Vipio abnormis, Li & He & Chen, 2020

Li, Yang, He, Jun-Hua & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2020, Review of six genera of Braconinae Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) in China, with the description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4818 (1), pp. 1-74 : 60-63

Vipio abnormis sp. nov.

Figs 47–48

Type material. Holotype. ♀, China, Neimenggu Prov., Houqi , 20.VI.1981, Huang Xuchang, No. 816131 ( ZJUH) . Paratype: 1♀, China, Neimenggu Prov., Zhongqi , 15. VI .1981, Huang Xuchang, No. 816130 ( ZJUH) .

Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to Vipio mongolicus Telenga, 1936 , but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: lateral grooves of first tergite smooth (crenulate in V. mongolicus ); second metasomal tergite approx. 0.9 × longer than wide (1.1–1.2 × longer than wide); second metasomal tergite without triangular medio-basal area (with well-developed triangular medio-basal area).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 9.0 mm, of fore wing 7.5 mm, of ovipositor sheath 19.5 mm.

Head. Antenna incomplete, remaining part with 49 antennomeres; median flagellomeres 1.0 × as long as its width; first flagellomere 1.3 and 1.4 × longer than second and third, respectively, the latter being 1.4 × longer than wide; malar suture with some short setae and weak sculptures ( Fig. 48g ); clypeus height: inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance = 8: 15: 12; clypeus with two groups of bristles submedially; eye not emarginated ( Fig. 48g ); face largely smooth, but with sparse weak punctures and some long setae laterally ( Fig. 48g ); eye height: shortest distance between eyes: head width = 22: 35: 58; frons largely smooth except for a few weak punctures, weakly concave behind antennal sockets, with a shallow median groove ( Fig. 48h ); vertex largely smooth, with a few short setae; shortest distance between posterior ocelli: shortest diameter of elliptical posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 4: 3: 8; temples linearly narrowed behind eyes ( Fig. 48h ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height ( Fig. 48c ); notauli rather shallow posteriorly ( Fig. 48d ); mesoscutum smooth and sparsely short setose posteriorly ( Fig. 48d ); scutellar sulcus deep, moderately narrow, with crenulae ( Fig. 48d ); scutellum smooth, with some short setae posteriorly; metanotum moderately convex medially ( Fig. 48d ); propodeum largely smooth, without medio-longitudinal carina or groove, and sparsely setose medially, with dense long setae laterally ( Fig. 48d ).

Wings. Fore wing ( Fig. 48a ): SR1: 3-SR: r = 28: 26: 5; 1-SR+M nearly straight after arising from 1-M, 1.3 × longer than 1-M; 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m = 13: 26: 14; vein SR1 reaching wing margin approx. half-way between pterostigma and wing tip; cu-a more or less interstitial. Hind wing ( Fig. 48b ): SC+R1: 2-SC+R: 1r-m = 23: 5: 18.

Legs. Length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 31: 37: 45; length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus = 44: 65: 23; length of hind basitarsus 5.1 × its maximum width.

Metasoma. First tergite as long as its apical width, median area oval and convex ( Fig. 48j ); first tergite largely smooth except for lateral carinae, sparse crenulae of lateral grooves ( Fig. 48j ); second tergite 0.9 × as long as its wide, weakly elevated medio-basally, but not forming a medio-basal area, and with developed antero-lateral areas; oblique anterior grooves of second tergite deep and sparsely crenulate; second tergite smooth except for crenulate anterior grooves ( Fig. 48e ); second suture deep, crenulate, curved and wide medially ( Fig. 48e ); third tergite 0.6 × as long as wide, without antero-lateral areas ( Fig. 48e ); third–seventh tergites smooth ( Fig. 48e ); hypopygium acute apically, reaching far beyond level of apex of metasoma; ovipositor sheath 2.6 × as long as fore wing.

Colour. Largely yellow ( Fig. 47); antenna, mandible apically, area around ocelli, lateral lobes of mesoscutum, metapleuron ventrally and ovipositor sheaths black ( Figs 47, 48c, 48d, 48g, 48h ); claws, hind tibia apically and hind tarsus dark brown ( Fig. 48f ); wing membrane infuscate, but fore wing with pale stripes around veins 1-SR+M, 2-SR+M, m-cu, 2-CU1 apically, 3-CU1 and r-m, pterostigma (except for yellow basal patch) and veins dark brown ( Figs 48a, 48b ).

Variation. Length of body of female 8.5–9.0 mm, of fore wing of female 7.0– 7.5 mm, and of ovipositor sheath 15.5–19.5 mm; antenna of female with 56 antennomeres; apical flagellomere 1.8 × longer than its maximum width; length of mesosoma 1.6–1.8 × its height; second metasomal tergite more or less flattened medio-basally; second suture moderately shallow and weakly crenulate; ovipositor sheath 2.2–2.6 × as long as fore wing.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Nei Menggu).

Etymology. Named after the abnormal second metasomal tergite (lacking a medio-basal area): “abnormis” is Latin for “deviating from the rule”.

Figures

FIGURE 48. Vipio abnormis sp. nov., ♀, holotype. a. fore wing; b. hind wing; c. mesosoma, lateral view; d. mesosoma, dorsal view; e. metasoma, dorsal view; f. hind leg, lateral view; g. head, front view; h. head, dorsal view; i. head, lateral view; j. first metasomal tergite; k. scapus outer side, lateral view; l. apex of ovipositor, lateral view.