Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith

Sheeba, M., Ranjith, A. P. & Narendran, T. C., 2017, Review of Testudobracon Quicke (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with descriptions of four new species from south India, Zootaxa 4232 (3), pp. 331-346 : 339-341

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4232.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:414A9B49-EDB9-4B99-9314-EA28FADA7C1E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6021717
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/587987E4-FFA6-A658-FF2F-4D9DFADFFB38
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith sp. nov.

( Figs 5–6 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 )

Material examined. Holotype, female, (♀) “ India: Kerala , Kozhikode, Panikkarkadavu, 29.xii.2015, coll. A.P. Ranjith ”. Paratype, 1(♀) with same data as holotype ( DZUC) .

Description. Holotype, female, length 2.80 mm, antennae 2.40 mm, fore wing 2.70 mm, ovipositor 1.40 mm.

Head. Antennae with 24 segments. Length of first flagellomere 1.20× as long as second flagellomere. First, second and penultimate flagellomeres 2.20, 1.90 and 1.60× as long as wide. Head 1.20, 1.80× as wide as long medially in anterior and dorsal view respectively. Frons granulate without distinct mid longitudinal groove ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C). Vertex granulate, sparsely setose ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C). OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL= 4.2: 1.8: 2.3. Oculo antennal groove indistinct. Length of eye 2.40× as long as temple in dorsal view. Lateral temples smooth and shiny, sparsely setose. Height of eye: width of face: width of head= 5: 6: 11.7. Face granulate, setose with a mid longitudinal ridge on anterior half ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B). Height of clypeus: inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance= 1.6: 5.7: 3.3. Clypeus with distinct postero-dorsal carina ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B). Length of malar space 1.40× basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma . Length of mesosoma 1.10× height. Pronotum sparsely setose with crenulated medial groove laterally. Mesoscutum smooth and shiny, setose, middle lobe without medial longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Notaulus complete, crenulate, with a depressed area anteriorly ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Scutellar sulcus wide sub medially, divided by seven carinae ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Scutellum smooth, shiny, setose with a pit antero-medially. Mesopleuron striated medially with an oval deep pit medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 E). Precoxal sulcus distinct. Metapleuron smooth except posteriorly crenulate ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 E). Median area of metanotum crenulate with a short mid longitudinal carina. Propodeum with a complete mid longitudinal carina, smooth, sparsely setose.

Wings. Fore wing vein 1SR 0.42× as long as 1-M. ratio of length of fore wing veins r: 3-SR: SR1= 4.2: 8: 23 and 2-SR: 3SR: r-m= 7: 8: 4.3. Hind wing vein C+SC+R with single hamulus apically. Ratio of length of hind wing veins 1r-m: SC+R1= 3.12: 5.6.

Legs. Length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus= 7: 7.6: 7.5. Hind coxa smooth, setose. Length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus= 9.8: 11.4: 4.9.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite rugose, 0.60× as long as wide apically with a longitudinally impressed area anteriorly and posterior carinae. Second metasomal tergite coarsely rugose, 2.50× wider than long with posterolateral groove, setose ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F). Third metasomal tergite coarsely rugose, setose ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F). Second metasomal suture more or less straight medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F). Fourth and fifth metasomal tergites faintly rugose, sparsely setose. Sixth metasomal tergite with more or less rounded postero-lateral lobes, medial emargination deep ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A), 0.50× as long as tergite medially. Ovipositor as long as metasoma and 0.50× as long as fore wing.

Colour. Body dark yellow ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A) except ocelli reddish ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C), face ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), malar space ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), mandible except apically ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), fore legs, mid legs, hind trochanter, hind femur apically, hind tibiae basally, hind telotarsi, first metasomal tergite except medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), second metasomal tergite except mediao-basally ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), third metasomal tergite except postero-laterally ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), fourth and fifth metasomal tergites except laterally ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A), sixth metasomal tergite ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A) yellow, mesoscutum medially and laterally black ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D), antennae ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), eyes ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), occiput medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C), ocellar region ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C), mandible apically ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B), metanotum ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), propodeum ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), mid and hind coxae, hind femur, hind tibia medially, claws, first metasomal tergite medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), second metasomal tergite medio-basally ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), third metasomal tergite medially ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F), third to sixth metasomal tergites laterally ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A) reddish brown to dark brown, ovipositor sheath brown.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Kerala) ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ).

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. APR dedicates this species to Mr. Shameer, K.S., for his unconditional support and continuous encouragement.

Comments. Testudobracon shameeri sp. nov. is close to T. asphondyliae in having vertex granulate, median area of metanotum with short mid longitudinal carina. However, it differs from T. asphondyliae in the following characters: face granulate, 2.00× as wide as long (face punctulate, 1.50× as wide as long in T. asphondyliae ), frons without distinct mid longitudinal groove (with distinct mid longitudinal groove in T. asphondyliae ), head yellow to dark yellow (head brown in T. asphondyliae ), ocelli reddish (ocelli transparent in T. asphondyliae ), mid legs except coxae and claws yellow (mid legs brown in T. asphondyliae ), fore wing vein SR1 2.80× as long as 3-SR (fore wing vein SR1 3.20× as long as 3-SR in T. asphondyliae ), propodeum smooth (granulate in T. asphondyliae ).