Apanteles parectangular Liu & Chen, 2023

Liu, Zhen & Chen, Xue-xin, 2023, The taeniaticornis - group of genus Apanteles Foerster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from China with one new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96, pp. 21-31 : 21

Apanteles parectangular Liu & Chen sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Description.

Female. Body length 2.5 mm, fore wing length 3.0 mm (Fig. 3a ).

Head. Transverse in dorsal view, 2 × as wide as long, 1.2 × wider than mesoscutum. Vertex between the eye and the posterior ocellus shiny with undefined punctures (Fig. 3d ). Temple slightly shiny with superficial, indistinct puncture, strongly constricted behind eyes from dorsal view. Face (Fig. 3h ) shiny with shallow punctures, transverse, 0.8 × as high as wide, inner margin of eyes parallel-sided. Ocelli big, posterior tangent to anterior ocellus hardly touching posterior pair of ocelli, distance between anterior and a posterior ocelli distinctly shorter than diameter of a posterior ocellus, POL:OD:OOL = 3.5:2.5:4.5 (Fig. 3d ). Antenna distinctly longer than body length, penultimate antennomere 1.5 × longer than wide (Fig. 3e ).

Mesosoma. Length:width:height = 48.0:36.0:27.5. Mesoscutum (Fig. 3i ) slightly shiny with strong, sparse punctures, interspaces obviously bigger than diameter of puncture, punctures largely disappeared at middle and posterior parts where it is shinier and smoother than elsewhere. Scutellar sulcus straight, broad with carinae in between. Scutellum highly shiny, smooth without punctuation except for some undefined small punctures laterally. Lateral polished field of scutellum reaching half-length of scutellum, carinae obsolescent anteriorly. Propodeum (Fig. 3f ) highly shiny, smooth, areolation strongly, well defined, V-shaped apically and closed basally, costulae strongly, well defined. Mesopleuron (Fig. 3c ) highly polished, anterior part shallowly, finely punctate except for slightly rugose on top, sternaulus smooth, broad and concave.

Legs. Hind coxa shiny and smooth, impunctate basally. Spines on outer side of hind tibia not dense. Inner spurs of hind tibia 2/5 length of hind basitarsus, outer spur 1/3. Basitarsus of hind leg distinctly longer than tarsomeres 2-4 (24.0: 19.0), claws of moderate size.

Wings. Pterostigma 2.9 × as long as its widest part. Vein 1-R1 1.4 × longer than pterostigma, nearly touching apex of marginal cell (Fig. 3b ). Vein r arising from middle of pterostigma, distinctly inclined outwards, 1.1 × longer than width of pterostigma, r 1.4 × longer than 2-SR, indistinctly angled at meeting, 2-M half-length of 2-SR and slightly shorter than 1-SR, 2-SR+M shorter than m-cu, the latter about the length of r. First discal cell of fore wing 1.3 × wider than high. Second submarginal cell of hind wing 1.3 × wider than high. Vein cu-a of hind wing slightly curved. Hind wing not broad, the length of the 1-M as long as the distance between its distal extremity and the apex of the vannal lobe. Vannal lobe beyond its widest part somewhat concave without obvious setae.

Metasoma. 0.7 length of mesosoma. T1 narrowly wedged-shaped, not strongly constricted apically, basal width to apical width 1.4:1.0, basal 1/3 concave, turned-over part 2.1 × longer than wide across the hump, obscure with obsolescent punctures laterally, longitudinal channel obvious with transversal carinae inside, apical tubercle highly polished and smooth (Fig. 3g ). T2 shiny and polished, transverse, 4 × wider than long in middle, slightly curved apically. T3 as long as T2. Tergites posterior to T2 polished, shiny, and densely pubescent. Hypopygium shorter than apex of metasoma. Ovipositor sheath slightly longer than hind tibia, narrow, evenly widened towards apex.

Colour. Reddish brown to black (Fig. 3a ). Tegula yellow. Palpi and spurs pale yellow. Labrum and mandible light reddish-yellow. Flagellum of antenna yellowish-brown basally, darkened towards apex, pedicel and scape bright yellow. Ovipositor sheath brown. Legs bright yellow except hind tibia and tarsus somewhat reddish-yellow. Wing membrane hyaline, slightly brownish, vein C+SC+R, 1-R1 and pterostigma brown, other veins light brown.

Variation.

Body length 2.0-2.7 mm.

Male.

Unknown.

Host.

Unknown.

Material examined.

ZJUH: Holotype: ♀, Linghou, Zhejiang, 1985.VIII.6, Chen Xuexin, No. 852530. Paratypes: 1♀, Hangzhou , Zhejiang, 1989.VI.24, Chen Xuexin, No. 893296 ; 1♀, Mt. Jigong , Henan, 1997.VII.12, Chen Xuexin, No. 975015 ; 1♀, Kuankuoshui Natrure Reserve (Xiangshuwan), Guizhou, 2010.VI.4, Chai Hongfei, No. 201004049 ; 1♀, Mt. Diaoluo , Hainan, 2006.VII.16-17, Liu Jingxian, No. 200802283 ; 1♀, Jianfengling (Tianchi), Hainan, 2008.XI.25, Tan Jiangli, No. 200805125 ; 1♀, Jianfengling , Hainan, 2008.XI.22, Tan Jiangli, No. 200805327 .

HUAS: 2♀♀, Haizhu Wetland, Guangzhou, Guangdong (malaise trap), 2021.IV.26-V.11, Liu Jingxian, Nos. 202200268, 202200214.

Distribution.

China (Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Zhejiang)

Etymology.

The specific name " parectangular " derives from the Latin, referring to the shape of T1 (indistinctly constricted apex, nearly rectangular-shaped).

Remarks.

This species is similar to A. conon Nixon, but differs in the following: T1 not strongly constricted apically (strongly constricted in latter); punctures sparser, largely disappeared on mesoscutum (punctures more denser in latter); and hind coxa entirely yellow (largely brown in latter).

Figures

Figure 3. Apanteles parectangular Liu & Chen, sp. nov. a habitus, lateral view b fore and hind wings c mesopleuron d head, dorsal view e antenna f propodeum g abdomen, dorsal view h head, frontal view i mesosoma, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.