Euagathis pallitarsis van Achterberg & Sharkey, 2014

van Achterberg, Cornelis, Sharkey, Michael J. & Chapman, Eric G., 2014, Revision of the genus Euagathis Szepligeti (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) from Thailand, with description of three new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 36, pp. 1-25 : 14-17

Euagathis pallitarsis van Achterberg & Sharkey sp. n.

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (QSBG), " Thailand: Petchaburi, Kaeng Krachan N. P., km 3.3/helipad, 12°50.177'N, 99°20.688'E, 735 m elev., Malaise trap, 18-25.v.2009, Sirichai" (H1344; T4943). Paratypes (3 ♀): 1 ♀ (RMNH), "Thailand: Petchaburi, Kaeng Krachan N. P., Panernthang, 12°49.302'N, 99°22.263'E, Malaise trap, 18-25.i.2009, Sirichai" (H2441; T4408); 1 ♀ (HIC), id., but 4-11.iii.2009, Sirichai & Chusak (H756; T4734); 1 ♀ (HIC), id., but checkpoint 2 at Ban Krang, 12°47.896'N, 99°27.196'E, 336 m elev., sweep, 25.vi.2008, Sharkey (H738; T2853).

Diagnosis.

This new species keys to Euagathis ophippium (Cameron, 1899), from North India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Oriental and Palaearctic China, Korea, Japan and Far East Russia in the keys by van Achterberg and Chen (2002) and van Achterberg and Raychaudhuri (2004). Both species have a tuberculate scutellum and a wide second submarginal cell of the fore wing (vein r distinctly shorter than vein 3-SR). Euagathis pallitarsis differs by having the hind tarsus and base of the hind tibia ivory (black in Euagathis ophippium ), the metapleuron finely reticulate-punctate (coarsely vermiculate-rugose), the scutellum pale yellow (largely reddish brown), the area below the precoxal sulcus densely punctate-rugose (densely punctate) and the propodeum with long golden or pale yellow setae (medium-sized silvery setae).

Gyrochus guangxiensis Chen & Yang, 2006, from Oriental China (Guangxi) has a similar tuberculate scutellum and is transferred to Euagathis ( Euagathis guangxiensis (Chen & Yang, 2006) comb. n.). Euagathis guangxiensis differs by having the mesoscutum finely punctate (fairly coarsely punctate in Euagathis pallitarsis sp. n.), the fore wing pale yellowish (brown), the crenulae of the precoxal sulcus coarse (medium-sized), the third and fourth segments of the fore tarsus normal (shortened) and the head, hind femur and mesoscutum largely brown (black).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 8.5 mm, of fore wing 9.8 mm, of ovipositor sheath 0.6 mm.

Head. Antennal segments 49, length of third segment 1.4 times fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 2.8, 2.0 and 1.2 times their width, respectively; apical antennal segment 1.3 times as long as penultimate segment; maxillary palp 0.7 times height of head; malar space 2.8 times as long as basal width of mandible; length of eye 1.8 times temple; temple directly narrowed posteriorly, with long setae and slightly concave laterally; POL:OD:OOL = 5:5:8; face shiny with shallow medial groove dorsally, punctulate, finely rugulose medio-ventrally and long setose; frons, vertex and temple shiny and smooth ( Fig. 11d ); temple nearly straight near lower level of eye.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 times its height; pronotum largely smooth, but with some curved striae anteriorly, punctulate dorsally and finely crenulate posteriorly; area near lateral carina of mesoscutum smooth anteriorly and finely crenulate posteriorly; mesoscutum shiny, with spaced and rather coarse punctures and lateral lobes distinctly convex posteriorly ( Fig. 11f ); notauli complete, anterior half finely crenulate and posterior half smooth or nearly so; scutellum tuberculate, with long setae and densely coarsely punctate, antero-dorsal margin rounded and with irregular transverse rugae; precoxal sulcus complete and all crenulae long and connected to rugae ventrally, area below it punctate-rugose ( Fig. 11h ); metapleuron coarsely punctate-rugose; propodeum coarsely areolate-rugose, anterior face much shorter than posterior face and with many long setae.

Wings. Fore wing: second submarginal cell wide pentagonal and with short ramellus ( Fig. 11b ); vein SR1 nearly straight; r:3-SR:SR1 = 4:10:110; vein 2-R1 0.2 times as long as 1-R1; vein cu-a interstitial; no stigmal spot. Hind wing: vein M+CU 2.9 times as long as vein 1-M; area near vein cu-a glabrous.

Legs. Length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 5.3, 8.0 and 10.2 times their width, respectively; hind femur superficially pimply and largely smooth ventrally; setae of middle tarsus shorter than width of tarsal segments; third and fourth fore and middle tarsal segments shortened; length of outer and inner spur of middle tibia 0.4 and 0.5 times middle basitarsus, respectively; outer side of middle tibia without pegs, except for 2 apical pegs; length of outer and inner spur of hind tibia 0.3 and 0.6 times hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite 2.3 times as long as wide apically, gradually widened apically, with short dorsal carinae basally and smooth ( Fig. 11g ); second metasomal suture faintly impressed; ovipositor sheath 0.06 times as long as fore wing, truncate apically and widened.

Colour. Black; mouthparts (including palpi), fore and middle legs, pronotal side laterally, mesopleuron dorsally and posteriorly, tegulae, mesoscutum posteriorly, scutellum, metanotum, metapleuron near base of hind coxa, apex and ventral face of hind coxa, hind trochanter and trochantellus, base of hind tibia, hind tarsus, first tergite (except subapical dark brown patch), second tergite anteriorly and laterally (but with dark brown patch on epipleuron), posterior margin of following tergites, sternites apically and apex of ovipositor sheath more or less ivory; pterostigma and veins dark brown, but vein 1-R1 of fore wing light brown; wing membrane light brown ( Fig. 11b, c ).

Variation. Length of fore wing 8.6-9.8 mm; length of ovipositor sheath 0.06 times as long as fore wing; antennal segments of female 48 (1) or 49 (3); first metasomal tergite 1.9-2.3 times as long as its apical width; dark brown patch of first tergite minute or large; third epipleuron large black or ivory anteriorly.

Distribution.

Only known from Thailand. For a distribution map, see Appendix.

Molecular data.

Genbank accession number KC867252 (28S).

Etymology.

From “pallidus” (Latin for “pale”) and “tarsos” (Greek for "flat part of the foot between toes and heel") because of the pale hind tarsus.

Figures

Figure 11. Euagathis pallitarsis sp. n., female, paratype. A lateral habitus B fore wing C hind wing D dorsal head E lateral head F dorsal thorax G dorsal first metasomal tergite H lateral mesosoma I dorsal propodeum.