Snellenius luisdiegogomezi Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield

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 : 154-155

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius luisdiegogomezi Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 150-155

Holotype.

♀ in CNC. COSTA RICA: San Vito, Las Cruces, 17.viii-12.ix.1988, B. Gill. Second Label: DNA Voucher code CNCHYM 07140.

Paratypes.

3♀, 5♂, Costa Rica: Puntarenas, Golfo Dulce, 15 km W of Piedras Blancas, 100m, xi.1990 and xii.1990, P. Hanson; 2♀, 1♂, Costa Rica, Limon, 16 km W of Guapiles, 400m, i-iii and iv-v.1989, P. Hanson; 1♀, Costa Rica: Limon, 4 km NE of Bribri, 50m, ix-xi.1989, P. Hanson; Panama, Gamboa, Canal Zone, Pipeline Road, vii.1967, Malaise trap, W.W.Wirth, DNA Voucher CNCHYM 07044.

Diagnosis.

The unique combination of dark reddish brown body and relatively long and thin T1 (its length 4.0 × its width at posterior margin), separate this species from all other ACG Snellenius .

Description.

Female. Scape color: Dark brown. Mesosoma color: Dark reddish brown. Metasoma color: Dark reddish brown. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Brown, white, brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Mostly brown, mostly brown, dark reddish brown. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Mostly brown, mostly brown, dark reddish brown. Metatibia spurs color: Orange brown. First segment of metatarsus color: Reddish brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Brown, brown. Wings: Infumated. Pterostigma color: Brown with pale spot at base. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 2.4-2.9 mm (X = 2.7 mm). Fore wing length: 2.4-3.0 mm (X = 2.7 mm). Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.9 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.6 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.13/0.07/0.11 mm. Antennal flagellomere 2 lengtwh/width: 3.8-3.9 × (0.23 –0.27/0.06– 0.07 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 2.3-2.6 × (0.23 –0.27/0.16– 0.18 mm). Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.4-1.5 x. Antenna in males: Of normal appearance, not flattened. Epicnemial carina: Present. Anteromesoscutum: With strong, coarse sculpture, central area appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli wide and deeply excavated, with numerous crenulae. Scutellar disc sculpture: With deeper sculpture near margins, central part appearing slightly raised and less sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: One. Metafemur length/width: 3.8-3.9 × (0.71 –0.78/0.18– 0.20 mm). Metatibia length: 0.98-1.00 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.38-0.40 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 3.9-4.2 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.41 –0.44/0.15–0.16/0.12–0.13/0.10– 0.11 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Male. Some males have middle coxa, trochanter and trochantellus darker.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, Panama.

Host.

Unknown.

Molecular data.

One haplotype, one sequence (not barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of Luis Diego Gómez in recognition of his contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.