Snellenius isidrochaconi 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 : 150-151

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius isidrochaconi Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 103-109, 227

Holotype.

♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Pitilla, Amonias, 390m, 11.04249, -85.40339. ACG database code: DHJPAR0020741.

Paratypes.

2♂ (CNC, USNM). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0049417, 08-SRNP-31574.

Other specimen examined.

1♀, DNA voucher code: CNCHYM 07055, Panama, Gamboa, Canal Zone, vii.1967, W&M Wirth.

Diagnosis.

The combination of body color (yellow orange), metatibia (mostly or entirely dark red brown) and wings (with dark brown infumation, veins and pterostigma mostly brown), as well as hosts ( Erebidae , Gonodonta spp.) separates this species from all other ACG Snellenius except for Snellenius phildevriesi . No female specimens are known from Snellenius isidrochaconi but males are distinguishable from Snellenius phildevriesi by slight differences in size, interocellar area color, carination pattern in the propodeum, and the presence of a rather acute projection on the posterior margin of the metascutellum. Additionally, the two species have over 4 % of base pair differences in the barcoding region, and the caterpillars that they parasitize, although belonging to the same genus ( Gonodonta ), feed on host plants in different families.

Description.

Male. Scape color: Partially brown, partially yellow. Mesosoma color: Yellow orange. Metasoma color: Yellow orange. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, anterior 0.8 reddish orange and posterior 0.2 dark brown to black. Metatibia spurs color: Brown. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown to black. Tegula and humeral complex color: Yellow, yellow. Wings: Infumated. Pterostigma color: Dark brown. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.5-3.6 mm (3.6 mm). Fore wing length: 3.5 mm. Antenna in males: Flattened on central and apical segments. 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: 0.94-0.97 mm (X = 0.96 mm). Metatibia length: 1.24-1.30 mm (X = 1.27 mm). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.48-0.50 mm (0.49 mm). Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 3.4-3.7 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.55 –0.58/0.21–0.22/0.17–0.18/0.15– 0.17 mm). Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Partially sculptured.

Female. One female specimen, from Panama, is associated with the male specimens with some question due to the fact it is from a different country and there is no other known female associated with this species. Thus, it is excluded from the type series and was not used to characterize the species.

Distribution.

Costa Rica (ACG) and Panama.

Host.

Erebidae : three species of Gonodonta feeding on Cissampelos spp. ( Menispermaceae ). Solitary parasitoid (Fig. 227).

Molecular data.

One haplotype, seven sequences (five barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of Isidro Chacón in recognition of his contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.

Comments.

Only males were available to describe this species (but see comment on a female above), and they were almost indistinguishable from males of the morphologically similar Snellenius phildevriesi . Thus, the description provided above only includes those characters that differ from males of Snellenius phildevriesi .