Meteorus subtilisulcus Stigenberg, 2011

Stigenberg, Julia & Ronquist, Fredrik, 2011, Revision of the Western Palearctic Meteorini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with a molecular characterization of hidden Fennoscandian species diversity 3084, Zootaxa 3084 (1), pp. 1-95 : 71-72

Meteorus subtilisulcus Stigenberg sp nov.

Fig. 69 , 79g , 128

Diagnosis: The short (1.6 times petiolar tergum), straight ovipositor in combination with the wide and flat clypeus and short malar space (0.1 times the width of mandible base) clearly distinguish this species. It mostly resembles M. densipilosus , but this species has a longer ovipositor (2.0 times the length of the petiolar tergum), a slightly convex and narrow clypeus and a wider malar space (0.5 times the width of mandible base).

Studied material: Holotype ♀ FIN. Turunja Porin Lääni, SSW. Dragsfjärd, 29.vii.1992. M. Söderlund, RMNH’97.

Description: Body 3.5 mm, fore wing 3.8 mm.

Head: Length of eye 0.6 times length of temple in dorsal aspect; eyes large, converging and slightly protuberant; width of face 1.7 times its height; OOL=2.3; vertex smooth but setate; face punctulate; clypeus as wide as face and short in length, slightly longer than mandible width, clypeus distinctly divided, punctate, flat with a sinuate apical border; length of malar space 0.1 times basal width of mandible; mandibles not twisted; antennal articles 27; 3rd antennal article 3.3 times longer than wide; 4th antennal article 3 times longer than wide; all articles longer than wide.

Mesosoma: Precoxal sulcus narrow and shallow.

Wings: Fore wing: r/3–SR=0.5; C+SC+R/SR1=1.5; m–cu shortly antefurcal; pterostigma with dark brown center and light borders, the apical corner light. Hind wing: 1–M/cu–a=0.8;

Legs: Hind coxa smooth to punctate; hind femur 4.1 times longer than wide; tarsal claws slender with lobe.

Metasoma: Petiolar tergum 1.5 times longer than wide apically; dorsope distinct; ventral folds of petiolar tergum not joined; petiolar tergum striate with dorsal central rugosity running from the base of the tergum past the spiracles and ending surrounded by enclosing striae; ovipositor straight, length of ovipositor sheaths 1.6 times petiolar tergum, and 0.35 times fore wing; propodeum with strong carina, smooth inbetween.

Colour: Dark brown–black: clypeus brown-yellow, legs yellow.

Distribution: Finland.

Biology: The holotype was caught at the end of July.

Etymology: The name subtilisulcus refers to the very subtle impression of the precoxal sulcus.

Figures

FIGURE 79. Habitus images of the seven new species described in this paper. A) Meteorus artocercus, B) M. densipilosus, C) M. eklundi, D) M. longipilosus, E) M. sibyllae, F) M. stenomastax, G) M. subtilisulcus.

FIGURES 65–72. Characters used in key to species. 65) lateral view of metasomal part with ovipositor of M. salicorniae, 66) lateral view of the head of M. obfuscatus, 67) habitus of M. hirsutipes, 68) lateral view of mesosoma of M. eklundi sp.nov. 69) lateral view of mesosoma of M. subtilisulcus sp.nov., 70) lateral view of petiolar tergum of M. ictericus, 71) dorso-lateral view of the pit in front of the anterior ocelli of M. ictericus, 72) lateral view of petiolar tergum of M. pendulus.

FIGURES 80–133. Anterior view of the head of Meteorus species (except for M. politutele, which is depicted in lateral view).