Cotesia ocellata, Fagan-Jeffries & Austin, 2020

Fagan-Jeffries, Erinn P. & Austin, Andrew D., 2020, Synopsis of the parasitoid wasp genus Cotesia Cameron, 1891 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) in Australia, with the description of seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 667 (667), pp. 1-70 : 35-37

Cotesia ocellata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0C7082C6-35A3-4771-A141-607E6861930D

Figs 2A , 22

Diagnosis

Cotesia ocellata sp. nov. can be separated from all other species of Cotesia currently described from Australia and Papua New Guinea primarily by the small ocelli, OOL/posterior ocellus diameter> 2.5 (and normally greater) and T1 broadening consistently posteriorly, almost wedge shaped.

Etymology

The species name is from the Latin adjective ‘ ocellatus ’, meaning ‘small eyed’ and reflecting the small size of the ocelli of this species compared to other Australian Cotesia . It is a feminine nominative singular adjective.

Material examined

Holotype

AUSTRALIA • ♀; South Australia, Cox Scrub Conservation Park ; 35.33111° S, 138.7475° E; 20 Jan.– 10 Feb. 2008; A.D. Austin leg.; M/T; BOLD: AUMIC261-18, Genbank COI: MH138653 ; SAMA 32- 44404 .

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype but 7–28 Oct. 2007, BOLD: AUMIC504-18, Genbank COI: MH138920 ; SAMA 32-44405 • 1 ♀; South Australia, Fleurieu Peninsula, Mt Billy Conservation Park ; 35.45361° S, 138.60611° E; 25 Oct. 2000; C. Stephens leg.; M/T in bridal creeper invaded eucalypt woodland, BOLD AUMIC294-18, Genbank COI: MH138651 ; SAMA 32-44406 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; in ethanol; BOLD AUMIC256-18, Genbank COI: MH13864; WINC .

Description

Female

COLOUR. Head, antenna and mesosoma dark; all tergites and most of metasoma dark, non sclerotised areas of T1–2 and anterior sternites pale; (fore-, mid-, hind coxa) dark, dark, dark; hind tegular pale, femora (fore-, mid-, hind femur) dark lightening posteriorly, dark, dark; tibiae (fore-, mid-, hind tibia) dark, dark, dark; tegula and humeral complex dark; pterostigma dark; fore wing veins light brown to dark.

BODY LENGTH. Head to apex of metasoma: 2.1 (2.4–2.8) mm.

HEAD.Antenna approximately equal to body length; OOL/posterior ocellus diameter 2.9 (3.3–4.0); POL/ posterior ocellus diameter 2.2 (2.4–2.5); antennal flagellomere 2 length/width 3.4 (3.8–4.0); antennal flagellomere 14 length/width 2.0 (1.8–2.2).

MESOSOMA. Anteromesoscutum reticulate rugose, in holotype relatively consistent across anteromesoscutum, in paratypes much smoother in centre and lateral sides; number of pits in scutoscutellar sulcus 9 (8); scutellar disc with only shallow pits associated with setae;maximum height of mesoscutellum lunules/maximum height of lateral face of mesoscutellum 0.6 (0.7).

WINGS. Fore wing length 2.0 mm; length of veins r/2RS 0.8 (0.7–0.8); length of veins 2RS/2M 0.8 (0.9–1.0); length of veins 2M/(RS+M)b 1.8 (1.3–1.4); pterostigma length/width 2.8 (2.5–2.6).

LEGS. Hind tibia inner spur length/metabasitarsus length 0.3 (0.4). PROPODEUM. Medial carina present but indistinguishable from surrounding carina in paratypes (clearer in holotype), propodeum coarsely rugose.

METASOMA. T1 length / T1 width at posterior margin 1.0; slightly broadening posteriorly, rugose to rugulose sculpturing; T2 width at posterior margin / T2 length 2.0 (1.8–2.0), rectangular, sclerotised area well differentiated from surrounding tergite on paratype but not in holotype, some strigose or rugose sculpturing on anterior half, border with T3 not strongly indented in holotype, indented to slightly crenulate in paratypes; T2 length / T3 length 0.9 (0.8–1.1); T3 sculpture smooth and shiny; ovipositor sheaths length/hind tibial length 0.1 (0.08).

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Currently only known from the wider Adelaide region, South Australia.

Host

Unknown.

Remarks

This species constitutes the BIN BOLD:ADL5560, and has a maximum intraspecific distance of 0.16% and a distance of 2.59% to the nearest neighbour.

Figures

Fig. 2. A. Cotesia ocellata sp. nov., T1 (SAMA 32-44404). B. Cotesia reidarum sp. nov., T1 (QM T246703). C. Cotesia deliadis (Bingham, 1906), T1 (paralectotype, NHMUK).

Fig. 22. Cotesia ocellata sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (SAMA 32-44404). A. Head in dorsal view and anteromesoscutum. B. Habitus in lateral view. C. T1–3. D. Habitus in dorsal view. E. Head in anterior view. F. Mesoscutum and propodeum. G. Fore wing.