Bracon (Orthobracon) persiangulfensis Ameri, Beyarslan & Talebi

Ameri, Ali, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Beyarslan, Ahmet, Kamali, Karim & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2014, Study of the genus Bracon Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Southern Iran with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3754 (4), pp. 353-380 : 372-375

Bracon (Orthobracon) persiangulfensis Ameri, Beyarslan & Talebi sp. n. ( Figs 18 A–I)

Material examined. Holotype: female — Iran, Hormozgan province, Queshm Island, Ramkan (26° 52′ 25.27″ N, 56° 01′ 07.33″ E, 34 m. a.s.l.), 16-06-2012, Leg.: A. Ameri.

Paratypes: 10♀: same locality data as Holotype, 1♀, 18-06-2012, 1♀, 28-05-2012, 2♀, 08-06-2012, 1♀, 28- 05-2012, 2♀, same locality data, 17-05-2012 ,, 1♀, 18-07-2012, 1♀, Hormozgan province, Minab-Chelo (27° 10′ 30.39″ N, 57° 1′ 9.79″ E., 16 m. a.s.l.), 02-04-2012, 1♀, 20-03-2012, 1♀, 02-04-2012, Leg.: A. Ameri.

Diagnosis. This new species is taxonomically nearest to Bracon (Ortobracon) epitriptus Marshall, 1885 from which it can be separated by the sculpture and color of propodeum (propodeum sculptured and brown in B. ( O.) persiangulfensis sp. n., while it is smooth and black in B. ( O.) epitriptus ) and medial length of second tergite (1.9 times as long as medial length of third tergite in B. ( O.) persiangulfensis sp. n. and equal to medial length of third tergite in B. ( O.) epitriptus ).

Description. Female—Length of body 2.5 mm, antenna 2.75 mm, fore wing 2.65 mm, hind wing 1.75 mm, hind leg 2.9 mm, mesosoma 1.3 mm, metasoma 1.55 mm, ovipositor 0.87 mm.

Head —wider than long in dorsal view ( Figs 17 A, 17B), ratios of width: length: height of head = 25:13:25. Antenna 30- segmented ( Fig. 17 C); first flagellomere 2.75 times as long as its width and 1.2X as long as second flagellomere; all flagellomeres longer than their maximum width, penultimate flagellomere 1.75X as long as its width; length of malar space 1.8X as long as basal width of mandible and 0.47X longitudinal diameter of eye; width of the hypoclypeal depression 0.4X of longitudinal diameter of eye, 1.4X longer than its transverse diameter, almost as long as length of malar space and 2.2X as long as basal width of mandibles; ratios of height of clypeus: inter-tentorial distance: tenterio-ocular distance = 6:14:9; length of maxillary palp 0.34X the height of head, width of face 1.6X its height, punctate, glabrous, except for a few scattered white setae, ratios of longitudinal diameter of eye: width of face: width of head= 30:31:59; frons punctated, glabrous; vertex and gena smooth and glabrous; ratios of OOL:OD:POL = 14:5:5; temple smooth and glossy.

Mesosoma ( Figs 18 D, 18E)—Approximately 1.6 X longer than height, mesonotum smooth and glabrous, propodeum smooth, basal half of notauli distinct, scutellar sulcus and scutellum smooth and glabrous, flange of metapleuron almost indistinct.

Fore wing ( Fig. 18 G)—Pterostigma triangular, length of pterostigma 2.8X its maximum width, vein 1-SR+M slightly curved, vein cu-a interstitial, ratio of r:3-SR:SR1 = 9:30:51, CUlb short, 3-CU1 0.66 times as long as m-cu and 2 times as long as CU1b, ratios of 2-SR:SR1:3-SR:r-m: 2-M: 2-SR+M= 18:30:50:12:44:3.

Hind legs ( Fig. 18 F)— Hind coxa smooth and glossy, femur compressed, length ratios of femur: tibia: basitarsus: tarsus of hind leg = 44:60:27:68, length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 3.5, 8.5 and 5.6X their maximum width, respectively; outer and inner hind tibial spurs 0.35 and 0.25X as long as hind basitarsus, respectively; tibia and tarsus densely setose.

Hind wing ( Fig. 18 H)—Ratios of cu-a: 1-M: 1r-m: 2-SC+R: SC+R1: M+CU= 6: 55: 4: 5: 15: 15, apex of C+SC+R with 4 weakly thickened bristle.

Metasoma ( Fig. 18 I)—Length of first tergite 0.76 X its apical width, sculptured; spiracles on first metasomal tergite projecting; suture between 2nd and 3rd metasomal tergites deep and sinuate, medial length of second tergite 0.46 X as long as its apical width and 1.9 X as long as medial length of third tergite; first and second tergites strongly but third tergite weakly sculptured, all other tergites smooth and glabrous.

Color. Yellowish brown, only eyes and ovipositor sheath black, antenna dark brown. Wing hyaline, pterostigma and veins dark brown.

Male: Unknown.

Host: Unknown.

Body length 2.57–3.30 mm.

Remark: The new species was frequently found in the Queshm island. Due to soil salinity in this area it is not densely vegetated. Vegetation consists of pasture plants, tropical and sub tropical fruit, herbaceous plants and grasslands, and vegetables.

Etymology. The specific name is from the type locality Persian Gulf, in Ramkan Queshm Island.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Bracon (Orthobracon) exhilarator Nees. A. Lateral aspect of female general habitus, B. Fore wing, C. Dorsal aspect of metasoma and ovipositor.

FIGURE 18. Bracon (Orthobracon) persiangulfensis Ameri, Beyarslan & Talebi sp. n. A. and B. Frontal and dorsal aspect of head, respectively, C. Antenna, D. and E. Lateral and dorsal aspect of mesosoma, respectively, F. Hind leg, G. Fore wing, H. Hind wing, I. Dorsal aspect of metasoma and ovipositor sheath.