Rhogadopsis pratellae (Weng & Chen, 2005)

Chen, Meng, van Achterberg, Cornelis, Tan, Jiang-Li, Tan, Qing-qing & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2016, Four new species of Rhogadopsis Brethes from NW China (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 52, pp. 37-60 : 52-55

Rhogadopsis pratellae (Weng & Chen, 2005)

Figs 53 , 54-62

Opius (Apodesmia) pratellae Weng & Chen in Chen & Weng, 2005: 60-61, 189 (examined).

Rhogadopsis pratellae ; Li et al. 2013: 150.

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (FAFU), "[China:] Fujian, Mt. Wuyi, 2.viii.1988, Jinhua Ge".

Additional material.

2♀ 4♂ (NWUX, RMNH), "NW China: Ningxia, Liupan Mt , Jingyuan Dongshanpo For. Farm, N35°23'26" E106°20'34.27", 4.viii.2015, c 1800 m, Jiangli Tan, NWUX" .

Diagnosis.

Rhogadopsis pratellae shares with R. maculosa Li & van Achterberg, 2013, the longer vein 1-SR of the fore wing (0.5 times as long as vein 1-M), vein 3-SR of fore wing about 1.5 times as long as vein 2-SR and first metasomal tergite distinctly widened apically. It differs by having the first metasomal tergite about 1.3 times as long as wide apically (about as long as wide in R. maculosa ), the propodeum mainly smooth except for carination (coarsely reticulate), the medio-posterior depression of the mesoscutum short elliptical or droplet-shaped (elongate), antenna with 29-34 segments (antenna with about 43 segments), area below the pterostigma subhyaline (slightly infuscate) and the anterior half of the notauli developed on the mesoscutal disc (largely absent).

Description.

♀ from Liupan Mt., length of body and of fore wing 3.5 mm.

Head. Antenna with 33 segments and 1.1 times as long as fore wing; third segment 1.3 times as long as fourth segment, length of third, fourth and penultimate segments 2.2, 1.8 and 1.8 times their width, respectively (Figs 58 , 62 ); maxillary palp as long as height of head, labial palp segments slender; occipital carina far separated from hypostomal carina and dorsally absent; hypostomal carina wide; length of eye in dorsal view 2.8 times temple; frons shallowly depressed, smooth and glabrous, laterally punctate and setose; face smooth except punctulation, medially elevated (Fig. 59 ); width of clypeus 2.3 times its maximum height and 0.7 times width of face; clypeus slightly convex, punctate and protruding, straight and thin ventrally (Fig. 59 ); hypoclypeal depression medium-sized (Fig. 59 ); malar suture absent, but with a short depression; length of malar space 0.8 times basal width of mandible; mandible triangular and with narrow ventral carina (Fig. 53 ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 times its height; pronope large and round; pronotal side setose, mainly smooth and only crenulate medio-anteriorly; epicnemial area smooth; precoxal sulcus rather narrow and mainly crenulate (Fig. 55 ), remaining removed from anterior and posterior margins of mesopleuron; remainder of mesopleuron smooth; pleural sulcus smooth; anterior groove of metapleuron crenulate; notauli largely present on disc, smooth and only posteriorly absent (Fig. 56 ); mesoscutum largely glabrous, but sparsely setose posteriorly; medio-posterior depression of mesoscutum present, droplet-shaped (Fig. 56 ); scutellar sulcus rather wide and crenulate; scutellum slightly convex medially, smooth and glabrous, but setose posteriorly; propodeum with nearly complete medio-longitudinal carina and smooth anteriorly, rugose medially and with some crenulae posteriorly (Fig. 57 ).

Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 54 ): pterostigma triangular; 1-R1 ending at wing apex and 1.5 times as long as pterostigma; r:3-SR:SR1 = 5:32:54; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 21:30:8; r rather short and widened; 1-M and SR1 slightly curved; m-cu and cu-a postfurcal; first subdiscal cell closed, CU1b short; apical 0.3 of M+CU1 sclerotized. Hind wing (Fig. 54 ): M+CU:1-M:1r-m = 20:17:15; cu-a straight; m-cu nearly absent.

Legs. Length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.2, 8.6 and 6.4 times as long as wide, respectively; hind femur and tibia with long setae (Fig. 61 ).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.3 times its apical width, its surface evenly convex medially, finely striate but medially (except apically) largely rugulose (Fig. 57 ), without median carina and with dorsal carinae remaining separated, present on basal third of tergite; second tergite with pair of large triangular basal depressions; second and following tergites smooth; length of setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.22 times fore wing and 0.7 times hind tibia (Fig. 53 ); entire exposed sheath 0.28 times fore wing.

Colour. Black or blackish brown; palpi and legs (but telotarsi apically, hind tarsus largely and apical patch of hind tibia dark brown) ivory or pale yellowish; scapus (except dark brown outer side), mandible (except dark brown teeth) and tegulae yellow; remainder of antenna and ovipositor sheath dark brown; head (but dorsal part of head black except near eyes and face latero-ventrally and temple chestnut brown), mesoscutum, scutellum (except posteriorly), pronotum postero-dorsally, mesopleuron antero-dorsally, narrow dorsal transverse stripes of thirdfifth tergites, lateral patches of secondseventh tergites and metasoma ventrally (except basally) yellowish brown (Fig. 53 ); veins of basal third of wings pale brown (except dark brown C+SC+R); pterostigma and remainder of veins dark brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation.

Length of body 2.6-3.5 mm, of fore wing 3.0-3.8 mm; antennal segments of ♀ 33(1) or 34(1), of ♂ 30(1), 31(2) or 32(1), length of first tergite 1.2-1.3 times its apical width, length of setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.20-0.22 times fore wing and 0.6-0.7 times hind tibia; males have mesoscutum and scutellum dark brown except more or less yellowish notaulic area, sometimes mesopleuron partly chestnut brown; males have first tergite similarly sculptured as female or rarely entirely smooth; metasoma of males (except first tergite) more or less dark brown; parameres (except basally) yellow.

Distribution.

China (Fujian, *Ningxia).

Biology.

Unknown.

Figures

Figure 53. Rhogadopsis pratellae (Weng & Chen), female, China, Liupan Mt., habitus lateral.

Figures 54 - 62. Rhogadopsis pratellae (Weng & Chen), female, China, Liupan Mt. 54 wings 55 mesosoma lateral 56 mesosoma dorsal 57 propodeum and first-third metasomal tergites dorsal 58 base of antenna 59 head anterior 60 head dorsal 61 hind leg 62 antenna.