Cotesia zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta, 2019

Zargar, Mohammad, Gupta, Ankita, Talebi, Ali Asghar & Farahani, Samira, 2019, Three new species and two new records of the genus Cotesia Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Iran, European Journal of Taxonomy 571, pp. 1-25 : 10-13

Cotesia zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

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Fig. 3

Diagnosis

Penultimate segment of antenna 1.5 × as long as wide; mesoscutum subshiny, more or less with traces of punctatations ( Fig. 3C ); scutellum smooth and shiny; pterostigma 2.6× as long as wide, light brown ( Fig. 3D ); first tegite sub-parallel sided, strongly rounded apically, 1.3× as long as apical width, smooth, light brown ( Fig. 3E ); apical width of second tergite 4 × as long as median length, smooth, light brown ( Fig. 3E ); third tergite 1.6× as long as second tergite ( Fig. 3E ).

Etymology

The name refers to the Zagros mountain range, which is also the distribution range of the species.

Material examined

Holotype

IRAN • ♀; Khuzestan, Lali, Taraz ; 32°20ʹ49.70″ N, 49°05′11.31″ E; 390 m a.s.l.; 6– 20 Jul. 2017; Malaise trap; citrus orchards; M. Zargar leg.; ICAR-NBAIR/NIM/MICROG/COT/6717H.

Paratype

IRAN • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; TMUC-HBMC0048 .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENT. Body length 2.5 mm, fore wing length 2.5 mm.

HEAD ( Fig. 3 A–B). Smooth except shallowly punctate on face; width of head in dorsal view 1.8× as long as height; width of face 1.3× as long as height; POL:MOD:OOL 4.1: 2:3.5; gena 0.4 × as long as width of eyes; malar space 1.3× as long as width of mandibular base; antenna shorter than body; flagellomeres finely setose. FL1 l/w:2.8, FL12 l/w:1.6, FL13 l/w:1.5, FL14 l/w:1.5, FL15 l/w:1.5.

MESOSOMA ( Fig. 3C ). Mesoscutum subshiny more or less with traces of punctatations; notauli indistinct; scutellum smooth and shiny; scutellar sulcus crenulate; postscutellum crenulate and shiny; prepectal carina absent; propodeum rugose with median carina.

WINGS ( Fig. 3D ). Areolet absent, vein r arising from middle of pterostigma; 1–R1 1.3× as long as pterostigma, 3.5 × as long as distance from end of 1–R1 to tip of radial cell, 3.7× as long as r; pterostigma 2.6× as long as wide; r 1.4× as long as 2–SR; 1–cu1 0.8 × as long as 2–cu1; width of discoidal cell 1.2× as long as height.

LEGS ( Fig. 3F ). Metacoxa 1.5× as long as first tergite; metafemur length 3.1× as long as median width; inner and outer spur of metatibia equal, 0.4× as long as basitarsus.

METASOMA ( Fig. 3E ). TI parallel sided, 1.3× as long as apical width, shallowly rugolose at apex near hind margin, remaining smooth, shiny. TII apical width 4 × as long as median length, smooth. TIII median length 1.6× as long as TII; tergites posterior to TI smooth and shiny; ovipositor sheath 0.7× as long as metabasitarsus; hypopygium 0.7× as long as metatibia, truncated apically.

COLOUR. Antenna dark brown; head, mesosoma black; metasoma, first and second tergite light brown, third tergite dark brown, remaining black; labial palp and maxillary palp yellow; tegula dark brown; profemur reddish brown, mesofemur dark brown in anterior half, reddish brown in posterior half; metafemur dark brown; protibia, mesotibia yellowish brown, metatibia reddish brown except black infuscations at apex; protarsus and mesotarsus yellowish brown; metatarsus dark brown. Pterostigma light brown.

Male

Unknown.

Host

Unknown.

Biology

Unknown.

Distribution

Khuzestan Province ( Iran).

Comments

In the key of Nixon (1974) the new species runs smoothly to Cotesia onaspis ( Nixon, 1974) from which it can be easily separated by: (1) second tergite conspicuously transverse and 4× as long as median length ( Fig. 3E ) vs 2.5× in C. onaspis , (2) phragma of scutellum not visible ( Fig. 3C ) vs narrowly visible in C. onaspis , (3) metafemur dark brown ( Fig. 3F ) vs reddish yellow in C. onaspis .

The new species can be included in the identification key of Cotesia compiled by Nixon (1974), which is modified below:

55. Gaster blackish; first tergite (as also basal field) dull, densely rather finely rugose all over; metacarp hardly three times as long as its distance from apex of radial cell. Basella meeting submediella almost at right-angle ............................................................................... C. notha ( Marshall, 1885)

– Gaster frequently pale brownish with tergites 3–5 showing broad dark apical bands; first tergite shiny, sculpture of apical part consisting of coarse rugose-punctation that tends to fade out along middle line; metacarp nearly four times as long as its distance from apex of radial cell. Basella curved; fringe of vannal lobe hardly noticeable .............................................................................A

A. Second tergite conspicuously transverse, 4.0 times as long as median length ( Fig. 3E ); phragma of scutellum not visible ( Fig. 3C ); metafemur dark brown ( Fig. 3F ) ................................................... ........................................................................................... C. zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

– Second tergite less transverse, 2.5 times as long as median length; phragma of scutellum narrowly visible; metafemur reddish yellow ........................................................... C. onaspis ( Nixon, 1974)

In Papp’s key, this species runs to Cotesia notha ( Marshall, 1885) . The key can be modified as follows:

175. Second tergite conspicuously less transverse, 1.9–2.2 times, usually twice as wide as long medially; first tergite sometimes less broadening posteriorly; pterostigma rather wide, 2–2.3 times as long as wide ................................ C. juniperatae (Bouché,1834) [valid name: C. sessilis (Geoffroy,1785) ]

– Second tergite transverse, at least 2.5 times as wide as long medially...........................................A

A. Metacarp relatively short, about thrice as long as distance between its distal end and tip of radial cell; first tergite less rounded behind; nervellus (of hind wing) almost straight; metafemur black or blackish, sometimes light brown to brownish yellow, rarely with rusty suffusion ................................................................................................. C. notha ( Marshall, 1885)

– Metacarp long, 3.7 as long as distance between its distal end and tip of radial cell ( Fig. 3D ); first tergite strongly rounded behind ( Fig. 3E ); nervellus curved; metafemur dark brown ( Fig. 3F ) ............................................................................. C. zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov.

New records of Cotesia from Iran

Figures

Fig. 3. Cotesia zagrosensis Zargar & Gupta sp. nov., ICAR-NBAIR/NIM/MICROG/COT/6717. A. Head, frontal view. B. Head, dorsal view. C. Mesosoma, dorsal view. D. Fore wing. E. Metasoma, dorsal view. F. Habitus, dorsal view.