Zelodia absoluta (Chen & Yang, 1998) Chen & Yang, 1998

van Achterberg, Cornelis & Long, Khuat Dang, 2010, Revision of the Agathidinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Vietnam, with the description of forty-two new species and three new genera, ZooKeys 54, pp. 1-184 : 119

Zelodia absoluta (Chen & Yang, 1998) comb. n. Figs 406-408

Coccygidium absolutus Chen & Yang, 1998 (in Yang and Chen 1998): 334-336; Chen and Yang 2006: 115-116, Fig. 41, plts 90-98.

Distribution.

NE Vietnam: Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh; CN Vietnam: Ha Tinh; C Vietnam: Thua Thien-Hue. Outside Vietnam only known from China (Fujian). Vietnam is a new record.

Notes.

The holotype is a male, not a female as indicated in the original description. The sculpture of the notauli is variable: it varies from distinctly crenulate to nearly smooth. Also the shape of the first tergite is rather variable, as robust as depicted by Chen & Yang (2006) to fairly slender. This species resembles Zelodia quadrifossulata (Enderlein) from Sundaland (e.g., by the robust first metasomal tergite with some punctures latero-apically), but the latter differs by having the hind coxa largely smooth dorsally, the propodeum and the metanotum yellowish-brown, the scutellum moderately punctate and with distinct interspaces between the punctures, the mesopleuron only punctulate and the hind femur less slender. Very similar to Zelodia achterbergi (Chen & Yang), but that species differs mainly by the sparsely punctate mesopleuron (interspaces wider than diameter of punctures) and no distinct rugae near the prepectal carina. Also similar to Zelodia similis (Bhat & Gupta) from Philippines, but Zelodia similis has the hind leg and metasoma (blackish)-brown, OOL less than POL, face moderately punctate, length of malar space twice basal width of mandible, scutellum sparsely and moderately punctate, second tergite parallel-sided and comparatively slender.