Blacus (Tarpheion) hainanensis, Lu & Chai & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Lu, Qian-Yu, Chai, Hong-Fei, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, Review of the subgenus Tarpheion of the genus Blacus Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of nine new species and eight new records, Zootaxa 5406 (2), pp. 297-335 : 316-319

Blacus (Tarpheion) hainanensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–22 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Hainan, Bawangling , 26.XI.2008, Wang Manman, No. 200903033 ( ZJUH).

Description. Female. Length of body 1.9 mm, length of fore wing 1.75 mm.

Head. Antennomeres 19; length of first flagellomere 1.2 × length of second flagellomere; length of first, second and penultimate flagellomere 5.75, 3.8 and 2.0 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.2 × height of head; occipital carina completely absent; frontal suture distinctly present posteriorly; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 8:3:2; length of eye in dorsal view 1.8 × length of temple; face smooth, densely setose; malar suture present, length of malar space 1.25 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.5 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder with a few striae ( Fig. 22E ); carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum very short; precoxal sulcus short, only in middle of mesopleuron and shallowly crenulate ( Fig. 22E ); notauli complete, crenulate-rugose, moderately wide and deep ( Fig. 22D ); mesoscutal middle lobe truncate anteriorly; scutellum smooth, its lateral carina complete, not protruding apically; surface of propodeum smooth between carinae, its medial area widened dorsally.

Wings. Fore wing: first discal cell widely truncate anteriorly; vein r vertical ( Fig. 22F ), length of vein r 1.1 × width of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 1:10.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.8, 11.1 and 11.0 × their width, respectively; fore claws with long bristles ( Fig. 22K ), middle claws with one bristle, hind claws with one bristle.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 2.3 × its apical width, slightly widened apically, between dorsal carinae distinctly reticulate-rugose except basally ( Fig. 22G ); second tergite with weak longitudinal striae medially and remainder smooth ( Fig. 22G ); length of ovipositor sheath 0.23 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Yellow; 4 basal antennomeres yellow, remainder of antennomeres dark brown, but several apical antennomeres pale brownish; parastigma and second metasomal sternum white; second metasomal tergite yellow; remaining tergites and sternum, pterostigma, veins, ovipositor and its sheath yellowish-brown; bristles of fore claws blackish, one bristle of middle claws yellow, one bristle of hind claws yellow; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Hainan).

Etymology. The specific name hainanensis refers to its collection site, Hainan island.

Notes. The new species is similar to B. (T.) fuscinervis van Achterberg, 1988 because occipital carina is completely absent, antennomeres 19, lamelliform carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum very short, precoxal sulcus reduced, first discal cell widely truncate anteriorly, length of ovipositor sheath approx. 0.20 × length of fore wing, length of first tergite approx. 2.1 × its apical width, second tergite with weak longitudinal striae medially, medial area of propodeum distinctly widened dorsally, 4 basal antennomeres yellow, length of vein r 1.1 × width of pterostigma, 1-CU1:2-CU1 ≈ 1:10, and length of body, but differs by having distinct malar suture (rather shallow in B. (T.) fuscinervis ), length of eye in dorsal view 1.3 × length of temple (1.8 ×), length of malar space 1.25 × basal width of mandible (0.6–0.7 ×), fore claw with only one blackish bristle (with few blackish bristles), and yellow body (yellowish-brown).

Figures

FIGURE 21. Tarpheion hainanensis sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect).

FIGURE 22. Tarpheion hainanensis sp. nov. A. head, dorsal aspect; B. head, anterior aspect; C. antenna; D. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; E. mesosoma, lateral aspect; F. fore wing; G. propodeum and metasomal, dorsal aspect; H. hind wing; I. hind leg; J. ovipositor and ovipositor sheath; K. fore claw.