Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay, 1991

Rakhshani, Ehsan, Starý, Petr, Hidalgo, Nicolás Pérez, Čkrkić, Jelisaveta, Moghaddam, Mostafa Ghafouri, Tomanović, Snežana, Petrović, Andjeljko & Tomanović, Željko, 2015, Revision of the world Monoctonia Starý, parasitoids of gall aphids: taxonomy, distribution, host range, and phylogeny (Hymenoptera, Braconidae: Aphidiinae), Zootaxa 3905 (4), pp. 474-488 : 481-483

Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay, 1991

( Fig. 4 ; Fig. 5 C, D, E)

Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay, 1991 , Boll. Lab. Ent. Agr. Filippo Silvestri 18: 137–142

Material examined. Iran: Tehran province, Tehran, 0 9 XI 2002, 11 cocoons inside Pemphigus spyrothecae Passerini on Populus nigra , leg. E. Rakhshani; Ardabil Province, Ardabil, 22 V 2012, two females and three males reared from Pemphigus spyrothecae Passerini on Populus nigra , leg. M. Ghafouri-Moghaddam; Ardabil Province, Ardabil, 17 II 2012, six females and eight males reared from Pemphigus spyrothecae Passerini on Populus nigra , leg. M. Ghafouri-Moghaddam; Spain: Leon Province, Vegapujin, 4 XI 2011, cocoons inside Pemphigus spyrothecae Passerini on Populus nigra , leg. N. Pérez Hidalgo.

Redescription. Female. Head— ( Fig. 4 A) in dorsal view wider than mesosoma at tegulae, covered with several regular setae. Eyes medium sized, sparsely haired, very slightly converging toward clypeus. Face slightly protrudent centrally, uniformly pubescent with moderately long setae, except in median area. Clypeus narrow, 3.5–3.8 times as broad as long, clearly prominent, bearing 12–14 long setae. Labrum indistinct. Tentorial index (tentoriocular line/intertentorial line) 0.35–0.40. Malar space equal to 0.25–0.30 of longitudinal eye diameter. Mandible bidentate, bearing several long and short setae on outer surface. Maxillary palp four-segmented, labial palp three-segmented ( Fig. 4 C). Antennae ( Fig. 4 B) 16–17-segmented, filiform in first half and moniliform in second half; two or three apical segments sometimes not completely divided, antennal segments covered with semi-erect setae, pedicel nearly spherical; F1 equal to or slightly longer than F2 (F1 1.0–1.2 times as long as F2) and 1.75–2.00 times as long as its maximum width; F1 and F2 bearing zero and one longitudinal placode (= rhinarium), respectively. Club elongate, comprising two or three fused segments.

Mesosoma— Mesoscutum humped, covering pronotum from above, with several long dorso-lateral setae, notaulices distinctly sculptured in ascendent portion of anterolateral margin, with shallow trace dorsally. Propodeum ( Fig. 4 D) areolated, with several irregular carinae in lateral parts and rugosities in anterio-median parts. Central areola incompletely closed with irregular postero-central carinae, medial carinae irregular, surrounded by rugosities which extend through the internal areola. External and dentiparal areola of propodeum with 8–10 and 4–5 long setae on each side, respectively. Fore wing ( Fig. 4 F) densely pubescent with short setae, venation reduced, median vein remnant highlighted by line of short setae not reaching vein 1Cub; stigma triangular, 2.00–2.20 times as long as its width and 2.10–2.30 times as long as R1 (=metacarpus). Vein RS short, not extending farther than R1. Hind wing ( Fig. 4 G) covered with short and dense setae, posterior margin with long setae; veins M+CU, 1M, and 1r-m nebular; vein 2M only traced by rows of short setae.

Metasoma— Petiole (= metasomal tergum I) ( Fig. 4 E) short and subquadrate, its length 1.00–1.05 times its maximum width at spiracles. Dorsal surface clearly convex, covered with strong longitudinal rugosities bearing 28–30 dorsal and 8–10 lateral short setae. Spiracular tubercles slightly prominent laterally. Ovipositor sheath ( Fig. 4 H) quadrangular at base, sharply narrowed ventrally, truncated at tip, with smooth dorsal outline, bearing at least 5–6 long setae at dorsal and ventral margins. Lateral setae slightly shorter. Second valvula with a slightly convex dorsal outline. Length of ovipositor sheath 1.45–1.55 times its maximum width at base. Length ratio of dorsal/ ventral outline equal to 1.80–2.00.

Coloration— General body color glabrous black, mouth parts yellowish brown. Antennae dark brown; pedicel, first, second, and third flagellar segments brown. Legs light brown; hind coxae, femur, and tibia slightly darker. Wings slightly infumated, venation light brown. Posterior part of petiole light brown, remainder of metasoma dark brown to black. Ovipositor sheath dark brown.

Body length: 2.8–3.2 mm.

Male: Antennae 25–26 (27)-segmented, moniliform. Metasoma shorter than in females.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Monoctonia vesicarii Tremblay, female—A. Head; B. Antenna; C. Maxillary and labial palpomeres; D. Propodeum; E. Petiole; F. Fore wing; G. Hind wing; H. Genitalia.

FIGURE 5. Cocoons of Monoctonia species, A. Forda marginata parasitized by Monoctonia pistaciaecola; B. Pemphigus matsumurai parasitized by Monoctonia japonica; C and D. Pemphigus spyrothecae parasitized by Monoctonia vesicarii; E. Emergence of adult parasitoid, M. vesicarii from the cocoons.