Snellenius mariakuzminae 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 : 155-156

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius mariakuzminae Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 156-162

Holotype.

♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Santa Rosa, Area Administrativa, 295m, 10.83764, -85.61871. ACG database code: DHJPAR0031634.

Diagnosis.

The color combination (metafemur yellow, metatibia dark brown on posterior 0.8, scape brown, T2 and part of T3 light yellow brown), fore wing with vein 2SR shorter than vein r, and T1 2.2 × as long as width at posterior margin, differentiates this species from congeners.

Description.

Male. Scape color: Brown. Mesosoma color: Black. Metasoma color: Dark brown, except for light yellow brown T2 and part of T3. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, dark brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, anterior 0.2 white and posterior 0.8 brown. Metatibia spurs color: Yellow. First segment of metatarsus color: Brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Dark, half pale and half dark. Wings: Mostly hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown with 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): 2.8 mm. Fore wing length: 2.4 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.6 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.8 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: (0.14/0.09/0.16 mm). Antenna in males: Slightly 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: 3.5 × (0.70/0.20 mm). Metatibia length: 0.90 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.31 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 2.2 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.48/0.23/0.24/0.22 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Sculptured on posterior 0.5.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Host.

Noctuidae : Concana Poole01. Solitary parasitoid.

Molecular data.

Two haplotypes, two sequences (one barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Comments.

We have only seen one specimen, which has a full barcode (658 bp). In BOLD there is another partial sequence for a specimen we have not been able to study for this paper.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of María Kuzmin in recognition of her contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.