Therophilus leucogaster (Holmgren)

Stevens, Nicholas B., Austin, Andrew D. & Jennings, John T., 2011, Diversity, distribution and taxonomy of the Australian agathidine genera Camptothlipsis Enderlein, Lytopylus Foerster and Therophilus Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae), Zootaxa 2887 (1), pp. 1-49 : 24-25

Therophilus leucogaster (Holmgren)

( Figs 12E , 18A )

Ischius leucogaster Holmgren, 1868: 427 [examined]. Holotype NHRS ♂; Type locality: Sydney, New South Wales. Orgilus leucogaster (Holmgren) ; Parrott, 1953: 198 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Agathis leucogaster (Holmgren) ; Shenefelt, 1970b: 340 [catalogue, generic transfer]; Yu et al., 2005 [catalogue].

Therophilus leucogaster (Holmgren) ; Stevens et al., 2010: 10 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Diagnosis. Propodeum extensively rugose-carinate with pair of carinae forming large spindle-shape medially; sternalus relatively long, distinct, entirely scrobiculate; notauli absent anteriorly; with BROW colour pattern.

Description (male). Body length 4.6 mm; head orange, except black dorsally, both antennae incomplete, but remaining segments entirely black to dark brown; anterior mesosoma (propleuron, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and metanotum) orange; posterior mesosoma (propodeum, metapleuron, mesepimeron and mesopleuron) black to dark brown; fore leg orange, slightly darker shading on distal tarsomeres; mid coxa, trochantellus, trochanter, basal femur and tarsomeres black to dark brown, remainder of mid leg orange; hind leg black to dark brown except 2 pale bands in basal half of tibia; dorsal and ventral anterior metasoma, extending to beyond anterior margin of T3, white except small dark patch on medial T1; remainder metasoma black to dark brown.

Head width 0.9 mm, length 0.6 mm, height 0.8 mm; eye width 0.2 mm, length 0.3 mm, height 0.5 mm; head triangular in anterior view; inter-orbital distance 0.6 mm; median ocellus diameter 0.09 mm; distance between lateral ocelli to median ocellus 0.05 mm; distance between lateral ocelli 0.13 mm; single, broad carina between antennae; ante-ocular pit distinct and triangular; antennae incomplete; clypeus width 0.3 mm, height 0.13 mm; malar space height 0.2 mm; distance from ventral eye margin to latero-ventral mouth margin 0.24 mm; labial palpomere 3 length 0.2x labial palpomere 4 length (lengths 0.02 and 0.1 mm, respectively); labial palpomere 2 length 0.09 mm; posterior margin of head, when viewed dorsally, broadly excavated (incursion 0.07 mm); posterior genal margin distinctly carinate but not expanded ventro-posteriorly.

Mesosomal width 0.9 mm, length 1.8 mm, height 1.2 mm; pilosity mostly 0.05–0.08 mm in length and sparse, particularly dorsally, except distinct dense setal field on metapleuron and mesepimeron, where setae are longer (0.1–0.15 mm) and thicker; antescutal depression distinct, anterior margin carinate with setal fringe; subpronope distinct, bordered posteriorly by pair of faint, short carinae, not extending to anterior margin of pronotum; notauli absent anteriorly (pin obliterates notauli posteriorly); scutellar sulcus divided into 4 main pits by 3 distinct longitudinal carinae, medial carina largest, anterior wall sloped, particularly medially, posterior wall nearly vertical; propodeum extensively and distinctly rugose, with longitudinal carinae forming spindle-shape medially; propodeal spiracle ovoid (maximum distance across 0.06 mm); suture line between metapleuron and propodeum delineated by scrobiculate groove; hind coxal cavities closed to metasomal foramen by relatively wide hind coxal bridge (minimum width 0.08 mm) with carinate margins; sternalus distinctly scrobiculate, relatively straight and horizontal posteriorly, curves slightly upwards anteriorly; metapleuron with setal field; surface sculpturing smooth except for punctuation associated with setae.

Legs with basal lobe of all claws quadrate; mid tibia with 4 apical and 5 preapical spines; preapical spines spaced on anterior surface in distal half of tibia; hind tibia with 5 apical and 8 preapical spines; preapical spines situated just basal to apical spines.

Both fore and hind wings lightly infuscate; fore wing maximum width 1.5 mm, length 4.5 mm; cell 1-Rs petiolate and highly reduced so only small round cell, diameter 0.04 mm, diameter less than width of petiole (0.06 mm); petiole of cell 0.1 mm long; basal one-third of M+Cu only lightly pigmented; hind wing maximum width 0.9 mm, length 3.1 mm.

Metasomal length 2.4 mm, maximum width 0.5 mm; all dorsal surfaces smooth; T1 median area elongate, length 0.7 mm, anterior width 0.24 mm, posterior (maximum) width 0.36 mm, raised nodes on antero-lateral margins associated with spiracles distinct, protruding more dorso-laterally; T2 with medial transverse groove; T2–T3 boundary marked by shallow groove.

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ♂, ‘Sidney’[sic] ‘Kinb.’ ( NHRS). [examined].

Comments. Therophilus leucogaster belongs to the BROW mimicry complex and is similar in colour pattern to T. rugosa . However, T. leucogaster is clearly distinguished from T. rugosa by the presence of the longitudinal carinae that form a spindle-shape on the propodeum. No additional material of this species has been located other than the holotype. There is a possibility that T. leucogaster may be extinct given that it was collected in the mid 1800s from an area that is now the location of Australia’s largest capital city, Sydney ( Fig. 18A ). The holotype has incomplete antennae, with 8 and 6 flagellomeres remaining on the left and right antennae, respectively.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Lateral habitus of Therophilus spp.: A, female T. aalvikorum; B, female T. malignus (holotype); C, female T. nr latibalteatus; D, female T. festinatus (holotype); E, male T. leucogaster (holotype); F, female T. nr meridionalis. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 18. Distribution maps of described Camptothlipsis, Lytopylus and Therophilus species: A, Camptothlipsis oliveri o, Lytopylus rufipes, Therophilus aalvikorum ●, T. leucogaster ̝, T. martialis; B, T. malignus ●, T. meridionalis o, T.minimus ̝, T. minor ̝.