Baeus prolatusspissus, Stevens, 2007

Stevens, N. B. & Austin, A. 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 : 34

14. Baeus prolatusspissus, Stevens , sp. nov.

(Figs 12D, 16C)

Holotype, ♀, Queensland, ' 15.04S 145.07E, Mt Webb National Park , 27-30 Apr. 1981, Q, I. D. Naumann'; 'caught in yellow tray: ex alcohol collection' ( ANIC) .

Description. Female. Length 0.82 mm; body brown, head, legs and antennae lighter, legs and antennae with darker markings dorsally.

Head. 1.88 x as wide as inter-ocular distance, and 2.0 x as wide as long; medial ocellus 10 µm in diameter, 70 µm from posterior head margin; lateral ocelli 10 µm from eye margin, 20 µm from posterior head margin; posterior ocellar line 1.12 x inter-ocular distance; vertex surface smooth with prominent hair processes, pilosity dense and of medium length; eyes small and sub-triangular in shape, eye height 0.4 x head height, eye width 0.63 x length, pilosity long; antennal process and ventral frontal carina project? 20 µm from frons surface; frontal carina broad, prominent but short, reaching 0.42 distance to medial ocellus; malar region faintly sculptured, cristulations not reaching to within 10 µm of eye margin; in postero-lateral view, anterior and posterior genal margins parallel medially; anterior genal margin in contact with 0.67 length of ventral eye margin; posterior eye margin 10 µm from hyperoccipital carina.

Mesosoma. Length 0.7 x width; mesoscutum deeply coriarious, pilosity mostly dense and long but patches of moderate density and of medium length do occur; mesoscutellum smooth, pilosity long and of moderate density; propodeum glabrous medio-dorsally; mesoscutum length 0.54 x width, 0.67 x mesosoma length and 2.8 x mesoscutellum length; mesoscutellum 2.5 x as long as propodeum; dorsal mesopleuron bearing long setae, sculpturing dorsal mesopleuron and propodeal region anterior to spiracle confused, lateral propodeal region posterior of spiracle but anterior of posterior margin of mesoscutellum bearing several distinct carinae, each with a long bristle projecting posteriorly, lateral propodeal region posterior of carinae glabrous; propodeal spiracle opening small and tear-drop shaped; dorso-lateral propodeum rounded, distinct, laterally projecting carina absent; posterior margin of metapleuron distinct, straight and short, ending well ventral to level of antero-lateral margin of T2, ventro-posterior margin elevated from anterior margin of lateral propodeum; hind femoral spine reduced.

Metasoma. T2 length 0.88 x width, smooth with prominent hair processes, pilosity dense along anterior margin, rest moderately dense and long (> 30 µm); both T3 and T4 glabrous medially with long setae laterally, setae processes not prominent.

Comments. This species is very distinctive because of its very long pilosity, smooth nitid dorsal surfaces (except the mesoscutum) and the prominent forward projection of the antennal process and frontal carina.

This species is named after the Latin words prolatus, meaning elongated, and spissus meaning dense, because of its distinctive pilosity.

Baeus prolatusspissus is only known from the holotype collected from northern Queensland (Fig. 16C).