Ficobracon rhiknosus Huang

Wei, Pan, Li, Zi, Achterberg, Cees Van, Feng, Gui, Xiao, Hui & Huang, Da-Wei, 2013, Two new species of the genus Ficobracon van Achterberg and Weiblen (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from China, expanding its host range, Zootaxa 3640 (3), pp. 465-472 : 469-472

Ficobracon rhiknosus Huang and van Achterberg, sp. nov.

( Figures 19 –31)

Material examined: Holotype Ƥ: CHINA, Yunnan, Mang, Exotic Botanical Gardens, 15.XI.2011, ex Ficus benjamina L., Da-wei Huang, Paratypes: 2 Ƥ, 1 3, topotypic and same data. 1 Ƥ, 1 3. CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, 22.III.2003, ex Ficus microcarpa L.Wen-quan Zhen. All type specimens are deposited in Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Description. Females (holotype): Body length 2.3 mm, fore wing length 2.8 mm.

Head: Antenna with 22 segments (Fig. 21); first flagellar segment slightly longer than the second flagellar segment (25:22); length of first, second and penultimate flagellar segments, respectively, 3.3, 2.7 and 2.0 times their width. Height of head less than width across compound eyes (9:11) (Fig. 20); malar space approximately one third of the length of eyes. anterior tentorial pits normal; ventral clypeal margin thin and slightly upcurved, width 0.5 times width of face; maxillary palp 4-segmented; fourth segment the longest, 1.5 times as long as third segment; labial palp 3-segmented; POL:OD:OOL = 5:4:13.

Mesosoma slightly longer than high (35:37); mesopleuron large and smooth, with some setae; metapleuron covered by long setae, with a black and rugose posterior margin; notauli shallow and almost obsolescent; mesoscutum largely glabrous and smooth but with many long setae along notauli; scutellar sulcus distinctly crenulate, deep, wide and straight (Fig. 23); scutellum smooth; metanotum very short; propodeum smooth, slightly shorter than scutellum.

Wings (Fig. 22): Fore wing: r:3-SR:SR1 = 9:15:42; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 2:3:1.3; angle between veins 2-SR and 2- M about 31; CU1a straight and long,. Hind wing: M+CU:1-M = 1:4; 2-M as long as 1-M.

Legs: Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.5, 5.3 and 4.0 times their width, respectively; length of coxa, trochanter, femur and tibia in ratio of 2.2:2.0:4.0:4.5; 5 tarsi in ratio of 9.0:4.5:3.0:2.4:5.4.

Metasoma: First tergite largely surface densely coarsely rugose (including medial area), without medial groove, sublateral grooves converging in anterior margin (Fig. 25); medially second tergite approximately 1.5 times as long as third tergite, second tergite largely smooth, submedial grooves finely rugose, sublateral grooves absent; third tergite largely smooth; second and third tergite with transverse and sublateral grooves (Fig. 25), following tergites smooth and transverse. Ovipositor sheath 2.4 times as long as metasoma, 0.95 times fore wing and approximately 3.6 times hind tibia, long setose. Hypopygium long and narrow, apically acute.

Male. ( Figures 26 –31) body length 2.0 mm. Antenna with 22 segments. Hind wing: M+CU:1-M = 1:3. First tergite apically narrowly coarsely rugose, without groove (Fig. 30). Third, fourth and fifth tergite largely smooth, with fine punctures and rugose margin dorsally (Fig. 31).

Colour ( Fig. 19 , 26 ). Body yellow, antennal flagellum of female, apical part of antenna of male, hind tibia, tarsal claws, ovipositor sheath, pterostigma, ventrally mesopleuron and female third and fourth tergites largely brown; scutellar sulcus, side of scutellum, largely propodeum and first tergite of female and grooves of tergites dark brown or black; wings subhyaline.

Variation. Body length 1.9–2.9 mm. Antenna with 21–22 segments. Propodeum largely and first tergite sometimes brown; ventrally mesopleuron sometimes yellow.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Biology. This species is associated with Ficus benjamina and F. microcarpa , which belong to the subgenus Urostigma ..

Etymology. Name derived from “rhiknos” (Greek for “wrinkled”), because of the largely rugose first tergite.

Figures

FIGURES 19 25. F. rh i k n o s u s sp. n. Female. holotype. 19. habitus, lateral view; 20. head, frontal view; 21. antenna with 22 segments; 22. fore wing and hind wing; 23. mesosoma, dorsal view; 24. mesosoma, lateral view; 25. metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 26 31. F. rh i k n o s u s sp. n. Male, paratype. 26. habitus, lateral view; 27. head, frontal view; 28. antenna with 22 segments; 29. mesosoma, lateral view; 30. first and second tergites, dorsal view; 31. metasoma, dorsal view.