Rhogadopsis aciculifera Chen & van Achterberg, 2016

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 : 39-42

Rhogadopsis aciculifera Chen & van Achterberg sp. n.

Figs 1 , 2-10

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (NWUX), "NW China: Shaanxi, Liping Nat. For. P., MT1+2, c. 1495 m, 22.vi.4.ix.2015, 32°47'33"N, 106°39'52"E, JL. Tan & C. v. Achterberg".

Diagnosis.

Among the Chinese species of Rhogadopsis with the second and third metasomal tergites striate or aciculate the new species can be separated as follows: from R. dimidia (Chen & Weng, 2005) by having a medio-posterior depression of the mesoscutum (absent in R. dimidia ), length of eye about 2.5 times temple in dorsal view (about 7 times) and basal half of notauli largely smooth (crenulate). Rhogadopsis sculpta (Chen & Weng, 2005) has the second and third tergites partly superficially striate, a medio-posterior depression of the mesoscutum and the anterior half of the notauli present on the mesoscutal disc, but has vein 2-SR+M of fore wing slightly shorter than vein m-cu or subequal (distinctly shorter than vein m-cu in R. aciculifera ). Rhogadopsis tabidula (Weng & Chen, 2005) and R. sculpturator Li & van Achterberg, 2013, are similar but the new species has the anterior half of the notauli impressed (absent or as a shallow impression on mesoscutal disc in both species), hind femur and tibia similarly ivory as the hind coxa (hind femur and tibia yellow, different from pale hind coxa), vein r of fore wing about twice as long as wide (about as long as wide) and the propodeum without distinct costulae (with distinct costulae).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.1 mm, of fore wing 3.4 mm.

Head. Antenna incomplete, with 16 segments remaining; third segment 1.6 times as long as fourth segment, length of third and fourth segments 3.6 and 2 times their width, respectively (Fig. 9 ); maxillary palp as long as height of head, labial palp segments slender; occipital carina rather far separated from hypostomal carina and dorsally absent; hypostomal carina narrow; length of eye in dorsal view 2.6 times temple; frons shallowly depressed, smooth and setose; face setose, with weak medial elevation, remotely and finally punctate (Fig. 6 ); width of clypeus 2.1 times its maximum height and 0.5 times width of face; clypeus rather flat, straight and thin ventrally (Figs 6 , 10 ); hypoclypeal depression medium-sized (Fig. 6 ); malar suture wide; length of malar space 0.7 times as long as basal width of mandible; mandible triangular and with long carina (Fig. 10 ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 times its height; dorsal pronope large, deep and nearly round; pronotal side glabrous, mainly smooth and only medio-anteriorly crenulate; epicnemial area finely crenulate; precoxal sulcus medium-sized and crenulate (Fig. 3 ), remain removed from anterior and posterior margins of mesopleuron; remainder of mesopleuron smooth; pleural sulcus smooth; anterior groove of metapleuron crenulate; anterior half of notauli present on disc and smooth; mesoscutum largely glabrous, but setose along notaulic courses and laterally; medio-posterior depression of mesoscutum large and round (Fig. 4 ); scutellar sulcus wide and crenulate; scutellum slightly convex medially, smooth and glabrous; anterior half of propodeum with medio-longitudinal carina and smooth anteriorly, sparsely rugose medially and posteriorly (Fig. 4 ).

Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 2 ): pterostigma elliptical; 1-R1 ending at wing apex and 1.4 times as long as pterostigma; r:3-SR:SR1 = 8:58:92; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 30:49:19; r widened; 1-M and SR1 slightly curved; m-cu and cu-a far postfurcal; 1-SR 0.35 times as long as 1-M; first subdiscal cell closed, CU1b medium-sized; apical 0.3 of M+CU sclerotized. Hind wing (Fig. 2 ): M+CU:1-M:1r-m = 39:20:19; cu-a slightly curved; m-cu vaguely indicated.

Legs. Length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.4, 8.4 and 7.5 times as long as wide, respectively; especially hind femur with long setae (Fig. 8 ).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.3 times its apical width, its surface moderately convex and striate, medially with some grooves and minute punctures, dorsal carinae united subbasally (Fig. 5 ); second (as third) tergite largely striate, with pair of large basal depressions; following tergites smooth; length of setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.05 times fore wing and 0.2 times hind tibia, entire visible sheath 0.09 times fore wing (Fig. 8 ).

Colour. Black; palpi, metasoma ventrally and legs except dark brown hind tarsus (but basal half of basitarsus yellow) pale yellow or ivory; clypeus and face dorsally orange brown (Fig. 7 ); mandible (except black teeth), tegulae and veins at base of wings yellow; pterostigma and veins (except basal veins) dark brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Distribution.

China (Shaanxi).

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From “acicula” (Latin for "small pin"), because of the longitudinally rugulose-striate or aciculate second and third metasomal tergites (similar to the fine grooves made with a small pin), and “fera” (Latin for "carry, bear").

Figures

Figure 1. Rhogadopsis aciculifera sp. n., female, holotype, habitus lateral.

Figures 2 - 10. Rhogadopsis aciculifera sp. n., female, holotype. 2 wings 3 mesosoma lateral 4 mesosoma dorsal 5 first-third metasomal tergites dorsal 6 head anterior 7 head dorsal 8 hind leg 9 base of antenna 10 head lateral.