Alysia macularis, 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 : 7-10

Alysia macularis sp. n.

Figs 3–4

Type material. Holotype, ♀ ( ZJUH), “ [NE. China:] Hebei, Mt. Xiaowutai, Mt. Dongling, 21.?.2005, Zhang Hongying , 2100m, No. 200608024.” Paratypes: 1♀ ( ZJUH), Hebei , Mt. Xiaowutai , Shanxunkou, 22.?.2005, Shi Min, 1200m, No. 200608127 ; 1♀, id., but No. 200608219; 2♂, id., but Zhang Hongying, No. 200608628; Shi Min , 200608354 .

Diagnosis. Body dark reddish brown ( Fig. 3); eye in dorsal view 0.8 × as long as temple ( Fig. 4I ); eye in lateral view 1.3 × higher than wide; frons smooth; vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 4I ); face 2.2 × wider than high, rather convex and with a longitudinal ridge medially ( Fig. 4J ); clypeus small, subtriangular and densely and finely reticulate-punctate; precoxal sulcus narrowly crenulated, not reaching middle coxa or anterior edge of epicnemial area; notauli incomplete, not impressed on mesoscutal disc ( Figs 4C, D ); medio-posterior depression deep and droplet-shaped, almost extending to middle of mesoscutum and mesoscutum mainly anteriorly distinctly setose ( Fig. 4D ); metapleuron reticulate-rugose ventrally, remainder smooth; surface of propodeum reticulate-rugose posteriorly, with a medio-longitudinal carina anteriorly, areola narrowly present posteriorly ( Fig. 4E ); pterostigma wide, 3.8 × longer than its maximum width ( Fig. 4A ); hind coxa smooth ( Fig. 4N ); length of first tergite 1.4 × its apical width, its surface longitudinally striate, its dorsal carinae remaining widely separated ( Fig. 4E ); setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.3 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.3 times), and almost equal hind tibia ( Fig. 4H ); mesoscutum with light reddish brown patch; propodeum and first tergite of metasoma black ( Fig. 3).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 2.8 mm, of fore wing 3.3 mm.

Head. Transverse, width of head 1.5 × its lateral length, and 1.4 × wider than mesoscutum ( Fig. 4I ); antenna with 29 antennomere, third antennomere (including annellus) 1.3 × longer than fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate antennomere 2.6, 2.0 and 2.0 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 4G ); length of maxillary palp almost equal to height of head ( Fig. 3); eye in dorsal view 0.8 × as long as temple; eye in lateral view 1.3 × higher than wide ( Fig. 4E ); frons, vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 4E ); OOL:diameter of ocellus:POL= 11:3:4; face 2.2 × wider than high, rather convex medially, with a longitudinal ridge medially ( Fig. 4J ); clypeus small, subtriangular and densely and finely reticulate-punctate ( Fig. 4J ); mandible widened apically, dorsal tooth enlarged, lobe-shaped ( Fig. 4L ), ventral tooth medium-sized and lobe-shaped ( Fig. 4M ), middle tooth curved and acute, with no incision between first and second tooth, medial length of mandible 1.2 × its maximum width.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.5 × its height ( Fig. 4C ); pronope absent ( Fig. 4I ); medio-anteriorly pronotum crenulate, remainder of pronotum smooth; epicnemial area crenulate; precoxal sulcus narrowly crenulate, not reaching middle coxa or anterior edge of epicnemial area ( Fig. 4C ); pleural sulcus narrowly crenulated ventrally; episternal scrobe linear and deep ( Fig. 4C ); metapleuron reticulate-rugose ventrally, remainder smooth ( Fig. 4C ); mesonotum with sparse setae present along notauli and anterior part of middle lobe of mesoscutum ( Fig. 4D ); notauli incomplete, not impressed on disc; medio-posterior depression deep and dropletshaped, almost extending to middle of mesoscutum; scutellar sulcus deep, with one longitudinal carina and two small carinae, sulcus 3.7 × wider than its maximum length ( Fig. 4D ); scutellum smooth; surface of propodeum reticulate-rugose posteriorly, with medio-longitudinal carina anteriorly, areola narrowly present posteriorly ( Fig. 4E ).

Wings ( Figs 4A–B ). Pterostigma wide, 3.8 × longer than its maximum width; r:3-SR:SR1 = 5:12:50; 1-SR+M nearly straight; SR1 straight; r 0.5 × as long as width of pterostigma; cu-a interstitial; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 1: 20; 3-CU1 as long as CU1b; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 20:15:12; m-cu interstitial, converging to 1-M posteriorly; first subdiscal cell 3.6times as long as wide; M+CU1 largely unsclerotized. Hind wing: M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m = 25:17:15; m-cu weakly postfurcal.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, without ventro-basal tubercle; tarsal claws slender, longer than arolium ( Fig. 4N ); length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.3, 7.5 and 5.0 × their width, respectively; apical appendages of hind tarsal segments absent, segments ventrally with dense bristles ( Fig. 4N ).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.4 × its apical width, its surface with longitudinally striate, its dorsal carinae widely separate ( Fig. 4E ); dorsope distinct; convexity of upper valve of ovipositor steep basally; setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.3 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.3 times), and almost equal hind tibia ( Fig. 4H ).

Colour. Dark reddish brown ( Fig. 3); two basal segments of antenna and mandible brownish yellow; mesonotum with light reddish-brown patch posteriorly; propodeum and first tergite of metasoma black; legs yellowish brown, but anterior part of hind coxa, apical part of hind tibia and hind tarsus reddish brown; pterostigma and veins brown; wing membrane hyaline.

Variation. Male similar to female, body length of ♂ 3.3–3.5 mm; of fore wing 3.0– 3.3 mm; antennal segments of ♂ 36 (1). Females have body length 2.8–3.3 mm, and length of fore wing 3.4–3.7 mm, antennal segments of ♀ 29 (2) or 30(1).

Comparative diagnosis. This species is similar to A. longifrons Belokobylskij but differs by having a comparatively square head (width of head 1.5 × its lateral length versus 1.8–2.0 in A. longifrons ); surface of propodeum reticulate-rugose posteriorly, with medio-longitudinal carina anteriorly, areola narrowly present posteriorly (versus entirely densely reticulate-rugose); body dark reddish brown, mesonotum with light reddishbrown patch (versus black).

Etymology. Named “ macularis ” because the mesonotum has a light reddish-brown patch: “ macula ” is Latin for “patch”.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Alysia macularis sp. n., ♀, holotype. A, fore wing; B, hind wing; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, mesosoma, lateral 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.