Baeus murphyi, Stevens, 2007

Stevens, N. B. & Austin, A. D., 2007, Systematics, distribution and biology of the Australian ' micro-flea' wasps, Baeus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): parasitoids of spider eggs., Zootaxa 1499, pp. 1-45 : 30-32

11. Baeus murphyi, Stevens , sp. nov.

(Figs 4B, 12A, 16B)

Holotype, ♀, Queensland, ' 17.28S 145.29E, QLD, BS 1 Longlands Gap , 4 Apr-2 May 1995, P. Zborowski. 1150 m F.I. trap JCU (East)' ( ANIC).

Paratypes: Queensland: 1 ♀, Cold Creek , G.B. & S.R. Monteith ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Kuranda, Black Mountain Rd, 16.45S 145.35E, 27.vi.1971, Taylor & Feehan ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Tenison Woods , 13.iii.1977, A. Slater ( WINC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Webb N.P. , 15.04S 145.07E, 27-30.iv.1981, A. Calder & J. Feehan ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Glorious , ii.1982, Hiller ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Tamborine , 21.ii.-29.iii.1984 ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀, Tinaroo Creek Rd, 26 km via Mareeba , 29.ix -11.xi.1983, Storey & Brown ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Haig , 17.06S 145.36E, 3.I -4.ii.1995, P. Zborowski ( ANIC) ; New South Wales: 1 ♀, Lismore , G.B. & S.R. Monteith ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Bells Creek , 9.iv.1967, Z. Liepa ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Cabbage Tree Creek, 11 km NW of Nelligen , 21.ii.1969, S. Miske ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Cambewarra Mountain, 10 km N by W of Nowra , 5.v.1969, Britton & Upton ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀, Tooloom Plateau , 15.vii-5.viii.1973, 14.ii.1984, I.D. Naumann ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Toonumbar S.F. , 26.xii.1974 - 31.iii.1975, G.B. & S.R. Monteith ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Jerrabornberra Hill , 35.23S 149.13E, 30.ix.1976, R.W. Taylor & T.A. Weir ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Clyde Mountain , 27.ix.1979, I.D. Naumann & J.C. Cardale ( ANIC) ; 7 ♀♀, Bundanoon , 2 km SSE, 3.iv.1982, L. Hill ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Barwick Creek Bog , 30.29S 152.19E, 27.vi.1982, L. Hill ( ANIC) ; 11 ♀♀, Macquarie Pass , 34.34S 150.40E, 8.ii.1984, I.D. Naumann (9 ANIC; 2 WINC) ; 3 ♀♀, Dorrigo N.P. , 30.22S 152.45E, 13.ii.1984, I.D. Naumann, 2 ♀♀, L. Masner, 1 ♀, 2-15.x.1984, I.D. Naumann & J.C. Cardale ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Mt Wog Wog , 37.05S 149.28E , vi.1989, C.R. Margules ( ANIC) ; Australian Capital Territory: 1 ♀, Blundells Creek, 3 km E of Piccadilly Circus , 35.22S 148.50E, ii.1984, Weir, Lawrence & Johnson ( ANIC) ; 19 ♀♀, Wombat Creek, 6 km NE of Piccadilly Circus , 35.19S 148.51E, ii-v.1984, ix.1984, i.1985, Lawrence, Weir & Johnson ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Piccadilly Circus , 35.22S 148.48E, 1.x-15.xi.1984, Lawrence, Weir & Johnson ( ANIC) ; Tasmania: 1 ♀, Mt Barrow Rd , 15-17.ii.1980, A. Newton & M. Thayor ( ANIC) ; Western Australia: 2 ♀♀, Mitchell Plateau , 14.49S 125.50E, 9-19.v.1983, I.D. Naumann & J.C. Cardale ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀, Warren N.P. , 25.x.1984, J. & N. Lawrence ( WINC) ; 2 ♀♀, Perth Airport , 31.59S 115.58E, 10.v-24.vi.1993, 6.i- 18.iii.1994, M.S. Harvey & J.M. Waldock ( WAMP) ; 2 ♀♀, Tuart Hill , 31.53S 115.52E, 10.v-23.ix.1993, J.M. Waldcock, K. Goodsell, & J. Webb ( WAMP) ; 1 ♀, Wexcombe, western side of Talbot Rd Reserve , 10.v-24.vi.1993, M.S. Harvey & J.M. Waldock ( WINC) ; 4 ♀♀, Bold Park , 31.57S 115.46E, 20.v-20.vii.1993, 24.ix-19.xi.1993, J.M. Waldcock, K. Goodsell & J. Webb ( WAMP) ; 6 ♀♀, Talbot Rd Reserve , 31.52S 116.03E, 24.vi-18.xi.1993, J.M. Waldcock, K. Goodsell, & J. Webb ( WAMP) ; Lord Howe Island : 1 ♀ Malabar Hill , 25.xi.1979, G.B. Monteith, Rainforest, pyrethrum knockdown. ( QDPI) ; Norfolk Island: 7 ♀♀ 29.01 S 167.57 E, Red Rd, Tr. NINP , 14.xi-2.xii.1984, T.A. Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap. ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ 29.01 S 167.57 E, Red Rd, Tr. NINP , 14.xi-2.xii.1984, I.D. Naumann. ex pantraps. ( ANIC) ; 5 ♀♀ 29.01 S 167.57 E, Filmy Fern Walk, NINP , 14.xi-2.xii.1984, T.A. Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap. ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀ Palm Glen 1.xii.1979, G.B. Monteith, pyrethum knockdown ( QDPI) ; 3 ♀♀, 29.03 S 167.55 E, Rocky Point Reserve , 14.xi.-2.xii.1984, T.A.Weir. 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ 29.01 S 167.56 E NP nr Mt Pitt 8.iv.1984, St. 4, J.E. Feehan 2nd Flight intercept window/trough trap ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ as above but 240m, 20-26.iii.1984 ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ Anson Bay Reserve , 9.iv.1984, St. 6, J.E. Feehan. 2nd Flight intercept window /trough trap ( ANIC) ; 1 ♀ 29.02 S 167.57 E nr Highlands Guesthouse , 9.iv.1984, St. 1, J.E. Feehan 2nd Flight intercept trap with trough. ( ANIC) ; 2 ♀♀ 29.07 S 167.57 E Philip Island, Lower Long Valley , 20-24.xi.1984, T.A. Weir, pitfall trap ( WINC) .

Description. Female. Mean length 0.69 mm (0.61-0.72; n= 10); body and head dark brown, legs and antennae lighter with darker markings on dorsal surfaces.

Head. 1.88 (1.80-2.00) x as wide as inter-ocular distance and 1.36 (1.29-1.43) x as wide as long; medial ocellus 10 µm in diameter, 62 (60-70) µm from posterior head margin; lateral ocelli contacting eye margin, 12 (10-15) µm from posterior head margin; posterior ocellar line 1.16 (1.13-1.21) x inter-ocular distance; vertex coriarious, pilosity dense and of medium length; eyes circular, eye height 0.51 (0.48-0.59) x head height, eye width 0.49 (0.43-0.54) x length, pilosity of medium length; frontal carina prominent, reaching 0.54 (0.53- 0.56) distance to medial ocellus; lateral cristulations of malar region faint, reaching to within 10 µm of eye margin; in postero-lateral view, anterior and posterior genal margins generally marginally divergent medially, but may be parallel; anterior genal margin in contact with 0.59 (0.57-0.62) of ventral eye margin length; posterior eye margin touching hyperoccipital carina.

Mesosoma. Length 0.64 (0.50-0.70) x width; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum imbricate, pilosity varies from dense to moderately dense, of medium length overall; sculpturing of propodeum ranges from glabrous to plicate medio-dorsally; mesoscutum length 0.51 (0.42-0.56) x width, 0.67 (0.63-0.73) x mesosoma length and 3.37 (2.50-4.00) x mesoscutellum length; mesoscutellum length 1.7 (1.5-2.0) x propodeum length; sculpturing of dorsal mesopleuron scrobiculate, extending ventrally of level of dorsal margin of metapleuron; sculpturing of propodeum anterior to spiracle confused, region posterior to spiracle carinulate, often with one, more distinct carina running posteriorly from medial or ventral margin of propodeal spiracle, or with two, more distinct carinae beginning from dorsal and ventral margins of spiracle; propodeal spiracle opening teardrop shaped; dorsal propodeum not delineated from lateral propodeum by distinct, laterally projecting carina, instead dorso-lateral propodeum rounded; metapleuron thin and tapered, posterior margin curving slightly medially, ending adjacent to level of antero-lateral margin of T2, medio-posterior margin elevated from anterior margin of lateral propodeum; hind femoral spine reduced.

Metasoma. T2 length 0.85 (0.74-0.92) x width, sculpturing gradating from coriarious anteriorly to smooth posteriorly; pilosity gradating, anterior to posterior, from dense to moderately dense, of medium length overall; T3 and T4 glabrous except for two bristles on lateral regions of each.

Comments. Baeus murphyi is a slender species and is similar to B. hallarakeri , B. glenysae and B. mymyae (see Comments under B. hallarakeri and B. glenysae ). Baeus mymyae is distinguishable from B. murphyi by having a longer frontal carina, shorter metapleuron, and hind femoral spines absent.

Baeus murphyi occurs in a wide range of habitats from northern Queensland, down the eastern seaboard to Tasmania and extends into South Australia and the southwestern part of the continent (Fig. 16B). Specimens have also been collected from Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.

This species is named after Mr Kevin Murphy.