Blacus (Tarpheion) parilis, Lu & Chai & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Lu, Qian-Yu, Chai, Hong-Fei, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, Review of the subgenus Tarpheion of the genus Blacus Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of nine new species and eight new records, Zootaxa 5406 (2), pp. 297-335 : 320-322

Blacus (Tarpheion) parilis sp. nov.

( Figs. 23–24 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Yunnan, Bao Mtn, Lujiang, Gaoligongshan Nature Reserve , 20- 21.VII.2006, Xiao Bin, No. 200908024 ( ZJUH) . Paratype: ♀, China, Yunnan, Bao Mtn, Lujiangba, Gaoligongshan Nature Park , 11. V.2009, Wang Manman, No. 200904562 ( ZJUH) .

Description. Female. Length of body 2.1 mm, length of fore wing 2.1 mm.

Head. Antennomeres 20; length of first flagellomere 1.3 × length of second flagellomere; length of first, second and penultimate flagellomere 6.8, 5.2 and 3.25 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.4 × height of head; occipital carina almost complete, dorsal part weak ( Fig. 24A ); frontal suture present; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 10:3:4; length of eye in dorsal view 2.15 × temple; face smooth, densely setose; malar suture present, length of malar space 1.75 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.7 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely rugose; carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum very short; precoxal sulcus complete, with some long striae ( Fig. 24D ); notauli complete, crenulate-rugose, wide and deep ( Fig. 24E ); mesoscutal middle lobe slightly convex anteriorly; scutellum smooth, its lateral carina complete, not protruding apically; surface of propodeum smooth between carinae, its medial area widened dorsally.

Wings. Fore wing: first discal cell narrowly truncate anteriorly in left, wider in right wing; vein r oblique ( Fig. 24H ), length of vein r about equal to width of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 1:2.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth dorsally, with very short rugae; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 7.0, 15.5 and 11.2 × their width, respectively; fore claws with short bristles ( Fig. 24K ), middle and hind claws with one bristle.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 2.6 × its apical width, slightly widened apically, smooth medio-basally and reticulate-rugose medio-apically, longitudinally rugose laterally ( Fig. 24F ); second tergite with longitudinal striae and remainder smooth ( Fig. 24F ); length of ovipositor sheath 0.27 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Yellowish-brown; 4 basal antennomeres, palpi, tegulae, mandible, metasomal sternum anteriorly and all legs yellow; half apical of antennomeres yellowish-brown; second metasomal tergite dark yellow; hypopygium, ovipositor and sheath, veins, pterostigma, remainder metasomal tergite and sternum posteriorly brown; basal of pterostigma and parastigma pale yellow; bristles of fore claws blackish, one bristle of middle and hind claws yellow; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Variation. Vein r of fore wing oblique or vertical; dorsal part of occipital carina weak or distinct; length of eye in dorsal view 1.75–2.15 × length of temple; length of body 2.1–2.3 mm; length of fore wing 2.1–2.45 mm; length of first tergite 2.5–2.6 × its apical width; length of ovipositor sheath 0.22–0.27 × length of fore wing.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name parilis refers to the parallel-sided first metasomal tergite and “ parilis ” is Latin for equal or like.

Notes. The new species is similar to B. (T.) artomandibularis van Achterberg, 1976 because precoxal suture is complete and having some striae, first discal cell of fore wing narrowly truncate anteriorly, carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum very short, second tergite with longitudinal striae, hypopygium brownish, length of first tergite approx. 2.4 × its apical, and length of eye in dorsal view approx. 2.0 × temple, but differs by having blackish bristles on fore claws, (simple in B. artomandibularis ), middle and hind claws with one yellow bristle (simple), yellowish body (reddish-brown), length of penultimate antennal antennomere 3.25 × its width (1.9 –2.1), frontal suture present (absent), first tergite parallel-sided (slightly widened apically), and pterostigma brown (pale yellow).

Figures

FIGURE 23. Tarpheion parilis sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect).

FIGURE 24. Tarpheion parilis sp. nov. A. head, dorsal aspect; B. head, anterior aspect; C. antenna; D. mesosoma, lateral aspect; E. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; F. metasoma, dorsal aspect; G. propodeum, dorsal aspect; H. wings; I. hind leg; J. ovipositor and ovipositor sheath; K. fore claw.