Aleiodes flannelfooti, Quicke & Butcher, 2012

Butcher, Buntika Areekul, Smith, M. Alex, Sharkey, Mike J. & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2012, A turbo-taxonomic study of Thai Aleiodes (Aleiodes) and Aleiodes (Arcaleiodes) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) based largely on COI barcoded specimens, with rapid descriptions of 179 new species, Zootaxa 3457, pp. 1-232 : 98-99

Aleiodes flannelfooti sp. nov.

( Fig. 70 )

Holotype ♀, Thailand, Phetchabun Province, Thung Salaeng Luang NP, pine forest Gang Wang Nan Yen , 28.xii.2002, 16° 36.284’ N, 100° 53.128’ E, 749m, Pongpitak and Sathit (voucher BCLDQ00739, Genbank JQ 38840) ( QSBG).

Body length 5.0 mm, fore wing length 4.1 mm and antenna length 5.7 mm.

Antenna with 48 flagellomeres. Terminal flagellomere acuminate. Median flagellomeres 1.8 x longer than wide. Occipital carina complete, mediodorsally forming a rounded ‘V’ shape, ventrally strong and lamelliform, joining hypostomal carina. Mesopleuron largely rugulose becoming aciculate posteriorly with distinct longitudinal trend in sculpture, precoxal sulcus moderately impressed, specular area shiny but fainly aciculate. Midlongitudinal carina of propodeum present on anterior 0.7 only. Fore wing vein 2-CU1 1.3 x 1-CU1. Apex of fore wing subbasal cell with distinct glabrous zone. Fore wing vein 3-SR 1.9 x vein r. Fore wing vein 2-SR+M 1.2 x vein r. Fore wing vein SR1 2.5 x vein 3-SR. Hind wing vein M+CU 1.45 x 1-M. Hind wing subbasal cell evenly setose. Hind wing vein m-cu distinct and antefurcal. Length of hind wing vein M+CU 1.5 x 1+ 2M. Apex of hind tibia with comb of adpressed setae medially. Claws with pecten of 7 or 8 long, fine, pale brown teeth on basal lobe, these splaying and distinctly separated, and the penultimate ones longest. Basal lobes of 1 st tergite moderately protruding, anteriorly rounded, posteriorly steep. Midlongitudinal carina of 3 rd tergite distinct on anterior 0.7.

Etymology. Named after the assassin character Zlorf Flannelfoot in the Terry Pratchett Discworld novel and in allusion to the pectinate claws.

Notes. Differs only at base from A. divergerus sp. nov. (position 1901, G not A), but recognised as a different species primarily because of the difference in hind coxal sculpture which is consistent among all the A. divergerus sp. nov. specimens.

Figures

FIGURE 70. A. flannelfooti sp. nov. A, habitus; B, face; C, head, dorsal view; D, head and mesosoma, lateral view; E, mesosoma, dorsal view; F, metasoma.