Tobleronius Fernandez-Triana, 2018

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L & Boudreault, Caroline, 2018, Seventeen new genera of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from tropical areas of the world, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 64, pp. 25-140 : 99-100

Tobleronius Fernandez-Triana gen. n.

Type species.

Tobleronius orientalis Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.

Diagnostic description.

Head with relatively large tentorial pits and palpi (Fig. 36B ). Traces of an occipital carina latero-dorsally (scarsely visible in Fig. 36D ). Flagellomeres with two rows of placodes. Scutoscutellar sulcus relatively wide and deep, with 4-6 strongly defined crenulae. Scutellar disc with coarse and slightly raised posteromedian band of rugosity (Figs 36D , 37E ). Propodeum with complete areola and incomplete transversal carina (Figs 36D, F , 37D-F ). Fore wing with large and quadrate areolet (Figs 36C , 37C ). Metacoxa relatively long, extending to the posterior margin of T3 (Fig. 37A ). T1 shape relatively unique (better illustrated in Figs 36E, F , 37D-F ), with much wider anterior 0.6-0.7 and strongly narrowed posterior 0.3, so that widest part of tergite (near anterior margin) is around 4.0 × narrowest width (on posterior margin). T1 anterior 0.6-0.7 desclerotized and slightly concave. T2 very long and thin, although slightly widening towards posterior margin. Area surrounding spiracles on laterotergite 2 partially sclerotized and same color than T2, giving the impression of T2 having "three peaks" (the largest and central one being the actual T2, the two smallest and lateral ones being the area surrounding spiracles on laterotergites; better illustrated in Figs 36E, F , 37D, F ).

Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.

Tobleronius belongs to the Microplitini (sensu Mason 1981) group of genera, and seems to be mostly related to Alloplitis . It can be distinguished by all other genera within that group by the unusual shape and lack of sculpture of T1 and T2, and the relatively long metacoxa (which reaches to the posterior margin of T3, unlike most Microplitini , where metacoxa length almost always is shorter than the combined length of T1 and T2). The carination pattern of the propodeum is also highly unusual, as in Microplitini only Alloplitis has a complete areola and complete transverse carina; Tobleronius has a complete areola but the transverse carina is incomplete.

An important character to analyze in future studies of Microgastrinae phylogeny is that the back of the head of Tobleronius shows traces of an occipital carina latero-dorsally. Until now all Microgastrinae had been considered to lack an occipital carina. In this paper we have described two genera with at least partial occipital carina ( Gilbertnixonius and Tobleronius ). But even among previously described genera of Microplitini there are additional examples. We have found, upon further examination of specimens in the CNC, that most (perhaps all) species of Philoplitis have an occipital carina. That feature was unfortunately overlooked by all authors until now: Nixon (1965) when describing the genus, Mason (1981) when discussing its position within the subfamily, Whitfield et al. (2002) when reassessing Microgastrinae phylogeny based on morphological and molecular data, and Fernandez-Triana & Goulet (2009) in the most recent revision of the genus. We also examined all specimens of Alloplitis in the CNC and found that at least some species show traces of an occipital carina, in a similar way to what is found in Tobleronius . It now seems clear that at least some lineages within Microplitini have an occipital carina, or at least traces of it.

Biology.

Host unknown.

Distribution.

The only known species is found in the Oriental region (Thailand, Vietnam).

Molecular data.

Three sequences are currently available, two almost complete (601 and 614 bp) and one partial (497 bp). They represent in BOLD two closely related BINS (BOLD:ADE3103 and BOLD:ADE4131), which are 3% different between each other, but are far apart from any other sequence (based on a Neighbor Joining tree built with 35,000+ Microgastrinae sequences available in BOLD as of January 2018).

Etymology.

The name refers to the chocolate brand “Toblerone”, one of the favourites of the first author. The shape of T2 looks like one of the triangles that compose Toblerone bars (if one has enough imagination and love for chocolate!). Here is hoping that someday a wasp-shaped chocolate bar is produced. The gender of the genus is neuter.

Species.

Only one species is recognized at present. However, the molecular differences (see above) as well as slight morphological differences between specimens from Thailand and Vietnam suggest that they could actually represent two different species. But because only three specimens were available for study, we prefer to keep them as one species for the time being.

Figures

Figure 36. Tobleronius orientalis male holotype. A Habitus B Head frontal C Fore wing and hind wing D Head and mesosoma, dorsal E Metasoma dorsal F Propodeum.

Figure 37. Tobleronius orientalis male paratype CNC 521929. A Habitus B Head frontal C Fore wing D Metasoma dorsal E Head and mesosoma, dorsal F Propodeum.