Blacus (Tarpheion) gilvus, 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 : 314-316

Blacus (Tarpheion) gilvus sp. nov.

( Figs. 19–20 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Yunnan, Bao Mtn, Lujiangba, Gaoligongshan Nature Park , 10–11.V.2009, Zeng Jie, No. 200902964 ( ZJUH) . Paratype: ♀, China, Zhejiang, Qingyuan, Baishanzu , 29.X.1993, Wu Hong, No. 945942 ( ZJUH) .

Description. Female. Length of body 2.3 mm, length of fore wing 2.3 mm.

Head. Antennomeres 20; length of first flagellomere 1.4 × length of second flagellomere; length of first, second and penultimate flagellomere 6.3, 4.7 and 2.3 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.2 × height of head; occipital carina complete ( Fig. 20A ); frontal suture present; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 22:7:7; length of eye in dorsal view 2.1 × temple; face smooth, with dense pubescence; malar suture present, length of malar space 1.5 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely rugose ( Fig. 20E ); carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum almost absent; precoxal sulcus complete, with some short striae ( Fig. 20E ); notauli complete, crenulate-rugose, wide and deep ( Fig. 20D ); mesoscutal middle lobe convex anteriorly; scutellum smooth, with some short lateral crenulae, its lateral carina complete, not protruding apically; surface of propodeum smooth between carinae, its medial area distinctly widened dorsally.

Wings. Fore wing: first discal cell widely truncate anteriorly; vein r slightly oblique ( Fig. 20I ), length of vein r 1.3 × width of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 3:10.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth dorsally, with a shallow oblique dorsal carina; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 6.9, 16.2 and 11.3 × their width, respectively; fore claws with long bristles ( Fig. 20J ), middle and hind claws simple.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 2.0 × its apical width, widened apically, smooth medio-basally and reticulate-rugose medio-apically, longitudinally rugose laterally ( Fig. 20G ); second tergite with coarse, longitudinal rugae and remainder smooth ( Fig. 20G ); length of ovipositor sheath 0.33 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Dark reddish-brown; antenna almost yellow (medial antennomeres slightly darker); posterior part of head reddish-brown (stemmaticum black); anterior part of head, tegulae, metasomal sternum anteriorly, hypopygium and all legs yellow; metasomal sternum posteriorly yellowish-brown; ovipositor and sheath, veins and pterostigma brown; basal of pterostigma and parastigma white; bristles of fore claws dark yellow; wing membrane subhyaline.

Variation. Length of eye in dorsal view 2.0–2.1 × length of temple; length of body 1.8–2.3 mm; length of fore wing 1.75–2.3 mm; length of ovipositor sheath 0.33–0.38 × length of fore wing.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan, Zhejiang).

Etymology. The specific name gilvus refers to the pale yellow hypopygium and is derived from “ gilvus ” (Latin for pale yellow).

Notes. The new species is similar to B. (T.) artomandibularis van Achterberg, 1976 because precoxal suture is complete and having some striae, length of penultimate antennal antennomere approx. twice its width, lamelliform carinae of middle lobe of mesoscutum almost absent, middle and hind claws simple, second tergite with longitudinal striae, length of first tergite approx. 2.0 × its apical, length of eye in dorsal view approx. 2.0 × temple, and colour of body, but differs by having dark yellow bristles on fore claws, (simple in T. artomandibularis ), first discal cell of fore wing widely truncate anteriorly (narrowly truncate), vein r of fore wing slightly oblique (vertical), length of body 2.4 mm (1.8 mm), pterostigma brown (pale yellow), antenna of female brown medially (yellow), and hypopygium pale yellow (brownish).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Tarpheion gilvus sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect).

FIGURE 20. Tarpheion gilvus sp. nov. A. head, dorsal aspect; B. head, anterior aspect; C. antenna; D. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; E. mesosoma, lateral aspect; F. hind legs; G. propodeum and metasomal, dorsal aspect; H. ovipositor and ovipositor sheath; I. wings; J. fore claw.