Snellenius josesarukhani 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 : 152-153

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius josesarukhani Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 129-135

Holotype.

♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Alajuela Province, Sector San Cristobal, Estacion San Cristobal, 640m, 10.87097, -85.39144. ACG database code: 98-SRNP-6841.

Paratype. 1♂ (CNC). COSTA RICA, Guanacaste Province, 3 km W of Arenal, 500m, 23.ix.1972. DNA Voucher code: CNCHYM 07141.

Diagnosis.

The combination of metasoma with T2-T3 entirely yellow and dark brown beyond T4, relatively wide T2 (1.9 × as long as wide at posterior margin), wings slightly infumated, metatibia spurs yellow white, metafemur entirely yellow orange, and metatibia mostly light in color (yellow orange, with anterior 0.2 yellow white, and only posterior 0.2 brown), separate this species from all other ACG Snellenius , except for Snellenius mariamartachavarriae . It is distinguishable from the latter species by having one carina in the scutoscutellar sulcus, scape mostly brown, T4 dark brown to black, and host species ( Selenisa sp.) found in rainforest.

Description.

Male. Scape color: Mostly dark brown. Mesosoma color: Black. Metasoma color: Dark redish brown, except for yellow T2-T3. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, yellow brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow orange, yellow orange, yellow orange. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow orange, yellow orange, mostly yellow orange (but with anterior 0.2 yellow white, and posterior 0.2 brown). Metatibia spurs color: Yellow white. First segment of metatarsus color: Brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Yellow, mostly brown. Wings: Slightly infumated. Pterostigma color: Brown, with very small pale spot at base. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.0-3.2 mm. Fore wing length: 2.8-3.0 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 2.1 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 2.1 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.17/0.08/0.17 mm. Antenna in males: Flattened. 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 elevated and less sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: One. Metafemur length/width: 3.2 × (0.80/0.25 mm). Metatibia length: 1.02 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.41 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 1.9 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.48/0.25/0.24/0.25 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, Guanacaste Province.

Host.

Erebidae : Helia sueroides . Solitary parasitoid.

Molecular data.

One haplotype, one sequence (not barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Comments.

The paratype has a partial barcode (275 bp) that does not match any other Snellenius in BOLD.

Etymology.

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