Phanerotomella yemenitica, Achterberg, 2021

Achterberg, Cornelis van, 2021, The tribe Phanerotomini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Cheloninae) of the Arabian Peninsula, with special reference to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, ZooKeys 1014, pp. 1-118 : 1

Phanerotomella yemenitica sp. nov. Figs 387-390 , 391-401

Type material.

Holotype, ♀ (RMNH), " Yemen (no. 2910), Ta’izz, light trap, 5.i.-2.ii.1998, A. van Harten, RMNH’98”. Paratypes: 2♀: with same data as holotype; 1♀: Idem, 26-28.v.1998; 1♀: Idem, i.2000; 2♀: Idem, v.2000; 1♀: Idem, viii.2000; 2♀: Idem, x.2001; 1♀: Idem, vi.2002; 2♂: "Yemen (6394), Al Lahima, 14.xi.2001-6.iii.2002, Mal. trap, A. v. Harten, RMNH’02”; 1♂: Idem, 1.i.-9.iv.2001; 1♂: Idem, 9.iv.-5.vi.2001; 1♀: Idem, 5.vi.-24.vii.2001; 1♀: Idem, 17.ix.-14.xi.2001; 4♀: "Yemen (6090), Al Kadan, x.2001, light trap, A. v. Harten & T. Abdul-Haq, RMNH’03”; 1♀: Idem, v.2002.

Comparative diagnosis.

The new species runs in the key by Braet et al. (2012) to P. capensis Zettel, 1989 and P. aurea Zettel, 1989, but the new species differs from both species by having the third metasomal tergite dark brown (brownish yellow in both species), inner spur of middle tibia 0.4 × as long as middle basitarsus (0.5-0.6 ×) and subapical antennal segments of ♀ stout (slenderer). It shares with P. aurea Zettel the distinctly developed pair of apical teeth of the third tergite, but the face and clypeus are matt (distinctly shiny in P. aurea ).

Description.

Female, holotype, length of body (excluding ovipositor) 3.1 mm; of antenna 3.7 mm; of fore wing 2.7 mm; visible part of ovipositor sheath 0.3 mm (setose part 0.1 mm).

Head. Width 1.3 × median length in anterior view and part of head above eye in lateral view 0.3 × height of eye (Fig. 399 ); antenna with 34 segments and 1.4 × longer than fore wing, twelfth-24th segments widened and shortened, gradually narrowed apically, apical segments non-moniliform and slightly longer than wide (Fig. 401 ), third, fourth and penultimate segments 3.4, 3.2 and 1.3 × longer than wide in lateral view, respectively; area of stemmaticum transversely striate; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 26: 7: 10; length of eye 1.3 × temple in dorsal view (Fig. 397 ); frons aciculate but dorso-laterally rugose and with median carina; vertex reticulate-rugose with fine coriaceous background sculpture, short setose; temple densely rugose and with satin sheen; face rugose and with distinct median ridge, dorsally connect to median carina; clypeus punctate and with shiny interspaces, truncate medio-ventrally (Fig. 398 ); eye medium-sized in lateral view (Fig. 399 ), in anterior view 0.8 × minimum width of face (Fig. 398 ); upper condyle of mandible far below lower level of eyes (Fig. 398 ); malar space rugose and 1.5 × as basal width of mandible; lower tooth of mandible 0.3 × as long as apical tooth (Fig. 396 ).

Mesosoma (Figs 387 , 392 ). Length 1.5 × its width in lateral view; side of pronotum reticulate-rugose; mesoscutum reticulate-rugulose with granulate background, densely setose; notauli slightly indicated but not well differentiated; scutellar sulcus medium-sized and with four short crenulae (Fig. 392 ; scutellum triangular, reticulate-punctate; metanotum with short median carina anteriorly and small tooth posteriorly; propodeum coarsely reticulate, without median carina, with irregular transverse carina connected to tuberculate corners (Fig. 392 ). Wings. Fore wing 2.9 × longer than its maximum width; length of 1-R1 1.1 × pterostigma; r issued far beyond middle of pterostigma and 3 × petiole of second submarginal cell; 2-SR only basally weakly bent and nearly parallel with posterior margin of pterostigma (Fig. 391 ); SR1 straight; 2-SR+M nearly absent because of slightly postfurcal m-cu; parastigma small and brown; 1-CU1 0.4 × as long as vein 2-CU1; r:2-SR:SR1 = 10:25:47; r-m vertical; 2-M weakly curved (Fig. 391 ). Hind wing: M+CU:1-M:1r-m = 20:23:12. Legs. Hind femur 4.8 × as long as wide; middle tibia without ivory blister; inner spur of middle tibia 0.4 × its basitarsus; hind coxa smooth and shiny dorsally, laterally superficially punctate and with satin sheen; hind tibia slender (Fig. 395 ).

Metasoma (Figs 393 , 394 ). Elliptical in dorsal view, 1.8 × as long as wide and 1.1 × as long as mesosoma; first-third tergites densely reticulate-rugose; third tergite 1.1 × longer than second tergite, mainly densely and finely reticulate-rugulose and truncate medio-posteriorly (Fig. 394 ), lateral lamella tooth-shaped protruding latero-apically and medium-sized, weakly sinuate medio-apically (Fig. 394 ); setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.04 × as long as fore wing and visible part of ovipositor sheath 0.11 × as long as fore wing and 0.14 × metasomal carapace; hypopygium with apically acute triangular lobe and with long setae (Fig. 394 ).

Colour. Yellowish brown; palpi, mandible (except dark brown teeth), tegulae, legs (but hind tibia slightly darkened apically) and metasoma ventrally pale yellow or ivory; flagellum brown; stemmaticum and third tergite dark brown; pterostigma rather dark brown with vague subhyaline basal spot (Fig. 391 ); wing membrane evenly slightly infuscate; parastigma and vein 1-M (as other veins) pale brown.

Male.

Very similar to female, but antenna slender medially (Figs 388-390 ).

Variations.

Length of fore wing of ♀ 2.3-2.7 (of ♂ 2.1-2.2) mm; antenna of ♀ with 33 (1), 34 (5) or 35 (2) segments, of ♂ with 33(1) or 34 (2) segments; sometimes mesoscutum (except medio-posteriorly), scutellum (except disc), metanotum and second tergite medio-posteriorly more or less dark brown.

Biology.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Yemen.

Etymology.

Named after the country of origin of the type series, Yemen.

Figures

Figures 387 - 390. Phanerotomella yemenitica van Achterberg, sp. nov., ♀, holotype (but 388 - 390 of ♂, paratype) 387 habitus lateral 388 metasoma lateral 389 metasoma dorsal 390 hind femur and tibia lateral.

Figures 391 - 401. Phanerotomella yemenitica van Achterberg, sp. nov., ♀, holotype 391 wings 392 mesosoma dorsal 393 first-third metasomal tergites dorsal 394 metasoma lateral 395 hind leg lateral 396 mandible ventral 397 head dorsal 398 head anterior 399 head lateral 400 antenna lateral 401 apical half of antenna lateral.