Microplitis maculipennis (Szepligeti 1900) Szepligeti, 1900

Gupta, Ankita, 2013, Revision of the Indian Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae), with description of one new species, Zootaxa 3620 (3), pp. 429-452 : 439-443

V. Microplitis maculipennis (Szepligeti 1900) new combination

Plate IV—Figs. 10, 11, 12 &13.

Plate XI (Host Acanthodelta janata (L.))—Figs. 32, 33, 34 & 35.

Brief diagnosis. Laterotergites of TI–T3 and first three sternites light yellow brown to off white, black median triangular area in T2, T4–T7 black; divided by four wide crenulae; dorsal scutellum very coarsely rugulosepunctate and pilose; propodeum with two faces that meet sharply at about 90°, very coarsely rugose-punctate; medial longitudinal carina not distinctive; mesopleuron with epicnemial area strongly raised, carinate, pilose, epicnemial furrow broad, coarsely crenulate; metapleuron coarsely reticulate-rugose; T1 2.4 x as long as its apical width.

Female. 4mm appx. Body black; scape and pedicel brown, flagellomeres dark brown to black; ocelli yellow brown, fore legs yellow-brown, mid legs brown, hind legs black; laterotergites of TI–T3 and first three sternites light yellow brown to off white, black median triangular field in T2, T4–T7 black; wings infuscate brown in apical 2/3rd, fore wing slightly darker than hind wing, with darker areas below stigma and through marginal cell, venation dark brown, stigma uniformly dark brown.

Head, densely pilose; eyes densely pilose; antennae as long as body. Mesoscutum with medial lobe rugose punctuate and higher than lateral lobes; lateral lobes smoother than median lode, with faint punctuations; notauli strongly indicated, meeting posteriorly into reticulate-punctate area, medial furrow impressed, crenulatepunctate; medial lobe slightly raised along longitudinal line; scuto scutellar sulcus very broad, deep, divided by four wide costulae; dorsal scutellum very coarsely rugulose-punctate and pilose; propodeum with two faces that meet sharply at about 90°, very coarsely rugose-punctate; medial longitudinal carina not distinctive; mesopleuron with epicnemial area strongly raised, carinate, pilose, epicnemial furrow broad, coarsely crenulate; metapleuron coarsely reticulate-rugose; median portion smooth and shining without any pilosity. Fore wings infuscate in apical half, basal 1/3rd hyaline; pterostigma dark brown; 1-M very slightly curved; areolet of moderate size.

T1 2.4 x as long as its apical width, slightly rugose except for shining apical patch, widest at extreme base, parallel sided, and widening very slightly in apical half; T2 smooth, pilose along posterior margin, triangular in shape, with median field indicated by median area; T2 as long as T3 medially, suture between T2 and T3 moderately distinct; T3–T7 with several transverse rows of hairs in posterior 2/3rd, shining medially.

Male Similar to female.

Material examined. Sixteen females and males, Karnataka, Savandurga, Sankadathimmaiahanapalya 27.xii.2011, ex. solitary cocoon on castor semilooper, Acanthodelta janata (L.) (= Achaea janata (L.)) on castor, coll. Ankita Gupta. Code. NBAII/Bra/Mic/ Microplitis /maculi/27121. Specimens deposited in NBAII, Bangalore, India.

Host. Acanthodelta janata (L.) ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ) on Ricinus communis L (Figs. 33, 34 &35).

Comments. As discussed above, the problem in the separation of Microplitis and Snellenius lies with the presence or absence of the prepectal carina. I thus reassign Snellenius maculipennis to Microplitis .

PLATE IV. Microplitis maculipennis (Szepligeti) comb. nov. (Figs. 10–13). 10. Female, dorsal view 11. Mesopleuron 12. Mesosoma and part of first tergum 13. Propodeun & metasoma.

PLATE V. Microplitis manilae Ashmead (Female) (Figs. 14–16). 14. Female, dorsal view 15. Metasoma 16. Mesosoma.

PLATE VI. Microplitis manilae Ashmead (Male—Jammu & Kashmir specimen) (Figs. 17–19). 17. Male, dorsal view 18. Mesosoma 19. Metasoma.

PLATE VII. Microplitis manilae Ashmead (Male—Uttar Pradesh specimen) (Figs. 20–22). Fig. 20. Male, lateral view 21. Mesosoma 22. Metasoma.