Heterospilus chocho Marsh

Marsh, Paul M., Wild, Alexander L. & Whitfield, James B., 2013, The Doryctinae (Braconidae) of Costa Rica: genera and species of the tribe Heterospilini, ZooKeys 347, pp. 1-474 : 218-219

Heterospilus chocho Marsh sp. n. Figure 148

Female.

Body size: 2.5-3.0 mm. Color: body dark brown, apical metasomal terga yellow; scape yellow with lateral longitudinal brown stripe, flagellum brown, apical 3-6 flagellomeres white except apical one darker; wing veins brown, stigma bicolored brown with yellow at apex and base; legs yellow. Head: vertex granulate; frons weakly granulate or smooth; face weakly granulate or smooth; temple in dorsal view narrow, sloping behind eye, width slightly less than 1/2 eye width; malar space greater than 1/4 eye height; ocell-ocular distance at least 2.5 times diameter of lateral ocellus; 22-24 flagellomeres. Mesosoma: mesoscutal lobes granulate; notauli scrobiculate, meeting at scutellum in triangular costate area; scutellum granulate; prescutellar furrow with 3 cross carinae, rarely only median carina distinct; mesopleuron granulate; precoxal sulcus weakly scrobiculate, shorter than mesopleuron; venter granulate; propodeum with basal median areas margined, granulate, basal median carina present, areola usually weakly margined, areolar area rugose, lateral areas rugose posteriorly, granulate anteriorly, propodeum with weak but distinct tubercles above hind coxae. Wings: fore wing vein r shorter than vein 3RSa, vein 1cu-a beyond vein 1M; hind wing vein SC+R present, vein M+CU slightly shorter than vein 1M. Metasoma: first tergum longitudinally costate, length slightly greater than apical width; second tergum longitudinally costate; anterior transverse groove present, straight; posterior transverse groove present; third tergum costate basally, smooth apically; terga 4-7 smooth; ovipositor about 3/4 length of metasoma.

Holotype female.

Top label (white, printed) - COSTA RICA: Limon [;] 16km West Guapiles [;] 400m, April 1989 [;] P. Hanson; second label (red, partially printed and hand written) - HOLOTYPE [;] Heterospilus [;] chocho [;] P. Marsh. Deposited in ESUW.

Paratypes.

1 ♀, same data as holotype with date of i–iv.1991 (ESUW). 1 ♀, Costa Rica: Alajuela, San Carlos [;] R.F.Arenal, Sector Cerro Chaio [;] 1100m, Malaise trap [;] 25. ix– 22.x.1999, G. Carballo [;] L.N.269500-460900 #53935 (ESUW). 1 ♀, Costa Rica: Puntarenas, ACO [;] Golfito, R.F. Golfo Dulce [;] Est. Agujas, 250-350m [;] 4-22.v.1999, J. Azofeifa [;] L.S.276750-526550 #52779 [;] Red de Golpe (ESUW). 1 ♀, Costa Rica: Cartago [;] Braulio Carillo N.P. [;] 600m, 25.iii.1990 [;] J. S. Noyes, coll. (ESUW). 1 ♀, COSTA RICA, Guanac. [;] Estac. Pitilla, 9Km S [;] Santa Cecilia, 700m [;] VI/1989, I. Gauld (MICR).

Comments.

This species is very similar to Heterospilus guapilensis bur differs in the longer ovipositor, the bicolored stigma and the usually distinctly margined areola on the propodeum.

Etymology.

Named for the Chocho, an indigenous people of Mexico.