Teresirogas nolani Quicke & Butcher

Quicke, Donald L. J., Shaw, Mark R., Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Bland, Keith P., Butcher, Buntika A., Lyszkowski, Richard & Zhang, Y. Miles, 2014, A new Australian genus and five new species of Rogadinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), one reared as a gregarious endoparasitoid of an unidentified limacodid (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 3881 (3), pp. 237-257 : 245-248

Teresirogas nolani Quicke & Butcher sp. nov.

( Figs 7–8 )

Holotype ♀, Australia, “Lakemba, New South Wales, 4:1:1949”, “Ex cocoon Doratifera velnerans Lew ”, “ COM. INST. ENT. COLL. NO. 11346”, “Pres by Com Inst Ent B.M. 1950-58 ” ( BMNH).

Paratypes: AUSTRALIA: 1♀, same data as holotype ( BMNH); 7♀, “Berala, 6-2-[19]68, G. Daniels” (5♀ AMS; 2♀ RMNH); 1 ♀, but 11-2-[19]68 (AMS); 1♀, 29-2-[19]68 (AMS); 1♀, “Bred from cup moth [= Limacodidae ] pupae, 29 Mch 1934” (AMS); 2♀, “Coma West, nr Sydney, NSW, 13.v.1972, L. Willan” (1♀ AMS; 1 ♀ RMNH); 1♀, “Kw.ring.gai Chase Nat. Park, NSW, 27.i.1971, A. & G. Daniels” (AMS); 2♀, Sydney, NSW, Oct. 1966, P. Robertson”, “cup moth parasite” ( ANIC); 1 ♀, “New South Wales, 4.1.[19]60. Ex Emperor moth, C.I.E. A 1313” ( BMNH), “Pres by Com Inst Ent B.M. 1966-3” ( BMNH); 1♀, “Brisbane: H. Hacker 20/11/[19]11” (QM).

Female. Body length 6.9 mm, fore wing length 6.0 mm.

Antennae with 46–60 flagellomeres (the specimen from Kw ring. Gai Chase Nat. Park, NSW having the smallest number, and those from Berala the largest numbers, the holotype has incomplete antennae). Head 2.4 x wider than face. Face largely smooth and shiny except for punctures associated with setae. Mesosoma 1.55 x longer than maximally high. Notauli completely smooth. Fore wing vein 3RSb 2.45 x 3 RSa. Vein 3RSa 1.3 x 2 RS. Vein 1cu-a interstitial.

Coloration. Flagellum black; head, scapus and pedicellus orange except stemmaticum black; mesosoma orange; legs dark brown [fore legs missing but coxa orange]; wings brown with darker brown venation; metasomal tergites 1 and 2 largely cream coloured but with small brownish marks at base of 1st tergite and postero-laterally on 2nd, remaining tergites black; metasomal sternites membranous with black spots.

Etymology. Named after the famed Australian artist, Sidney Robert Nolan (1917–1972) well known for his Ned Kelly series of paintings.

Biology. The host recorded on the data label of the holotype is a limacodid. Although the mummy is not present the paratype with the same data suggests that the species is gregarious. The host of the other paratype is indicated to be an “emperor moth” which would indicate a member of the Saturniidae , however, all other records are from Limacodidae , especially cup moths of the genus Doratifera on Eucalyptus , and although there are Eucalyptus -feeding saturniids, it may be that the host was misidentified. There is nothing in this case to suggest solitary or gregarious development.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Teresirogas nolani gen. et. sp. nov. A, habitus; B, head, front view; C, head and mesosoma, lateral view; D, head dorsal view; E, F, views of hind telotarsus and claw showing reduced basal lobe.

FIGURE 8. Teresirogas nolani gen. et. sp. nov. A, posterior of mesosoma and metasomal tergite 1, lateral view; B, scutellum, propodeum, tergite 1, dorsal view; C, wings; D, wings, detail of subdiscal cell.