Microplitis figueresi Walker, 2003

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Whitfield, James B., Smith, M. Alex, Kula, Robert R., Winnie Hallwachs, & Janzen, Daniel H., 2015, Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (2), pp. 137-201 : 144-145

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Microplitis figueresi Walker, 2003 Figures 19-24, 218, 219

Microplitis figueresi Walker, 2003: 51. Original description.

Holotype.

Female (USNM, missing) (not examined). COSTA RICA: Guanacaste province, ACG, Sector Santa Rosa, Cafetal, 280m, 10.85827, -85.61089.

Specimens examined.

107♀, 101♂ (BMNH, CNC, INBio, INHS, USNM). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0005013, DHJPAR0011918, DHJPAR0013826, DHJPAR0013827, DHJPAR0013830, DHJPAR0013834, DHJPAR0013835, DHJPAR0013838, DHJPAR0013840, DHJPAR0013841, DHJPAR0013843, DHJPAR0013844, DHJPAR0013845, DHJPAR0013847, DHJPAR0013848, DHJPAR0013853, DHJPAR0013854, DHJPAR0013856, DHJPAR0013860, DHJPAR0013861, DHJPAR0013862, DHJPAR0013864, DHJPAR0013869, DHJPAR0013872, DHJPAR0013877, DHJPAR0013884, DHJPAR0013887, DHJPAR0013888, DHJPAR0013892, DHJPAR0013894, DHJPAR0013895, DHJPAR0013897, DHJPAR0013898, DHJPAR0039906, DHJPAR0039908, DHJPAR0039909, DHJPAR0039910, DHJPAR0039911, DHJPAR0039912, DHJPAR0039913, DHJPAR0039914, DHJPAR0039915, DHJPAR0039916, DHJPAR0039917, DHJPAR0039918, DHJPAR0039919, DHJPAR0039920, 98-SRNP-1900, 98-SRNP-1901, 98-SRNP-1902, 98-SRNP-1920, 98-SRNP-1931, 98-SRNP-1949, 98-SRNP-8040, 98-SRNP-8112, 98-SRNP-8116, 99-SRNP-8701, 05-SRNP-17809, 05-SRNP-18059, 08-SRNP-13373, 08-SRNP-13374, 08-SRNP-13375, 08-SRNP-13587, 08-SRNP-13590, 08-SRNP-13594, 13-SRNP-15983.

Diagnosis.

The combination of smooth T1, notauli marked by relative fine and shallow impressions, areolet relatively larger (vein 3RSa as long as vein r-m), and host ( Erinnyis spp.) differentiates this species from congeners.

Description

(see Comments below). Female. Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 2.7-3.3 mm (X = 3.1 mm). Fore wing length: 2.6-3.2 mm (X = 3.0 mm). Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: 2.1-2.4 × (0.21 –0.25/0.09– 0.12 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 2.0-2.4 × (0.16-0.19/0.08 mm). Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.3-1.5 x. Metafemur length/width: 2.8-3.4 × (0.73 –0.90/0.21– 0.30 mm). Metatibia length: 0.95-1.19 mm (X = 1.04 mm). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.36-0.46 mm (X = 0.41 mm).

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Hosts.

Sphingidae : Erinnyis crameri , Erinnyis ello . Gregarious parasitoid (Figs 218, 219).

Molecular data.

Six haplotypes, 57 sequences (51 barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Comments.

Janzen et al. (2003) provided an extensive description and several illustrations of the species. Here we only add some measurements taken from specimens included in the list of 'Specimens examined’. The host records are revised due to the fact that two additional species, Microplitis alexanderrojasi and Microplitis jorgehernandezi , are here split from the original Microplitis figueresi described in Janzen et al. (2003).

Walker in Janzen et al. (2003) indicated that the holotype and an unspecified number of paratypes for Microplitis figueresi were deposited in the USNM. One of us (RRK) could not locate these specimens in the USNM as described above for Microplitis espinachi . Similarly, the location of the holotype for Microplitis figueresi is critical for discerning its status relative to Microplitis alexanderrojasi and Microplitis jorgehernandezi .