Crenuladesha Ranjith & Quicke, 2023

Quicke, Donald L. J., Ranjith, Avunjikkattu Parambil, Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan, Nasser, Mannankadiyan, Hebert, Paul D. N. & Butcher, Buntika A., 2023, Two new genera and one new species of the tribe Adeshini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) from India and South Africa, ZooKeys 1166, pp. 235-259 : 235

Crenuladesha Ranjith & Quicke gen. nov.

Type species.

Crenuladesha narendrani (Ranjith), comb. nov. by monotypy.

Diagnosis.

Differs from all other genera of Adeshini in having a complete, partially crenulate, mid-longitudinal propodeal groove, other genera having at least a partial, and usually complete, mid-longitudinal carina. In addition, unlike other members of the tribe the basal lobe of the claws is distinctly pectinate, and the dorsal valve of the ovipositor has a distinct pre-apical angulation in lateral profile, rather than being smoothly rounded.

Description.

Head. Scapus shorter ventrally than dorsally in lateral aspect. Terminal flagellomere acute. Head transverse. Antennal sockets strongly produced in front of the eyes. Head smooth, setose. Malar suture distinct and complete. Frons depressed behind antennal sockets with mid-longitudinal groove. Mesosoma. Mesosoma smooth and densely setose. Mesoscutum without mid-longitudinal groove medio-posteriorly. Notauli crenulated, not meeting posteriorly. Scutellar sulcus crenulated. Scutellum smooth, setose. Median area of metanotum with complete mid-longitudinal carina. Mesopleuron smooth and setose, glabrous medially. Pleural suture smooth. Metasternum smooth. Propodeum with crenulated mid-longitudinal groove, with large crenulations posteriorly. Wings. Fore wings broad without infuscation. Second submarginal cell 2.50 × as long as wide. Fore wing vein 2CUb longitudinal. Hind wing vein R longitudinal. Posterior margin of hind wing weakly emarginate. Base of hind wing without glabrous area next to vein cu-a. Legs. Tarsal claws with acute, pectinate basal lobe. Metasoma. Metasoma with five tergites, rugose. First metasomal tergite with medially united dorsal carina which extend to posterior margin in the form of a mid-longitudinal carina. Second metasomal tergite with smooth, triangular mid-basal area and a short mid-longitudinal carina, pair of posteriorly converging antero-lateral grooves. Second metasomal suture crenulate. Fifth metasomal tergite distinctly emarginated postero-laterally. Ovipositor with distinct dorsal angulation and ventral serrations.

Etymology.

From the combinations of Latin “crenula” meaning notched and Adesha type genus of the tribe, in reference to the crenulate propodeal groove.

Remarks.

The distinct and complete malar suture and crenulated mid-longitudinal groove on the propodeum are putative autapomorphies of Crenuladesha Ranjith & Quicke, gen. nov. In addition to that the presence of postero-lateral semicircular emarginations of the fifth metasomal tergite displays some affinities with the Adesha , Furcadesha and Indadesha . In common with Adesha , Aneuradesha , Furcadesha and Spinadesha are the presence of a mid-longitudinal groove on the frons, smooth vertex, mesosternum and pleural suture and exhibit a lesser character sharing with Africadesha , Aneuradesha and Protadesha on the basis of a single character; smooth mesosternum.