Blacus (Tarpheion) reticulatus, Lu & Chai & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Lu, Qian-Yu, Chai, Hong-Fei, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, Review of the subgenus Tarpheion of the genus Blacus Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of nine new species and eight new records, Zootaxa 5406 (2), pp. 297-335 : 324-326

Blacus (Tarpheion) reticulatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 25–26 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Yunnan, Bao Mtn, Lujiang, Gaoligongshan Nature Reserve , 20- 21.VII.2006, Ma Juanjuan, No. 200907927 ( ZJUH).

Description. Female. Length of body 2.3 mm, length of fore wing 2.4 mm.

Head. Antennomeres 20; length of first flagellomere 1.4 × length of second flagellomere; length of first, second and penultimate flagellomere 6.0, 5.2 and 3.25 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.1 × height of head; occipital carina complete ( Fig. 26A ); frontal suture present; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 2:1:1; length of eye in dorsal view 2.0 × length of temple; face smooth, densely setose; malar suture present, length of malar space 1.5 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.45 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely rugose-reticulate ( Fig. 26E ); antero-lateral area of the middle mesoscutal lobe reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 26E ); precoxal sulcus complete, with some short striae ( Fig. 26E ); notauli complete, spaced crenulate, narrow and deep ( Fig. 26D ); mesoscutal middle lobe truncate anteriorly; scutellum smooth, with some short lateral crenulae, its lateral carina complete, not protruding apically; surface of propodeum smooth between carinae, its medial area distinctly widened dorsally.

Wings. Fore wing: first discal cell widely truncate anteriorly; vein r vertical ( Fig. 26H ), length of vein r 1.3 × width of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 7:22.

Legs. Hind coxa with some oblique dorsal carinae; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 6.9, 14.0 and 11.5 × their width, respectively; fore claws with long bristles ( Fig. 26I ), middle and hind claws simple.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 3.0 × its apical width, nearly parallel-sided, transversely rugose between dorsal carinae ( Fig. 26G ); second tergite with coarse, longitudinal striae ( Fig. 26G ) and remainder smooth; length of ovipositor sheath 0.14 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Reddish-brown; 12 basal antennomeres, palpi, clypeus, mandible, tegulae, metasomal sternum anteriorly and all legs yellow; anterior head yellowish-brown; remainder of antennomeres, ovipositor and its sheath, veins and metasomal sternum posteriorly brown; pterostigma and parastigma pale brownish; bristles of fore claws blackish; wing membrane subhyaline.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name reticulatus refers to the reticulate antero-lateral area of the middle mesoscutal lobe; “ reticulatus ” is Latin for netlike.

Notes. The new species is similar to B. (T.) tanae sp. nov. because precoxal suture is complete and having some short striae, occipital carina complete, first discal cell of fore wing widely truncate anteriorly, fore claws with long blackish bristles, vein r of fore wing vertical, second tergite with coarse and longitudinal rugae, length of first tergite approx. 3.0 × its apical width, length of ovipositor sheath approx. 0.15 × length of fore wing, length of body and fore wing, and bicolored antenna, but differs by having 12 yellow basal antennomeres (4 in B. (T.) tanae ), antero-lateral area of middle mesoscutal lobe reticulate-rugose (mainly subvertical carinae), mesoscutal middle lobe truncate anteriorly (slightly concave), middle claw simple (with one yellow bristle), and length of eye in dorsal view 2.0 × length of temple (2.25 ×).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Tarpheion reticulatus sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect).

FIGURE 26. Tarpheion reticulatus sp. nov. A. head, dorsal aspect; B. head, anterior aspect; C. antenna; D. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; E. mesosoma, lateral aspect; F. hind leg, ovipositor and ovipositor sheath; G. propodeum, first and second metasoma, dorsal aspect; H. wings; I. fore claw.