Fig. 16F ); transverse suture distinct, deep ( Fig. 16F ); scutellar sulcus divided by three carinae ( Fig. 16F ); scutellum reticulate-rugose with a midlongitudinal carina, sparsely setose, with crenulate groove laterally ( Fig. 16F ); mesopleuron evenly convex, coarsely reticulate-rugose, setose ( Fig. 16E ); metanotum crenulate with distinct midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 17A ); propodeum with medial and lateral tubercles, coarsely reticulate-rugose, transverse carina indistinct, but complete ( Fig. 17A ).

Wings. Fore wing infuscate subapically ( Fig. 17E ); length of fore wing 2.5 × its width; length of marginal cell 1.3 × pterostigma; vein 2-Rl present ( Fig. 17E ); vein r shorter than 3-SR ( Fig. 17E ); r: 3-SR: SRl = 1.0: 1.5: 6.1; SRl more or less curved ( Fig. 17E ); parastigma distinctly swollen ( Fig. 17E ); 1-CU1: 2-CU1= 1.0: 3.2; vein CUlb present ( Fig. 17E ).

Legs. Hind coxa with transverse wrinkles, densely short setose ( Fig. 17B ); hind femur robust ( Fig. 17B ); length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.2 ×, 3.5 × and 4.0 × their maximum width, respectively; mid and hind tibia with numerous short, pointed spines apical half

Metasoma. Metasomal carapace elongate-oval in dorsal view, coarsely reticulate-rugose, with a pair of midlongitudinal carinae basally ( Fig. 17C ); length of carapace 3.1 × its maximum width in dorsal view; carapace with lamella laterally ( Fig. 17B ); ventral cavity closed apically ( Fig. 17D ); carapace truncate apically with a rather small round aperture and narrow in dorsal view ( Fig. 17D ), apex of carapace deeply incurved ventrally in lateral view ( Fig. 17B ).

Colour. Black except eyes grey, antenna, ocelli, mandible, maxillary and labial palps, venation, pterostigma, legs brownish yellow to dark brown.

Female. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Kerala).

Etymology. The species is named after the black coloured metasoma.

Comparative diagnosis. This is the first distribution record of the subgenus from India. The new species differs from the type species of the subgenus ( C. (M.) miraventris ) in having carapace without yellow spot (with yellow spot in C. (M.) miraventris ), face irregularly sculptured medially (striate-rugose in C. (M.) miraventris ), third and fourth antennomeres 2.3, 1.9 × as long as wide respectively (3.2 × in C. (M.) miraventris ), OOL 1.6 × POL (1.1 in C. (M.) miraventris ), longitudinal diameter of eye 1.5 × height of temples (2.3 × in C. (M.) miraventris ), hind tibia 3.5 × as long as wide (4.5 × in C. (M.) miraventris ).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Chelonus (Mirachelonus) melanogastrus sp. nov., holotype, male A) habitus, lateral view; B) head, anterior view; C) head, dorsal view; D) head, lateral view; E) mesosoma, lateral view; F) mesosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 17. Chelonus (Mirachelonus) melanogastrus sp. nov., holotype, male A) propodeum, dorsal view; B) metasoma, lateral view; C) metasoma, dorsal view; D) metasoma, ventral view; E) wings.