Chelonus (Microchelonus) bullatus, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, Zootaxa 5412 (1), pp. 1-127 : 25-27

Chelonus (Microchelonus) bullatus sp. nov.

Figs 15–16

Material examined. Holotype: female, Nankun Mt. , Guangdong Prov., China, 8.XI.2002, Zaifu Xu, No. 20028842( ZJUH).

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) magnifissus ( Tobias, 1986) , considering the metasomal carapace is widest after middle, apically rounded in dorsal view and posteriorly also rounded in lateral view, but the two species can be separated by the following characters: metasoma in posterior view with a plug-like convex median process ( Fig. 16F ) (versus without any convex process in C. (M.) magnifissus ); temple narrowed posteriorly in dorsal view ( Fig. 16H ) (versus parallel-sided to slightly widened); length of antenna as long as head and 0.5 mesosoma combined ( Fig. 16J ) (versus as long as head and mesosoma combined).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 3.7 mm, of fore wing 2.7 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 2.3 × its dorsal length, occiput deeply excavated, antennomeres 16, antenna slightly widened medially, length of 3 rd antennomere equal to 4 th; length of 3 rd, 4 th and penultimate antennomeres 3.2 ×, 3.2 × and 1.3 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 16J ); eye in dorsal view 1.4 × as long as temple; OOL: OD: POL=12: 5: 9; temple narrowed posteriorly; frons densely setose, smooth near the antennal sockets; vertex coarsely striate ( Fig. 16H ); face flat, transversely striate-rugose medially, longitudinally punctate-rugose laterally; clypeus truncate and dense punctulate, shiny ( Fig. 16G ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum finely punctate and ventrally rather densely setose; mesopleuron areolate-rugose ( Fig. 16B ); notauli slightly distinct, anterior part of mesoscutum densely punctulate and posterior part coarsely reticulate-rugose; scutellum rather flat and densely punctate; scutellar suture comparatively deep, narrow, with short carinae; propodeum coarsely reticulate with pair of small tubercles laterally ( Fig. 16C ).

Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.9 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 1.9 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=11: 16: 55; SR1 straight; marginal cell 2.2 × longer than second submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2-CU1=17: 34; 2-R1 short ( Fig. 16A ).

Legs. Hind coxa mainly smooth and shiny; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.4 ×, 4.7 × and 5.4 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 2.1 × its maximum width in dorsal view, widest after middle, apically rounded; carapace striate-rugose up to basal 70% and posteriorly rugulose ( Fig. 16E ); carapace in lateral view 3.2 × longer than high, posteriorly rounded and distinctly incurved, posterior height of metasoma 2.3 × its anterior height ( Fig. 16D ); metasoma in posterior view with a plug-like convex median process ( Fig. 16F ).

Colour. Body black; antennomeres yellowish brown; palpi light brown; pterostigma brown; middle of wing, parastigma and its veins darkened, wing base and its veins light brown; fore coxa medium dark, hind femur entirely dark, hind tibia brown with narrow yellow ring; basal third of carapace with yellowish band.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Etymology. Named after its plug-like convex median process of carapace in posterior view: “ bulla ” is Latin for knob, bubble.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Chelonus (Microchelonus) bullatus sp. nov., female, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 16. Chelonus (Microchelonus) bullatus sp. nov., female, holotype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, metasoma, posterior aspect; G, head, anterior aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, lateral aspect; J, antenna.