Baeus moorei, Stevens

Stevens, Nicholas B. & Austin, Andrew D., 2007, Systematics, distribution and biology of the Australian ' micro-flea' wasps, Baeus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): parasitoids of spider eggs, Zootaxa 1499, pp. 1-45 : 29-30

10. Baeus moorei, Stevens , sp. nov.

( Figs 11 C & D, 16A)

Holotype: Ψ, Queensland, 'Beerwah, S. E. Qld, 26.51S 152.57E, 28.ix.–29.x.1986, B. K. Cantrell, Malaise trap' (ANIC)(left antenna glued to card point).

Paratypes: Queensland: 1 Ψ, Bold Mtn, 29.xii.1974 - 30.iii.1975, G.B. & S.R. Monteith (ANIC); 2 Ψ, same data as holotype (ANIC).

Description. Female. Mean length 0.73 mm (0.70–0.77; n = 4); body brown, head lighter brown, legs and antennae lighter than head with darker markings on dorsal surfaces.

Head. 1.88 (1.57–2.06) x as wide as inter-ocular distance, and 1.62 (1.57–1.74) x as wide as long; medial ocellus 15 μm in diameter, 65 (60–80) μm from posterior head margin; lateral ocelli 5 μm from eye margin, 13 (10–20) μm from posterior head margin; posterior ocellar line = inter-ocular distance; vertex coriarious, pilosity generally sparse but may be moderately dense posteriorly, and mixture of short and medium length setae (medium length mostly within 10–15 µm range, not exceeding 20 µm); eyes large and ovoid, eye height 0.55 (0.54–0.56) x head height, eye width 0.47 (0.33–0.53) x length, pilosity short; Frontal carina reaching 0.54 (0.52–0.57) distance to medial ocellus; cristulations of malar region faint but extending to within 10 μm of eye margin; in postero-lateral view, anterior and posterior genal margins generally parallel, but may be marginally divergent medially; anterior genal margin in contact with 0.68 (0.63–0.76) of ventral eye margin length; posterior eye margin touching hyperoccipital carina.

Mesosoma. Length 0.61 (0.57–0.71) x width; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum coriarious, pilosity mostly sparse, but can be moderately dense in areas; generally of medium length overall, but short setae can be present; propodeum glabrous medio-dorsally; mesoscutum length 0.47 (0.41–0.52) x width, 0.66 (0.60–0.69) x mesosoma length and 3.12 (2.40–3.67) x mesoscutellum length; mesoscutellum length 1.67 (1.50–2.00) x propodeum length; sculpturing dorsal mesopleuron scrobiculate, extending ventrally of level of dorsal margin of metapleuron; sculpturing of propodeum anterior to spiracle confused, region posterior to spiracle generally smooth but with a few faint, short carinae present; propodeal spiracle opening tear-drop shape; dorsal and lateral propodeum delineated by a broad laterally projecting carina (e.g. Fig. 10 C); posterior margin of metapleuron straight, ending adjacent to level of antero-lateral margin of T2; ventro-posterior metapleuron elevated from ventro-anterior margin of lateral propodeum; hind femoral spine absent.

Metasoma. T2 length 0.8 x width, sculpturing coriarious, pilosity mostly sparse, but can have small patches of moderate density in the medial anterior region, length mostly short though in instances setae of medium length may occur randomly dispersed amongst short setae; T3 coriarious anteriorly with wide smooth, nitid band along posterior margin, one row of setae present along posterior extremity of sculpturing; T4 glabrous.

Comments. Baeus moorei is a small, but broad squat species, with the head and metasoma much wider than the mesosoma. This species is known from only four specimens collected from southeast Queensland ( Fig. 16 A) and is named after Mr Sam Moore.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Female Baeus spp.: A – C, B. maryae: A, lateral habitus; B, dorsal habitus; C latero-anterior head and mesosoma, laterally projecting carina on latero-dorsal margin of propodeum (arrowed) clearly delineates the lateral part of the propodeum from the dorsal part; D, dorsal mesosoma, propodeal spiracle (arrowed) distal from the lateral margin. Scale lines, A, C & D = 100 μm; B = 200 μm.

FIGURE 11. Female Baeus spp.: A & B, B. matthewi: A, lateral habitus; B, dorsal habitus. C & D, B. moorei: C, lateral habitus; D, dorsal habitus. Scale lines, A – D = 200 μm.

FIGURE 16. Distribution maps: A B. matthewi, B. moorei; B B. murphyi, B. mymyae; C B. ocellatus, B. prolatusspissus; D B. saliens, B. scrobiculus.