Mexiare, Belokobylskij, Sergey A., Samaca-Sáenz, Ernesto & Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro, 2015

Belokobylskij, Sergey A., Samaca-Sáenz, Ernesto & Zaldívar-Riverón, Alejandro, 2015, Mexiare gen. nov., a new Doryctinae genus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Mexico with fused first and second metasomal tergites, Zootaxa 3914 (2), pp. 122-130 : 123-125

Mexiare gen. nov.

Type species: Mexiare toledoi sp. nov.

Etymology. From Mexico, the country where this taxon was collected, and Iare , the other Neotropical genus whose species also have fused first and second metasomal tergites.

Diagnosis. The only known species of this new genus can be distinguished from species of other Neotropical genus with fused first two metasomal tergites, Iare , by the following features: second metasomal tergite with a semi-oval basal area separated by a deep furrow (absent in Iare ); submedial (subbasal) cell of hind wing short, with first abscissa of mediocubital vein (M+CU) distinctly shorter than second abscissa (1M) (submedial (subbasal) cell and first abscissa (M+CU) long in Iare ); second radiomedial (second submarginal) cell of fore wing very short (longer in Iare ); fore wing radial (marginal) cell narrow (wide in Iare ); hind wing with four-five hamuli (three in Iare ); basitarsus of hind tarsus almost as long as second-fifth segments combined (distinctly shorter in Iare ); mesoscutum mainly smooth (densely granulate in Iare ); both wings strongly darkened (mainly hyaline or faintly infuscate in Iare ).

According to the main two published keys to Neotropical doryctine genera (Marsh, 1998, 2002), Mexiare is similar to Doryctinus Roman, 1910 ( Acrophasmus Enderlein, 1912 ) and Vanderentiellus Marsh, 2002 . However, the species of Mexiare differs from those of the latter two genera by having the first and second metasomal tergites fused (not fused and moveable in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ); second metasomal tergite with smooth semioval basal area separated by deep furrow (absent in Doryctinus, and with a different shape and structure in Vanderentiellus ); second radiomedial (second submarginal) cell of fore wing very short (long in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ); fore wing radial (marginal) cell narrow (wide in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ); basitarsus of hind tarsus almost as long as second-fifth segments combined (distinctly shorter in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ); mesoscutum mainly smooth (densely granulate in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ); and vertex mainly smooth (distinctly sculptured and usually striate or striate-rugose in Doryctinus and Vanderentiellus ).

Description. Female. Head not depressed, transverse. Vertex smooth. Ocelli arranged in triangle with base larger than its sides ( Fig. 3 ). Frons concave, with distinct and low median longitudinal keel in its anterior half, without lateral protuberances, with distinct lateral longitudinal carina ( Figs 2, 3 ). Eyes with considerably short and sparse setae. Occipital carina dorsally complete, obliterated below on long distance and not fused with hypostomal carina. Malar suture present, complete and shallow. Clypeus low, semi-round, delineated from face by distinct furrow, with short lower flange. Hypoclypeal depression medium-sized and round ( Fig. 2 ). Postgenal bridge narrow. Maxillary palpus medium length, 6-segmented, its third segment widened in apical half, sixth segment thickened and about as long as fifth segment or weakly shorter. Labial palpus short, 4-segmented, third segment not shortened. Scape of antenna ( Fig. 6 ) wide and long, apically without flange and lobe, without basal constriction; ventral margin of scape shorter than dorsal margin (lateral view). First flagellar segment subcylindrical, not curved, longer than second segment. Flagellar segments entirely covered with short and very dense brown setae. Apical segment apically with slender and long spine ( Fig. 5 ).

Mesosoma ( Figs 10, 11 ) not depressed, short. Neck of prothorax short. Pronotum convex dorsally (lateral view), with considerably short and up-curved anterior flange; pronotal carina absent. Pronope present, but shallow and suboval. Sides of pronotum sculptured, with distinct submedian and almost horizontal crenulate groove. Propleural dorsoposterior flange long and narrow. Mesonotum highly and subvertically elevated above pronotum ( Figs 10, 11 ), mainly smooth or very finely coriaceous partly. Median lobe of mesonotum without median longitudinal furrow, its anterolateral corner wide and obtuse. Notauli complete, deep anteriorly and shallow posteriorly, wide, distinctly and entirely crenulate and with reticulation. Tegula distinctly widened distally, slightly concave along outer margin. Scuto-scutellar (transscutal) suture distinct and complete. Prescutellar depression long, deep, with several high carinae. Lateral longitudinal flanges on level of prescutellar depression low. Scutellum slightly convex, shorter than anterior width, without lateral carinae. Subalar depression shallow and wide. Mesopleural pit small. Sternaulus shallow, narrow, long, almost straight or slightly sinuate. Prepectal carina distinct, high below, laterally situated lower margin of subalar depression. Postpectal carina absent. Metanotum without median tooth. Metapleural flange long, wide, rounded apically, with carina submedially. Propodeum with areas delineated by distinct carinae, almost entirely rugose-reticulate, but often almost smooth anteriorly; lateral tubercles and propodeal bridge absent. Propodeal spiracles small and rounded. Metapleuron convex, separated from propodeum by distinct carina.

Wings ( Figs 12–15 ). Pterostigma of fore wing wide and long. Radial (r) vein arising distinctly before middle of pterostigma ( Fig. 14 ). Radial (marginal) cell almost not shortened, long and narrow ( Fig. 12 ). Both radiomedial veins (RS and r-m) present. Second radiomedial (submarginal) cell short and wide ( Fig. 14 ). Recurrent (m-cu) vein slightly antefurcal. Nervulus (1cu-a) postfurcal. Discoidal (first discal) cell petiolate anteriorly, its petiole short. Basal (M) and recurrent (m-cu) veins subparallel. Parallel (2CUb) vein not interstitial, arising from posterior 0.2 of apical margin of brachial (first subdiscal) cell. Brachial (first subdiscal) cell open postero-apically; brachial (2cu-a) vein absent. Transverse anal veins (1a and 2a) absent. Hind wing with four-five hamuli. First abscissa of costal vein (C+Sc+R) longer than second abscissa (SC+R). Radial (RS) vein arising from costal (R) vein far from basal (r-m) vein. Radial (marginal) cell slightly and evenly narrowed apically, without transverse (r) vein. Medial (basal) cell ( Fig. 15 ) widened from middle towards apex, wide, about 0.4 times as long as hind wing. Nervellus (cu-a) present, distinctly declivous towards base of wing. Submedial (subbasal) cell short. First abscissa of mediocubital vein (M+CU) distinctly shorter than second abscissa (1M). Recurrent vein (m-cu) dark, almost straight, declivous towards base of wing.

Legs. Fore tibia on inner surface with several distinct and strong spines arranged in almost single vertical line ( Fig. 7 ). Fore tarsus about 1.5 times longer than fore tibia. Middle tibia with several spines on lateral surface. Middle tarsal segments short. Hind coxa short and wide, with basoventral angle and distinct tubercle, dorsally without spines or teeth ( Fig. 8 ). Fore and middle femora with low but distinct dorsal protuberances. Hind femur slender, elongate-oval, with very shallow dorsal protuberance ( Fig. 8 ). Hind tibia widened, slightly narrowed apically. Hind tibial spurs short, straight, entirely densely setose ( Fig. 9 ). Basitarsus of hind tarsus almost as long as second-fifth segments combined. Claws short, simple, coarse, distinctly curved.

Metasoma ( Figs 16–20 ). First tergite not petiolate, short, wide, distinctly convex dorsally (lateral view), immovably fused with second tergite ( Figs 19, 20 ). Acrosternite (basal sternal plate) of first segment not elongated, about 0.2 times as long as first tergite, finishing before spiracular level. Dorsope of first tergite small but distinct; laterope deep and wide; basolateral lobes absent; spiracular tubercles indistinct, spiracles situated in basal 0.3 of tergite; tergites subbasally without semi-circular transverse carina, with distinct in basal 0.5–0.7 and slightly convergent dorsal carinae. Second tergite with basal semi-oval area distinctly delineated posteriorly by deep and wide crenulate furrow; with transverse, narrow medially and wider laterally, apical area distinctly delineated by curved, deep and wide crenulate furrow and suture ( Figs 16, 17 ). Suture between second and third tergites (second suture) deep, complete and sinuate. Third tergite without transverse furrow. Second to sixth tergites with separate laterotergites. Tergites behind second one submedially with single transverse line of short and semi-erect white setae, laterally almost entirely coved by white setae. Hypopygium weakly protruding posteriorly, without median process but weakly pointed medioapically. Ovipositor subapically with two low and distinctly separated nodes ( Fig. 21 ). Ovipositor sheath longer than metasoma.

Distribution. Neotropical Region ( Mexico).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. Mexiare toledoi gen. et sp. nov. (female, paratype). 1. Habitus, lateral view. 2. Head, front view. 3. Head, dorsal view. 4. Head, lateral view. 5. Apical segments of antenna. 6. Basal segments of antenna. 7. Fore tibia. 8. Hind coxa and femur. 9. Hind tibia. 10. Mesosoma, lateral view. 11. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 12 – 21. Mexiare toledoi gen. et sp. nov. (female, paratype). 12. Fore wing. 13. Hind wing. 14. Fore wing, median part. 15. Hind wing, basal part. 16. Metasoma, dorsal view. 17. Three basal tergites of metasoma, dorsal view. 18. Metasoma, lateral view. 19. Suture between first and second metsomal tergites, lateral view. 20. First three basal tergites of metasoma, lateral view. 21. Apical part of ovipositor, lateral view