Chelonus (Parachelonus) komsingensis, 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 : 489-492

Chelonus (Parachelonus) komsingensis sp. nov.

( Figures 21–22 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CECEB3F1-A1AB-468F-98A1-C5AB974B7834

Material examined. Holotype, female, INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh, Komsing , 28°25’3592 N, 95°00’0628 E, 1208 m.a.s.l., 2.v.2022, coll. A.P. Ranjith ( AIMB).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 3.7 mm, of fore wing 3.2 mm.

Head. Antenna with 31 antennomeres, apical antennomeres not broadened, shorter than basal antennomeres ( Fig. 21A ); third antennomere 1.1 × longer than fourth; third, fourth and terminal antennomeres 4.0 ×, 3.5 × and 2.4 × longer than wide, respectively; head transverse ( Fig. 21B ), in dorsal view roundly contracted behind eyes ( Fig. 21C ); OOL: OD: POL= 3.0: 1.0: 1.3; longitudinal diameter of eye 0.9 × height of temples; vertex transversely striate ( Fig. 21C ); frons distinctly concave, striate medially with a complete midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 21C ); occiput transversely striate ( Fig. 21C ); temple longitudinally striate ( Fig. 21A ); face transversely striate, densely setose in lateral view ( Fig. 21B ); clypeus flat and densely punctate, smooth and shining ( Fig. 21B ); length of malar space 1.8 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.5 × its height; pronotum rugose laterally ( Fig. 21D ); mesoscutum areolate-rugose, without longitudinal depressions medially ( Fig. 21E ); notauli impressed as large pits ( Fig. 21E ); transverse suture distinct, deep ( Fig. 21E ); scutellar sulcus divided by five carinae ( Fig. 21E ); scutellum punctate medially with longitudinal rugae, sparsely setose, with crenulate groove laterally ( Fig. 21E ); mesopleuron evenly convex, coarsely reticulate-rugose, setose ( Fig. 21D ); metanotum crenulate with distinct midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 21F ); propodeum with medial and lateral tubercles, coarsely reticulate-rugose, with irregular areola delineated by carina medially, transverse carina distinct, complete ( Fig. 21F ).

Wings. Fore wing infuscate subbasally and subapically ( Fig. 22D ); length of fore wing 2.7 × its width; length of marginal cell 1.2 × pterostigma; vein 2-Rl present ( Fig. 22D ); vein r slightly longer than 3-SR ( Fig. 22D ); r: 3-SR: SRl = 1.1: 1.0: 4.3; SRl more or less curved ( Fig. 22D ); parastigma distinctly swollen ( Fig. 22D ); 1-CU1: 2-CU1= 1.0: 2.8; vein CUlb present ( Fig. 22D ).

Legs. Hind coxa punctate, densely short setose ( Fig. 22A ); hind femur robust ( Fig. 22A ); length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 2.8 ×, 4.5 × and 3.3 × their maximum width, respectively; mid and hind tibia with numerous short, pointed spines apical half ( Fig. 22A ).

Metasoma. Metasomal carapace elongate-oval in dorsal view, coarsely reticulate-rugose, with a pair of midlongitudinal carinae basally ( Fig. 22B ); length of carapace 1.9 × its maximum width in dorsal view; carapace without undulating lamella laterally ( Figs 22A, C ); ventral cavity closed apically ( Figs 22A, C ); ovipositor long, slender ( Fig. 22C ) and the ovipositor sheath 0.06 × as long as fore wing, 0.2 × as long as hind tibia.

Colour. Black except eyes grey, antenna, ocelli, tegula, wing venation, pterostigma, tarsi, mid tibia apically, hind coxa basally brown, maxillary and labial palps, fore leg except tarsus, mid leg except tarsus, hind leg except coxa basally, femur apical 2/3 rd, tibia basally and apical half and tarsus, carapace basally yellow.

Male. Same as female.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Arunachal Pradesh).

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality.

Comparative diagnosis. This new species comes close to C. (P.) gravenhorstii (Nees) in having body length less than 5 mm and yellowish legs. It differs from the latter by the following differences, 31 antennomeres and longer than body (29 antennomeres, as long as body in C. (P.) gravenhorstii ), carapace slightly narrowed apically (distinctly narrowed apically in C. (P.) gravenhorstii ).

Figures

FIGURE 21. Chelonus (Parachelonus) komsingensis sp. nov., holotype, femaleA) habitus, lateral view; B) head, anterior view; C) head, dorsal view; D) mesosoma, lateral view; E) mesosoma, dorsal view; F) propodeum, dorsal view.

FIGURE 22. Chelonus (Parachelonus) komsingensis sp. nov., holotype, female A) metasoma, lateral view; B) metasoma, dorsal view; C) metasoma, ventral view; D) fore wing.