Chelonus (Microchelonus) cyclotus, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2024

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, Zootaxa 5412 (1), pp. 1-127 : 37-39

Chelonus (Microchelonus) cyclotus sp. nov.

Figs 27–28

Material examined. Holotype: male, Heiwan Lake , Guizhou Prov., China, 28.VII.2001, Yun Ma, No. 200108004 ( ZJUH).

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) sulcatus Jurine, 1807 , considering the moderate maximum height of metasomal carapace in lateral view and apex of carapace distinctly incurved ( Fig. 28D ), but the two species can be separated by the following characters: carapace apically rounded ( Fig. 28E ) (versus distinctly narrowed 1/4 apically in C. (M.) sulcatus ); hind femur 3.6 × longer than their maximum width ( Fig. 28F ) (versus 3.0 ×); and apical aperture of male medium-sized, its width 0.4–0.7 × width of metasoma ( Fig. 28G ) (versus large, its width> 0.7 × metasoma width).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 7.2 mm, of fore wing 5.0 mm.

Head. Head transverse, width of head 2.0 × its dorsal length; occiput hardly excavated; antennomeres 34, antenna slightly widened medially, length of 3 rd and penultimate antennomeres 3.2 × and 1.3 × their width, respectively; eye 1.1 × as long as temple in dorsal view; OOL: OD: POL=44: 11: 24; temple widened behind eyes; frons and vertex finely coarsely rugose-reticulate ( Fig. 28I ); face flat, coarsely irregularly reticulate-rugose, width of face 1.6 × its height; eyes about parallel; clypeus densely punctulate, its apical margin convex medially, clypeus remaining below lower level of eyes, clypeus shiny and 1.7 × wider than high, distance between tentorial pits 1.4 × distance between pits and eyes ( Fig. 28H ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 × its height; side of pronotum densely punctulate; mesopleuron completely coarsely reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 28B ); notauli distinct, mesoscutum slightly convex, densely alveolate-rugose; scutellum rugose; scutellar suture comparatively deep, with carinae; propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose and tubercles distinct ( Fig. 28C ).

Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.7 × as long as pterostigma; pterostigma 3.3 × longer than wide; r: 3-SR: SR1=15: 15: 51; SR1 slightly sinuate; marginal cell 2.9 × longer than second submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2-CU1=3: 7; 2-R1 short ( Fig. 28A ).

Legs. Hind coxa punctate laterally; length of hind femur 3.6 × their maximum width; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Length of carapace 1.9 × its maximum width in dorsal view, tapering towards base, apically rounded; base of carapace irregular reticulate-rugose and rugose apically ( Fig. 28E ); length of carapace in lateral view 2.3 × its height, posterior height of carapace 1.7 × its anterior height, maximum height moderate, apex of metasomal carapace distinctly incurved, ventral opening of carapace 0.6 × carapace, forming sac-like shape ( Fig. 28D ); apical aperture of male medium-sized, its width 0.4–0.7 × width of carapace, elongate, slit-shaped and median process of aperture horizontal, nearly round ( Fig. 28G ).

Colour. Black; antenna black; mandible brown; palpi black; pterostigma and parastigma dark brown; wing and its veins dark brown; legs black; carapace entirely black.

Female. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Guizhou).

Etymology. Named after its sac-shaped shape carapace: “ cyclotus ” is Latin for circle, ring, round.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Chelonus (Microchelonus) cyclotus sp. nov., male, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 28. Chelonus (Microchelonus) cyclotus sp. nov., male, holotype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, legs; G, metasoma, posterior aspect; H, head, anterior aspect; I, head, dorsal aspect; J, head, lateral aspect; K, antenna.