Microplitis prodeniae Rao & Kurian 1950

Gupta, Ankita, 2013, Revision of the Indian Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), with description of one new species, Zootaxa 3620 (3), pp. 429-452 : 444-446

VII. Microplitis prodeniae Rao & Kurian 1950

Plate VIII—Figs. 23, 24 & 25.

Plate XII (Host- Spodoptera litura (Fab.)) —Figs. 36, 37 & 38.

Brief diagnosis. Hind femur reddish brown (darker dorsally and apically); tibia medially pale testaceous to white, apical 1/3rd dark brown; 1/4th extreme base with black infuscation. Notauli complete; scutellar sulcus with seven distinct costulae; scutellum dull and rugose; propodeum with median longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity; transverse carinae present; T1 of metasoma black (except brown apex); anterior laterotergites light brown, first tergite with the sides parallel (narrow at apex), twice as long as broad, broadly excavate up to the basal two-third in the middle, rugose except for shining apex; second and third tergite reddish brown; smooth and shiny; T2 dark brown at median field, median fields without slanting margins; T3 with a mix of red, brown and black colour, black at lateral sides; rest of the metasoma smooth, shiny and black.

Diagnosis. Head, antennae, mesosoma and coxae black; fore and mid legs mostly yellow brown (except dark coxae and tarsi); hind femur reddish brown (darker dorsally and apically); tibia medially pale testaceous, apical 1/3rd dark brown; 1/4th extreme base with black infuscation; wings infuscate, venation brown, stigma and veins dark brown.

Head densely pilose; mesoscutum pilose and rugose punctuate; notauli visible; scutellar sulcus with seven distinct costulae; scutellum dull and rugose; propodeum with median longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity; transverse carinae present; mesopleuron medially smooth, shining, without pilosity; anterior, posterolateral sides finely punctate with dense pilosity.

PLATE VIII. Microplitis prodeniae Rao & Kurian (Figs. 23–25). 23. Female, dorsal view 24. Mesosoma 25. Metasoma.

T1 of metasoma black (except brown apex); anterior laterotergites light brown, first tergite with the sides parallel (narrow at apex), 2x as long as wide, broadly excavate up to the basal two-third in the middle, rugose except for shining apex; second and third tergite reddish brown; smooth and shiny; T2 dark brown at median field; T3 with a mix of red, brown and black colour; black at lateral sides; rest of the metasoma smooth, shiny and black. Ovipositor slightly exserted, visible in dorsal view. T2 and T3 with single row of setae in the middle, denser and much scattered on sides. T4 onwards setae scattered all over the surface of tergites.

Material examined. Two females, Chikballapur, Karnataka, 25.xii.2011, ex. solitary cocoon on Amaranthus infested with Spodoptera sp., coll. Rajeshwari. Code. NBAII/Bra/Mic/ Microplitis /prod/25121. Specimens deposited in NBAII, Bangalore, India.

Distribution. India, China and Vietnam.

Host. Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ) (Fig. 36, 37 & 38).