Balcha elegans (Masi)

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2005, The world species of Balcha Walker (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), parasitoids of wood-boring beetles, Zootaxa 1033 (1), pp. 1-62 : 22-24

Balcha elegans (Masi) ( Figs. 11 , 26, 35, 46)

Sauteria elegans Masi, 1927: 338–340 . Type data: [ Taiwan], Kankau [Koshun], 22.IV.1912, H. Sauter. Holotype female by monotypy (DEIC, examined).

Balcha elegans ; Gibson, 1989: 67. Change of combination.

Balcha indica ; Mani & Kaul, 1973 (in part). Misidentification.

Additional material examined. AFROTROPICAL. TANZANIA: Zanzibar: nr. Mnazi Moja, 20.VIII­IX.24, H.J. Snell (1♂ BMNH). ORIENTAL. BRUNEI: Bukit Sulang nr Lamunin, 20.VIII­10.IX.1982, N.E. Stork (1♀ BMNH). INDIA: [Himachal Pradesh] U.P. [Uttar Pradesh], Dehra Dun, F. Ent. Coll., 19.IV.1929, Thaumasura det. Mani (allotype ♀, B. indica, USNM ); 4, 9, 12.IV.1929, R.R.D. 892, B.C.R. 287, Cage 703, ex. Kydia calycina (3♀ IFRI); 2.XI.1924, M. Bhatia, R.R.D. 305, B.C.R. 262, Cage 318, ex. Ficus bengalensis (2♂ IFRI). Dehra Dun, Lachiwala, F. Ent., 3.IV.1929 (paratype ♂, B. indica, USNM ), 12.IV.1929 (1♀ IFRI), R.R.D. 892, BCR 287, Cage 703, ex. Kydia calycina . [Madhya Pradesh], Kanha, Banjar, Mandla, C.P., 20.IV.1927 (1♂ IFRI), 21.IV.1927 (paratype ♂, B. indica, USNM ), 30.IV.1927 (♀ incorrectly labelled as paratype, B. indica, USNM ), R.R.D. 660, B.C.R. 16, Cage 654, ex. Pterocarpus marsupium . [Karnataka], S. Coorg., Ammatti, V.1951, P.S. Nathan (1♀, 1♂ CNCI). INDONESIA: E. Kalimantan, Kac. Pujungan, Kavan­Mentarang Nat. Res., VI.1993, D.C. Darling & Rosichon (1♀ ROMT). Java, Roban, F. Muir (1♀, MCZC), VI.1907, F. Muir (1♀, 1♂ BPBM); [?]Pasoeroean, IV.1914 (1♀ BPBM). MALAYSIA: [Malaya] Johore, S. Seluyut, 17.III.1973, K.M. Guichard (1♀ BMNH); Selangor, F.M.S., Kuala Lumpur, 11.IX.1922, H.M. Pendlebury (1♀ BMNH); Penang [George Town], Batu Ferringhi catchment area, 15.X.1957, H.T. Pagden (1♂, BMNH). [Sabah] N. Borneo, Bettotan, nr. Sandakan, [?] 21.VIII.1927 (1♀ BMNH). Sabah, Sipitang, Mendolong, T4/R, 28.IV.1988, S. Adebratt (1♂ MZLU). Sarawak, Sarikei Dist., Rejang Delta, 15­26.VII.1958, T.C. Maa (1♀ BPBM). PHILIPPINES: Basilan, Baker (1♂ USNM). Mindanao, Baker (1♀ USNM); Butuan, Baker (1♂ USNM). THAILAND: N.W., Chiangmai, Fang, 500 m., 15.IV.1958, T.C. Maa (1♀, 1♂ BPBM).

Description. FEMALE. Length, 6.5–13 mm. Antenna dark except scape yellowishorange and often pedicel and sometimes Fl 1 and base of Fl 2 yellowish­orange or at least lighter brown than remaining flagellum; scape widened apically but spindlelike and with outer surface uniformly setose; Fl 1 slightly transverse to about 1.5 x as long as wide and

about 0.4–0.5 x as long as pedicel; Fl 2 about 1.2–1.4 x as long as clava. Head with punctures of face green to blue or purple in contrast to dark or coppery to violaceous interstices (cf. Fig. 2), and with coriaceous dorsal part of parascrobal region variably extensively green or blue; ocellar region, vertex and occiput dark except usually with slender green to bluish spot or band behind posterior ocellus, and sometimes narrowly green to bluish along upper and outer orbit under some angles of light. Face with setiferous punctures, the punctures closely crowded on lower face but deep and distinct even near oral margin (Fig. 26), dorsally more widely separated by flat, coriaceous interstices, except about dorsal quarter to third of parascrobal region uniformly setose with white setae and usually abruptly flat and coriaceous, though sometimes coriaceous­roughened because of very shallow, small, crowded punctures with coriaceous subsculpture. Scrobal depression with channel and scrobes differentiated by variably conspicuous, usually green to blue or purple undulation, but otherwise dark or channel with slight coppery luster under some angles of light; scrobes smooth and shiny to slightly transversely strigose; channel coriaceous and setose dorsally.

Pronotum dark anteriorly, but posteriorly and laterally green to blue or purple; coriaceous to coriaceous­aciculate. Tegula yellowish­brown to dark brown. Mesoscutum mostly green to purple laterally and posterodorsally, but at least with small purple to brown region anterior to axilla and dorsally with notaular and parapsidal bands forming ­ like pattern ( Fig. 11 ), the parapsidal band only very rarely extending posteriorly to unite with dark region anterior to axilla and notaular band often either quite narrow behind parapsidal bands or sometimes irregularly dark and bright metallic so as not to form a continuous band, but at least widened posteriorly to extend broadly across base of scutellum. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 35 ) alveolate laterally, dorsally the punctures smaller and shallower in dark regions, particularly within notaular band and near parapsidal line; without distinct depression anterior to level of inner angle of axilla; with white to brownish setae dorsally and white setae laterally, the setae slightly longer posteriorly and laterally but at most only very slightly lanceolate and not contrasting distinctly with mostly hairlike dorsal setae. Scutellum same color as notaular band ( Fig. 11 ) except sometimes sides, usually very narrowly, and/or mediolongitudinal line green to blue; reticulate­ or coriaceous­punctate posteriorly but anteriorly sculpture aligned into variably distinct longitudinal, setiferous furrows and slightly sinuous ridgelike interstices, including usually higher and more conspicuous median coriaceous ridge or carina ( Fig. 35 ). Metanotum green or dorsellum purple under some angles of light; dorsellum thick, with crenulate dorsal surface and coriaceous, bare, posterior surface; precrenular region of panel uniformly setose. Acropleuron with slender, minutely and very finely coriaceous to smooth and shiny subalar region separating punctate­alveolate prealar region from finely coriaceous­aciculate or smooth and shiny postalar region; prealar region dark to greenish anteriorly and violaceous posteriorly, or violaceous medially and more blue posteriorly, but with subalar region dark or with slight coppery luster and postalar region dark or blue to violaceous under some angles of light. Lower mesepimeron sometimes coriaceous anteriorly or dorsally, but usually extensively punctate­reticulate. Metapleuron distinctly coriaceous to very shallowly reticulate over distinct coriaceous subsculpture, except for crenulate posterior margin and variably extensively rugulose along ventral margin and anterior margin ventrally. Propodeum green except vertical surface of callus purple and plical region sometimes dark; paraspiracular region setose; callus often smooth between setal pores dorsally, but laterally finely coriaceous at least near metapleuron; plical region bare, with carinate margin of foramen ­like recurved to anterior margin of propodeum as variably distinct median carina, the region lateral to median carina also with variably distinct and extensive crenulae ( Fig. 35 ). Forewing hyaline or with cubital fold and vannal area sometimes with slight brownish infusion; vannal area with subcubital setal line extending over about apical half. Legs variable in color beyond coxae, sometimes extensively yellowish­orange except metatibia medially always broadly lighter, yellowishwhite, and often with at least profemur, rarely all femora, and sometimes protibia yellowish­brown to dark brown.

Petiole composed of anterior carina and slightly wrinkled but quite shiny lunate horizontal surface ( Fig. 35 ). Gaster in dorsal view with at least basal 5 terga dark brown and in lateral view purple to green, with penultimate tergum usually bright green in lateral view and under some angles of light often entirely green to coppery dorsally except usually along midline, and syntergum sometimes with slight greenish luster; about 1.6–2 x as long as head and mesosoma combined. Syntergum variably long, about 0.3–0.7 x as long as remaining gaster and in lateral view about 2.7–9 x as long as high; uniformly setose, sculptured and tapered posteriorly, with cercus at basal margin.

MALE. Length, 3.5–7 mm. Usually similar to female in color pattern, but rarely notaular and parapsidal bands forming T­like rather than ­like pattern because parapsidal band linearly separated from notaular band posteriorly and notaular band almost as wide as scutellum; structure similar to female except petiole and propodeal plical region longer; plical region variable, always with inverted Y­ shaped median carina and sometimes with distinct W­shaped median area delimited by median carina and strong, entire, obliquely angled paraspiracular furrow and carina, with surface between carinae smooth and shiny or only finely coriaceous, but sometimes W­shape less obvious because median area with 2 or more additional irregular, longitudinally or obliquely angled carinae on either side of median carina and surface often distinctly coriaceous.

Biology. Hosts unknown, but reared from the Banyan tree, Ficus bengalensis L. ( Moraceae ), Kino tree, Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Fabaceae) , and Kydia calycina Roxb. (Malvaceae) ( Mani & Kaul 1973).

Discussion. Three of five specimens originally included in the type series of B. indica belong to B. elegans , as does one other broken female in the USNM that is labelled as a paratype of B. indica , but which is not listed in the original description. Both sexes of B. elegans are superficially most similar to, and can be easily misidentified as, B. laciniosa if the paraspiracular setae are abraded or concealed under the wings. However, individuals of B. laciniosa have quite distinct white lanceolate setae interspersed with hairlike setae posterodorsally on the mesoscutum ( Fig. 9 ), which B. elegans lack ( Fig. 11 ), as well as a more rugulose­roughened lower face because of less distinctly delineated punctures (cf. Figs. 26, 27), a less setose metanotal precrenular region, and usually slightly different color patterns in the scrobal channel and on the middle legs, as detailed in the respective descriptions. Females of B. laciniosa also have the petiole more strongly reduced, composed merely of a vertical flange, and usually have a shorter syntergum than do females of B. elegans . Other than B. cylindrica , this is the only species of Balcha known from the Afrotropical region. The record is based on a single male from the island of Zanzibar and it remains to be determined whether the species occurs on continental Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 9–18. Mesosoma dorsal: 9, Balcha laciniosa; 10, B. cylindrica; 11, B. elegans; 12, B. indica (N. Am.); 13, B. eximia; 14, B. eximiassita; 15, B. dictyota; 16, B. reticulata; 17, B. anemeta; 18, B. splendida (nob = notaular band, pnb = paranotaular band, ppb = parapsidal band).

FIGURES 31–38. Mesosoma dorsal: 31, Balcha anemeta; 32, B. punctiscutum; 33, B. indica (N. Am.); 34, B. indica (holotype); 35, B. elegans; 36, B. laciniosa (not = notaulus, pl = parapsidal line); 37, B. eximiassita; 38, B. reticulata.