Therophilus martialis (Turner)

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 : 27-28

Therophilus martialis (Turner)

( Figs 4B, H , 6B , 7C , 8A , 10A, C , 11B , 13B , 18A )

Microdus martialis Turner, 1918a: 108 [examined]. Holotype BMNH ♀; Type locality: Kuranda , Queensland.

Agathis martialis (Turner) ; Parrott, 1953: 198 [catalogue, generic transfer]; Shenefelt, 1970b: 343 [catalogue]; Yu et al., 2005 [catalogue].

Theophilus martialis (Turner) ; Stevens et al., 2010: 20 [catalogue, generic transfer].

Diagnosis. Body mostly yellow with slightly darker markings dorsally; no carinae between antennae, only broad rounded elevation; notauli present anteriorly but devoid of any sculpturing; faint vestige of admedial lines on dorso-anterior medial surface; suture line between metapleuron and propodeum not delineated by scrobiculate groove.

Description (female). Body length 5.1 mm; ovipositor 3.7 mm; body mostly uniformly yellow, with dorsal metasoma and distal sternites marginally darker colour, approaching dark brown colour of ovipositor sheaths.

Head width 1.2 mm, length 0.6 mm, height 0.9 mm; eye width 0.3 mm, length 0.4 mm, height 0.6 mm; interorbital distance 0.65 mm; median ocellus diameter 0.1 mm; distance between lateral ocelli and medial ocellus 0.1 mm; distance between lateral ocelli 0.2 mm; broad rounded elevation between antennae; ante-ocular pit not defined; antenna with 35 flagellomeres; clypeal width 0.3 mm, clypeal height 0.15 mm; malar space height 0.22 mm; distance from ventral eye margin to latero-ventral mouth margin 0.4 mm; labial palpomere 3 length 0.2x labial palpomere 4 length (lengths 0.02 and 0.1, respectively); labial palpomere 2 length 0.1 mm; posterior margin of head, when viewed dorsally, excavated (incursion 0.2 mm); posterior genal margin distinctly carinate, with no expansion ventro-posteriorly.

Mesosomal width 0.9 mm, length 1.9 mm; height 1.3 mm; pilosity short dorsally (0.04 mm), longer laterally (0.06mm), and sparse overall; subpronope distinct, carina on lateral margin only, not extending to anterior margin of pronotum, absent medially; notauli present anteriorly and smooth, absent posteriorly; faint vestige of admedial lines on dorso-anterior medial surface; scutellar sulcus obliterated by pin; propodeal surface smooth except for punctation associated with setae; suture line between metapleuron and propodeum not delineated by scrobiculate groove; propodeal spiracle round; difficult to see but hind coxal cavities appear closed to metasomal foramen; sternalus distinct scrobiculate curved groove; metapleuron smooth except weak punctation associated with setae; setal field absent.

Legs with all claws with large quadrate basal lobe; mid tibia with 2 apical spines and 4 preapical spines; preapical spines spaced along anterior surface in distal half of tibia; hind tibia with 2 apical and 2 preapical spines; preapical spines situated just basal to apical spines.

Both fore and hind wings slightly infuscate; fore wing maximum width 1.8 mm, length 5.2 mm; cell 1-Rs distinctly petiolate and triangular, width equal to length; petiole 0.1 mm in length; M+Cu entirely pigmented; hind wing maximum width 0.9 mm, length 4.1 mm.

Metasomal length 2.6 mm, maximum width 0.6 mm; dorsal surface smooth; T1 median area length 0.9 mm, anterior width 0.2 mm, posterior width (maximum) 0.5 mm; lateral margins of T1 sinuate in dorsal view; T2–3 with 1 complete transverse groove at T2–T3 boundary, slight lateral impressions present where T2 medial groove would occur.

Male. Unknown.

Holotype: ‘N. Queensland, Kuranda , 1,100ft., May 3–June 20, 1913, R.E.Turner. 1913–438’ ( BMNH).

Comments. Therophilus martialis is easily recognised by being mostly yellow, having faint presence of admedial lines, and smooth notauli. The species is only known from the type locality in northern Queensland ( Fig. 18A ). The holotype is in relatively good condition except left flagellomeres are missing .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Lateral views of Therophilus spp.: A, lateral head and anterior mesosoma T. festinatus; B, antero-lateral head and mesosoma T. martialis; C, lateral head and anterior mesosoma T. mishae; D, lateral head and mesosoma T. nr latibalteatus; E, lateral head and mesosoma T. ruficeps; F, lateral head and mesosoma T. pedunculatus; G, lateral mesosoma T. festinatus; H, lateral mesosoma T. martialis. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Lateral views of head and mouth-parts of Therophilus spp.: A, antero-lateral view of head of T. aalvikorum; B, labial palpomeres T. martialis (holotype); C, lateral head undescribed Therophilus species,; D, lateral head undescribed Therophilus species, ventro-posterior expanded gena arrowed; mc = medial carina; lp2 = labial palpomere 2; lp3 = labial palpomere 3; lp4 = labial palpomere 4. Scale lines, A, C, D = 0.5 mm; B= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Anterior head of Camptothlipsis and Therophilus spp.: A, C. oliveri; B, T. malignus (holotype); C, T. martialis; D, T. tricolor; E, T. stephensae; F, undescribed Therophilus species. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 8. Dorsal head of Therophilus spp.: A, T. martialis (holotype); B, T. minor (holotype). ao = ante-ocular pit; mc = medial carina. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 10. Mid and hind tibial spines of Lytopylus and Therophilus spp.: A & C, mid and hind tibia, respectively, T. martialis (holotype); B & D, mid and hind tibia, respectively, L. rufipes; mid tibial preapical spines arrowed. Scale lines = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Fore wing Camptothlipsis and Therophilus spp.: A, cell 1-Rs absent, C. oliveri; B, cell 1-Rs triangular and petiolate (arrowed), T. martialis (holotype). Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 13. Lateral habitus of Camptothlipsis and Therophilus spp.: A, male C. oliveri; B, female T. martialis (holotype); C, female T. nr minimus; D, male T. pedunculatus (holotype); E & F, T. ruficeps; E, fresh female specimen; F, male holotype specimen (note discolouration of what would have been white on anterior metasoma); G, undescribed Therophilus species 14; H, T. xanthopsis (holotype). 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 ̝.