Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg, 2023

Ranjith, A. P., Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, 2023, A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae from the Oriental region, with descriptions of seven new species from India and Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 5318 (4), pp. 451-473 : 455-456

Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg , sp. nov.

( Figures 1–2 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8DC61CB9-A48A-4BC0-84FE-61AFA198870D

Material examined. Holotype. ♀ INDIA: Karnataka, Chamarajanagar, Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, Malaki Betta , 11°57.230′ N, 77°08.241′ E, 1306 m a.s.l., scrub jungle forest, Malaise trap, 31.v.2005, coll. Priyadarsanan, D. R. ( AIMB) . Paratypes: 4 females with same label data, one female INDIA: Tamil Nadu, Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve ( KMTR), primary forest, understorey, Malaise trap, 3.xii.2008, coll. Priyadarsanan, D. R . ( AIMB) .

Description. Female

Body measurements. Length of body 2.1 mm, length of fore wing 2.1 mm.

Head. Head 1.3 and 1.9 × as wide as long in anterior and dorsal views respectively. Scape 1.6 × as long as wide. Pedicel 1.3 × as long as wide. First flagellomere 1.2 × as long as second flagellomere. First, second and penultimate flagellomeres 6.0, 5.3 and 1.3 × as long as wide. Medial flagellomere as long as wide ( Fig. 1D ). Fourth segment of maxillary palp 1.5 × as long as third segment. Face 1.3 × as wide as long, smooth, setose. Clypeus 2.1 × wider ventrally than medially high with convex posterior margin ( Fig. 1B ). Length of malar space 1.7 × basal width of mandible. OOL: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: POL= 2.5: 1.3: 1.0. Length of eye 2.0 × as long as temple in dorsal view.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.5 × as long as high. Scutellar sulcus narrow, slightly wavy ( Fig. 1F ). Scutellum glabrous medially ( Fig. 1F ). Propodeum smooth medially and laterally ( Fig. 2A ).

Wings. Fore wing: Pterostigma 2.0 × as long as wide. Vein r 0.3 × as long as 2RS. Vein (RS+M)b 0.8 × as long as 1m-cu. Vein 1-M 1.5 × as long as m-cu. Vein (RS+M)a 1.9 × (RS+M)b. Vein 1CUa 0.6 × as long as 1CUb. Hind wing: Veins M+CU: 1M: 1r-m= 2.1: 2.4: 1.0.

Legs. Ratio of fore femur: fore tibia: fore tarsus = 1.0: 1.1: 1.1. Fore femur and tibia 3.5 and 6.3 × as long as wide, respectively. Hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.5, 5.4 and 4.0 × as long as wide, respectively.

Metasoma. First tergite 5.4 × as long as its maximum width, 4.5 × as long as basal width, 1.8 × as long as second tergite. Second tergite 0.7 × as long as third tergite. Ovipositor straight ( Fig. 2C ). Ovipositor sheath 0.1 × as long as fore wing.

Colour. Body brown, dark brown or reddish brown but face, clypeus, mandible except apically, malar space, maxillary and labial palps, scape and pedicel, flagellomeres 10–12, temples posteriorly, ocelli, pronotum, propleuron, tegula, pterostigma, wing veins except 1CUa, legs (except ivory coxae), metasomal tergites except medial sclerotised part of T1 and T2, ovipositor and sheath basally yellow.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The species is named after the high chances for finding more new species of Miracinae considering the very limited study of this subfamily.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Karnataka).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg gen. et sp. nov., holotype, female A) habitus, lateral view; B) head, anterior view; C) head, dorsal view; D) antennae; E) head and mesosoma, lateral view; F) mesosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg gen. et sp. nov., holotype, female A) propodeum, dorsal view; B) mesosoma, oblique view; C) metasoma, lateral view; D) metasoma, dorsal view; E) metasomal tergites 1–3, dorsal view; F) wings.