Aspilota stigmalis, Papp, 2012

Papp, Jeno, 2012, Five new braconid species from Colombia (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 28, pp. 67-84 : 68-69

Aspilota stigmalis sp. n. Figures 1-9

Holotype ♀:

COLOMBIA, Magdalena PNN Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Bella Vista, 10°48'N, 73°39'W, 1500 m, Malaise trap, 1-15 June 2001, leg. J. Cantillo. - Holotype is in good condition: (1) glued on a card point by the right mesopleuron, (2) left antenna missing ultimate or 19th antennomere (17th flagellomere), (3) right pair of wings less visible owing to mounting and to the apically creased fore wing.

Etymology.

The species name stigmalis refers to the large pairs of spiracles on the propodeum and first tergite ( Figs 5, 9 ).

Description.

Body 3 mm long. Antenna as long as head, mesosoma and tergites 1-2 combined, with 19 antennomeres. Scape twice as long as broad apically and somewhat belly, first flagellomere 1.2 times as long as second, second flagellomere somewhat thicker than first, first flagellomere 3.7 times and second 2.5 times as long as broad ( Fig. 1 ). Head in dorsal view transverse, almost 1.9 times as broad (between temples) as long (between compound eye and temple), temple slightly swollen, eye almost 1.3 times as long as temple ( Fig. 2 ). Eye in lateral view 1.7 times as high as wide and just wider than gena, gena evenly broad beyond eye. Mandible along its lower margin 1.8 times as long as broad between upper and lower teeth, both teeth rounded ( Fig. 3 ). Tentorial pit fairly large and extending to lower part of eye ( Fig. 4 ). Head polished.

Mesosoma in lateral view stout, somewhat longer than high, polished. Notauli short, restricted to anterior declivous part of mesoscutum and finely crenulate. Pronope missing. Precoxal suture short, crenulate, medially on mesopleuron. Propodeum areolate, spiracles large, otherwise propodeum smooth and shiny, on its upper corner foveolate depressed ( Fig. 5 ). Hind femur 3.8 times as long as broad distally ( Fig. 6 ). Hind tibia slightly longer than hind tarsus.

Fore wing as long as body. Pterostigma linear ( Fig. 7 ), r long, 3.5 times as long as width of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell long, 3-SR 2.3 times as long as 2-SR, r-m as long as r. First discal cell: 1-M 1.9 times as long as 1-SR-M ( Fig. 8 ).

First tergite ( Fig. 9 ) long, twice as long as posteriorly broad, spiracles large and at middle of tergite, pair of basal keels reaching spiracles, hind half of tergite striolate. Tergites 2-3 fully fused (i.e. border between tergites indistinct) and together with further tergites polished. Ovipositor sheath as long as mid tibia.

Scape and pedicel yellow, flagellum darkening brown. Head and mesosoma chestnut dark brown. Mouthparts whitish. First tergite brownish yellow, tergites 2-3 brownish, remaining tergites chestnut dark brown. Legs pale yellow. Tibiae apically and tarsi faintly light brownish. Wings hyaline, pterostigma brown, veins light brown.

Male and host

unknown.

Distribution.

Colombia.

Diagnosis.

The new species, Aspilota stigmalis , is nearest to Aspilota phyllotomae Fischer ( Fischer 1970: 124) with their common features being the transverse head in dorsal view, first tergite 2.1 times as long as broad posteriorly, dentation of mandible and chestnut brown ground colour of body. The two species are distinguished by the following characters ( Aspilota phyllotomae is known only by its original description: Fischer 1970: 125):

1(2)	Propodeum granulo-rugulose and not areolate, spiracles of propodeum and first tergite small, i.e. usual in size. Antenna with 14-15 antennomeres, flagellomeres 1-2 equal in length (each about three times as long as broad) and equally thick. Eye in dorsal view just shorter (cf. Abb. 33 in Fischer 1970: 33) to as long as temple. Fore wing: r slightly longer than width of pterostigma, 3-SR 1.6 times as long as 2-SR, SR1 2.7 times as long as 3-SR (cf. Abb. 34 l.c.). Prosternum and tegula yellow. ♀ 1.3 mm. -- U.S.A. (Maine, Michigan)	Aspilota phyllotomae Fischer, 1970
2(1)	Propodeum areolate, otherwise smooth and shiny, spiracles of propodeum and first tergite large (Figs 5, 9). Antenna with 19 antennomeres, first flagellomere 1.2 times as long as second flagellomere, second flagellomere somewhat thicker than first flagellomere (Fig. 1). Eye in dorsal view almost 1.3 times as long as temple (Fig. 2). Fore wing: r more than two times as long as width of pterostigma, 3-SR 2.3 times as long as 2-SR, SR1 2.25 times as long as 3-SR (Fig. 7). Prosternum and tegula brown. ♀: 3 mm. - Colombia	Aspilota stigmalis sp. n.

Figures

Figures 1 - 9. Aspilota stigmalis sp. n.: 1 scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1 - 2 2 head in dorsal view 3 mandible 4 paraclypeal pit 5 propodeum 6 hind femur 7 distal part of right fore wing 8 first discal cell of fore wing 9 tergites 1 - 3.