Ungunicus Fernandez-Triana, 2018

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L & Boudreault, Caroline, 2018, Seventeen new genera of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from tropical areas of the world, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 64, pp. 25-140 : 103

Ungunicus Fernandez-Triana gen. n.

Type species.

Ungunicus vietnamensis Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.

Diagnostic description.

Body mostly smooth, with few, scattered, mostly shallow punctures. Flagellomeres with two rows of placodes. Pronotum with dorsal and ventral sulcus. Scutoscutellar sulcus relatively narrow but with numerous crenulae (Fig. 38E ). Scutellar disc smooth, without posteromedian band of rugosity (Fig. 38E ). Propodeum mostly smooth, with strongly defined median longitudinal carina and a few short carinae radiating from median one (Fig. 38E ). Fore wing with quadrangular areolet (Fig. 38C ). Hind wing with vannal lobe entirely setose. Metacoxa reaching to the posterior margin of T3. Last segment of tarsi relatively large, with small setae or spine (peg-like) on apical half, near the claws (Fig. 39I ). Tarsal claws unique in Microgastrinae (better seen in Fig. 39F-I ), with a very large basal tooth (longer than tarsal claw apex), and a median lobe (with setae arising from its margin, which seems slightly bilobate). T1 with central sulcus on anterior half, T2+ smooth (Fig. 38D, E ). Ovipositor short but relatively thick and strongly curved downwards (Fig. 38A ). Ovipositor sheaths with few, sparse, but relatively long setae.

Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.

Ungunicus seems to be related to some species of Diolcogaster (sharing with it the ovipositor shape, ovipositor sheaths with setae, and T1 with medium sulcus; but differing in the mostly smooth body, lack of posteromedian band of rugosity on scutellar disc, and shape of tarsal claws) and Rasivalva (sharing with it the relatively smooth body and absence of a posteromedian band of rugosity on scutellar disc; but differing in having relatively long setae on ovipositor sheaths and shape of tarsal claws). The tarsal claws are truly unique within Microgastrinae , and serve as the main diagnostic character as well as the main putative autapomorphy.

Biology.

Host unknown.

Distribution.

The only known species is found in the Oriental region (Vietnam).

Molecular data.

Both the holotype and paratype rendered almost full barcode sequences, representing BIN BOLD:ADE2636, which is different by 8.7% of the closest Microgastrinae sequences currently available in BOLD.

Etymology.

From “ungu” (in Latin “claw”, “hoof”, “nail”) and “unicus” (in Latin “unique”), referring to the highly unusual and remarkable structure of the tarsal claws found in this genus. The gender of the genus is neuter.

Species.

Only one species is known.

Figures

Figure 38. Ungunicus vietnamensis female holotype. A Habitus B Head frontal C Fore wing D Metasoma dorsal E Head and mesosoma, dorsal.

Figure 39. Ungunicus vietnamensis female holotype, details of metatarsus and claws. F Dorsal G Ventral H Ventro-lateral I Last segment of metatarsus and claws, ventro-lateral.