Falciconus hispanicus Tomanović & Michelena, 2023

Tomanović, Željko, Petrović, Andjeljko, Kocić, Korana, Čkrkić, Jelisaveta, Casiraghi, Alice & Michelena Saval, José M., 2023, Two new species of subtribe Monoctonina Mackauer from Europe (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae), Zootaxa 5293 (3), pp. 575-580 : 576

Falciconus hispanicus Tomanović & Michelena , sp. n.

( Fig. 1 )

Diagnosis. This species is easily separated from its congener, F. pseudoplatani , and all other species of subtribe Monoctonina , by the very elongate, needle-like ovipositor sheaths ( Fig. 1g ). Falciconus hispanicus sp. n. has 13 antennomeres, whereas F. pseudoplatani has (15)16 antennomeres. The pterostigma /metacarpus length ratio is approx. 3.0 in F. hispanicus sp. n. and 1.8–2.2 in F. pseudoplatani .

Holotype. Female. Spain, Font Roja Natural Park (Alicante, Spain) on 31 X 1987, on Acer opalus garnetense , coll. J. Michelena by sweeping. Holotype slide-mounted and deposited in the collection of the ICBiBE of the University of Valencia .

Female. Head ( Fig. 1a ). Eyes oval, medium sized, sparsely setose. Malar space equal to 0.28 of longitudinal eye diameter. Tentorial index approx. 0.5. Clypeus oval with 7 setae. Maxillary palps with four palpomeres, labial palps with three palpomeres. Antenna with 13 antennomeres ( Fig. 1b ), moderately thickened at the apex, setae on flagellomeres semierect, subequal to flagellomere diameter. Flagellomere 1 (F1) approx. 4.7 × as long as wide, without longitudinal placodes. F2 approx. 4.0 × as long as wide, with two longitudinal placodes. F3, F4 and F5 with 3 longitudinal placodes. F1 length equal to F2 length ( Fig. 1c ).

Mesosoma . Mesoscutum without notaulices, dorsal surface scarcely setose laterally and dorsally ( Fig. 1d ). Head /mesoscutum width ratio approx. 1.5. Propodeum areolated, with narrow central pentagonal areola and irregular upper carinae ( Fig. 1e ), with 3 hairs in external and 2 hairs in dentiparal areolae.

Fore wing ( Fig. 1h ). Wing length approx. 1.7 mm, width approx. 0.7 mm. Pterostigma approx. 4.1 × as long as wide and approx. 3.0 × as long as distal abscissa of R1. Vein m-cu visible and moderately coloured, vein 2RS visible and colourless. Veins r and 3RS distinct and coloured. 3RS/r ratio approx. 2.

Metasoma. Petiole approx. 2.1 × as long as wide at spiracles (Fig. 7e). Dorsal disc of petiole slightly rugose, and with 3–5 long setae on the sides. Ovipositor sheath very elongated and needle-like ( Fig. 1g ). Ovipositor sheaths length/width ratio at the middle approx. 7.0.

Colour. Head brown to light brown. Mouthparts yellow. Scapus and pedicel brown, annelus and narrow ring at the base of F1 yellow, remainder of antenna light brown. Mesonotum brown, propodeum and legs yellow to light brown. Wings hyaline with brown venation. Petiole and rest of metasoma light brown to brown, ovipositor sheaths light brown. Body length approx. 2.0 mm.

Male: unknown

Host: unknown, probably Drepanosiphum aphids associated with Acer opalus trees (see Gonzalez Funes & Michelena Saval 1988).

Distribution: Spain.

Etymology: The name of the new species comes from the country where the holotype specimen was recorded.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Falciconus hispanicus sp. n., female. a—head; b—antenna; c—F1 and F2; d—mesoscutum; e—propodeum; f—petiole; g—ovipositor sheaths; h—fore wing