Centistidea leucopterae ( Wilkinson, 1936 )

Liu, Zhen & Polaszek, Andrew, 2024, Afrotropical Centistidea Rohwer, 1914 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) with description of four new species, ZooKeys 1216, pp. 83-100 : 83-100

Centistidea leucopterae ( Wilkinson, 1936)

Fig. 2

Mirax leucopterae Wilkinson, 1936: 385. Holotype in NHMUK, examined.

Mirax leucopterae : De Saeger 1944: 36; Decelle 1962: 189; Nixon 1965: 9; Shenefelt 1973: 678.

Diagnosis.

Body length 1.5–2.0 mm, mostly black (Fig. 2 a ); head exceedingly minutely punctate, more densely so on the face than on the frons and vertex (Fig. 2 b, c ); ocelli in a small equilateral triangle which about the length to each eye; flagellum of female rather shorter, and of male rather longer, than body; mesoscutum and disc of scutellum (Fig. 2 e ) throughout regularly, minutely punctate; notauli very distinct on anterior declivity; scutellar sulcus greatly reduced; propodeum (Fig. 2 h ) with a very strong median longitudinal carina, which bifurcates at about the middle and forms a pair of very strong, diverging carinae, punctate and setiferous anterolaterally, impunctate elsewhere; vein r (Fig. 2 g ) emitted before middle of pterostigma; T 1 long and narrow, broadened in apical half; T 2 (Fig. 2 l ) entirely smooth except two or three minute punctures, membranous lateral basal areas with fine longitudinal aciculation; T 3 with some minute punctures across apical third or fourth, otherwise almost throughout with fine longitudinal aciculation.

Material examined.

Holotype: • 1 ♀, [ Tanzania] Tanganyika T [erritory], Bukoba, Nyakato , AH Ritchie, 24. VIII. 1935, ex Leucoptera daricella on Pavetta ternifolia , type No. B. M. TYPE HYM. 3. C. 1131, No. NHMUK 010639681 ; paratypes: • 9 ♂♂, same data as holotype Nos. NHMUK 010635732 , 010639360 , 010639353 , 010639367 , 010639480 , 010639377 , 010639403 , 010639362 , 010639384 .

Other materials.

• 3 ♀♀ 3 ♂♂, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa , 19. III. 1968, C. I. E. A 2287, ex Leucoptera , det. Nixon, 1968, Nos. NHMUK 010639677 (2), 010639678 (2), 010639679 (2) ; • 3 ♀♀, Madagascar, Tulear Berenty 12 km, N. W. Amboasary, JS Noyes, MC Day, 5-15. V. 1983, B. M. 1983-201, Nos. NHMUK 010639735 , 010639730 , 010639744 ; • 1 ♀, Kenya, Diani Beach , VII. 1951, NLH Krauss, B. M. 1951-541, No. NHMUK 010639745 ; • 1 ♀, South Africa, Port St. John , Pondoland, 25-31. III. 1923, RE Tuner, Brit. Mus. 1923-241, No. NHMUK 010639726 ; • 1 ♀ 3 ♂♂, Zimbabwe Chipinga Dist., Masasimn , 20. VII. 1990, ex larvae of Leucoptera meyricki, IIE 21643, det. AK Walker, 1991, No. NHMUK 010639680 .

Host.

Crobylophora daricella [ Pavetta ternifolia ], Leucoptera sp. [ Cremaspora , Cremaspora hirsutus , pavetta], Leucoptera coffeella , and Leucoptera coma ( Yu et al. 2016; Decelle 1962).

Distribution.

New records for Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Zimbabwe; Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania.

Figures

Figure 2. Centistidea leucopterae (Wilkinson, 1936), female, holotype a habitus, lateral view b head dorsal view c head, frontal view d antenna e mesosoma, dorsal view f mesosoma, lateral view g wings h propodeum i scutellum j hind leg k ovipositor sheath l metasoma, dorsal view.