Microchelonus bermus, 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 : 230-232

Microchelonus bermus sp. n.

( Figs 45 –54)

Materialexamined – Maleholotype: Honduras, Olancho, ParqueNacionallaMuralla,

15 kmNfromLaUnión, 15˚07’N / 86˚45’W, takenwithMalaisetrapsetupinhighelevation

rainforest, April 1995, leg. R. Cave. – Holotypeisingoodcondition: gluedoncardpointby itsrightmeso-andmetapleuron. HolotypeisdepositedinZMLU .

Etymology – Thenewspeciesreceivedthelatinizedphantasyname “bermus”.

Description of the male holotype – Body 4 mm long. Antenna somewhat longer than body (4.5 mmlong) andwith 24 antennomeres. Flagellomereslong, firstflagellomererfour timesandpenultimateflagellomeres 2.3 timesaslongasbroad (Fig. 46). Flagellumproximo-distallyattenuating. – Headindorsalviewtransverse (Fig. 47), 1.7 timesasbroadas long, templesomewhatswollen, eyeslightlylongerthantemple (19:17), templerounded. OOLabouthalfaslongasPOL, ocellifaintlyellptic. Eyeinlateralviewtwiceashigh aswide, genabeyondeyebroadeningventrallysothatone- thirdwiderthaneye (21:14), genastrilatewithanastomoses (cf. Fig. 248). Clypeussubquadrate, somewhatwiderbelow thanhigghmedially (30:25), itslowermarginconvex, densely (notconfluently) punctate, interpunctations (sub)shiny (Fig. 48). Malarspacealmost 1.7 timesaslongasbasalwidth ofmandible. Frontalgreatestwidthoffacetwiceaslongasmiddleheight, rugose, inner marginofeyesslightlydivergingventrally. Vertex, occiputandfronsdenselyrugose.

Mesosomainlateralview 1.6 timesaslongashigh, scabrous. Notaulixlessdistinct. Scutellumrugose (Fig. 49). Propodealcarinawithprominentfourdenticules (Fig. 50). Hindfemur 3.5 timesaslongasbroadsomewhatdistally (cf. Fig. 30). Hindbasitarsusas longastarsomeres 2–4 combined.

Forewingshorterthanbody (3.3 mmlong). Pterostigma 2.3 timesaslongaswide and issuing r from its middle, r long: twice longer than 3–SR, SR1 straight, 1–R1 0.7 times aslongaspterostigma (Fig. 51).

Carapaceindorsalviewcylindrical, 2.3 timesaslongasbroadposteriorly, longitudinallyandsomewhatundulatestriatedwithmuchanastomoses, interstriationsrugulose. Apicalforamenofcarapaceelliptic: 1.6 timeswiderthanhigh (Fig. 53). Carapaceinlateral viewthreetimesaslongashighposteriorly ( Fig. 45 seearrows ). Apico-ventralincurved partofcarapacealmostaslongashindbasitarsus (Fig. 54).

Antennaandbodyblack. Palpidarkbrown. Legsblacktoblackish, foreandmiddle femoraandforetibiafeeblyrusty. Wingssubhyaline, areaaroundpterostigmabrownish infumate. Pterostigmablackishbrown, veinslightbrowntobrown.

Femaleandhostunknown.

Distribution – Honduras.

Taxonomic position – The new species, Microchelonus bermus , is close to M. egregicolor (Viereck) viewingtheircommonfeatures: templeindorsalview somewhatswollenandstriatesculptureofcarapace; theirdistinctioniskeyed:

1 (2) Fore wing: r long, twice as long as 3–SR, 1–R1 short, 0.7 times as long aspterostigma (Fig. 51). Striationofcarapaceundulateandwithanastomoses (Fig. 52). Propodeum: lateralpairofdenticuleslessprominent andmiddlepairmoreprominent (Fig. 50). Apicalforamenofcarapace elliptic: 1.6 timeswiderthanhigh (Fig. 53). Carapaceentirelyblack. m: 4 mm. – Honduras M. bermus sp. n.

2 (1) Forewing: r short, eitheraslongas 3–SR or 3–SR somewhatlonger, 1–R1 almostaslongaspterostigma (Fig. 179). Striationofcarapacestraight andwithoutanastomoses (Fig. 181). Propodeum: lateralpairofdenticulesmoreandmiddlepairlessprominent (Fig. 180). Apicalforamenof carapace “verybroadandslit-like”. Basalthirdtohalfofcarapacelem- onyellow, otherwiseblack. m: 4.7–5.2 mm. – Widelydistributedinthe USA M. egregicolor (Viereck, 1905)

Thenewspeciesisalsonearto M. ashmeadi (DallaTorre) bytheirswollen templeanddarkcolouredlegs; thetwospeciesdifferfromeachotherbythe followingtraits ( M. ashmeadi knownonlybethefemale):

1 (2) Forewing: pterostigma 2.3 timesaslongaswide, isuing r fromitsmiddle, r twicelongerthan 3–SR (Fig. 51). Carapacewithratherstraightstri- ations (Fig. 52). Scutellumrugose (Fig. 49). Wingshyaline, areaaround pterostigmainfumate (Fig. 51). m: 4 mm. – Honduras M. bermus sp. n.

2 (1) Forewing: pterostigma 3 timesaslongaswide, issuing r distallyfromits middle, r aboutaslongas 3–SR. “Carapacewithratherirregularlongitudinalrugulosesculpturing.” Scutellum “confluentlypunctate.” Wings “strongly, uniformlyinfumated.” f: 2.6 mm. – USA: Colorado (= Chelonus atripes Ashmead, 1893 nec ThomsoN, 1874) M. ashmeadi (Dalla Torre, 1898)

Inthekeytothemale Microchelonus species M. bermus runsto M. carinatus (Provancher) , seecouplets 22 (25) – 24 (23).

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.