Alysia sparsa, Zhu & Achterberg & Chen, 2018

Zhu, Jia-Chen, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2018, Review of the genus Alysia Latreille (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), with description of six new species from China, Zootaxa 4500 (1), pp. 1-42 : 15-17

Alysia sparsa sp. n.

Figs 9–10

Type material. Holotype, ♀ ( ZJUH), “ [NE. China:] Hubei, Mt. Xiaowutai, Jinhekou 23.?.2005, Zhang Hongying, No. 200608958”.

Diagnosis. Body black ( Fig. 9); two basal antennomere of antenna brownish yellow; mandible and palpi yellow; third antennomere (including annellus) 1.3 × longer than fourth antennomere ( Fig. 10G ); eye in dorsal view 1.6 × as long as temple ( Fig. 10I ); eye in lateral view 1.1 × higher than wide ( Fig. 10K ); frons smooth posteriorly, but rugose between antennal sockets; vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 10I ); face weakly rugose medially, twice wider than high, rather convex medially, with a medio-longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 10J ); clypeus small, semi-elliptical and with some punctures ( Fig. 10J ); precoxal sulcus narrowly crenulated and small, not reaching middle coxa and anterior edge of epicnemial area ( Fig. 10C ); notauli incomplete, only present anteriorly; medioposterior depression deep and droplet-shaped, remaining far from middle of mesoscutum ( Fig. 10D ); surface of propodeum densely reticulate-rugose, areola absent posteriorly ( Fig. 10E ); pterostigma 5.0 × longer than its maximum width ( Fig. 10A ); hind coxa smooth ( Fig. 10N ); length of first tergite 1.3 × its apical width, its surface longitudinally striate and some rugae between striae, its dorsal carinae connected subposteriorly ( Fig. 10E ); ovipositor sheath with very few setae and only apically present; convexity of upper valve of ovipositor steep basally; total visible sheath 0.3 × as long as fore wing, and nearly as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 10H ); metasoma except first tergite dark reddish brown; legs yellowish brown, but apical part of hind tibia brown ( Fig. 9).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.5 mm, of fore wing 4.3 mm.

Head. Transverse, width of head 2.0 × its lateral length, and 1.5 × wider than mesoscutum ( Fig. 10I ); antenna with 34 antennomere, third antennomere (including annellus) 1.3 × longer than fourth antennomere, length of third, fourth and penultimate antennomere 4.0, 4.0 and 2.2 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 10G ); maxillary palp incomplete ( Fig. 10K ); eye in dorsal view 1.6 × as long as temple ( Fig. 10I ); eye in lateral view 1.1 × higher than wide ( Fig. 10K ); frons smooth posteriorly, but rugose between antennal sockets ( Fig. 10I ); vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 10I ); OOL:diameter of ocellus:POL= 13:5:6; face weakly rugose in middle, twice wider than high and with a medio-longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 10J ); clypeus small, semi-elliptical and with some punctures; mandible enlarged apically, dorsal tooth enlarged, lobe-shaped ( Fig. 10L ), ventral tooth medium-sized and lobe-shaped ( Fig. 10M ), middle tooth curved and acute, with no incision between first and second tooth ( Fig. 10L ), medial length of mandible 1.4 × its maximum width.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height ( Fig. 10C ); pronope absent; medio-anteriorly pronotum crenulate, remainder of pronotum smooth; epicnemial area weakly rugose; precoxal sulcus narrowly crenulated and small, not reaching middle coxa and anterior edge of epicnemial area ( Fig. 10C ); pleural sulcus narrowly crenulated; episternal scrobe linear and deep ( Fig. 10C ); metapleuron reticulate-rugose ventrally, remainder smooth; notauli incomplete, only present anteriorly ( Fig. 10D ); medio-posterior depression deep and dropletshaped, remaining far from middle of mesoscutum, scutellar sulcus deep, with four small carinae, sulcus 3.8 × wider than its maximum length ( Fig. 10D ); scutellum smooth; surface of propodeum densely reticulate-rugose, areola absent posteriorly ( Fig. 10E ).

Wings ( Figs 10A–B ). Pterostigma wide, 5.0 × longer than its maximum width. r:3-SR:SR1 = 1:3:13; 1-SR+M nearly straight; SR1 straight; r 0.4 × as long as width of pterostigma; cu-a postfurcal; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 3: 20; 3-CU1 as long as CU1b; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 25:16:12; m-cu interstitial, converging to 1-M posteriorly; first subdiscal cell 4.0 × as long as wide; M+CU1 largely unsclerotized. Hind wing: M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m = 20:12:12; m-cu interstitial.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, without ventro-basal tubercle ( Fig. 10N ); length of femur and tibia of hind leg 4.3 and 10.0 × their width, respectively; hind tarsal segments missing.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.3 × its apical width, its surface longitudinally striate and some rugae between striae, its dorsal carinae connected subposteriorly; dorsope distinct; ovipositor sheath with very few setae and only apically; convexity of upper valve of ovipositor steep basally; total visible sheath 0.3 × as long as fore wing, and nearly as long as hind tibia.

Colour. Blackish brown ( Fig. 9); two basal segments of antenna brownish yellow; mandible, palpi yellow; metasoma except first tergite dark reddish brown; legs (except apical part of hind tibia brown) yellowish brown; pterostigma and veins brown; wing membrane hyaline.

Comparative diagnosis. This species is similar to A. nudinotum Wharton but differs by having the ovipositor sheath with very few setae (versus densely setose in A. nudinotum ); width of head twice its lateral length (versus 1.6 times); length of first tergite approx. 1.3 × its apical width (versus 1.6 times); mandible with no incision between first and second tooth (versus with small incision).

Etymology. Named “ sparsa ” because the ovipositor sheath has only a few setae: “ sparsus ” is Latin for “few, rare”.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Alysia sparsa sp. n., ♀, holotype. A, fore wing; B, hind wing; C, mesosoma, lateral aspect; D, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; E, propodeum, first and second metasomal tergites, dorsal aspect; F, propodeum and metasoma, dorsal aspect; G, basal segments of antenna, lateral aspect; H, ovipositor and ovipositor sheath, lateral aspect; I, head, dorsal aspect; J, head, anterior aspect; K, head, lateral aspect; L, mandible, full view on first and second teeth; M, mandible, full view on third tooth; N, hind leg, lateral aspect.