Syntretus massale Rousse et Braet

Rousse, Pascal & Braet, Yves, 2012, Braconid wasps (Hymenoptera) of Reunion. 1. Euphorinae (including Meteorini): key to species and description of six new species, Zootaxa 3449, pp. 26-46 : 43-44

Syntretus massale Rousse et Braet sp. nov.

( Fig. 12 )

Diagnosis. Species distinguished by the shining and almost entirely smooth body, and the strongly developed laterotergites on metasoma.

Description. FEMALE (1 specimen). B: 2.5; L: 2.4; O: 0.25.

Head. Entire head smooth and shining with sparse pilosity. Antenna with 22 flagellomeres, pedicel nearly as long as scape, flagellomere 1 1.4x as long as second flagellomere, flagellomere 21 0.8x as long as flagellomere 22, flagellomere 22 acute and 0.5x as long as flagellomere 1. Frons and vertex smooth and shining. Temples long, weakly curved in dorsal view, head barely constricted behind eyes. Eyes slightly convergent ventrally, in dorsal view 1.4x wider than temple. Face wider than high, moderately punctate. Tentorial pits deep. Malar line about as long as mandibular basal width. Clypeus transverse, as wide as face, distinctly convex in profile view, ventral margin regularly rounded.

Mesosoma. Entire mesosoma smooth and shining. Mesoscutum sharply raised above pronotum in profile view. Notaulus absent. Scuto-scutellar groove deep, smooth with a weak medio-transverse carina. Propodeum without carina. Tarsal claws bent and bifurcate. Forewing with basal 3/4 of M+Cu absent and the apical 1/4 spectral, M spectral beyond 1R1, Rs reaching wing apex, 2/Cu strongly curved.

Metasoma. Entire metasoma smooth and shining. Tergite I with ventral margins separated and subparallel, 2.5x longer than apically wide, its apex 2.7x wider than base. Laterotergites II–VI strongly developed, nearly overlapping ventrally. Ovipositor straight, sheath 0.3x as long as hind tibia.

Color. Mostly yellow orange, dorsally testaceous to dark brown. Dark brown: ocellar area, mesoscutum, tergite I and ovipositor sheath. Dark testaceous: scutellum, metanotum, propodeum, tergite II and following, tarsi. Mesopleuron somewhat translucent, thoracic muscles visible through.

MALE. Unknown.

Distribution records. Reunion.

Etymology. The massale is a local mixture of spices.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE Ƥ ( MNHN EY 6642) Verbatim label data: La Réunion, Ste Suzanne, Forêt Dugain, 860m, Piège Malaise au sol en forêt primaire, 02/08.XII. 2001, coll. Cirad; complete.

Other material 1ƤLe Tampon / ND de la Paix, alt. 1700m, II.2012

Comments. The smooth propodeum and the overlapping laterotergites make S. massale sp. nov. ranging within the extreme variation of the genus (van Acterberg and Haeselbarth 2003). They also denote an interesting convergence towards the tiny Australian genus Syntretoriana Parrot. Both features quickly differentiate S. massale sp. nov. from all other Syntretus spp. within the studied area.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Syntretus massale sp. nov. habitus.