Baeus jenningsi, Stevens, 2007

Stevens, N. B. & Austin, A. D., 2007, Systematics, distribution and biology of the Australian ' micro-flea' wasps, Baeus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae): parasitoids of spider eggs., Zootaxa 1499, pp. 1-45 : 22-23

6. Baeus jenningsi, Stevens , sp. nov.

(Figs 9C & D, 15A)

Holotype, ♀, New South Wales, ' Sheepstation Cr. NSW 16 km NE of Wiangaree , 600 m 13 Jun-24 Aug. 1982 S. & J. Peck SBP 36', ' Flight intercept trap rainforest flight intercept' ( ANIC).

Paratype: New South Wales: 1 ♀, 30.22S 152.45E, Dorringo NP , NSW, 13.ii.1984, I. D. Naumann, ex ethanol ( ANIC).

Description. Female. Mean length 0.73 mm (0.71-0.74; n = 2); body and head dark brown to black, legs and antennae yellow, both with darker markings dorsally.

Head. 2.06 (1.95-2.17) x as wide as inter-ocular distance and 2.17 (2.06-2.29) x as wide as long; medial ocellus 10 µm in diameter, 75 (70-80) µm from posterior head margin; lateral ocelli contacting eye margin, 20 µm from posterior head margin; posterior ocellar line 1.08 (1.05-1.11) x inter-ocular distance; vertex finely coriarious, pilosity of medium length and mostly sparse, but can be of medium density in areas, particularly posteriorly; eyes large and ovoid, eye height 0.53 x head height, eye width 0.72 (0.67-0.78) x eye length, pilosity short; frontal carina prominent, reaching 0.56 (0.55-0.58) distance to medial ocellus; cristulations on malar region not extending to within 10 µm of eye margin; in postero-lateral view, anterior and posterior margins of gena divergent medially; anterior genal margin in contact with 0.8 of ventral eye margin length; posterior eye margin in contact with hyperoccipital carina.

Mesosoma. Length 0.59 (0.58-0.61) x width; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum coriarious, pilosity generally of moderate density, but can be sparse in areas and of medium length; propodeum glabrous medio-dorsally; mesoscutum length 0.44 (0.41-0.46) x width, 0.65 x mesosoma length and 2.93 (3.14-2.71) x mesoscutellum length; mesoscutellum length 2.04 (1.75-2.33) x propodeum length; dorso-lateral region of mesopleuron scrobiculate, sculpturing extending ventrally of dorsal margin of metapleuron; dorso-lateral propodeum bearing 2 parallel carinae ventral of propodeal spiracle, both extending from near posterior margin of mesopleuron to near posterior margin of propodeum, ventral carina longest and most prominent; propodeal spiracle small and ovoid; posterior suture of metapleuron extending dorsally above level of antero-lateral margin of T2, ventro-posterior half of metapleuron elevated above anterior margin of lateral propodeum; hind femoral spine absent.

Metasoma. T2 length 0.83 (0.81-0.84) x width, coriarious, pilosity generally sparse although areas of moderate density may occur towards posterior margin, setae mostly of medium length overall but can be short in patches; T3 medially coriarious, bearing one row of setae, ranging from medium to short in length, anterior and posterior margins glabrous; T4 glabrous.

Comments. This species is similar to B. moorei except it is more slender, the posterior ocellar line is equal to the inter-ocular distance, the anterior and posterior genal margins are divergent medially and the pilosity of the vertex is sparse.

Baeus jennings is named after John Jennings

and is known from only two specimens collected from northern New South Wales (Fig. 15A).