Troporhysipolis markshawi Quicke & Butcher

Donald L. J. Quicke, Sergey A. Belokobylskij & M. Alex Smith, 2016, A New Genus of Rhysipoline Wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with Modified Wing Venation from Africa and Papua New Guinea, Parasitoid on Choreutidae (Lepidoptera), Annales Zoologici 66 (2), pp. 173-192 : 185-187

Troporhysipolis markshawi Quicke & Butcher , sp. nov.

( Figs 21–25 )

Etymology. We are happy to name this new reared species after Dr Mark R. Shaw (Edinburgh) in recognition of his life-long study of parasitoid wasp biology, and especially his emphasis on obtaining accurate host records.

Diagnosis. Differs from other species from PNG in having the propodeal areola narrow and restricted to posterior third of propodeum.

Description. Female. Body length 4.3–4.7 mm; fore wing length 4.4–4.5 mm.

Antenna with 36 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.0 times longer than wide, 1.05 times longer than second flagellomere. Median flagellomeres 2.0 times long- er than wide. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.3: 1.0: 1.25. Frons with a weak mid-longitudinal sulcus. Diameter of antennal socket 1.15 times distance between sockets, 3.5 times distance between socket and eye. Od 3.3 times POL and 0.7 times OOL. Face smooth and shiny with small punctures at bases of relatively sparse setae. Inter-tentorial distance 2.15 times tentorio-ocular distance. Transverse diameter of eye 5.0 times longer than temple (dorsal view).

Mesosoma 1.62 times longer than high, largely smooth and shiny. Pronotum with a few rugae anterolaterally, and a few posteroventrally, otherwise laterally smooth. Notauli narrow, moderately deep, crenulated, uniting to form a single mid-longitudinal groove well before scutellar sulcus. Scutellar sulcus (prescutellar depression) with a single strong median carina. Precoxal suture short, wide, deep and crenulated. Raised median area of metanotum without mid-longitudinal ridge or carina. Propodeum with basal midlongitudinal carina present on anterior 0.7 and posteriorly dividing to give rise to a narrow lozenge-shaped areola.

Wings. Marginal (radial) cell 3.1 times longer than maximum width. Vein R1a (metacarp) 1.23 times long- er than pterostigma. Vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) 0.8 times as long as maximum width of pterostigma. Vein 3 RSa (second radial abscissa) 3.2 times longer than vein r-rs (first radial abscissa) and forming very obtuse angle with it, 0.7 times as long as the almost straight vein 3RSb (third radial abscissa), 2.0 times longer than vein 2RS (first radiomedial). Second submarginal (second radiomedial) cell length 2.0 times maximum width, 0.9 times length of the wide first subdiscal (brachial) cell. Distance from vein 1cu-a (nervulus) to vein 1M (basal) 2.0 times vein cu-a (nervulus) length. First discal (discoidal) cell 1.9 times longer than wide. First subdiscal (brachial) cell 3.3 times longer than maximum width. Vein m-cu (recurrent) not or hardly thickened, not curved. Hind wing 4.4 times longer than wide. Vein M+CU (first mediocubital abscissa) 0.7 times as long as vein 1M (second mediocubital abscissa). Vein m-cu (recurrent) distinct, weakly reclivous, interstitial.

Legs. Fore femur 4.4 times longer than maximally wide. Fore tarsus 0.75 times as long as fore tibia. Hind femur 5.6 times longer than wide. Hind tarsus 1.05 times as long as hind tibia. Hind basitarsus 0.75 times as long as second-fifth segments combined. Second tarsal segment of hind leg 0.5 times as long as basitarsus, 1.3 times longer than fifth segment (without pretarsus).

Metasoma. First tergite evenly linearly widened towards apex, with large dorsope, raised median area rugulose, without spiracular tubercle. Length of first tergite 1.1 times its apical width; apical width 2.1 times its minimum width. Second tergite without mid-longitudinal ridge. Median length of second tergite 0.8 times its basal width, 1.5 times length of third tergite. Ovipositor sheath (approximately, as partly hidden) 186 D. L. J. QUICKE, S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ, M. A. SMITH, J. ROTA, J. HRCEK and B. A. BUTCHER first metasomal tergite; (25) Metasoma, dorsal view.

0.4 times as long as metasoma, 0.5 times as long as mesosoma, 0.2 times as long as fore wing.

Colour. Honey brown. Legs honey brown but hind tarsus black. Wing venation dark grey; wing membrane pale smoky grey.

Type material. Holotype female, Papua New Guinea, Chimbu, Mu – Mogmagai, 8–x–2005, 145°02’E, 6°05’S, 1800 m, reared from Choreutis sp. feeding on Ficus pungens Reinw, B. Kaupa, J. Kua, K. Nimai, M. Mogia. (voucher USNM – ENT –00680192).

Paratypes. 1 male, Papua New Guinea, Chimbu, Mokmagai, 25–viii–2005, reared from Choreutis sp. feeding on Ficus pungens Reinw, B. Kaupa, J. Kua, K. Nimai, M. Mogia (voucher USNM – ENT –00680059); 1 specimen (sex unknown: metasoma missing), Papua New Guinea, Chimbu, Mu – Mogmagai, 8–x–2005, 145°02’E, 6°05’S, 1800 m, reared from Choreutis sp. feeding on Ficus pungens Reinw, B. Kaupa, J. Kua, K. Nimai, M. Mogia (voucher USNM – ENT –00680019).

Biology. All specimens were reared from leaftying/rolling caterpillars of the genus Choreutis Hübner, 1825 ( Lepidoptera : Choreutidae ) feeding on Ficus pungens Reinw ex Blume in Blume sec. Blume 1825 ( Moraceae ).

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.

Figures

Figures 21 – 25. Troporhysipolis markshawi sp. nov. (21) Habitus; (22) Top of head and anterior mesosoma; (23) Wings; (24) Propodeum and