Microchelonus fodicus, 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 : 260-261

Microchelonus fodicus sp. n.

(Figs 216–226)

Materialexamined – Femaleholotype: CostaRica , Alajuela, 20 kmSfromUpala, 11 December 1990, leg. F. D. Parker. – Holotypeisingoodcondition: (1) glueddirecttothepin byitsrightmesopleuron, (2) distalpartoflefthindwingcreased. Holotypeisdepositedin HNHM, Hym. Typ. No. 12238 .

Etymology – Thenewspeciesname “fodicus” hasthemeaningprickingreferingtoits parasitoidbehavour.

Description of the female holotype – Body 5 mm long. Antenna short, as long as head + mesosomacombinedandwith 16 antennomeres. Firstflagellomerethreetimesaslong asbroad, furtherflagellomeresshorteningsothatpenultimateflagellomeresubcubic: 1.2 timesaslongasbroad. – Headindorsalviewtransverse, 2.1 timesasbroadaslong, eye 2.1 timeslongerthantemple, templestronglyrounded (Fig. 216). OOLone- thirdlongerthan POL (12:8). Eyeinlateralviewtwiceashighaswide (31:15), genabeyondeyebroadening ventrallyandaswideaseye (Fig. 217 seearrows). Genapunctate, interpuncturesasgreat aspunctures, shiny (Fig. 217). Clypeuswide, 1.8 timesaswidebelowashighmedially, punctateabove (finerthanthatofgena), punctationsparsingbelow, subshiny (Fig. 218). Facerugose, fronsandvertexrugose, occiputsubrugulosetosmooth (Fig. 216).

Mesosomainlateralview 1.6 timesaslongashigh, scabrous. Notaulixdistinct. Scutellumfinelypunctate, interspacesgreaterthanpuncturesandsubshiny (Fig. 219). Transversecarinaofpropodeumwithfoursmalldenticules (Fig. 220). Hindfemurthick, 2.6 timesaslongasbroadmedially (Fig. 224). Middletibiawithspinules (Fig. 225). Hind basitarsusaslongastarsomeres 2–4 + half 5thtarsomerecombined.

Forewingshorterthanbody (3.5 mmlong). Pterostigmawide, 2.1 timesaslongas wide, issuing r from its middle, 3–SR twice longer than r (13:6.5), SR1 weakly bent, 1–R1 0.8 timesaslongaspterostigma (Fig. 221).

Carapaceindorsalview 2.1 timesaslongasbroadmedially, apicallyconicule- shaped, withlongitudinalsulciferousstriations (similartothatof M. sulciferasp . n.), interstriationscrenulate (Fig. 222). Carapaceinlateralview 2.8 timesaslongashighposteriorly, itshindendtruncate (Fig. 223 seearrows). Carapaceapicallywithoutforamen. Carapace apico-ventrallyweaklyincurved.

Groundcolourofbodyblack. Scapeandpediceltestaceous. Palpilightbrownish yellow. Tegulablackish. Forelegpaletestaceous, femurproximallybrownish. Middleand hindlegsblackishtoblack, coxaeyellowish, tibiaebasallyandtarsientirelystrawyellow. Wingssubhyaline, pterostigmabrown, veinsyellowtobrownish.

Maleandhostunknown.

Distribution – Costa Rica.

Taxonomic position – The new species, M. fodicus , is closest to M. sulcifera sp. n. and M. townsendi (Viereck) consideringtheircommonfeatures: strong corporalsculpture, sulciferousstriationsofcarapace, 1–R1 almostaslongas pterostigma, theirdistinctionispresentedinthekeytothefemale Microchelonus species , seecouplets 27 (26) – 30 (29).