Alysia polita, Zhu & Achterberg & Chen, 2018

Zhu, Jia-Chen, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2018, Review of the genus Alysia Latreille (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), with description of six new species from China, Zootaxa 4500 (1), pp. 1-42 : 12-15

Alysia polita sp. n.

Figs 7–8

Type material. Holotype, ♀ ( ZJUH), “ [NE. China:] Jilin, Mt. Changbai , 9.?.1977, He Junhua, No. 770587” . Paratypes: 1♀ ( ZJUH), same data as holotype, but No. 770649 ; 2♂, same data as holotype, but No. 770594, 770637 ; 2♂, same data as holotype, but 8.?.1977, Zhang Yancheng, No. 790023, 790024 .

Diagnosis. Body black ( Fig. 7); mandible and legs and metasoma dark reddish brown; third antennomere (including annellus) 1.6 × longer than fourth antennomere ( Fig. 8G ); eye in dorsal view almost equal to the temple ( Fig. 8H ); eye in lateral view 1.3 × higher than wide ( Fig. 8H ); frons largely smooth, only with some weak punctures around antennal sockets, vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 8H ); face weakly punctate, 2.1 × wider than high, rather convex medially, with a short medio-longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 8I ); clypeus small and semi-elliptical, with some punctures and long setae ( Fig. 8I ); middle tooth of mandible curved and acute, with wide incision between first and second tooth ( Fig. 8K ); precoxal sulcus crenulated and rugose medially, remaining far from anterior edge of epicnemial area and middle coxa ( Fig. 8C ); notauli sculptured and incomplete, only present anteriorly ( Fig. 8D ); medio-posterior depression deep and linear, not extending to middle of mesoscutum, mesoscutum smooth, only with some long setae along notauli ( Fig. 8D ); surface of propodeum smooth anteriorly, but densely reticulate-rugose medially and posteriorly, areola absent posteriorly, medio-longitudinal carina of propodeum protruding in lateral view ( Fig. 8C ); pterostigma wide and elliptical, 3.8 × longer than its maximum width ( Fig. 8A ); hind coxa smooth; length of first tergite almost equal to its apical width, its surface smooth, without longitudinal carinae, except dorsal carinae which remain separated posteriorly; setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.4 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.4 times), and 1.2 × as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 8M ).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 4.2 mm, of fore wing 4.8 mm.

Head. Transverse, width of head 2.0 × its lateral length, and 1.4 × wider than mesoscutum ( Fig. 8H ); antenna with 41 antennomere, third antennomere (including annellus) 1.6 × longer than fourth antennomere, length of third, fourth and penultimate antennomere 3.0, 1.7 and 1.3 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 8G ); length of maxillary palp 0.9 × height of head ( Fig. 8J ); eye in dorsal view almost equal to the temple ( Fig. 8H ); eye in lateral view 1.3 × higher than wide ( Fig. 8J ); frons largely smooth, only with some weak punctures around antennal sockets, vertex and temple smooth ( Fig. 8H ); OOL:diameter of ocellus:POL= 15:5:6; face weakly punctate, 2.1 × wider than high, rather convex medially, with a short medio-longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 8I ); clypeus small, semi-elliptical, with some punctures and long setae ( Fig. 8I ); mandible with enlarged dorsal tooth, lobe-shaped ( Fig. 8K ), ventral tooth enlarged and lobe-shaped, separate from first tooth ( Fig. 8L ), middle tooth curved and acute, with wide incision between first and second tooth ( Fig. 8K ), medial length of mandible 1.2 × its maximum width.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 × its height ( Fig. 8C ); pronope absent; pronotum largely smooth, only medio-anteriorly pronotum weakly crenulated; epicnemial area punctate and rugose ( Fig. 8C ); precoxal sulcus crenulated and rugose in middle, far from anterior edge of epicnemial area and middle coxa; pleural sulcus largely smooth, only ventral part crenulated ( Fig. 8C ); episternal scrobe linear and deep; metapleuron rugose ventrally, remainder of metapleuron smooth ( Fig. 8C ); notauli sculptured and incomplete, only present anteriorly; medioposterior depression deep and linear, not extending to middle of mesoscutum, mesoscutum smooth, only with some long setae along notaulic courses ( Fig. 8D ); scutellar sulcus deep and narrow, with one longitudinal carina medially, sulcus 5.0 × wider than its maximum length; scutellum smooth ( Fig. 8D ); surface of propodeum smooth anteriorly, but with medio-longitudinal carina, densely reticulate-rugose medially and posteriorly, areola absent posteriorly, medio-longitudinal carina protruding in lateral view ( Fig. 8D ).

Wings ( Figs 8A–B ). Pterostigma wide and elliptical, 3.8 × longer than its maximum width. r:3-SR:SR1 = 5:16:53; 1-SR+M slightly sinuate; SR1 straight; r 0.5 × as long as width of pterostigma, vein r issuing from posterior part of pterostigma; cu-a postfurcal; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 1:5; 3-CU1 as long as CU1b; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 25:20:13; m-cu interstitial, converging to 1-M posteriorly; first subdiscal cell 2.9 × as long as wide; M+CU1 sclerotized. Hind wing: M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m = 25:16:14; m-cu distinctly antefurcal.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, without ventro-basal tubercle, densely long setose ( Fig. 7); tarsal claws slender, longer than arolium; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.0, 7.2 and 5.8 × their width, respectively; apical appendages of hind tarsal segments absent, segments ventrally with dense bristles ( Fig. 7).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite almost equal to its apical width, its surface largely smooth, shiny, with no medio-longitudinal carina, dorsal carinae remain separated medially ( Fig. 8E ); dorsope distinct; convex area of upper valve of ovipositor obsolescent; setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.4 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.3 times), and 1.2 × as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 8M ).

Colour. Black or dark brown ( Fig. 7); palpi dark brown; mandible, legs and metasoma dark reddish brown, pterostigma and veins brown; wing membrane hyaline.

Variation. body length of male 3.9–4.3 mm, and length of fore wing 4.1–4.4 mm, antennal segments of male 44 (1), 45 (1); body length of female 3.9–4.2 mm, and length of fore wing 4.4–4.8 mm, antennal segments of female 41(1) or 44 (1).

Comparative diagnosis. This species is similar to A. nudinotum Wharton but differs by having the first metasomal tergite smooth (versus longitudinally carinate in A. nudinotum ); width of head twice its lateral length (versus 1.6 times); length of first tergite almost equal to its apical width (versus 1.6 times); second–third metasomal tergites black, (versus yellowish brown to pale brown).

Etymology. Named “ polita ” because of the mainly smooth first metasomal tergite: “ politus ” is Latin for “smooth”.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Alysia polita sp. n., ♀, holotype. A, fore wing; B, hind wing; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, mesosoma, lateral aspect; E, propodeum, first and second metasomal tergites, dorsal aspect; F, propodeum and metasoma, dorsal aspect; G, basal segments of antenna, lateral aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, anterior aspect; J, head, lateral aspect; K, mandible, full view on first and second teeth; L, mandible, full view on third tooth; M, ovipositor and ovipositor sheath, lateral aspect.