Chelonus (Microchelonus) maculovittatus, 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 : 57-61

Chelonus (Microchelonus) maculovittatus sp. nov.

Figs 49–50

Material examined. Holotype: female, Nanling , Guangdong Prov., China, 8.V.2004, Zaifu Xu, No. 20047748 ( ZJUH) . Paratypes: 1 female, Yunji Mt. , Guangdong Prov., China, 19.VI.2002, Zaifu Xu, No. 20029175 ; 1 female, Wenzhou , Zhejiang Prov., China, 8.VIII.1983, Zuhua Shi, No. 831968 .

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) elaeaphilus ( Silvestri, 1908) ， sharing the distinctly narrowed apical third of the metasomal carapace in dorsal view ( Fig. 50E ) and apex of carapace slightly incurved in lateral view ( Fig. 50D ), but both species can be separated by the following characters: temples narrowed behind eyes ( Fig. 50G ) (versus widened behind eyes in C. (M.) elaeaphilus ); posterior excavation of head very shallow ( Fig. 50G ) (<15%) (versus rather deep (15–25%)), legs almost entirely yellowish brown; and carapace with a large medial pale yellow spot combined with a regularly edged more posterior patch behind it ( Fig. 50E ) (versus legs entirely black and carapace only with one large medial yellow spot).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 2.9 mm, of fore wing 2.4 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 1.8 × its dorsal length; occiput hardly excavated; antenna distinctly broadened and thickened medially, antennomeres 16, length of 3 rd antennomere 1.0 × 4 th; length of 3 rd, 4 th and penultimate antennomeres 3.4 ×, 2.8 × and 1.4 × their width, respectively; eye 1.5 × as long as temple in dorsal view; OOL: OD: POL=19: 5: 13; temples narrowed behind eyes, vertex striolate behind ocelli ( Fig. 50G ); face flat, concentric punctate-rugose, width of face 1.9 × its height; eyes distinctly converging ventrally ( Fig. 50F ); apical margin of clypeus truncate, clypeus 1.9 × wider than high, distance between tentorial pits 1.5 × distance between pits and eyes, dense punctulate and interspaces shiny ( Fig. 50F ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height; side of pronotum reticulate-rugose, but ventrally densely punctate ( Fig. 50B ); notauli slightly developed among coarsely areolate-rugose sculpture; scutellum sparsely punctate medially, rugose laterally; scutellar suture comparatively deep, narrow, with short carinae; propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose, lateral tubercles distinct ( Fig. 50C ).

Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.8 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 3.0 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=8: 14: 50; SR1 nearly straight; marginal cell 1.8 × longer than second submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2- CU1=10: 15; 2-R1 indistinct ( Fig. 50A ).

Legs. Hind coxa punctate laterally, shiny; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 2.9 ×, 4.6 × and 5.0 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 1.9 × its maximum width in dorsal view, widest at middle, narrowed apically; carapace longitudinally rugose up to basal 50% with posteriorly increasing anastomoses ( Fig. 50E ); carapace in lateral view 2.9 × longer than high, posteriorly rounded, posterior height of metasoma 1.9 × its anterior height; apex of carapace slightly incurved and ventral opening of carapace 0.9 × as long as carapace length ( Fig. 50D ).

Colour. Body mainly black; scapus of antenna yellowish brown, third and fourth antennomeres brown; mandible entirely yellowish brown; palpi brownish yellow; pterostigma brown; middle of wing and its veins light brown but 1-M and parastigma yellow, wing base and its veins light yellowish; legs almost entirely yellow but hind femur with dark tip; carapace with a large medial yellow spot combined with secondary spot behind it ( Fig. 50E ).

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Guangdong, Zhejiang).

Etymology. Named after the peculiar secondary spot combined with the regular pale basal band of the carapace: “ macula ” is Latin for spot, stain and “ vitta ” is Latin for band, stripe.

Figures

FIGURE 49. Chelonus (Microchelonus) maculovittatus sp. nov., female, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 50. Chelonus (Microchelonus) maculovittatus sp. nov., female, holotype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, head, anterior aspect; G, head, dorsal aspect; H, antenna; I, head, lateral aspect.