Telenomus chandishae Veenakumari, 2018

Kamalanathan, Veenakumari & Mohanraj, Prashanth, 2018, A new sexually dichromatic species of Telenomus Haliday (Platygastroidea: Scelionidae) from India, Zootaxa 4375 (2), pp. 265-272 : 266-271

Telenomus chandishae Veenakumari sp. n.

( Figures 1–12 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:126FEA32-360F-465C-969B-6DFAE2C89056

Holotype: Female; Body length = 1.526 mm.

Color ( Figs 1, 2 ): Head entirely black; mesosoma and metasoma honey brown except for dark brownish-black posterior metasomal tergites, metasoma a shade darker than mesosoma; a dark brown narrow band towards anterior margin and a light brown band on postero-medial margin of T1; a dark brown line present on ventral margin of lateral propodeal area; legs yellowish brown; mandibles yellow with reddish-black tip; radicle and A1–A2 golden brown, A3–A6 yellowish brown, A7–A10 black, A11 brown.

Head: FCI = 1.44; LCI = 1.12; IOS 0.43× width of head, 0.75× eye length; entire frons smooth except for frontal patch on lower frons and 2 pairs of transverse furrows (in some paratypes up to 4 pairs) above interantennal process ( Fig. 5 ); sparse white setae present on frons and vertex; vertex dome shaped, smooth except for distinct vertex patch present on the posterior margin of orbit; eyes (L: W = 24.7:22.2) large, with sparse short setae; orbital furrow on posterior margin continuing further as malar sulcus; POL>LOL>OOL in ratio of 12.3:6.7:0.6, respectively; gena smooth; length and width of antennomeres A1–A 11 in ratio of 23.3:4.6, 7.3:3.4, 5.0:3.1, 3.5:3.6, 3.0:3.5, 2.8:4.0, 3.2:5.8, 4.2:6.3, 3.7:6.2, 4.5:6.0, 6.2:5.0, respectively; radicle 0.3× length of A1 ( Figs 11, 12 ); mandible bidentate.

Mesosoma: Mesoscutum (L: W = 23.5:40.0) entirely smooth, with long yellow setae ( Fig. 6 ); parapsidal line indicated; mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus weakly foveate; lateral pronotal area predominantly smooth with dense setae dorsally; netrion smooth with large weak foveae on anterior margin; mesopleuron predominantly smooth, prespecular sulcus weakly foveate, mesepimeral sulcus foveate; anterior episternum reticulate; mesopleural depression smooth; metapleuron smooth except for weak foveae on antero-dorsal margin; posterior margin of metapleuron with a narrow transparent lamella; mesopleural pit and metapleural pit well indicated ( Fig. 7 ); scutoscutellar sulcus very wide, not foveate; mesoscutellum (L: W = 11.3:30.6) semicircular, smooth, posterior mesoscutellar sulcus foveate; metascutellum semicircular, anteriorly foveate, posteriorly smooth with a transverse medial carina; metanotal trough with indistinct foveae; lateral propodeal area smooth; fore wing (L: W = 94.9:36.8) and hind wing (L: W = 82.5:17.1) with dense microtrichia; hind wing width 3.8× the length of marginal cilia at that point; length of fore wing and hind wing marginal cilia 0.1× and 0.30× their wing width respectively; length of submarginalis: marginalis: stigmalis: postmarginalis in ratio of 36.1:10.4:12.7:25.9, respectively ( Fig. 9 ).

Metasoma: (L: W = 61.8:39.4); T1 costate, costae extending the entire length of tergite reaching weakly reticulate posterior margin; T1 with one sublateral and three lateral setae ( Fig. 8 ); T2 with basal foveae medially from which short costae extend, (costae look longer when viewed laterally extending more than half the length of tergite), remainder smooth except for fine punctae in posterior 1/4 th; remaining tergites narrow, finely punctate; length and width of tergites T1–T 2 in ratio of 10.0:15.7, 43.6:35.0, respectively; ovipositor extruded.

Male ( Fig. 3 ): Body length = 1.352 mm. Similar to female except for the following characters: Mesosoma, T1 and anterior margin of T2 orangish brown, remainder black; radicle and A1 golden yellow, A2 brownish black, remaining antennomeres black. Vertex patch and frontal patch larger than in female; an additional frontal patch present on medial frons towards inner orbit which extends towards posterior ocelli ( Figs 4 & 10 ); costae on T2 long, extending about half the length of tergite; length and width of antennomeres A1–A 12 in ratio of 18.1:3.6, 5.3:3.3, 6.3:3.4, 6.0:3.3, 6.7:3.5, 7.1:3.6, 7.3:3.6, 6.8:3.5, 7.0:3.5, 6.6:4.0, 6.8:3.6, 9.4:3.3, respectively.

Variability: The mean body length of the female was 1.465 mm varying from 1.350 mm to 1.645 mm (SD = 0.09, n = 10). The mean body length of the male was 1.353 mm varying from 1.272 mm to 1.437 mm (SD = 0.06, n = 7).

Diagnosis: This species is similar to T. xanthosoma , described by Johnson (1980) as an unusual species of Telenomus because of its atypical coloration, referring to the yellow color of the meso and metasoma and black head ( Figures 13-18 ). This species differs from T. xanthosoma in the following character states: In T. xanthosoma A3 is distinctly longer than A2; A6 longer than wide; A9 and A10 both longer than wide; A3–A11 brown; vertex with shallow coriaceous sculpture throughout; frons smooth; mesoscutum shallowly coriaceous; setal bases weakly not pustulate; hind wing width 2.3× the length of marginal cilia at that point; T1 costate only in basal half. Whereas in Telenomus chandishae sp. n. A3 just 0.68× the length of A2; A6 0.7× as long as wide; A7–A11 black; A9 and

A10 distinctly wider than long; vertex medially smooth; frons with at least 2 pairs of transverse furrows above interantennal process; T1 costate almost the entire length of tergite; netrion indicated; mesoscutum entirely smooth; setal bases not weakly postulate; hind wing width 3.8× the length of marginal cilia at that point; T2 with fine punctae in posterior 1/4 th.

Etymology: This species is named after Chandish R. Ballal, a good friend and colleague of the authors. The name is treated as a noun in the genitive case.

Material examined. Holotype, female, ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1190 ), INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Yercaud, Horticulture Research Station , 11°47'44''N 78°12'42''E, 1399m, YPT, 06. VIII. 2016 . Paratypes: ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1191 ) , 1 female, same data as holotype;( ICAR / NBAIR / P1192 , P1193 ) , 2 females, Karnataka: Bengaluru, Kengeri , 12°57'25''N 77°31'39''E, 997m, YPT, 01.X.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1194 , P1195 ) , 2 females, same as P1192, 05.X.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1196 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 13.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1197 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 02.I.2013; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1198 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 11.I.2013; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1199 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 05.II.2013; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1200 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 22.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1201 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 26.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1202 ) , 1 female, same as P1192, 09.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1203 ) , 1 female, Karnataka: Bengaluru, Jarakabande Kaval , 13°05'41''N 77°32'35''E, 921m, MT, 26.II.2015; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1204 ) , 1 female, same as P1203, 13.I.2014; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1205 ) , 1 female, same as P1203, 09.IV.2015; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1206 , P1207 ) , 2 females, same as P1203, 04.II.2015; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1208 ) , 1 female, Karnataka: Gandhi Krishi Vignan Kendra , 13°08'00''N 77°57'55'' E, 938m, YPT, 17. VI.2015; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1209 ) , 1 female, Karnataka: Chikkaballapur, Nandi Hills , 13°37'02''N 77°68'34''E, 1448m, SN, 11.XI.2014; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1210 ) , 1 female, same as P1209, 24.I.2014; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1211 ) , 1 female, same as P1209, YPT, 18.XI.2010; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1212 ) , 1 female, Karnataka: Bengaluru, Attur , 13°09'68''N 77°56'41''E, 936m, YPT, 17.II.2014; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1213 ) , 1 male, same as P1203, 13.VIII.2013; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1214 ) , 1 male, same as P1192; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1215 ) , 1 male, same as P1192, 26.X.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1216 ) , 1 male, same as P1192, 27.VII.2013; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1217 , P1218 ) , 2 males, same as P1192, 15.IX.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1219 ) , 1 male, same as P1192, 26.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1220 ) , 1 male, same as P1192, 09.XI.2012; ( ICAR / NBAIR / P1221 ) , 1 male, same as P1192, 17.XII.2012.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Bright field images of Telenomus chandishae sp. n. 1, Dorsal view of habitus (female); 2, Lateral view of habitus (female); 3, Dorsal view of habitus (male)

FIGURES 4–10. Bright field images of Telenomus chandishae sp. n. 4, Vertex (male); 5, Frons (female, paratype); 6, Head and mesonotum (female); 7, Pleuron (female); 8, Metasoma (female); 9, Wings (female); 10, Frons (male)

FIGURES 11–12. Female antenna of Telenomus chandishae sp. n.

FIGURES 13–18. Telenomus xanthosoma Johnson, female. 13, Head and mesosoma (dorsal view); 14, Head and mesosoma (lateral view); 15, Antennae; 16, Frons; 17, Wings; 18, Habitus (dorsal view) (Courtesy: Sophie Cardinal, CNCI, Ottawa)