Philoplitis dzangasangha Fernandez-Triana & Ranjith

Ranjith, A. P., Fernandez-Triana, J., Veena, T., Priyadarsanan, D. R. & Nasser, M., 2019, Four new species of Philoplitis Nixon (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) with an updated key and illustrations of all described species, ZooKeys 841, pp. 125-150 : 132-133

Philoplitis dzangasangha Fernandez-Triana & Ranjith sp. n. Fig. 5

Holotype.

Male, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CNC). Holotype locality: Central African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, 2°55'N 16°15'E, 320 m, 5-16.vii.1998, Malaise trap, J Carpenter & J Wensel leg.

Paratypes.

Four males, REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (CNC), Sangha province, Bomassa, 2.2105 16.1929, 365 m, mixed forest with Maranthacae sp., 30.x.2012, Cysquet, Darlina & Lyenguet leg.

Non type material examined.

One female, same locality and colleting date than paratypes.

Diagnosis.

Philoplitis dzangasangha sp. n. differs from all other species by its generally lighter coloration with palpi, pro- and mesocoxae yellow, and flagellomeres light brown.

Description.

Head distinctly rugose. Frons transversely striate, with a median, longitudinal carina. Occipital carina strongly defined and crenulate. Smooth and shiny area centrally between posterior ocelli and occipital carina. Antennae longer than body length, L of F2 2.50 × its W, L of F15 3.00 × its W. Mesosoma mostly covered with silver setae. Anteromesoscutum coarsely rugose. Notauli deeply impressed, and with impressed postero-lateral area above tegula. Scutellar disc coarsely rugose, more or less straight in lateral view. Scutellar disc L/W ratio 1.20 ×, and its L 0.80 × that of anteromesoscutum. Mesopleuron mostly rugose or striate, but with median, smooth area centrally. Metapleuron rugose. Propodeum rugose with complete mid longitudinal carina. Fore wing ratios, r/3RSa: 2.00 ×; r/r-m: 2.80 ×; r/2RS: 1.00 ×; 3RSa/2M: 1.10 ×; 2RS/2M: 0.90 ×; r-m/2M: 0.60 ×; r/(r-2M): 0.51 ×; height of second sub marginal cell/(r-2M): 0.33 ×. Tarsal claws with one tooth and with arolium longer than claw length. Metafemur L 3.20 × its maximum width, inner spur of metatibia 0.54 × L of first metatarsomere. T1 mostly sculptured on posterior 0.7 (anterior 0.3 mostly smooth), T1 with shallow, median longitudinal groove extending half of tergite length, T1 L 3.00 × its width at posterior margin. T2 smooth, subtriangular, poorly defined by divergent grooves (grooves only distinct on anterior half of T2 length), T2 medial L 0.50 × its W at posterior margin (but that value is approximate as W at posterior margin is not clearly defined by the grooves). T3+ smooth.

Colour.

Head and mesosoma dark brown to black; scape and pedicel yellow; flagellomeres light brown; palpi yellow; pro- and mesocoxae yellow; pro- and mesofemorae and protibia yellow, mesotibia partially brown and partially yellow; hind legs mostly dark brown (except for trochanter and trochantellus yellow); metatibial spurs light yellow; most wing veins light yellow to transparent, except for pterostigma surrounding veins (r, 2RS, 3RSa, r-m, 2M, R1) which are brown; area beneath pterostigma very light brown, slightly darker than rest of wing and forming a cloud that extends to vein 2 M; metasoma dorsally mostly brown, except for posterior 0.2 of T1 and entire T2 which are yellow-white; laterotergites 1-3 yellowish white, rest mostly brown.

Female.

Unknown, but see Notes below.

Distribution.

Central Africa Republic, Dzanga Sangha Reserve.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality, part of the important Dzanga Sangha Protected Area Complex, as recognition of the value that complex has to protect the biodiversity of central Africa.

Notes.

Among the specimens we studied there was a female collected on the same place and date than the paratypes; however, some morphological characters are different. With so few specimens available it is not possible at the time to conclude if the female belongs to the same species or a different one. For the time being we prefer to keep within the species, although we did not include it as a paratype.