Chelonus (Microchelonus) leious, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, Zootaxa 5412 (1), pp. 1-127 : 49-51

Chelonus (Microchelonus) leious sp. nov.

Figs 39–40

Material examined. Holotype: male, Shaoguan , Guangdong Prov., China, 9.V.1992, Xuexin Chen, No. 921261 ( ZJUH) . Paratypes: 2 males, same label data but Nos. 921259, 921260; 3 males, Fengkai , Guangdong Prov., China, 18. V.1992, Xuexin Chen, Nos. 924265, 924266, 924264 ; 1 male, Fengkai , Guangdong Prov., China, 19. V.1992, Yun Ma, No. 921194 ; 1 male, Nanning , Guangxi Prov., China, 15. V.1982, Junhua He, No. 821287 .

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) sochiorum ( Tobias, 2005) , both species having the metasomal carapace slightly widened posteriorly in dorsal view ( Fig. 40E ) and maximum height posteriorly in lateral view ( Fig. 40D ), but can be separated by the following characters: width of apical aperture of male <0.4 × metasomal width ( Fig. 40F ) (versus 0.4–0.7 × metasomal width in C. (M.) sochiorum ); frons and vertex smooth ( Fig. 40H ) (versus coarsely striate-rugose) and width of face 1.7 × wider than high ( Fig. 40G ) (versus 2.0 ×).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 5.7 mm, of fore wing 4.2 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 2.3 × its dorsal length; occiput slightly excavated; antennomeres largely missing; eye in dorsal view 1.6 × as long as temple; OOL: OD: POL=28: 11: 19; temple narrowed behind eyes; frons and vertex smooth and shiny ( Fig. 40H ); face flat, coarsely transverse-longitudinally reticulate-rugose, width of face 1.7 × its height; eyes about parallel; clypeus dense punctulate, shiny and 2.1 × wider than high, apical margin convex medially, clypeus extending below lower level of eyes, distance between tentorial pits 1.5 × distance between pits and eyes ( Fig. 40G ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum densely coarsely punctate; mesopleuron completely coarsely reticulate-rugose, ventral part of it densely setose ( Fig. 40B ); notauli slightly developed; mesoscutum densely setose; scutellum evenly convex, rugose medially and reticulate-rugose laterally; scutellar suture comparatively deep, narrow, with carinae; propodeum coarsely rugose and tubercles distinct and strongly developed ( Fig. 40C ).

Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.9 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 2.7 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=25: 22: 99; SR1 slightly curved towards pterostigma; marginal cell 2.8 × longer than second submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2-CU1=21: 50; 2-R1 absent ( Fig. 40A ).

Legs. Hind coxa mainly setose; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.0 ×, 4.7 × and 6.0 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 2.3 × its maximum width in dorsal view, widest after middle, apically rounded; carapace longitudinally rugose up to middle, but coriaceous apically ( Fig. 40E ); in lateral view carapace 2.8 × longer than high and posterior height of metasoma 1.9 × its anterior height, carapace apically distinctly incurved ( Fig. 40D ); apical aperture in posterior view small, nearly round and median process of aperture horizontal and oval ( Fig. 40F ).

Colour. Black; palpi dark brown; pterostigma light brown; wing and its veins light brown; legs almost entirely brown but coxa, hind femur and apex of tibia black; carapace with yellowish 2 lateral, small spots in basal 1/3.

Female. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangdong, Guangxi).

Etymology. Named after the smooth, shiny frons and vertex: “ leios ” is Greek for smooth, bald.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Chelonus (Microchelonus) leious sp. nov., male, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 40.Chelonus (Microchelonus) leious sp. nov., male, holotype.A, forewing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect;C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, metasoma, posterior aspect; G, head, anterior aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, lateral aspect.