Atree Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan, 2022

Ranjith, A. P., Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, 2022, Atree, a remarkable new genus of the subfamily Brachistinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and the first report of the tribe Diospilini from India, Zootaxa 5105 (4), pp. 571-580 : 572-577

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5105.4.6

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F23F1045-9077-4E58-9BC7-6C94A1A75368

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6335109

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/CBCA6329-7722-49A9-B269-BD007D0372CB

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:CBCA6329-7722-49A9-B269-BD007D0372CB

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Atree Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan
status

gen. nov.

Atree Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan gen. nov.

( Figures 1–4 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CBCA6329-7722-49A9-B269-BD007D0372CB

Type species. Atree rajathae Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan sp. nov.

Description. Female

Head. Head wider than long ( Figs 1B–D View FIGURE 1 ). Eyes sparsely setose ( Figs 1B–F View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Transverse diameter of eye slightly longer than temple in lateral view. Malar suture shallow ( Figs 1B, E–F View FIGURE 1 ). Face smooth, distinctly punctate, slightly diverging posteriorly, setose ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Tentorial pit deep ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Clypeus with distinct acute lobe medioventrally ( Figs 1B, D View FIGURE 1 ). Clypeal suture indistinct ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Mandible curved with two teeth, upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth ( Figs 1B, D, F View FIGURE 1 ). Basal transverse groove of mandible less impressed ( Figs 1E–F View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Maxillary palp with five segments, labial palp with four segments ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Frons smooth with distinct midlongitudinal carina (absent in A. improcerus ) ( Figs 1C–D View FIGURE 1 ). Ocelli arranged in equilateral triangle ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Vertex and occiput smooth ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Temple rounded in dorsal view ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Occipital carina complete ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ), joining with hypostomal carina above mandibular base ( Figs 1F View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Antenna with 31–44 antennomeres ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Scapus longer than wide ( Figs 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ). Pedicel slightly longer than wide ( Figs 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ). First flagellomere with glandular opening, longer than second ( Figs 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ). Medial flagellomeres slightly transverse ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Terminal flagellomere pointed apically ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ).

Mesosoma. Mesosoma longer than high ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Pronotum with deep pronope, crenulated groove postero-medially and extending laterally to posterior margin; without subpronope ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Propleuron with ‘V’ shaped wide groove medially ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ). Mesoscutum rounded in lateral view ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Notauli deeply crenulated, joining in a deeply punctate area above scutellar sulcus ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ). Middle lobe of mesoscutum punctate anteriorly, lateral lobes smooth, sparsely setose with distinct lateral carina ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ). Scutellar sulcus wide, crenulated ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ). Scutellum smooth, setose ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ). Mesopleuron with precoxal sulcus deeply impressed, setose ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Prepectal carina present ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Metapleuron mostly rugose with smooth median area with distinct lobe posteriorly ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Metanotum with crenulated groove antero-medially, posteriorly widely crenulated with a smooth area medio-posteriorly, blunt ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ). Propodeum rugose without longitudinal or transverse carina ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ). Propodeal spiracle rounded ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ).

Wings. Fore wing ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ): Fore wing hyaline ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein 1-SR absent ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Pterostigma wide ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein r originating from apical 1/3 rd. Marginal cell long ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein cu-a postfurcal ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Second submarginal cell parallel sided anteriorly ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein r-m as long as 2-SR. Veins 1A and 2A present. Second subdiscal cell closed ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein m-cu antefurcal ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Vein 3-M distinct. Hind wing ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ): Hind wing with three hamuli. Marginal cell subparallel apically ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Vein M+CU 2.0 × longer than 1-M. Vein 2-SC+R longitudinal ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Vein cu-a slightly curved ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ).

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, setose ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Tarsal claw slender, enlarged without basal lobe ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ).

Metasoma. First tergite sculptured, except smooth and depressed basal area, and without converging dorsal carinae basally ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ). Remaining tergites smooth and polished, mostly glabrous ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ). Ovipositor sheath setose ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ), 0.45–1.7 × longer than fore wing. Ovipositor with distinct notch subapically ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ).

Etymology. We dedicate the genus to the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment ( ATREE ), a global environmental think tank and leading research institution commemorating their 25 years of active contributions in the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Distribution. Indomalayan region ( India and Taiwan).

Comparative diagnosis. The new genus, Atree share a more or less plesiomorphic character, presence of wide, crenulate groove on propleuron with other diospiline genera. But Atree gen. nov. can be differentiated from the rest of genera in having a combination of characters viz., presence of deep pronope, second submarginal cell of fore wing parallel sided anteriorly and tarsal claw without basal lobe. The parallel-sided second submarginal cell of fore wing can be useful to separate the new genus from the diospiline genera, Aspicolpus and Vadumasonium . Additionally, the absence of curved longitudinal carina of first metasomal tergite clearly separate the new genus from Vadumasonium . Based on this character the new genus comes close to the nearest genus, Diospilus , but the former can be separated by a combination of characters like, presence of deep pronope, medial sulcus of propleuron widened anteriorly and tarsal claw without basal lobe. The new genus is also similar to the Australian genus, Depelbus in having clypeus with distinct protrusion medio-ventrally. This character is likely a homoplastic character within the tribe Diospilini , and it can be used as an intergeneric character only in combination with other characters.

So far, antennal glands have been reported only in braconid subgenera Aphidiinae (Aphidius) and Ichneutinae (Paroligoneurus) ( Quicke 2015). Till now, this character is completely unknown from Brachistinae (Donald Quicke, personal communication). For the first time a glandular opening in the first flagellomere ( Figs 4C, D View FIGURE 4 ) is reported from the Brachistinae genus Atree gen. nov. Detailed examination of the two Taiwanese species described in the genus Baeacis (junior synonym of Diospilus ) falls in line with the character boundaries of the newly described genus. So, we hereby transfer these species to Atree gen. nov. as, A. improcerus comb. nov. and A. validus comb. nov. However, A. improcerus comb. nov. does not have the medio-longitudinal carina at the frons. The new genus, Atree belongs to the diospiline genus group ( Aspigonus group) having distinct, anteriorly widened medial groove on propleuron and deep pronope.

Included species.

Baeacis improcerus Chou & Hsu, 1998 from China (Taiwan) => Atree improcerus (Chou & Hsu, 1998) comb. nov.

Atree rajathae Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan sp. nov. ( India).

Baeacis validus Chou & Hsu, 1998 from China (Taiwan) => Atree validus (Chou & Hsu, 1998) comb. nov.

Key to species of Atree gen. nov.

1. Ovipositor sheath 0.4–0.5 × as long as fore wing; frons without medio-longitudinal carina; antenna with ca. 31 antennomeres; length of eye 1.1 × as long as temple; ovipositor sheath completely blackish brown; pterostigma 2.5 × as long as wide; first metasomal tergite 1.3 × as long as wide posteriorly (Taiwan) .......................... Atree improcerus (Chou & Hsu)

- Ovipositor sheath 1.6–1.7 × as long as fore wing; frons with medio-longitudinal carina ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ); antenna with 40–44 antennomeres; length of eye 1.4–1.8 × as long as temple; ovipositor sheath yellowish apically ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ); pterostigma 3.0–4.0 × as long as wide; first metasomal tergite 1.6 × as long as wide posteriorly........................................... 2

2. Pterostigma 3.0 × as long as wide; middle lobe of mesoscutum reticulate apically; first flagellomere 1.1 × as long as second; hind wing vein cu-a slightly curved; OOL 6.0 × as long as POL; hind basitarsus 9.6 × as long as wide (Taiwan) ......................................................................................... Atree validus (Chou & Hsu)

- Pterostigma 4.0 × as long as wide; middle lobe of mesoscutum punctate apically ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ); first flagellomere 1.3 × as long as second ( Figs 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ); hind wing vein cu-a distinctly curved ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ); OOL 3.4 × as long as POL; hind basitarsus 6.7 × as long as wide ( India)..................................................................... Atree rajathae sp. nov.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Braconidae

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