Heterospilus nigrescens Ashmead

Marsh, Paul M., Wild, Alexander L. & Whitfield, James B., 2013, The Doryctinae (Braconidae) of Costa Rica: genera and species of the tribe Heterospilini, ZooKeys 347, pp. 1-474 : 131-132

Heterospilus nigrescens Ashmead Figure 87

Heterospilus nigrescens Ashmead, 1894: 120.

Female.

Body size: 3.0-3.5 mm. Color: entire body dark brown; scape yellow without lateral brown stripe, flagellum brown; wing veins including stigma brown; legs yellow. Head: vertex weakly striate behind ocelli, smooth near eyes; frons usually striate, sometimes weakly so and nearly smooth; face smooth, often weakly striate below antennae; temple in dorsal view broad, width slightly less than 1/2 eye width; malar space about equal to 1/4 eye height; ocell-ocular distance 2.5 or more times diameter of lateral ocellus; 21-25 flagellomeres. Mesosoma: mesoscutal lobes granulate; notauli scrobiculate, meeting at scutellum in triangular rugose area; scutellum weakly granulate to nearly smooth; prescutellar furrow with 3 cross carinae; mesopleuron granulate; precoxal sulcus weakly scrobiculate to nearly smooth, shorter than mesopleuron; venter granulate; propodeum with basal median areas margined, granulate, basal median carina present, areola not distinctly margined, areolar area rugose, lateral areas entirely rugose. Wings: fore wing vein r shorter than vein 3RSa, vein 1cu-a beyond vein 1M; hind wing vein SC+R present, vein M+CU shorter than vein 1M. Metasoma: first tergum longitudinally costate, apical width equal to or slightly shorter than length; second tergum longitudinally costate; anterior transverse groove present, straight; posterior transverse groove present; third tergum mostly longitudinally costate, smooth at extreme apex; terga 4-5 longitudinally costate on basal 1/2 to 3/4, terga 6-7 smooth; ovipositor as long as metasoma.

Distribution.

St. Vincent, West Indies and Costa Rica.

Specimens examined

. Holotype female: St. Vincent, W. I., H. H. Smith (NMNH). 1 ♀, Costa Rica: Guanacaste, ACT [;] Bagaces, P.N. Palo Verde [;] Sect. Catalina, 0-50m, do Luz [;] 8-12.xi.1999, I. Jimenez [;] L.N. 260952-85020 #53252 (ESUW). 1 ♀, Costa Rica: Puntarenas, ACT [;] Golfito, R.F. Golfo Dulce [;] Est. Agujas, 250-350m [;] 3-24.vii.1999, J. Azofeifa [;] L.S.276750-526550 #52840 [;] Red de Golpe (ESUW).

Comments.

The costate base of metasomal terga 4-5 is distinctive for this species.