Mesocentrus crassipes Szépligeti, 1900

Braet, Yves, 2016, New species and new records of Betylobraconinae, Braconinae, Cheloninae, Helconinae and Rogadinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Papua New Guinea, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 209, pp. 407-450 : 427

Mesocentrus crassipes Szépligeti, 1900

Mesocentrus crassipes Szépligeti, 1900: 56 – Shenefelt 1969: 443, 1978:1871; van Achterberg 1995a: 32.

MATERIAL EXAMINED — Female ( IRSNB), Papua New Guinea. Province Madang,Mount Wilhelm (-5.741031,145.3294) 200 m, 30-31/10/2012,

leg Dilu, Ray, Novotny, Leponce, Plot 2, understorey, Malaise, MAL-MW0200B-06/16-d06. Female ( MNHN), Province Madang, Mount Wilhelm (-5.720874,145.2695) 1200 m, 30-31/10/2012, leg Philip, Alois, Novotny, Leponce,Plot 1, understorey, Malaise, MAL-MW1200A-06/16-d06.

KEY TO SPECIES OF THE GENUS MESOCENTRUS SZÉPLIGETI, 1900 IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA (MODIFIED AFTER VAN ACHTERBERG 1995B; PAPP 2005)

1. Body “bicolor” with mesoscutum (rather rufous-red) contrasting with the propodeum and the metasoma (rather drak brownish); scutellar sulcus at least with several obvious longitudinal carinae ................................ 2 – Body “unicolor” rather yellow-brown; scutellar sulcus variable .............................................................................. 6

2. First tergite strongly broadening posteriorly, as long as apically wide; second tergite antero-medially finely striate; third and following tergites smooth; second submarginal cell wide; first discal cell less elongate; antenna with 21 segments; fore leg brownish yellow ....................................................................... M. rutilus Papp, 2005 – First tergite moderately broadening posteriorly, at least 1.2x its apical width; second tergite coarsely striate; third and following tergites variable; second submarginal cell variable; first discal cell variable; number of antennal segments variable; color of fore leg variable ................................................................................................... 3

3. Vein 2-SR of fore wing largely sclerotized; temples entirely and irregularly rugose; third and fourth tergites with coarse rugae; color of fore femur largely brownish ......................................................... M. villemantae n. sp. – At least apical half of vein 2-SR of fore wing unsclerotized; surface of temples smooth; third tergite with rugae; fourth tergite smooth; color of fore femur largely pale yellowish to whitish ............................................... 4

4. Antenna with median to apical segments wider than basal segments; T3 with outwardly fine semicircular striae; vein 2-SR of fore wing fully unsclerotized ................................................................................. M. pappi n. sp. – Antenna with segments evenly narrowing toward apex; sculptures on T3 variable; vein 2-SR of fore wing variable ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

5. Precoxal sulcus broad anteriorly, thin to absent posteriorly; longitudinal rugae on T1 mid-apically converging; apical half of vein 2-SR of fore wing unsclerotized; T3 with fine and rather longitudinal striae anteriorly .............................................................................................................................................................. M. sergeyi n. sp. – Precoxal sulcus evenly wide all along; longitudinal rugae on T1 not converging apically; vein 2-SR of fore wing unsclerotized; T3 finely, weakly and transversely striate ................................. M. crassipes Szépligeti, 1900

6. see Papp (2005) at couplet 6(3) to continue the identification key.