Bracalba parvirubra Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2012, Taxonomic revision of Bracalba Dodd (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), a parasitoid wasp genus endemic to Australia, ZooKeys 236, pp. 1-53 : 25-28

Bracalba parvirubra Burks sp. n. Figures 40-42Morphbank24

Description.

Female. Body length 3.38-3.63 mm (n=3). Color of antenna beyond radicle: mostly dark, extreme base of scape becoming reddish. Radicle color: same as scape. Number of claval segments with ventral gustatory sensilla: 7. Number of ventral gustatory sensilla on A6: 1.

Ocular setae: long and sparse. Frontal depression: smooth dorsally, torular triangle foveolate, areas lateral to it smooth. Smooth depression extending dorsolaterally from antennal foramen: present. Dorsal clypeal margin: arched, interrupted by broad median carina. Clypeal median carina: present. Ventral clypeal margin: with a small median point. Mandibular color: dark basally and at teeth, becoming lighter reddish brown between these areas. Mandibular teeth: three, but middle tooth tiny. Smooth area obliquely posterior to lateral ocellus: present. Genal sculpture: deeply reticulate-rugose with some septa much stronger than others, forming distinct rows differing in height.

Dorsal pronotal area: not set off by carina ventrally. Anterolateral corner of dorsal pronotal area: protruding anteriorly. Sculpture of posteromedian area of mesoscutum: foveolate with slightly stronger longitudinal septa. Lateral margin of dorsal axillar area: with a semicircular expansion, broadest near midlength. Mesoscutellar sculpture: densely foveolate with one or two median longitudinal channels. Metascutellum in dorsal view: elongate-trapezoidal but with incised apex. Dorsal surface of metascutellum: flat, or convex. Femoral depression: crossed by many sharply defined carinae. Leg color: yellowish-brown except for dorsal external part of coxae and sometimes tarsomeres 2-5. Anterior corner of lateral propodeal carina: flat, without tooth. Posteromedial corner of lateral propodeal area: protruding posteriorly.

Metasoma color: centrally reddish with some vague dark intrusions, peripherally becoming black. Median lobe of T1: with 7 or more longitudinal carinae. Metasoma at middle of T4: with metasomal bend and abrupt transition in sculpture. Posterolateral margins of metasomal terga: with tooth-like protrusions. T5 median carina: absent. Longitudinal sculptural septa on T5: strong, sharply raised. Transverse sculptural septa on T5: about as strong as the longitudinal septa. T5 setae: directed posteriorly, arising from anterior edge of sculptural mesh. T6: as broad or broader than long. T6 laterotergite: overlapped by rim from S6. S4 median carina: present. Transverse sculptural septa on S5: weak or absent, much weaker than the longitudinal septa. S5 setae: directed posteriorly, arising from anterior edge of sculptural mesh. Lateral carinae of S6: forming complete peripheral carina. Apex of S6: without notch.

Male. unknown.

Diagnosis.

Female. A6 with 1 large ventral sensillum; 3 mandibular teeth with middle tooth much smaller than the others; metascutellum trapezoidal and strongly narrowing to an incised apex; metasomal bend present; sculpture posterior to metasomal bend with strong longitudinal and transverse septa; T4-T6 without distinct median carina; S4-S6 with median carina; T6 about as broad as long; S6 without apical notch. This species is similar to Bracalba sculptifrons and Bracalba sparsa , but lacks the S6 notch and frontal carinae.

Etymology.

Compound adjective using the Latin adjectives parvus and ruber.

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=302157

Material examined.

Holotype, female: AUSTRALIA: WA, 20km N Denmark, 16.I.1987, J. S. Noyes, OSUC 238194 (deposited in WAMP). Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: 3 females, OSUC 238191, 238193, 238196 (CNCI).