Aphaereta basirufa Granger, 1949

Peris-Felipo, Francisco Javier, 2015, Review of the genus Aphaereta Foerster, 1863 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae) from the Afrotropical region, with description of three new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 42, pp. 1-20 : 3

Aphaereta basirufa Granger, 1949

Figs 1 , 2

Aphaereta basirufa Granger 1949: 405; Shenefelt 1974: 957; Fischer 1994: 773; Yu et al. 2012.

Type material.

Holotype: female, Madagascar, Ankaratra, Terra typica, ii.1938, alt 1800, Mém. Inst. sci. Madagascar 2A: 405 (A. Seyrig) (MNHN) (not examined).

Material examined.

3 females, Madagascar, Tamatave, Perinet, 27.iv-3.v.1983 (J.S. Noyes and M.C. Day leg.) (BMNH).

Re-description.

Female.

Head entirely smooth; in dorsal view 1.6-1.8 times as wide as median length, 1.4 times as wide as mesoscutum, with rounded gena behind eye. Eye in lateral view as high as wide and twice as wide as temple medially. POL 1.6 times OD; OOL 4.3 times OD. Face twice as wide as high; inner margins of eyes subparallel. Clypeus slightly curved ventrally, 2.4-3.0 times as wide as high; its upper margin striated. Mandible widened towards apex, 1.3 times as long as its maximum width. Upper tooth of mandible longer than lower tooth, rounded apically; middle tooth very long, wide basally and narrowed towards apex, rounded apically; lower tooth pointed apically. Antenna longer than body, 22-25-segmented. Scape about 3.0 times as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment 3.7-4.0 times as long as its apical width; second segment 5.0-5.6 times as long as its maximum width, 1.5 times as long as first segment. Third flagellar segment 4.5 times as long as its width. Fourth to seventh flagellar segments 3.4-3.5 times, eight to penultimate segments 3.0 times, and apical segment 3.8 times as long as their maximum width accordingly.

Mesosoma 1.1 times as long as high (lateral view). Mesoscutum 1.2 times as long as its maximum width. Notauli mainly absent on vertical surface of mesoscutum. Mesoscutal midpit absent. Prescutellar depression smooth, without lateral carinae. Precoxal suture present, reaching anterior margin of mesopectus and not reaching posterior margin of mesopectus. Mesepimeral sulcus crenulate below. Propodeum sculptured, with long median longitudinal carina, with apical half densely sculptured. Propodeal spiracle relatively small.

Wings. Length of fore wing 3.0 times its maximum width. Marginal cell reaching apex of wing, 5.2 times as long as its maximum width. Vein 3RSa about 2.0-2.1 times as long as 2RS, 3.3-3.4 times as long as r, 0.3-0.4 times as long as 3RSb. Second submarginal cell 2.45 times as long as its maximum width. Hind wing 6.8 times as long as its maximum width.

Legs. Hind femur 5.0-5.5 times as long as its maximum width. Hind tibia weakly widened towards apex, 10.4 times as long as its maximum subapical width, as long as hind tarsus. First segment of hind tarsus (basitarsus) twice as long as second segment.

Metasoma distinctly compressed. First tergite with two median carinae, striate inside them, and smooth on lateral area; weakly widened towards apex; as long as its apical width. Ovipositor 3.4 times as long as first tergite, nearly as long as metasoma, 1.8 times as long as hind femur.

Colour. Body dark brown. Scape, pedicel, mandible, legs and ovipositor yellow. In dorsal view, head and mesosoma dark brown; first metasomal tergite yellow, paler than brown second and third tergites. Wings hyaline. Pterostigma brown.

Body length 2.7-3.0 mm; fore wing length 3.8-3.9 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Comparative diagnosis.

This species is similar to A. sarcophagensis Shenefelt, 1974 from South Africa, but differs in having the first metasomal tergite paler than second and third tergites (similar colouration in A. sarcophagensis ), hind femur 5.0-5.5 times as long as its maximum width (4.5 times in A. sarcophagensis ), first flagellar segment 3.7-4.0 times as long as its maximum width (3.0 times in A. sarcophagensis ); second segment 5.0-5.6 times (4.6 times in A. sarcophagensis ); third segment 4.5 times (3.3 times in A. sarcophagensis ), face twice as wide as high (1.6 times in A. sarcophagensis ), and clypeus 2.4-3.0 times as wide as high (3.5 times in A. sarcophagensis ).

Figures

Figure 1. Aphaereta basirufa Granger (female) A Habitus, lateral view B Head, lateral view C Mandible D Antenna E Basal segments of antenna F Head, dorsal view.

Figure 2. Aphaereta basirufa Granger (female) A. Mesosoma, lateral view B Propodeum, dorsal view C First metasomal tergite D Metasoma, hind leg and ovipositor, lateral view E Habitus, dorsal view F Fore and hind wings.