Mesobracon elegans SZÉPLIGETI

Papp, Jenö, 2013, A revision of five braconid species described by SZÉPLIGETI in 1913 and deposited in Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 63 (2), pp. 297-312 : 301-302

Mesobracon elegans SZÉPLIGETI

( Figs 47–56 )

Mesobracon elegans SZÉPLIGETI, 1913: 385 female(s), type locality: “ Kamerun ”, female lectotype (hereby designated, examined in 2005) in Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Müncheberg; examined. – BRUES 1926: 239 (in key). FAHRINGER 1928: 121 (in key) and 127 (redescription). SHENEFELT 1978: 1704 (literature up to 1928).

Labels of the lectotype:

( First label) “ Kamerun / Conradt” (printed) “IX” (handscript); (second label, printed) “ Coll. Kraatz ”; third label is SZÉPLIGETI’s original one; fourth label is the lectotype card. – Lectotype is in good condition: (1) pinned by mesosoma; (2) right flagellum apically deficient; (3) fore pair of wings damage at pterostigma (pterostigma itself missing); (4) fifth tarsomere of left hind leg missing.

Redescription of the lectotype:

Body 15 mm long. Antenna as long as body (left antenna) and with 78 antennomeres. Scape in outer-lateral view one sixth longer than broad apically and here formed as in Fig. 47 . Flagellomeres transverse. – Head in dorsal view transverse ( Fig. 48 ), twice as broad as long, eye protruding and clearly twice as long as temple, temple receded. Eye in lateral view 1.3 times as high as wide and twice wider than temple, temple ventrally broadening ( Fig. 49 , see arrows). Malar space somewhat shorter than basal width of mandible. Horizontal diameter of oral opening also somewhat longer than shortest distance between opening and eye. Face uneven with disperse subpunctures, frons finely granulate with a few subrugulae; otherwise head polished.

1 (2) Wings blackish brown fumous, fore wing apically with a large whitish “fenestra”; pterostigma entirely blackish. Second submarginal cell fairly long, 3– SR 1.5 times as long as 2–SR, SR1 as long as 3–SR ( Fig. 52 ). Second tergite 1.5 times as broad behind as long laterally ( Fig. 55 ). Metasoma testaceous. ♀: 15 mm. ......................... M. elegans SZÉPLIGETI, 1913

2 (1) Either proximal third of wings yellow (distal two- thirds dark brown) or ground colour of wing yellow with transverse brown streaks; pterostigma yellow, apically brown, second submarginal cell either short or long, i.e. 3–SR 1.5 times or 1.8-2 times as long as 2–SR ( Figs 57, 60 ). 3 (4) Distal two-thirds of wings dark brown fumous, fore wing apically with a small white “fenestra” (along vein r–m). Second submarginal cell short and somewhat widening distally, 3–SR 1.5 times as long as 2–SR, SR1 bent and 1.3 times as long as 3–SR ( Fig. 57 ). Second tergite 1.8 times as broad behind as long medially, tergites 1-2 densely rugose ( Fig. 58 ). First tergite in lateral view somewhat pointed dorsally ( Fig. 59 ). Metasoma brownish yellow. ♀: 14 mm. ..................... ..................................... M. concolor SZÉPLIGETI, 1906

Mesosoma in lateral view 1.6 times as long as high. Medio-transverse sulcus of pronotum smooth. Notaulix anteriorly deep, posteriorly shallowing. Propodeum polished and with a less distinct medio-longitudinal sulcus. Hind femur 3.5 times as long as broad medially ( Fig. 50 ). Inner spur of hind tibia just shorter than half basitarsus. Hind basitarsus as long as tarsomeres 2 + half tarsomere 3 combined. Claw bifid, its basal lobe as in Fig. 51 .

Fore wing just shorter than body. Pterostigma of right wing damaged (present its proximal third as in Fig. 52 ), left pterostigma missing, r somewhat longer than width of pterostigma, 3–SR 1.9 times as long as r and 1.6 times as long as 2–SR; SR1 bent, as long as 3–SR and reaching tip of wing; 3–SR and 2–M somewhat diverging distally ( Fig. 52 ). First discal cell wide, 1–M 1.4 times as long as m–cu, 1–SR–M bent and slightly longer than 1–M ( Fig. 53 ). – Hind wing: cu–a straight as in Fig. 54 .

4 (3) Ground colour of wings yellow, fore wing with three and hind wing with two transverse brown streaks. Second submarginal cell long and not widening dis- tally, 3–SR twice as long as 2–SR, SR1 faintly S-form and as long as 3–SR ( Fig. 60 ). Second tergite twice as broad behind as long medially, tergites imbricate ( Fig. 61 ). First tergite in lateral view not pointed dor- sally ( Fig. 62 ). Metasoma brownish yellow to testa- ceous, apically blackish (1 ♀). ♀: 16–19 mm. ........... ............................ M. pulchripennis SZÉPLIGETI, 1902

First tergite ( Fig. 55 ) as long as broad behind, scutum with longitudinal striae and rugulosity. Second tergite less transverse, 1.5 times as broad behind as long medially, its median field bordered by crenulate sulcus, together with further tergites rugose. First tergite in lateral view as in Fig. 56 . Ovipositor sheath almost as long as hind tibia.

Antenna black. Head and palpi yellow. Mesosoma testaceous with yellowish suffusion, three maculae of mesoscutum dark brown. Metasoma testaceous. Fore leg yellow. Middle leg brownish. Hind leg dark brown. Wings blackish brown fumous, pterostigma black, distal part of forewing with a wide pale yellow macula (or “fenestra”).

Male and host unknown.

Distribution:

Cameroon.

Taxonomic position:

Mesobracon elegans is nearest to M. concolor SZÉPLIGETI ( Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania) and M. pulchripennis

SZÉPLIGETI ( Republic of Congo, Malawi, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo = Zaire), the three species are very similar to each other and differ in the few features keyed:

Remark - Redescriptions of five Mesobracon species were presented by PAPP (2009): three species described by SZÉPLIGETI: M. concolor SZÉPLIGETI, 1906 , M. pulchripennis SZÉPLIGETI, 1902 , M. similis SZÉPLIGETI, 1906 and two species by BRUES: M. litura (BRUES, 1846) , M. rugosus (BRUES, 1846) .

Figures

Figs 47-56: Mesobracon elegans SZÉPLIGETI, 1913 (female lectotype). – 47 scape, pedicel and first flagellomere in outer-lateral view. – 48 head in dorsal view. – 49 head in lateral view. – 50 hind femur. – 51 claw. – 52 distal part of right forewing (pterostigma deficient). – 53 first discal cell of forewing. – 54 cu–a of hindwing. – 55 tergites 1-2. – 56 first tergite in lateral view.

Figs 57-62: Figs 57-59: Mesobracon concolor SZÉPLIGETI, 1906 (female). – 57 distal part of right forewing. – 58 tergites 1-2. – 59 first tergite in lateral view. – Figs 60-62: Mesobracon pulchripennis SZÉPLIGETI, 1902 (female). – 60 distal part of right forewing. – 61 tergites 1-2. – 62 first tergite in lateral view.