Protomicroplitis calliptera (Say, 1836)

Fernandez-Triana, J. L., 2015, A revision of the genus Protomicroplitis Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 4039 (4), pp. 529-542 : 535-536

Protomicroplitis calliptera (Say, 1836)

Figs 3–10

Microgaster calliptera Say, 1836: 264 . Original description.

Protomicroplitis calliptera (Say, 1836) . Nixon, 1965: 261. Revised combination.

Holotype. Lost. USA, “Indiana”, no further details about locality ( Shenefelt, 1973).

Specimens examined ( CNC). CANADA: Metcalfe, Ontario, 45.235828, -75.472983 (1 ♀); Stitsville, Ontario, 45.26, -75.92 (1 ♀, 2 ♂); 10 km W of Richmond, Ottawa, Ontario, 45.20, -75.96 (2 ♀). MEXICO: 30 km E of Concordia, Sinaloa, 23.29, -105.77 (1 ♀); 20 km E of Cuernava, Morelos, 18.92, -99.03 (2 ♀). UNITED STATES: Styx River, Baldwin County, Alabama, 30.63, -88.59 (1 ♀); Gainesville, Florida, 29.65, -82.32 (3 ♀, 4 ♂); Forsyth, Georgia, 33.04, -83.94 (8 ♀, 1 ♂); Hiawassee, Georgia, 34.95, -83.76 (3 ♂); Salacoa Creek, Fairmont, Gordon County, Georgia, 34.40, -84.67 (2 ♂); Sapelo Island, McIntosh County, Georgia, 31.48, -81.24 (3 ♂); Laurel, Maryland, 39.10, -76.86 (2 ♀, 1 ♂); Patuxent Research Refuge, Bowie, Maryland, 39.06, -76.78 (1 ♀); Issaquena county, Mississippi, 32.74, -90.99 (1 ♀, 5 ♂); Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 32.18, -80.74 (1 ♂); Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 36.01, -84.26 (1 ♂); Kerrville, Texas, 30.05, -99.14 (1 ♀); Navasota, Texas, 30.38, -96.08 (1 ♀); Welder Wildlife Refuge, Texas, 28.12, -97.44 (1 ♀).

Other locality records (from literature). Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas; Lawrence, Kansas; Cypress Mills, Texas; Victoria, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Colorado; Indiana; Iowa; Lousiana; Nebraska; New Jersey; New York; South Dakota.

Description. Female: Body length: 4.7–5.5 mm (average: 5.1 ± 0.22). Fore wing length: 4.7–5.2 mm (average: 5.0 ± 0.16). F2 length: 0.54 mm (0.52-0.56 mm). F14 length: 0.29 mm (0.29–0.30 mm). Metatibia length: 1.98 mm (1.92–2.02 mm). Metatarsus length: 0.99 mm (0.96–1.02 mm). T1 length: 0.88 mm (0.84–0.92 mm). F2 length/ width: 3.7 × (3.6–3.9 ×). F14 length/width: 3.0 × (2.7–3.2 ×). F2 length/F14 length: 1.82 × (1.79–1.83 ×). T1 length/width at posterior margin: 4.51 × (4.00–4.60 ×). T1 length/width at median length of tergite: 7.14 × (6.00– 8.30 ×). T1 width at median length of tergite/width at anterior margin: 0.45 × (0.39–0.50 ×). Head black (except for yellow-orange clypeus, labrum, and mandibles). Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow, flagellomeres brown. Mesosoma black (except for tegula and humeral complex yellow). Metasoma yellow to yellow-orange. Wings infumated, pterostigma partially yellow (anteriorly) and partially brown (posteriorly). Legs yellow-orange, except for dark brown to black metatarsus and posterior 0.1 of metafemur and metatibia.

Biology. Reared from Noctuidae : Condica sutor and C. vides ( Muesebeck, 1922) .

Molecular data (DNA barcodes). Eight sequences in BOLD, three of them over 500 bp.

Comments. This is the only Nearctic species, although it is widespread from northern Mexico, US (north of Gainesville, Florida) and reaching to Canada (Ottawa and surroundings, 45° N).

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 10. Protomicroplitis calliptera. 3 — habitus, lateral view; 4 — head and mesosoma (partially), dorsal view; 5 — detail of the head, dorsal view; 6 — fore wing; 7 — metasoma, dorsal view; 8 — head, frontal view; 9 — scutellar disc and propodeum, dorsal view; 10 — metasoma, lateral view.