Troporhysipolis brenthiaphagus Quicke & Butcher

Donald L. J. Quicke, Sergey A. Belokobylskij & M. Alex Smith, 2016, A New Genus of Rhysipoline Wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with Modified Wing Venation from Africa and Papua New Guinea, Parasitoid on Choreutidae (Lepidoptera), Annales Zoologici 66 (2), pp. 173-192 : 183-185

Troporhysipolis brenthiaphagus Quicke & Butcher , sp. nov.

( Figs 13–20 )

Etymology. Named in reference to the host genus.

Diagnosis. See diagnosis of T. molecularis sp. nov. below.

Description. Female. Body length 3.0 mm; antenna 4.4 mm; fore wing 3.1 mm.

Antenna with 31 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.2 times longer than wide, 1.1 times longer than the second flagellomere. Median flagellomeres 2.0 times longer than wide. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.7: 1.0: 0.83. Frons entirely flat, without any mid-longitudinal depression. Od 1.75 times POL and 0.7 times OOL. Inter-tentorial distance 2.5 times tentorio-ocular distance. Transverse diameter of eye 5.0 times longer than temple (dorsal view).

Mesosoma approximately 1.6 times longer than high, smooth and shining. Notauli remaining separate to posterior of mesoscutum where they are separated by a mid-longitudinal groove and coarser sculpture. Scutellar sulcus (prescutellar depression) with only single strong median carina. Precoxal suture moderately deep, foveate, sinuous, occupying 0.75 length of mesopleuron. Median area of metanotum with a weak mid-longitudinal carina. Propodeum with basal midlongitudinal carina on anterior third, giving rise to an elongate, pentagonal areola.

Wings. Marginal (radial) cell 2.8 times longer than maximum width. Vein R1a (metacarp) 1.0 times as long as pterostigma. Vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) 0.8 times as long as maximum width of pterostigma. Vein 3 RSa (second radial abscissa) 4.0 times as long as vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) and forming very obtuse angle with it, 0.7 times as long as the almost straight vein 3RSb (third radial abscissa), 1.7 times longer than vein 2RS (first radiomedial). Second submarginal (second radiomedial) cell length 2.05 times maximum width, 1.1 times length of the wide first subdiscal (brachial) cell. Distance from vein 1cu-a (nervulus) to vein 1M (basal) 1.2 times vein cu-a (nervulus) length. First discal (discoidal) cell 2.0 times longer than wide. First subdiscal (brachial) cell 3.0 times longer than maximum width. Vein m-cu (recurrent) distinctly thickened and curved. Hind wing 4.5 times longer than wide. Vein M+CU (first mediocubital abscissa) 0.75 times as long as vein 1M (second mediocubital abscissa). Vein m-cu (recurrent) weak, short, interstitial, almost straight.

Legs. Fore femur robust, 6.0 times longer than maximally wide. Fore tarsus 0.8 times as long as fore tibia. ( Hind legs missing).

Metasoma. First tergite 1.07 times longer than posteriorly wide, 2.15 times longer than its minimum width; raised median area very finely irregularly longitudinally striate. Median length of second tergite 0.6 times its D. L. J. QUICKE, S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ, M. A. SMITH, J. ROTA, J. HRCEK and B. A. BUTCHER basal width, 1.3 times length of third tergite. Ovipositor sheath 0.5 times as long as metasoma, 0.55 times as long as mesosoma, 0.24 times as long as fore wing.

Colour. Body and legs entirely pale brownish yellow. Flagellum dark brown basally becoming yellowish before darkening closer to the apex. Wing venation pale brown yellow; wing membrane hardly pigmented.

Type material. Holotype: female, Papua New Guinea, Morox, Madang, 21.VII.2005, 144°06’E, 4°01’S, 100 m, reared from Brenthia sp. feeding on Ficus bernaysii King, Novotny, Boen, Isua, Auga, Mogia, Tamiai, Lilip, Tamag, Bito, Kutil, Manaono & Molem (voucher USNM – ENT –00645507, BCLDQ 01714, Gen- Bank KX058578 ).

Additional non-type material. The following specimens are excluded from the type series due to lack of molecular data but appear to belong to this species on the basis of the frons character: Papua New Guinea, 1 female, Madang, Ohu, 27.IX.2004, 145°41’E, 5°14’S, 200 m, reared from Brenthia sp. nov., feeding on Ficus conocephalifolia Ridley , col. Maik (voucher USNM – ENT –00503903); 1 individual (sex unknown) East Sepik, Elem, 6.VI.2003, 143°55’E, 4°49’S, 100 m, 6.VI.2003, reared from Brenthia sp. nov., feeding on Ficus conocephalifolia Ridley , col. Sally (voucher USNM – ENT –00211699); 1 individual (sex unknown), Madang Province, 27.IX.2004, reared from caterpillar on Ficus bernaysii King (voucher USNM – ENT – KX058578 ).

Biology. All studied specimens were reared from a leaf-tying/rolling caterpillar of the genus Brenthia Clemens, 1860 (Choreutidae) feeding on Ficus bernaysii King sec. King 1886 and F. conocephalifolia (Ridley, 1917) .

Distributionn. Papua New Guinea.

Figures

Figures 13 – 20. Troporhysipolis brenthiaphagus sp. nov. (13) Habitus, dorsal view; (14) Apex of antenna; (15) Base of antenna; (16) Head and anterior of mesosoma, oblique view showing separation of occipital and hypostomal carinae; (17) Head dorsal view; (18) Head subfrontal view;