Trigastrotheca similidentatata Ranjith, 2024

Quicke, Donald L. J., Van Noort, Simon, Ranjith, Avunjikkattu Parambil, Friedman, Ariel L. L., Mejlon, Hans & Butcher, Buntika A., 2024, Revision of Trigastrotheca Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) with descriptions of 13 new species, ZooKeys 1205, pp. 115-167 : 115-167

Trigastrotheca similidentatata Ranjith sp. nov.

Figs 25 , 26

Type material.

Holotype ♀, India: Karnataka, Chamarajanagar, Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve , scrub jungle, 12 ° 01 ' 41.4 " N, 77 ° 06 ' 55.1 " E; 31. v – 15. vi. 2005, Malaise trap, coll. D. R. Priyadarsanan ( AIMB) . Paratype, 1 ♀, India: Karnataka, Kadnur , Malaise Trap, 14. xi. 2005, coll. D. R. Priyadarsanan ( DZUC) .

Diagnosis.

Similar to T. tridentata in having an entirely black mesoscutum except for yellow notauli in having the medio-posterior lobe of T 5 broadly rounded (Fig. 26 D ) (far more acutely pointed in T. tridentata ) and in the posterolateral parts of the T 5 not concave laterally. In addition, the black mark at the base of T 5 does not extend to the lateral margins whereas in T. tridentata the black is produced reaching the side and posterior margins.

Description.

Length of body 3.6 mm, fore wing 3.1 mm. Head. Antenna incomplete with 42 flagellomeres. Terminal flagellomere acuminate. First flagellomere 1.1 × longer than 2 nd and 3 rd, the latter 1.3 × longer than wide. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.2: 1.1: 1.0. Face transversely striate-rugose with long mid-longitudinal ridge. Inter-tentorial distance 1.8 × longer than tentorio-ocular distance. Malar suture impressed. Malar space 1.5 × as long as basal width of mandible. Antennal sockets strongly produced. Frons strongly impressed only behind antennal sockets with mid-longitudinal carina. Frons, vertex, and occiput granulate-rugose. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 1.0: 1.4: 2.4. Mesosoma 1.5 × longer than high. Mesoscutum transversely rugose-striate with a weak mid-longitudinal carina medio-anteriorly; notauli impressed anterior 1 / 2, crenulated, shallow posteriorly. Scutellar sulcus deep, narrow, finely crenulate. Scutellum distinctly punctate, setose with a small pit medially behind sulcus. Median area of metanotum with complete mid-longitudinal carina. Propodeum faintly rugose, mid-longitudinal carina complete, lamelliform posteriorly, bordered narrowly by fine crenulations; posteriorly propodeum with short longitudinal carinae associated with longitudinal wrinkles. Wings. Fore wing. Lengths of fore wing veins r-rs: 3 RSa: 3 RSb = 1.0: 1.1: 3.7. Lengths of vein 2 RS: 3 RSa: rs-m = 1.0: 1.1: 1.0. Base of hind wing with large glabrous area distal to vein 1 CU. Legs. Lengths of fore femur: fore tibia: fore tarsus = 1.0: 1.2: 1.2. Lengths of hind femur: hind tibia: hind tarsus = 1.0: 1.2: 1.4. Claws with small acutely pointed basal lobe. Metasoma. T 1 coarsely reticulate, 1.7 × wider than long, with pair of posteriorly uniting dorsal carina. T 2 0.7 × as long as T 3. TT 1–5 with coarse reticulate sculpture. Second metasomal suture and basal grooves of TT 4 and 5 deep, strigose. T 5 with postero-lateral margin slightly concave, denticulate; medial protuberance broadly rounded posteriorly; postero-lateral emarginations concave. Coloration. Body mostly reddish brown except scape, pedicel, eye, ocellar area, occiput medially, mesoscutum antero-laterally, propleuron, mesopleuron with posterior black patch, T 1 medially, ovipositor sheath black, face, clypeus, maxillary and labial palps, frons, vertex, and occiput laterally, pronotum dorsally, legs yellow, pronotum laterally, middle lobe of mesoscutum posteriorly, mesopleuron anteriorly, metasoma laterally ivory white.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

Oriental ( India).

Host.

Unknown.

Etymology.

From Latin, similis and dentata, in reference to its likeness to T. tridentata .

Figures

Figure 25. Trigastrotheca similidentata sp. nov. ♀ holotype A habitus, lateral view B head, anterior view C head, dorsal view D head and mesosoma, lateral view E mesosoma, dorsal view.

Figure 26. Trigastrotheca similidentata sp. nov. ♀ holotype A metanotum and propodeum, dorsal view B metasoma, lateral view C metasoma, dorsal view D T 5, dorsal view E wings.