Vipio strigator ( Brethes , 1913)

Quicke, Donald L. J., Shaw, Scott R., Inayatullah, Mian & Butcher, Buntika A., 2020, The genus Vipio Latreille (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) in the Neotropical Region, ZooKeys 925, pp. 89-140 : 89

Vipio strigator ( Brethes, 1913) Figures 23 , 24

Iphiaulax strigator Bréthes, 1913: 79; Shenefelt, 1978: 1797; Vipio strigator : Quicke & Genise, 1994: 44.

Type material.

Holotype, ♀, Iphiaulax strigator Bréthes, 1913, Argentina: “Potrerillo”, Mendoza, (no date) 4000' (IFML).

Additional material examined.

Argentina: 1 ♀, Misiones Panamb, 24.xi.1954 ( Monro’s, Willink); 1 ♀, Misiones San Pedro, 15.xi.1973 (Tomsic, Willink); 1 ♀, Misiones Bernardino de Irigoyen 12.xi.1973 (Tomsic, Willink); 1 ♂, Misiones San Pedro, 16.xi.1973 (Willink, Tomsic); 2 ♀, Misiones Iguazo, 30.i-13.iii.1945 (Hayward, Willink, & Golbach) (IFML). Brazil: 5 ♀, 11 ♂, Nova Teutonia, 27°11'S, 52°23'W, 300-500 m, i.1965 (F. Plaumann) (CNCI); 16 ♀, same data, except xi.1966; 12 ♀, xi.1968; 3 ♀, xi.1964; 2 ♀, xii.1966; 2 ♀, same data, except 20.xii.1955, 2.xi.1962. Paraguay: 1 ♀, Villarrica, ii.1951 (Pfannl) (IFML). Peru: 1 ♀, Valle Chanchamayo, 800 m, 13.viii.1951 (Weyrauch) (IFML).

Diagnosis.

Ovipositor less than 0.5 × body length, predominantly red, head black; face with raised triangular area; propodeum with raised stub-like area and with four or five carinae postero-medially that usually reach the middle of propodeum; claw with strong pointed basal lobe.

Description

(Females, N = 51). Length of body 6.0-10.1 mm, of fore wing 6.6-11.1 mm, of ovipositor (part exserted beyond apex of abdomen) 2.4-3.2 mm, and of antenna 6.0-9.5 mm.

Head. Antenna 0.74-0.97 × body length, with 43-50 flagellomeres; first flagellomere 2.5 × longer than wide, 1.4 × longer than second, the latter 2.0 × longer than wide; median flagellomeres as quadrate; terminal flagellomere acutely pointed apically; clypeus rugulose, clypeal guard setae typical; face smooth to sparsely punctate, with a raised triangular area above clypeus; remainder of head smooth and shiny; HL 0.76-0.86 × HH; HW/HH 0.69-0.88; FH/FW 0.61-0.69; EH/HH 0.64-0.72; EH/FW 1.0-1.1; EW/EH 0.68-0.7; ITD 1.15-1.3 × TOD; MS 0.36-0.42 × EH; LMC 0.3 × HH; third segment of maxillary palpus 4.0 × longer than wide.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.54-1.7 × height; smooth and shiny; propodeum with a raised postero-medially area with 4-5 longitudinal carinae reaching almost the middle of propodeum.

Wings. Fore wing: length of fore wing1.0-1.1 × body length; PW/PL 0.25-0.35; PL/LRC 1.0-1.05; length of vein 3RSb 0.84-0.87 × combined length of r-rs and 3RSa; length of vein 1M 0.6-0.7 × length of (RS+M)a; vein 3RSa reaching wing margin at distance 0.59-0.62 between apex of pterostigma and wing apex. Hind wing: uniformly setose basally; apex of vein C+SC+R with one or two basal hamules.

Legs. Claw with strong pointed basal lobe.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite 1.1-1.15 × longer than wide, raised median area oval, gradually narrowing posteriorly, pointed anteriorly, carinate rugose, surrounding area with short transverse carinae, dorso-lateral carina lamelliform; T II-V longitudinally striate; T II 2.0-2.25 × wider than long, medio-basal area smooth and shiny, oblique furrows strongly impressed, striate; T III 2.6-2.9 × wider than medially long; baso-lateral areas of T III and IV rugulose; T VI-VIII smooth and shiny; hypopygium short, ending at apex of abdomen; ovipositor 0.3 × body length.

Colour. Largely red; head, including antenna and palpi, black except basal half of mandible reddish yellow and a yellow or yellowish red stripe surrounding the eye; pronotum reddish black with pronotal furrow red; prosternum, propleuron, basal 0.8 of mesopleuron, middle and lateral lobe of mesonotum laterally, scutellum apically, legs, and ovipositor sheath black. Wings brownish-black.

Male (N = 12). As in female, except length of body 4.6-6.5 mm, fore wing as long as body length; antennae 1.0-1.1 × body length; HL 0.84-0.89 × HH; EH/HH 0.71-0.76; EH/FW 1.34-1.4; FH/FW 0.77-0.82; EW/EH 0.71-0.75; ITD 1.6-1.7 × TOD; MS 0.21-0.27 × EH.

Remarks.

Vipio strigator can be recognised by the combination of reddish black markings on the mesosoma, the short hypopygium, and the short ovipositor. This species is similar to the Nearctic V. rugator because of the presence of a raised area on face, short hypopygium, and short ovipositor in both species. However, the red coloration with reddish black markings on the mesosoma and a carinate propodeum in strigator will readily separate it from rugator (in which the mesosoma lacks black markings and propodeum lacks such carinae).

Figures

Figure 23. Montaged light micrographs of Vipio strigator. A Habitus lateral view B face C head and anterior mesosoma, lateral view D head, dorsal view E mesoscutum and scutellum, dorsal view F propodeum G wings.

Figure 24. Montaged light micrographs of Vipio strigator. A Metasomal tergite I, dorsal view B holotype, metasomal tergites II-V C metasoma lateral view D male habitus, lateral view.