Microplitis marshallii Kokujev

Ranjith, A. P., Rajesh, K. M. & Nasser, M., 2015, Taxonomic studies on Oriental Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with description of two new species from South India, Zootaxa 3963 (3), pp. 369-415 : 401-402

Microplitis marshallii Kokujev

Microplitis marshallii Kokujev 1900 (in Marshall 1900): 183; Szépligeti 1903: 114; Fahringer 1937: 282; Telenga 1955: 172; Filipescu 1962: 90; Chen & Song 2004:227. Holotype ZISP.

Female. Body length 2.8–3.1 mm.

Head: Head 1.8–2.1× as wide as long in dorsal view; face 1.2× as wide as high, rugose setose ( Fig. 15 -B); ocelli forming a high triangle; upper temple with fine punctation; antennae longer than body ( Fig. 15 -A).

Mesosoma: Mesosoma 1.7× as long as high; notauli well developed, represented by coarsely crenulate furrows meeting posteriorly to form a sunken rugose-reticulation area, and divided by a short medio-longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 15 -C); scutellar lunules wide, divided by five carinae ( Fig. 15 -C); propodeum with medial longitudinal carina, coarsely rugose ( Fig. 15 -D); scutellum small, densely rugose ( Fig. 15 -D); pronotum densely rugose; hind coxa small, reaching anterior edge of T1; hind tibial spurs 0.3–0.4× as long as basitarsus.

Wings: 1-R1 1.2–1.5× as long as its distance from apex of radial cell, and 0.9–1× as long as pterostigma respectively ( Fig. 15 -F); r as long as 2-SR; areolet rectangular ( Fig. 15 -F); first discal cell 1.1× as long as high; 1- CU1 0.5–0.6× as long as 2-CU1.

Metasoma: T1 2–2.2× as long as wide, parallel sided, smooth anteriorly, rest rugose-reticulate ( Fig. 15 -D); T2 and T3 smooth without median field, and other tergites smooth, with short setae ( Fig. 15 -D); hypopygium small; ovipositor as long as second hind tarsus.

Colour: Body black, antennae blackish brown, palpi yellowish white, fore and hind wings hyaline, all coxae reddish black brown, fore and mid yellowish brown, and hind legs reddish brown to black brown, but in basal 2/3 of hind tibia yellow, the rest and tarsi blackish brown, sternites 1–3 yellowish brown, the rest reddish brown to dark reddish brown.

Male: Body length 3.3–3.5 mm long, leg yellow to yellowish brown, but most part of hind coxae blackish brown, most part of hind tibia yellowish, apex and hind tibia and all tarsi brown.

Distribution. China (Fujian and Yunnan).

Host. Unknown.

Discussion. This species is close to M. zhaoi in having the face 1.2× as wide as long, scutellar lunules divided by five carinae and presence of medial longitudinal carina between antennal sockets. It differs from M. zhaoi in the following characters: head 2.1× as wide as long (in M. zhaoi head 1.8× as wide as long), hind coxa reddish black (in M. zhaoi hind coxa black), propodeum coarsely rugose (in M. zhaoi propodeum reticulo-rugose).

Comments. Type material could not be directly examined, but images of the holotype taken by Dr. Tang Pu (ZUH) were used to compare with the new species described in this paper.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Microplitis marshallii Kokujev, female A) Habitus, lateral view; B) Head, anterior view; C) Mesosoma, dorsal view; D) Propodeum & tergite 1 & 2, dorsal view; E) Metasoma, dorsal view; F) Fore wing.