Brachymeria excarinata Gahan, 1925

Narendran, T. C. & van Achterberg, Cornelis, 2016, Revision of the family Chalcididae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) from Vietnam, with the description of 13 new species, ZooKeys 576, pp. 1-202 : 33

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Chalcididae

Brachymeria excarinata Gahan, 1925 Figs 38-39

Brachymeria excarinata Gahan, 1925: 90 (♀, Philippines (USNM) (examined)).

Brachymeria apantelesi Risbec, 1956: 806 (♀♂, Gaorua (MNHN) (synonymised with Brachymeria excarinata Gahan by Narendran 1989).

Brachymeria excarinata plutellae Joseph, Narendran & Joy, 1972: 19 (♂, India (BMNH) (as a subspecies of Brachymeria excarinata Gahan)).

Material.

1 ♀ (RMNH), "S. Vietnam: Dóng Nai, Cát Tiên N. P., Dong trail, Malaise traps, c. 100 m, 1-8.iv.2007, Mai Phu Quy & Nguyen Tanh Manh, RMNH’07”; 1 ♀ (RMNH), id., but 13-20.v.2007, eco-trail, Malaise traps 25-29; 2 ♀ + 3 ♂ (RMNH, IEBR), "Vietnam: Vinh Phú, Tién Phong, 30.ix.2003, Chi Vu Tri, RMNH’03”; 1 ♂ (RMNH), "Vietnam: Ninh Thuân, Núi Chúa N. P., dry south part; Mal. traps, 100-180 m, 22-29.v.2007, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries, RMNH’07”; 1 ♂ (RMNH), "N. Vietnam: Hoa Binh, Pa Co, surr[oundings of] hotel, 12.x.2009, R. de Vries, RMNH’07”.

Diagnosis.

This species comes near Brachymeria manjerica Narendran in the key to species by Narendran (1989), but differs from Brachymeria manjerica in having: 1) pre-orbital carina distinct (in Brachymeria manjerica pre-orbital carina absent); 2) head wider than mesosoma (head not wider than mesosoma in Brachymeria manjerica ), and 3) metasoma completely black (in Brachymeria manjerica metasoma reddish brown from T3 to ovipositor sheath).

Description.

♀, length of body 1.4-4.5 mm.

Colour. Black except following: tegula clear yellow; coxae and trochanters black; femora black with apex yellow; fore tibia yellow with a black patch at middle on outer and ventral sides; mid tibia yellow with blackish band medially (Fig. 38); hind tibia yellow with subbasal and apical yellow spots; fore wing hyaline with veins black or brown.

Head. Width of head a little over its height in anterior view, wider than mesosoma in dorsal view; surface weakly or faintly pitted dorsally, rather irregularly carinate on dorsal part of face; faintly carinate on ventral part of face and gena; smooth at middle of face below scrobe; surface in scrobe polished; scrobe reaching anterior ocellus. Pre-orbital carina present; post-orbital carina absent. Distance between outer margin of posterior ocelli (= width of ocellar area) three-fourths distance between eyes (width of interocular space); POL twice OOL; malar ridge 0. 32 × height of eye in profile; posterior genal angle more or less arcuate; right mandible with three pointed teeth. Antenna inserted a little above level of ventral margin of eyes; scape not exceeding anterior ocellus, as long as segments F1 to F4 combined; relative LW of antennal segments:scape = 37:7; pedicel = 9:6; ring segment = 1:5; F1 = 9:8; F2 = 9:9; F3 = 8:10; F4 = 9:11; F5 = 9:11; F6 = 9:11; F7 = 9:11; clava = 17:11.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma with close umbilicate pits on dorsum, interstices carinate; apex of scutellum rounded.

Wings. Fore wing 2.4-2.5 × longer than wide; relative lengths of veins: SMV = 26; MV = 12; PMV = 5; STV = 2.

Legs. Hind coxa without an inner ventro-mesal tooth; hind femur generally a little less than twice as long as wide; outer ventral margin with a row of 10-12 teeth; second hind tarsal segment hardly longer than wide in dorsal view (Fig. 38).

Metasoma. Metasoma somewhat pointed posteriorly, subequal in length to mesosoma; T1 smooth, reaching middle of metasoma; T2 finely and densely punctate at dorsal side;T6 very rough owing to rather shallow bristled pits and distinct micro-sculpture. Ovipositor sheath visible from above.

Male. Similar to ♀ but antenna stouter and metasoma relatively shorter.

Hosts.

Hyperparasitoid in several species of Lepidoptera ( Arctiidae , Gelechiidae , Hesperiidae , Noctuidae , Oecophoridae , Pyralidae , Tortricidae , and Yponomeutidae ), Coleoptera ( Chrysomelidae ) with Hymenoptera ( Braconidae ). For detailed list see Noyes (2011).

Distribution.

Widely distributed in Oriental region (including Vietnam), China, Japan, Papua New Guinea and Cameroon ( Risbec 1956; Joseph et al. 1973; Narendran and Joseph 1975, Narendran 1989 and Noyes 2011).

Variation.

The black colour of tibia becoming faint or absent in many specimens. In some specimens the whole body may be liver brown ( Brachymeria excarinata plutellae).