Chelonus (Megachelonus), Baker, 1926

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 : 470-471

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5278.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1AAFCC5B-14BA-4E13-B25E-5C132CB9085A
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7906561
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1641634C-A53F-561F-FF3E-71DEFCF7D379
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Chelonus (Megachelonus)
status

Treatment

Subgenus Megachelonus Baker, 1926

( Figures 6–15 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 View FIGURE 10 View FIGURE 11 View FIGURE 12 View FIGURE 13 View FIGURE 14 View FIGURE 15 )

Diagnosis. Head transverse ( Figs 6B–C View FIGURE 6 , 8B–C View FIGURE 8 , 10B, E View FIGURE 10 , 14B–C View FIGURE 14 ); antennomeres of apical half broadened or same width ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 13B View FIGURE 13 ); face striate ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 10B View FIGURE 10 , 14B View FIGURE 14 ) or reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ); clypeus semi-elliptical ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 8B View FIGURE 8 , 10B View FIGURE 10 , 14B View FIGURE 14 ); eyes long elliptical or ovoid in lateral view ( Figs 10F View FIGURE 10 , 14D View FIGURE 14 ); frons rather concave ( Figs 6C View FIGURE 6 , 8C View FIGURE 8 , 10E View FIGURE 10 , 14C View FIGURE 14 ); vertex and occiput reticulate rugose ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ) or striate-rugose ( Figs 6C View FIGURE 6 , 10E View FIGURE 10 , 14C View FIGURE 14 ); mesoscutum reticulate-rugose ( Figs 6E View FIGURE 6 , 8E View FIGURE 8 , 11B View FIGURE 11 , 13B View FIGURE 13 , 14F View FIGURE 14 ); notauli impressed or not ( Figs 6E View FIGURE 6 , 8E View FIGURE 8 , 11B View FIGURE 11 , 13B View FIGURE 13 , 14F View FIGURE 14 ); scutellum punctate ( Figs 6E–F View FIGURE 6 , 11B View FIGURE 11 , 13B View FIGURE 13 , 14F View FIGURE 14 ) or coarsely sculptured ( Figs 8E–F View FIGURE 8 ); propodeum coarsely rugose ( Figs 6F View FIGURE 6 , 8F View FIGURE 8 , 15A View FIGURE 15 ), rarely with triangular areola medio-basally ( Figs 11C–D View FIGURE 11 ); propodeum often with medial and lateral tubercles ( Figs 6F View FIGURE 6 , 8F View FIGURE 8 ), rarely without tubercles ( Figs 11C–D View FIGURE 11 , 15A View FIGURE 15 ); fore wing vein SR1 complete ( Figs 7D View FIGURE 7 , 9D View FIGURE 9 , 13A View FIGURE 13 , 15F View FIGURE 15 ); metasomal carapace often with lamellae laterally ( Figs 8A View FIGURE 8 , 9A View FIGURE 9 , 15B, D View FIGURE 15 ), rarely not ( Fig. 11E View FIGURE 11 ); carapace with a pair of short ( Figs 7C View FIGURE 7 , 9C View FIGURE 9 , 12A View FIGURE 12 ) to long teeth medio-apically ( Figs 15C, E View FIGURE 15 ).

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Oriental region.

Key to the species of subgenus Megachelonus Baker

1. Metasomal carapace broadly yellowish basally ( Figs 11F View FIGURE 11 , 13B View FIGURE 13 , 15C View FIGURE 15 )............................................. 2

- Metasomal carapace completely black ( Figs 7A, B View FIGURE 7 , 9A, B View FIGURE 9 ).................................................... 8

2. Apex of carapace with a pair of long teeth ( Figs 15C, E View FIGURE 15 )...................................................... 3

- Apex of carapace with a pair of short to small teeth ( Figs 7C View FIGURE 7 , 9C View FIGURE 9 , 12A View FIGURE 12 ).......................................... 4

3. Female with 28 antennomeres; carapace yellowish basally and baso-laterally; OOL 1.5 × POL; propodeum with large lateral tubercles............................................ C. (M.) macrodontus Zhou, van Achterberg, Tang & Chen

- Female with 16 antennomeres ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ); carapace with two large yellowish spots laterally ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ); OOL 1.1 × POL; propodeum with indistinct blunt lateral tubercles ( Figs 14E View FIGURE 14 , 15A View FIGURE 15 )........................ C. (M.) sahyadriensis sp. nov.

4. Metasomal carapace without lateral lamellae ( Fig. 11E View FIGURE 11 )....................................................... 5

- Metasomal carapace with lateral lamellae ( Figs 8A View FIGURE 8 , 9A View FIGURE 9 )...................................................... 6

5. Propodeum with lateral tubercles; scutellum rugose; notauli indistinct; carapace without a pair of posteriorly narrowing longitudinal carinae.................................... C. (M.) irilaminatus Zhou, van Achterberg, Tang & Chen

- Propodeum without lateral tubercles ( Figs 11A, C–D View FIGURE 11 ); scutellum punctate ( Figs 11B View FIGURE 11 , 13B View FIGURE 13 ); notauli distinct ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ); carapace with a pair of posteriorly narrowing longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 11F View FIGURE 11 )............................. C. (M.) novis sp. nov.

6. Metasomal carapace entirely yellowish basally; ventral cavity reaching apex of carapace......... C. (M.) bidentatus Baker View in CoL

- Metasomal carapace with large yellowish spots basally; ventral cavity reaching 1/4 th of carapace apically................ 7

7. Metasomal carapace with long and wide ventral lamellae; third antennomere 5.6 × as long as wide; scutellar sulcus divided by six carinae; fore wing vein 2-CU1 2.0 × as long as 1-CU1........................ C. (M.) macros Zhang, Chen & He View in CoL

- Metasomal carapace with short and narrow ventral lamellae; third antennomere 4.6 × as long as wide; scutellar sulcus divided by four carinae; fore wing vein 2-CU1 3.4 × as long as 1-CU1.................. C. (M.) longqiensis Zhang, Chen & He View in CoL

8. Metasomal carapace with a strongly transverse depression dorsally; antenna with more than 19 antennomeres.......................................................................................... C. (M.) rectangularis Baker View in CoL

- Metasomal carapace without a strongly transverse depression dorsally ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 8B View FIGURE 8 ); antenna with 16 antennomeres...... 9

9. Hind coxa black; hind femora brown apically; body length 6.0 mm........................ C. (M.) bicoloricomis Baker

- Hind coxa yellow to reddish yellow ( Figs 7A View FIGURE 7 , 9A View FIGURE 9 ); hind femora yellow to reddish yellow ( Figs 7A View FIGURE 7 , 9A View FIGURE 9 ); body length 2.2–3.2 mm ............................................................................................... 10

10. Metasomal carapace 1.8 × as long as wide; hind tibia reddish yellow.......................... C. (M.) uniformis Baker View in CoL

- Metasomal carapace more than 1.8 × as long as wide ( Figs 7B View FIGURE 7 , 9B View FIGURE 9 ); hind tibia black basally and apical half ( Figs 7A View FIGURE 7 , 8A View FIGURE 8 ). 11

11. Face transversely striate-rugose ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ); scutellum punctate, divided with five carinae ( Fig. 6E View FIGURE 6 ); metasomal carapace with a pair of longitudinal carinae basally ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ); vertex transversely striate ( Fig. 6C View FIGURE 6 )................... C. (M.) adii sp. nov.

- Face reticulate-rugose with midlongitudinal carina ( Fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ); scutellum rugose with Y shaped carina, divided with four carinae ( Fig. 8E View FIGURE 8 ); metasomal carapace without a pair of longitudinal carinae basally ( Fig. 9B View FIGURE 9 ); vertex reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 )................................................................................. C. (M.) biligiriensis sp. nov.