Conura abdominalis ( Walker, 1862 )

Binoy, C., Nasser, M. & Santhosh, S., 2022, Taxonomic studies of the genus Conura Spinola (Chalcididae: Chalcidinae) from Oriental region with the first report of two New World species, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 8 (2), pp. 245-256 : 247-248

Conura abdominalis ( Walker, 1862) ( Figs 1–12)

Smiera abdominalis Walker, 1862:177 . Lectotype ♂, BMNH [misspelling for Smicra ( Cresson, 1872) :57].

Smicra ambigua Cresson, 1872:44 . Lectotype ♂, ANSP Mexico [Synonymy by Kirby (1883):53].

Spilochalcis abdominalis ( Walker, 1862) Schmiedeknecht, 1909:37 [combination by Burks (1977):384].

Conura (Spilochalcis) abdominalis ( Walker, 1862) [combination by Delvare (1992):299].

Material Examined. 2♀♀, 1♂ – " India: Kerala, Kozhikode district, Elathur (11°20'37"N 75°43'6.74"E, 23m), 08.vii.2020, Coll. C. Bijoy " .

Diagnosis. Metasoma shorter than combined lengths of head and mesosoma; antenna attached distinctly above the ventral level of eye; antennal scape not reaching the anterior ocellus; mesosoma densely punctured; mesoscutum with two yellow stripes along the outer margin of parapside; posterior margin of Gt 6 perpendicular. It can be separated from the other Indian xanthostigma group species C. xanthostigma (Dalman) in having the following set of features: head wider than mesosoma (in C. xanthostigma , head as wide as mesosoma); metasoma testaceous (in C. xanthostigma , metasoma completely black); apical margin of mesoscutellum truncated/straight (in C. xanthostigma , apical margin of mesoscutellum narrowly produced); hind femora testaceous yellow with reddish brown patch on medial disc and apically (in C. xanthostigma , hind femur black with yellow marking); hind femur without an inner basal tooth (in C. xanthostigma , hind femur with an inner basal tooth).

Redescription. ♀ ( Figs 1–8). Length 3.38 mm; fore wing length 3.35 mm.

Colour. Testaceous with following parts different: head in frontal view brown with clypeus paler; scape pale yellow, pedicel brown, rest of antennomeres brown dorsally, markedly pale yellow ventrally, clava entirely yellow; vertex beyond anterior ocellus brown; pronotum with antero-medial declivity darker; mesoscutum except for parapsidal furrow and sides of parapsides black; axillae black; mesoscutellum with antero-medial inverted triangular area darker; dorsellum laterally brown; propodeum deep brown; mesopleuron and metapleuron dark brown with yellow patches below tegula; inner side of hind coxa reddish-brown; hind femur with medial patch on outer disc and apical patch reddish-brown; hind tibia with basal brown patch.

Pubescence. Moderately long yellowish-brown setae on head and mesosoma, metasomal terga Gt 1 –Gt 5 bare, rest with short yellowish-brown setae; pubescence on propodeum moderately dense.

Head. Head in frontal view 1.5× as long as wide; vertex faintly convex in frontal view; frons alutaceous with numerous setigerous pits ( Fig. 2), impunctate area below interantennal projection; interantennal projection prominent, forming short carina along scrobal basin; scrobe finely alutaceous; vertex with shallower punctures, interstice alutaceous; POL 1.6× OOL; occipital carina indicated, emarginated ( Fig. 3).

Mesosoma. Pronotal collar angulate antero-laterally, forming sharp angle on lateral corner with anteromedian declivity, faintly punctate, interstices imbricate, posterior margin distinctly emarginate; mesoscutum with imbricate impunctate strip at anterior margin, rest clearly, coarsely punctate with alutaceous interstices; mesoscutellum and axillae with similar sculpturing; apical margin of mesoscutellum truncate, emarginate; dorsellum indicated, foveolate ( Fig. 4); mesopleuron shiny, with an anterior longitudinal carina and several small radiating transverse rugae; metapleura distinctly punctate ( Fig. 5); propodeum shiny with regular rugate areola ( Fig. 6).

Legs. Hind coxa dorsally smooth, shiny, ventrally setose, 2.1× as wide as long; hind femur 1.7× as long as maximum width, without inner ventro-basal tooth, 16 teeth on ventral margin; tarsal claws normal, edentate ( Fig. 8).

Wings. Fore wing subhyaline; SMV 2.23× MV; PMV 1.4× MV; STV 0.3× MV ( Fig. 7).

Metasoma. Petiole 1.4× as long as wide, with lateral bordering carina ( Fig. 9); Gt 1 –Gt 5 smooth, dorsally bare, smooth, Gt 6 perpendicular, smooth, setose; ovipositor sheath not exerted.

Male. ( Figs 9–12). Body size 3.67 mm; fore wing 3.27 mm. Similar to female except, POL 2.8× OOL ( Fig. 10); antenna stout with three rows of white multi-porous plate sensilla on surface; hind femur with medial red patch confluent with apical patch ( Fig. 12); petiole 2.1× as long as maximum width ( Fig. 11).

Distribution. Oriental : India (Kerala) (new report). Elsewhere: Neotropical ( Brazil; Costa Rica; Ecuador; Mexico) ( Walker, 1862; Cresson, 1872; De Santis, 1979; Delvare, 1992).

Host. Unknown.