Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) meruensis Butcher and Quicke, 2011

Areekul-Butcher, Buntika & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2011, Revision of Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) with reappraisal of subgeneric limits, descriptions of new species and phylogenetic analysis, Journal of Natural History 45 (21 - 24), pp. 1403-1476 : 1440-1443

Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) meruensis Butcher and Quicke sp. nov.

( Figures 18 , 19 )

Material examined

Holotype. Male , “Van Someren, Meru, 7/45; V. G.L.van Someren Collection, Brit. Mus. 1959-468” ( BMNH).

Morphology

Length of body 7.5 mm, and of fore wing 7.1 mm.

Head. (Antennae absent); head transverse, 1.6 times wider than maximally long in dorsal view; width of head 3.05 times shortest distance between eyes; height of eye 2.05 times shortest distance between eyes; frons largely smooth and shiny, weakly broadly depressed along midline and with a few transverse crenulae anteriorly and fine striation behind antennal sockets; without pit in front of anterior ocellus; posterior ocellar line: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 3.4: 6.2: 1.0; occiput punctate-rugose; occipital carina broadly obliterated medially.

Mesosoma . Mesoscutum finely aciculate-coriaceous, densely short-setose and with conspicuous punctures at bases of setae; posteriorly with some transverse rugosity between notauli; notauli weakly impressed but margined on inner side by fine ridge and with distinct line of crenulae; mesopleuron densely setose and smooth and shiny between setae, without concave area; prepectal carina complete; scutellar sulcus with six carinae between the outer ones; scutellum entirely with fine longitudinal striation laterally, otherwise finely aciculate and with broad punctures at bases of setae; median area of metanotum sculptured, without mid-longitudinal carina; propodeum striaterugose with striae arising from complete mid-longitudinal carina and curving towards anterior.

Fore wing. Subbasal cell densely setose basal to expanded region; expanded distal region with glabrous anterior and posterior zones on either side of a setose band containing sclerome that extends to posterior of vein cu-a; vein M+CU more or less straight and evenly thick; apical part of vein 1-1A sinuate and weakly demarking an expanded distal part of subbasal cell; vein 1-CU1 1.7 times length of 2-CU1; vein cu-a weakly curved, not swollen posteriorly; length of veins r: 3-SR: SR1 = 1.0: 2.6: 5.6; vein m-cu 2.0 times length of 2-SR+M, forming angle of 105 ◦ with 3-CU1; vein 2-M 3.2 times length of r-m.

Hind wing. Vein M+CU 1.3 times length of vein 1-M; vein 2-SC+R longitudinal; basal and subbasal cells and basal part of discal+subdiscal cell evenly setose.

Claws. With strong pecten of five teeth extending just beyond middle of basal lobe.

Metasoma. Tergites 1, 2 and basal half of tergite 3 coarsely longitudinally striate with irregular punctures between the striae, posterior of tergite 3 dull punctate; 2nd tergite 1.25 times wider than medially long, 1.3 times longer than 3rd; tergite 3 with welldeveloped mid-longitudinal carina on basal half.

Colouration

Dark red-brown to black except mandibles, dorsal part of mesosoma, apical parts of trochantelli and antero-medial part of metasomal tergite 1 yellow. Wings yellow with yellow venation; apical 0.1 of fore wing and 0.05 of hind wing dark grey.

Etymology

Named after the collection locality.

Notes

This specimen was mentioned by van Achterberg in his description of Pholichora inopina indicating its affinity to that species, and only noting the colour difference. It and A. (H.) fenwickae sp. nov. both differ from A. (H.) inopina in having the fore wing sclerome setose and connected to a densely setose basal part of the subbasal cell by a setose band.

Figures

Figure 18. Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) meruensissp. nov., CellD® light micrographs. (A) Lateral habitus; (B) head, dorsal aspect; (C) metasomal tergites 1–3; (D) posterior metasomal tergites with arrows indicating openings of male tergal glands.

Figure 19. Aleiodes (Hemigyroneuron) meruensis sp. nov., CellD® light micrographs. (A) Wings showing colouration and short, robust 2nd submarginal cell; (B) detail of fore wing subbasal cell showing setose sclerome in band of setae running between basal setose area and posterior of vein cu-a.