Aphaereta sarcophagensis Shenefelt, 1974

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 : 13-16

Aphaereta sarcophagensis Shenefelt, 1974

Figs 9 , 10

Aphaereta sarcophagae Bridwell 1919: 177 [junior homonym]; Brues 1924: 149; 1926: 423; Thompson 1953: 89.

Aphaereta sarcophagensis Shenefelt 1974: 962; Fischer 1988: 95; Yu et al. 2012.

Type material.

Holotype: locality of the type specimen is unclear (not examined).

Material examined.

2 females, South Africa, Cape province, Mossel Bay, 5-31.vii.1921, Brit. Mus. 1921-315 (R.E. Turner leg.) (BMNH); 2 females, same locality but 15-28.iii.1922, Brit. Mus. 1922-153 and iv.1921, Brit. Mus. 1921-294 (BMNH).

Re-description.

Female.

Head entirely smooth; in dorsal view 1.85-2.00 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 1.8-1.9 times as wide as temple medially. POL 1.75 times OD; OOL 2.9 times OD. Face 1.6 times as wide as high; inner margins of eyes subparallel. Clypeus slightly curved ventrally, 3.5 times as wide as high; its upper margin striated. Mandible widened towards apex, 1.5 times as long as its maximum width. Upper tooth of mandible longer than lower tooth; middle tooth wide basally and narrowed towards apex, pointed apically; lower tooth shorter than upper tooth, rounded apically. Antenna shorter than body, 18-20-segmented. Scape 1.4 times as long as pedicel. First flagellar segment 3.0 times as long as its apical width; second segment 4.7 times as long as its maximum width; 1.5 times as long as first segment. Third flagellar segment 3.3 times as long as its width. Fourth to ninth flagellar segments 2.4-2.5 times, tenth to eighteenth (apical) segments 2.1 times as long as their maximum width accordingly.

Mesosoma 1.3 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, long, reaching anterior margin of mesopectus and not reaching posterior margin of mesopectus. Mesepimeral sulcus slight crenulate below. Propodeum sculptured, with long median longitudinal carina, with apical half densely sculptured. Propodeal spiracle relatively small.

Wings. Length of fore wing 2.6 times its maximum width. Marginal cell reaching apex of wing, 3.4 times as long as its maximum width. Vein 3RSa 2.0-2.1 times as long as 2RS, 4.7 times as long as r, 0.4-0.5 times as long as 3RSb. Second submarginal cell 2.6 times as long as maximum width. Hind wing 4.8 times as long as its maximum width.

Legs. Hind femur 4.5 times as long as its maximum width. Hind tibia weakly widened towards apex, about 9.7 times as long as its maximum subapical width, 0.95 times as long as hind tarsus. First segment of hind tarsus (basitarsus) twice as long as second segment.

Metasoma distinctly compressed. First tergite finely striated, weakly widened towards apex as long as its apical width. Ovipositor 3.4 times as long as first tergite, near as long as metasoma, 1.6 times as long as hind femur.

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

Body length 2.9-3.0 mm; fore wing length 3.2-3.3 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Comparative diagnosis.

This species is similar to A. basirufa Granger. Differences between these species are listed after description of the latter species.

Figures

Figure 9. Aphaereta sarcophagensis Shenefelt (female) A Habitus, lateral view B Head, lateral view C Mandible D Antenna E Basal segments of antenna F Head, dorsal view.

Figure 10. Aphaereta sarcophagensis Shenefelt (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.