Aristelix persica Peris-Felipo, 2015

Peris-Felipo, Francisco Javier, Ameri, Ali, Talebi, Ali Asghar & Belokobylskij, Sergey A., 2015, Review of the genus Aristelix Nixon, 1943 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), with description of a new species from Iran and clarification of the status of Antrusa chrysogastra (Tobias, 1986), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 45, pp. 97-111 : 99-103

Aristelix persica Peris-Felipo sp. n.

Figs 4 , 5

Type material.

Holotype: female, Iran, Hormozgan Province, Geno, 27°24'16.16"N, 56°08'51.80"E, 1274 m, 20.iii.2012 (Ameri leg.) (ZISP). Paratype: 1 male, same label as holotype (ZISP).

Description.

Female. Body length 2.8 mm, fore wing length 2.5 mm.

Head in dorsal view 1.4 times as wide as median length, 1.3 times as wide as mesoscutum; vertex smooth, with dark line between occiput and ocelli. Eye in lateral view 1.5 times as high as wide and as wide as temple medially. POL 1.4 times OD; OOL 2.8 times OD. Face smooth, with scattered short setae, 1.65 times as wide as high; inner margins of eyes subparallel. Clypeus slightly curved ventrally, twice as wide as high. Anterior tentorial pit short, not reached middle half distance between clypeus and eye. Mandible 4-dentate, not widened towards apex, 1.2 times as long as maximum width. Upper tooth of mandible rather wide, longer than lower tooth, pointed apically; second (median) tooth longest, wide basally and distinctly narrowed towards apex, subpointed apically; third tooth about as long as first tooth, pointed, arising from base of second tooth and situated upper it; lower tooth shortest, pointed apically, distinctly separated.

Antenna longer than body, 26-segmented. Scape twice as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment 3.9 times as long as its apical width, 1.3 times as long as first segment; second segment 3.2 times as long as its maximum width. Penultimate segment about 2.2 times and apical segment 3.0 times as long as their maximum width accordingly.

Mesosoma 1.4 times as long as high (lateral view). Mesoscutum 0.95 times as long as its maximum width, with numerous scattered setae. Notauli shallow on posterior half of mesoscutum. Mesoscutal midpit present, distinctly elongate. Prescutellar depression smooth, with median and lateral carinae. Precoxal suture present, wide and coarsely crenulate, reaching anterior and posterior margins of mesopleuron. Mesepimeral sulcus crenulate below. Lower part of mesopleuron and metapleuron with long whitish setae. Propodeum completely rugose-reticulate. Propodeal spiracle relatively small.

Wings. Length of fore wing 2.8 times its maximum width. Marginal cell short, ending before apex of wing, 3.5 times as long as its maximum width. Vein r arising distinctly before middle of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell closed, 2.8 times as long as its maximum width. Hind wing 5.6 times as long as maximum width.

Legs. Hind femur 4.15 times as long as maximum width. Hind tibia weakly widened towards apex, 10.8 times as long as its maximum subapical width, 0.9 times as long as hind tarsus. First segment of hind tarsus (basitarsus) 1.6 times as long as second segment.

Metasoma compressed laterally. First tergite striate; weakly widened towards apex; 1.7 times as long as apical width; with scattered setae. Second tergite almost completely longitudinally rugose-punctate. Tergites third to sixth with only one row of setae on their apical halves. Ovipositor not projecting beyond apex of metasoma, 0.35 times as long as first tergite, 0.25 times as long as hind femur.

Colour. Body mainly light reddish brown and partly darker reddish. Antenna mainly, mesosoma in lateral furrows and depressions, tracks of notauli, prescutellar depression, propodeum, metapleuron and apical tergites of metasoma dark brown. Basal segments of antenna and legs yellowish brown, hind leg darkened. Wings hyaline. Pterostigma brown.

Male. Body length 2.5 mm; fore wing 2.4 mm. Antenna 26-segmented. First flagellar segment 4.2 times as long as its maximum width; second segment 3.0 times as long as its maximum width. Otherwise similar to female.

Etymology.

The name refers to the historical name of the country, Persia, where this new species was discovered.

Comparative diagnosis.

Differences between Aristelix persica sp. n. and A. phaenicura (Haliday) are described in the following key.

Figures

Figure 4. Aristelix persica sp. n. (A, C-F female B male) A, B Habitus, lateral view C Head and mesosoma, lateral view D Mandible E Head, front view F Basal segments of antenna.

Figure 5. Aristelix persica sp. n. (female) A Head and mesonotum, dorsal view B Mesosoma, lateral view C Propodeum and first metasomal tergite, dorsal view D First and second metasomal tergites, dorsal view E Legs, metasoma and ovipositor, lateral view F Fore and hind wings.