Aphaereta mosselensis Peris-Felipo, 2015

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 : 9-13

Aphaereta mosselensis Peris-Felipo sp. n.

Figs 7 , 8

Etymology.

Named after Mossel Bay, the type locality of this new species.

Type material.

Holotype: female, South Africa, Cape province, Mossel Bay, 5-31.viii.1921, Brit. Mus. 1921-315 (R.E. Turner leg.) (BMNH). Paratype: 1 female, same locality as holotype but v.1932, Brit. Mus. 1932-206 (BMNH).

Description.

Female (holotype).

Head entirely smooth; in dorsal view 1.5 times as wide as median length, 1.4 times as wide as mesoscutum, with rounded gena behind eye. Eye in lateral view 1.2 times as high as wide and 1.2 times as wide as temple medially. POL 2.0 times OD; OOL 3.5 times OD. Face 1.5 times as wide as high; inner margins of eyes subparallel. Clypeus slightly curved ventrally, 4.0 times as wide as high; its upper margin striated. Mandible widened towards apex, 1.4 times as long as its maximum width. Upper tooth of mandible longer than middle and lower tooth; middle tooth wide basally and narrowed towards apex, rounded apically; lower tooth shorter than upper tooth, rounded apically. Antenna as long as body, 16-segmented. Scape 1.4 times as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment 2.75 times as long as its apical width; second segment 4.0 times as long as its maximum width; 1.7 times as long as first segment. Third flagellar segment 3.0 times as long as its width. Fourth to fifth flagellar segments 2.5 times, sixth to eight segments 2.3 times, ninth to fifteenth segments 2.1 times, and sixteenth (apical) segment 2.6 times as long as their maximum width accordingly.

Mesosoma 1.2 times as long as high (lateral view). Mesoscutum 0.9 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 smooth. Propodeum sculptured, with long median longitudinal carina, with emerging carinae in the middle part reaching propodeal edges and thin areola in posterior half. Propodeal spiracle relatively small.

Wings. Length of fore wing 2.8 times its maximum width. Marginal cell reaching apex of wing, 4.0 times as long as its maximum width. Vein 3RSa 2.3 times as long as 2RS, 5.5 times as long as r, 0.4 times as long as 3RSb. Second submarginal cell 3.6 times as long as maximum width. Hind wing 9.3 times as long as its maximum width.

Legs. Hind femur 5.0 times as long as its maximum width. Hind tibia weakly widened towards apex, about 10.0 times as long as its maximum subapical width, as long as hind tarsus. First segment of hind tarsus (basitarsus) 1.5 times as long as second segment.

Metasoma distinctly compressed. First tergite striated in the middle part, weakly widened towards apex, 1.5 times as long as its apical width. Ovipositor 2.2 times as long as first tergite, distinctly shorter than metasoma, 1.3 times as long as hind femur.

Colour. Body brown to dark brown. Scape, pedicel, mandible, legs and ovipositor brown light. In dorsal view, head, mesosoma and metasoma dark brown. Wings hyaline. Pterostigma light brown to brown.

Body length 2.0 mm; fore wing length 2.5 mm.

Variation. Body length 1.9-2.0 mm; fore wing length 2.5-2.6 mm. Antenna 15-16-segmented. Eye in lateral view 1.1-1.2 times as wide as temple medially.

Male. Unknown.

Comparative diagnosis.

This new species is similar to A. elongata sp. n. and A. hararensis sp. n. Differences between these species are listed after description of the latter species.

Figures

Figure 7. Aphaereta mosselensis Peris-Felipo, sp. n. (female) A Habitus, lateral view B Head, lateral view C Mandible D Antenna E Basal segments of antenna F Head, dorsal view.

Figure 8. Aphaereta mosselensis Peris-Felipo, sp. n. (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.