Microchelonus aperon, Papp, Jenő, 2016

Papp, Jenő, 2016, First Survey Of The Neotropical Species Of Microchelonus Szépligeti With Descriptions Of Twenty-Five New Species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 62 (3), pp. 217-344 : 227-228

Microchelonus aperon sp. n.

(Figs 26–34)

Materialexamined – Femaleholotype: CostaRica, SanJosé, Escazu, 8 February 1987, leg. G. E. Bohart. – Holotype is in good condition: glued direct to the pin by its right mesosomalside. HolotypeisdepositedinHNHM, Hym. Typ. No. 12228. Etymology – Thenewspeciesreceivedthelatinizedphantasyname “aperon”.

Description of the female holotype – Body 3 mm long. Antenna as long as body and with 16 antennomeres. Scapeinlateralviewsomewhatglobose, 2.5 timesaslongasbroadmedially (Fig. 26). Flagellumlong, firstflagellomeresixtimesandpenultimateflagellomere 2.6 timesas longasbroad (Fig. 26). – Headindorsalviewtransverse (Fig. 27), 1.8 timesasbroadaslong, eye 1.5 timeslongerthantemple, templerounded. OOL 1.2 timeslongerthanPOL (11:9). Eye inlateralview 1.8 timesashighaswide, genabeyondeyebroadeningventrallyandjustwider thaneye (17:16), genaposteriorlywithweaksubstriolation, otherwiseshinytopolished (Fig. 28 seearrows). Clypeus 1.4 timesaswidebelowashighmedially, itslowermarginconvex (cf. Fig. 48), finelyanddenselypunctate, subshiny. Facetransverselyrugulo-striolate; frons smoothandshinytopolished. Vertexandocciputdenselysubrugulose (Fig. 27).

Mesosomainlateralviewstout, 1.2 timesaslongashigh, scabrous, laterallobeof mesoscutumuneventosubrugulose. Notaulixdistinctanteriorly. Scutellumsmoothwith afewsubpunctures, shiny (Fig. 29). Hindfemur 3.5 timesaslongasbroadmedially (Fig. 30). Hindbasitarsusjustlongerthantarsomeres 2–4 combined.

Fore wing shorter than body, 2.5 mm long. Pterostigma 2.3 times as long as wide, issuing r from its middle, r almost as long as 3–SR (8:9), SR1 straight, 1–R1 0.8 times as long aspterostigma ( Fig. 32 ).

Carapaceindorsalview 2.1 timesaslongasbroadposteriorly, anteriorlylongitudinallystriatedwithlittleanastomoses, interstriationsfinelycrenulated, posteriorlyrugorugulose ( Fig. 33 ). Carapaceinlateralview 2.6 timesaslongashighposteriorly, apically deeplyrounded ( Fig. 34 seearrows ). Carapaceapico-ventrallydeeplyincurved (Fig. 31). Ovipositorsheathshort, concealed.

Bodyblack. Scapeandpedicelyellowish, flagellumblack. Palpipaleyellow. Tegula darkbrown, parategulabrown. Forelegyellow, coxabrownish. Middlelegyellow, coxa blackish, femurproximallybrownish. Hindlegblackishtodarkbrown, trochantersand baseandapexoffemuryellow(ish). Wingshyaline, pterostigmabrown, veinsyellowto light brown.

Maleandhostunknown.

Distribution – Costa Rica.

Taxonomicposition – ThenewspeciesisneartotheNearcticspecies Microchelonusminimus (Cresson) viewingtheircommonfeatures: shortcorporal length (atmost 3 mmlong), smoothscutellum, headindorsalviewsomewhat lesstransverse, 1.8–1.9 timesasbroadaslong (Figs 27, 317); cylindricformof

carapaceindorsalviewandblackcolourofbody. Thedistinctionbetween themiskeyed:

1 (2) Forewing: Pterostigmaslightlywider, 2.3 timesaslongaswideandissuing r fromitsmiddle, 1–R1 long, 0.75 ttimesaslongaspterostigma ( Fig. 32 seearrows ). Eyeindorsalview 1.5 timeslongerthantemple, temple slightlymorerounded (Fig. 27). Hindfemurthin, 3.5 timesaslongas broad (Fig. 30). Carapaceinlateralviewmoderatelyrisingposteriorly, apicallydeeplyincurved ( Fig. 34 seearrows ). Forelegyellow. f: 3 mm. – Costa Rica M. aperon sp. n.

2 (1) Forewing: Pterostigmalesswide, 2.5 timesaslongaswideandissuing r distallyfromitsmiddle, 1– R1 0.6 timesaslongaspterostigma (Fig. 319). Eyeindorsalviewslightlylongerthantemple (17:15), templeslightly lessrounded (Fig. 317). Hindfemurthick, 2.5 timesaslongasbroad (cf. Fig. 300). Carapaceinlateralviewhardlyrisingposteriorly , apically perpendicularlytruncate (Fig. 320 seearrows). Forelegdarkbrownto brownish. f: 2.6–2.7 mm. – USA: NewYork , Texas

M. mimimus ( Cresson, 1873)

Inthekeytothefemale Microchelonus species M. aperon runsto M. danzas

sp. n. and M. subplanus Papp , see couplets 44 (49) – 48 (47).

Figures

Figs 32–45. 32–34. Microchelonus aperon sp. n. (f, holotype): 32 = distal part of right fore wing, 33 = carapaceindorsalviewwithindicationofitssculpture, 34 = carapaceinlateral view. 35–44. Microchelonusavron sp. n. (m, holotype): 35 = headindorsalviewwithindica- tionofitssculpture, 36 = clypeus, 37 = headinlateralviewwithindicationofitssculpture, 38 = propodealcarinaindorsalview, 39 = hindfemur + tibia, 40 = distalpartofrightfore wing, 41 = carapaceindorsalviewwithindicationofitssculpture, 42 = carapaceinlateral view, 43 = apicalforamenofcarapace, 44 = posteriorthirdofcarapaceinventralview. 45. Microchelonusbermus sp. n. (m, holotype): 45 = capaceinlateralview.