Leptotrema wilhelmense Braet

Braet, Yves & Achterberg, Cees Van, 2014, A new genus and two new species of Alysiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Papua New Guinea, Zootaxa 3869 (2), pp. 189-197 : 194-195

Leptotrema wilhelmense Braet & van Achterberg, sp. n.

( Figs 17–25 )

Type material. Holotype, ♀ ( MNHN), “ Papoua-New-Guinea, Province Madang, Mount Wilhelm, 2200 m, (- 5.760178, 145.1863)” 2200 m, 31/ 10-01/11/2012, leg. Mogia, Lilip, Novotny, Leponce, Plot 2, understorey, Malaise [trap] – MAL-MW2200B-16/16-d16”. Paratype: 1 ♀ ( MNHN), same data, but (-5.758978, 145.1861), 21- 22/10/2012, plot 1, MW2200A-06/16-d06.

Diagnosis. Mandible twice longer medially than wide, its teeth minute and strongly narrowed apically ( Fig. 24 ); propodeum smooth except for a medio-longitudinal carina bordered by crenulae ( Fig. 23 ); fore femur with one slender tooth medio-ventrally ( Fig. 18 ); fore and middle femora with 3–5 minute pegs latero-ventrally ( Fig. 19, 21 ) and hind femur without pegs.

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 2.3 mm, length of fore wing 2.6 mm.

Head. Width of head 1.7 times its median length, largely glabrous dorsally; antenna with 22 segments, with medium-sized erect setae and 0.8 times as long as fore wing, third segment narrowed basally, length of third segment 1.4 times as long as fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 3.5, 2.5 and 3.3 times their width, respectively; eye in dorsal view 3.3 times as long as temple; temple in dorsal view roundly narrowed; OOL: diameter of ocellus: POL= 4:1.5:2; face smooth, weakly convex, with medium-sized and upward pointing setae; clypeus trapezoid, smooth and convex; vertex strongly shiny and weakly convex, with two setae at the margin of eye; length of malar space 0.2 times basal width of mandible; oblique subocular depressions present ( Fig. 24 ); upper tooth of mandible acute and surpassing middle tooth, lower tooth lobe-shaped and with long setae, mandible twice as long as wide, largely smooth.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.2 times its height; pronotum without pronope; side of pronotum narrowly crenulate ventrally and remainder smooth; epicnemial area smooth; precoxal sulcus only medially distinctly impressed, rather wide and distinctly crenulate; remainder of mesopleuron smooth; episternal scrobe weak; pleural sulcus smooth; mesosternal sulcus wide, finely crenulate, mesosternum smooth with sparse long setae; metapleuron largely smooth; notauli only anteriorly impressed and partly on disc, remaining far removed from distinct and pit-shaped medio-posterior depression; mesoscutum smooth, shiny, with long sparse setae; scutellar sulcus deep, with one carina, 0.5 times as long as scutellum; scutellum slightly convex, smooth; metanotum not protruding dorsally in lateral view above level of propodeum; surface of propodeum smooth, medio-longitudinal carina present, not lamelliform; propodeal spiracle round, small and in front of middle of propodeum.

Wings. Pterostigma linear ( Fig. 17 ); vein r issued well before the middle of pterostigma and weakly oblique; r:3-SR:SR1 = 3.5:21.5:48; 1-SR+M narrow and weakly convex; SR1 weakly concave; cu-a postfurcal; 1-CU1:2- CU1 = 1:10; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 9:11:3.5; m-cu far postfurcal. Hind wing: M+CU:1-M:1r-m = 15:8:5.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth; tarsal claws moderately slender; fore femur with a slender tooth medio-ventrally and with 4-5 tiny pegs latero-ventrally; middle femur weakly angled medio-ventrally and with 4–5 tiny pegs lateroventrally; hind femur convex and without pegs ventrally; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.3, 9 and 7 times their width, respectively; legs with long setae; comb at inner apex of hind tibia distinct.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite twice its apical width, its surface largely smooth, but with dorsal carinae medially ( Fig. 23 ); dorsope medium-sized; laterope small, but present; remainder of metasoma smooth; length of setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.2 times fore wing; apex of ovipositor sheath with slender “spine”; hypopygium small.

Colour. Black or brownish-black; antenna and legs largely dark brown, but trochanters and trochantelli, bases of tibiae, apices of fore and middle tibiae and fore and middle tarsi (except telotarsi) pale yellow or brownishyellow; palpi pale yellowish; pterostigma and veins more or less brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. The female paratype is similar to the holotype, but has 20 antennal segments and fore femur with row of 3 minute pegs. Length of fore wing 2.4 mm.

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Mt. Wilhelm near Madang.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 25. Leptotrema wilhelmense sp. n., g, holotype. 17, wings; 18, fore femur, outer aspect; 19, fore femur, lateroventral aspect; 20, first subdiscal cell of fore wing; 21, middle femur, latero-ventral aspect; 22, four basal antennal segments; 23, propodeum and first metasomal tergite, dorsal aspect; 24, mandible, full sight on third tooth; 25, antenna. 17: scale-line (= 1.0 x); 18 - 21: 2.2 x; 22: 1.7 x; 23: 1.4 x; 24: 2.7 x; 25: 1.2 x.