Conobregma bradpitti Quicke & Butcher

Butcher, Buntika A., Quicke, Donald L. J., Shreevihar, Santhosh & Ranjith, Avunjikkattu Parambil, 2016, Major range extensions for two genera of the parasitoid subtribe Facitorina, with a new generic synonymy (Braconidae, Rogadinae, Yeliconini), ZooKeys 584, pp. 109-120 : 110-112

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Conobregma bradpitti Quicke & Butcher sp. n. Figures 1-4, 5-6

Material examined.

Holotype female: "South Africa, Madlangula, Kosi Bay, 14.iii - 30.iv.1985, R. Kyle".

Diagnosis.

Conobregma bradpitti sp. n. may be distinguished from the East Palaearctic and East Asian species ( Conobregma makiharae (Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maetô, 2008), Conobregma ryukyuensis (Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maetô, 2008)) and Conobregma sulaensis van Achterberg, 1995) by fore wing vein 2CUa being approximately the same length as m-cu rather than approximately twice as long. It may be distinguished from all the New World species except for Conobregma cometes van Achterberg, 1995 by having the third metasomal tergite almost entirely smooth. It differs from Conobregma cometes in having the mesoscutum coarsely sculptured with deep depressions at the bases of setae rather than being coriaceous, and by having the propodeum distinctly less strongly sculptured antero-laterally.

Description (female).

Length of body 1.75 mm, and of fore wing 1.5 mm.

Head. Antennae broken. First flagellomere 1.05 × longer than 2nd and 3rd respectively; approximately 1.8 × longer than apically wide, expanding from base to apex. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 1.0: 0.5: 0.42. Eyes glabrous, with distinct curving fine ridge between antennal socket and eye. Distance between posterior ocelli: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 1.0: 1.0: 2.5. Frons and occiput smooth. Occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.8 × longer than high. Propleuron largely smooth. Mesoscutum irregularly sculptured, with deep pits at bases of setae, these forming very conspicuous submarginal rows; with rugulose sculpture between notauli posteriorly. Notauli deeply impressed and strongly sculptured. Precoxal sulcus running from anterior margin to just posterior of mid-length of metapleuron, rugulose. Mesopleuron and mesosternum otherwise largely smooth. Median area of metanotum with weak mid-longitudinal ridge. Propodeum largely foveate except for pair of triangular areas anteriorly on either side of mid-line which are finely aciculate; with short mid-longitudinal carina anteriorly.

Wings. Pterostigma 2.1 × longer than its maximum width. Fore wing vein r-rs approximately 0.65 × maximum width of pterostigma. Lengths of fore wing veins r-rs: 3RSa: 3RSb = 1.0: 3.0: 5.5. Lengths of fore wing veins CU1a: CU1b = 1.0:1.25.

Legs. Fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.3: 1.25: 1.0. Fore basitarsus 1.5 × longer than next three articles combined. Mid-tibial claw with well-developed, pecten. Hind femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.0: 1.2: 1.2.

Metasoma. Second metasomal tergite with fine longitudinal striation and interconnecting transverse ridges; approximately 1.8 × longer than third metasomal tergite medially. Second suture finely crenulate. Third tergite almost entirely smooth but with traces of longitudinal striation near lateral parts of second suture. Thrid-fifth metasomal tergites distinctly arched in lateral profile. Ovipositor sheath 0.4 × length of hind tibia.

Colour. Stemmaticum and mesosoma entirely dark brown, nearly black; head, antennae (part remaining) and legs pale brown-yellow; metasomal tergites brown. Wings hyaline with pale grey-brown venation.

Etymology.

Named after the senior author’s favourite film actor Brad Pitt, whose poster adorned the wall of her laboratory during her doctoral studies.

Male.

Unknown.

Distribution.

South Africa.

Host.

Unknown.