Shelfordia fulva, Li & He & Chen, 2020

Li, Yang, He, Jun-Hua & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2020, Review of six genera of Braconinae Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) in China, with the description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4818 (1), pp. 1-74 : 42-46

Shelfordia fulva sp. nov.

Figs 33–34

Type material. Holotype. ♀, China, Yunnan Prov., Xishuangbanna Meng’a, 1050–1080m, 17.V.1958, Wang Shuy- ong, No. IOZ(E)1964559 ( IZCAS) . Paratype. 1♀, China, Yunnan Prov., Xishuangbanna Meng’a , 1050–1080m, 10. V .1958, Wang Shuyong, No. IOZ(E)1964558 ( IZCAS) .

Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to S. longicaudata van Achterberg, 1993 , but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: head less cubic, in dorsal view temples linearly narrowed behind eyes (head cubic in S. longicaudata , in dorsal view temples parallel-sided behind eyes); fore wing vein 1-SR+M more or less straight (curved basally); metasomal tergites largely yellowish brown ( S. longicaudata entirely black); hind leg mainly yellowish brown (entirely black); ovipositor sheath 2.7–3.1 × as long as fore wing (4.5 ×); infuscate area of fore wing not or hardly intruding into marginal cell (intruding into marginal cell); scape yellowish brown, and with blackish brown streak on outer side (entirely yellowish brown).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 15.8 mm, of fore wing 15.7 mm, of ovipositor sheath 48.2 mm.

Head. Antenna with 82 antennomeres; first flagellomere 1.7 × longer than second flagellomere; first, second and penultimate flagellomeres 1.2, 1.1 and 1.1 × longer than their maximum width, respectively; scapus rather slen- der, 1.7 × longer than its medial width, long setose ventrally, somewhat compressed, its outer apex distinctly emar- ginate, dorsally weakly shorter than ventrally ( Fig. 34k ); length of maxillary palp 0.9 × height of head; malar suture developed, with some short setae and sculptured ( Fig. 34g ); labio-maxillary complex moderately protruding, about 0.6 height of eye; clypeus flat, not elevated above plane of face, with some long setae, no dorsal carina and largely coarsely punctate; eye not emarginate ( Fig. 34g ); face flattened, coarsely punctate and densely short setose, with curved groove to antennal sockets ( Fig. 34g ); frons with deep median groove, distinctly concave, largely smooth, medially glabrous, and laterally setose ( Fig. 34h ); vertex convex and largely smooth except for a few punctures; shortest distance between posterior ocelli: shortest diameter of elliptical posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 6: 7: 19; length of malar space equal to basal width of mandible; in dorsal view length of eye 1.6 × temple; temples linearly narrowed behind eyes ( Fig. 34h ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.6 × its height ( Fig. 34c ); notauli rather shallow posteriorly ( Fig. 34d ); mesoscutum smooth and sparsely short setose ( Fig. 34d ); scutellar sulcus deep, moderately wide, with crenulae ( Fig. 34d ); scutellum smooth, with dense short setae posteriorly; metanotum moderately convex medially, without median carina anteriorly ( Fig. 34d ); propodeum largely smooth, without medio-longitudinal carina, and sparsely setose medially, with dense long setae laterally ( Fig. 34d ).

Wings. Fore wing ( Fig. 34a ): SR1: 3-SR: r = 29: 29: 5; angle between 1-SR and C+SC+R about 40°; 1-SR short and linear with 1-M; 1-M straight; cu-a long and straight, weakly postfurcal; 1-CU1: 2-CU1 = 1: 5; 2-SR: 3-SR: r-m = 12: 36: 13; r-m sinuate; 2-SR without widened part; base of 3-SR slightly widened; second submarginal cell weakly widened distally. Hind wing ( Fig. 34b ): 2-SC+R 0.5 × longer than 1r-m; SC+R1: 1r-m = 14: 11; area near cu-a largely glabrous.

Legs. Hind coxa weakly punctate; all tarsal claws robust, basally with some long setae; length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 32: 38: 53; length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus = 41: 70: 28; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.3, 12.9 and 7.0 × their maximum width, respectively; length of hind tibial spurs 0.20 and 0.30 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.4 × its apical width, its surface largely smooth, slightly concave basally, median area elevated, with some crenulae latero-posteriorly, dorso-lateral carinae complete and strong, mediolongitudinal carina present except for anteriorly, lateral grooves narrow and weakly crenulate anteriorly ( Fig. 34j ); small triangular medio-basal area of second tergite smooth, attached to medio-longitudinal carina, absent near posterior margin of second tergite, and surrounded by some curved striae; oblique anterior grooves of second tergite wide, deep and strongly crenulate, and antero-lateral triangle areas small and smooth ( Fig. 34e ); second suture deep, wide and crenulate medially and narrow laterally ( Fig. 34e ); third tergite largely smooth except for medio-basally longitudinal striae, antero-lateral areas distinctly elevated and rugose, antero-lateral grooves deep and complete, with crenulae ( Fig. 34e ); fourth–seventh tergites smooth, and without antero-lateral areas or depressions ( Fig. 34e ); hypopygium acute apically, reaching beyond level of apex of metasoma; ovipositor sheath 3.1 × as long as fore wing.

Colour. Largely yellowish brown ( Fig. 33); antenna (but scapus yellowish brown, outer side with longitudinal black stripe), eye, mandible apically and ovipositor sheath black ( Figs 33, 34g, 34i ); claws and hind telotarsus apically dark brown ( Fig. 34f ); wing membrane largely yellow, apically smoky gray, fore wing with a dark brown stigmal spot up to vein 1-SR+M, including dark brown vein 1-SR+M basally and apically wings with wide darker brown area; pterostigma and remainder of veins yellow ( Figs 34a, 34b ).

Variation. Length of body of female 15.8–16.0 mm, of fore wing of female 15.4–15.7 mm, and of ovipositor sheath 41.0– 48.2 mm; antenna of female with 82–85 antennomeres; first flagellomere 1.3–1.7 × longer than second flagellomere; first, second and penultimate flagellomeres 1.2–1.3, 1.1 and 1.1–1.2 × longer than their maximum width, respectively; ovipositor sheath 2.7–3.1 × as long as fore wing.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. Named after the largely yellowish brown body: “fulva” is Latin for “tawny, reddish yellow”.

Figures

FIGURE 34. Shelfordia fulva sp. nov., ♀, holotype. a. fore wing; b. hind wing; c. mesosoma, lateral view; d. mesosoma, dorsal view; e. metasoma, dorsal view; f. hind leg, lateral view; g. head, front view; h. head, dorsal view; i. head, lateral view; j. first metasomal tergite, dorsal view; k. sacpus outer side, lateral view; l. apex of antenna; m. apex of ovipositor, lateral view.