Trichoteleia echinata Talamas

Talamas, Elijah J., Masner, Lubomir & Johnson, Norman F., 2011, Revision of the Malagasy genus Trichoteleia Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea, Platygastridae), ZooKeys 80, pp. 1-126 : 36-38

Trichoteleia echinata Talamas sp. n. Figures 102-107Morphbank 15

Description.

Color of head: yellow, becoming darker dorsally. Central keel of frons: present, extending onto interantennal process. Sculpture of medial frons in female: smooth. Number of mandibular teeth: three. Basal node on mandible: present. Sculpture of frons below median ocellus: finely punctate throughout, dorsoventrally strigose laterally. Sculpture of posterior vertex: rugulose with faint concentric tendency. Occipital rim: comprised of small to miniscule cells. Sculpture of gena: dorsoventrally strigose. Basiconic sensillum on A7: absent.

Color of mesosoma in female: variably yellow to brown. Sculpture along posterior pronotal sulcus: striate, striae well defined. Notaulus: percurrent, reaching suprahumeral sulcus as a smooth furrow. Sculpture of medial mesoscutum: longitudinally rugulose posteriorly, transversely rugulose anteriorly. Sculpture of mesoscutellum: smooth medially, sparsely punctate laterally. Postacetabular sulcus: present as a smooth furrow. Mesopleural carina: present. Sculpture along ventral half of prespecular sulcus: weakly rugulose. Sculpture of posterolateral mesepisternum: smooth. Sculpture of ventral surface of mesepisternum: smooth. Setation of ventral metapleural area: absent. Setation of metapleural triangle: sparse. Sculpture of metapleural triangle: rugulose. Posterior margin of metapleuron below propodeal spiracle: with blunt kink near intersection with metapleural sulcus. Color of legs: yellow throughout.

Color of metasoma in female: variably patterned in alternating orange and brown. Posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2: weakly convex. Sublateral tergal carina on T 2: absent. Microsculpture on T2: absent. Microsculpture on T3: absent. Microsculpture on T4: absent. Horn on T1 in female: present as a large protuberance, curved posteriorly at apex. Macrosculpture of medial T3 in female: absent. Macrosculpture of lateral T3 in female: longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of medial T4 in female: transversely strigose anteriorly, smooth posteriorly. Macrosculpture of lateral T4 in female: obliquely strigose. Punctation of T4 in female: sparse throughout. Macrosculpture of T5 in female: obliquely strigose laterally. Punctation of T5 in female: sparse throughout. Microscupture on T6 in female: absent. Sculpture of T6 in female: smooth with fine setigerous punctures along lateral margin. Sculpture of S2: longitudinally striate anteriorly, smooth posteriorly. Prominent longitudinal median carina on S2: absent.

Wings: brachypterous, apex of forewing ending before midpoint of T3. Color of forewing in female: infuscate throughout. Color of hind wing: infuscate throughout. Density of setation in fore wing: uniform throughout. Density of setation in hind wing: uniform throughout. Length of R1: more than 1.5 times as long as r.

Diagnosis.

Trichoteleia echinata is most easily separated from the other brachypterous species, Trichoteleia parvipennis and Trichoteleia halterata , by the apically pointed horn on T1.

Etymology.

Trichoteleia echinata is named for the large metascutellar spines and pointed apex of the horn on T1. The epithet is used as an adjective.

Link to Distribution Map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-large.html?id=253616]

Material Examined.

Holotype, female: MADAGASCAR: Toamasina Auto. Prov., Ambanizana River, montane rainforest, BLF8649, Masoala National Park, 15°34'18"S, 50°00'22"E, 800-897m, 26. II– 2.III.2003, pitfall trap, D. Andriamalala & D. Silva, CASENT 2040887 (deposited in CASC).