Microplitis francopupulini 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 : 145

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Microplitis francopupulini Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 25-32, 33-38, 217

Holotype.

♀ in USNM. COSTA RICA, ACG, Alajuela Province, Sector Rincon Rain Forest, Finca Esmeralda, 123m, 10.93548, -85.25314, 10.viii.2013. ACG database code: 13-SRNP-77147.

Paratypes.

44♀, 42♂ (BMNH, CNC, INBio, INHS, USNM). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0004093, DHJPAR0011922, DHJPAR0034274, DHJPAR0039905, DHJPAR0041831, DHJPAR0047252, DHJPAR0053775, 09-SRNP-75263, 11-SRNP-67447, 12-SRNP-75032, 13-SRNP-77147, 13-SRNP-77149.

Diagnosis.

The combination of T1 sculptured on posterior 0.3-0.5 (especially near lateral margins), notauli marked by relatively deep impressions, areolet relatively larger (vein 3RSa as long as vein r-m), metafemur and metatibia entirely or mostly dark reddish-brown, scape entirely yellow orange, body and fore wing length, wasp cocoons grouped in one or two large clusters dorsally on the host larva, and host species differentiates this species from congeners.

Description.

Female. Scape color: Yellow-orange. Mesosoma color: Black. Metasoma color: Dark brown to black. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, dark brown to black. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, dark reddish-brown (usually with posterior 0.1-0.2 black). Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, dark reddish-brown (usually mostly black dorsally). Metatibia spurs color: Yellow. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Brown, brown. Wings: Hyaline. 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): 3.3-4.0 mm (X = 3.6 mm). Fore wing length: 3.0-3.4 mm (X = 3.2 mm). Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: 2.3-2.5 × (0.28 –0.29/0.11– 0.12 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 2.0-2.3 × (0.19 –0.21/0.08– 0.10 mm). Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.3-1.5 x. Antenna in males: Of normal appearance, not flattened. Epicnemial carina: Absent. Anteromesoscutum: With relatively shallow and sparse sculpture, central area not appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli strongly excavated. Scutellar disc sculpture: With margins and central part of disc equally sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: Three to five. Metafemur length/width: 2.5-2.6 × (0.85 –0.90/0.33– 0.34 mm). Metatibia length: 1.12-1.16 mm (X = 1.14 mm). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.48-0.50 mm (X = 0.49 mm). Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Mostly sculptured.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Hosts.

Sphingidae : Xylophanes guianensis . Gregarious parasitoid (Fig. 217).

Molecular data.

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

Etymology.

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

Comments.

This species is morphologically very similar to Microplitis marini , which was described in detail by Janzen et al. (2003). The brief description above only adds some measurements, taken from specimens included in the list of 'Specimens examined’, that allow for separation of these species. Additionally, both species differ in up to 43 base pairs (> 6.5 %) in the barcoding region.