Alysia stenopos, Zhu & Achterberg & Chen, 2018

Zhu, Jia-Chen, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2018, Review of the genus Alysia Latreille (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae), with description of six new species from China, Zootaxa 4500 (1), pp. 1-42 : 17-19

Alysia stenopos sp. n.

Figs 11–12

Type material. Holotype, ♀ ( ZJUH), “ [NE. China:] Jilin, Mt. Changbai , 6.?.1999, lin Naiquan No. 20035568” . Paratype: 1♀ ( ZJUH), same data as holotype, but No. 20035567 .

Diagnosis. Body black ( Fig. 11); mandible and legs dark brown; third antennomere (including annellus) 1.4 × longer than fourth antennomere ( Fig. 12M ); eye in dorsal view 1.1 × as long as temple ( Fig. 12H ); eye in lateral view 1.4 × higher than wide ( Fig. 12J ); frons smooth posteriorly, but rugose between antennal sockets ( Fig. 12H ); vertex and temple smooth but with few long setae ( Fig. 12H ); face sculptured medially and transversely rugose near eye, 2.5 × wider than high, rather convex medially, with a short medio-longitudinal ridge and long setae around eye ( Fig. 12I ); clypeus small, semi-ellipital, with some punctures and long setae ( Fig. 12I ); precoxal sulcus crenulate, only present medially ( Fig. 12C ); notauli incomplete, only present anteriorly and sculptured ( Fig. 12D ); medio-posterior depression deep and long, almost extending to middle of mesoscutum, mesoscutum with long setae along trace of notauli ( Fig. 12D ); surface of propodeum densely reticulate-rugose, areola absent posteriorly ( Fig. 12E ); pterostigma 3.8 × longer than its maximum width ( Fig. 12A ); hind coxa smooth ( Fig. 12N ); length of first tergite almost equal to its apical width, its surface finely longitudinally striate; convexity of upper valve of ovipositor low basally ( Fig. 12G ); setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.4 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.4 times), and 1.2 × as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 12G ).

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.6 mm, of fore wing 4.0 mm.

Head. Transverse, width of head 1.9 × its lateral length, and 1.5 × wider than mesoscutum ( Fig. 12H ); antenna incomplete, with 24 antennomere remaining, third antennomere (including annellus) 1.4 × longer than fourth antennomere, length of third and fourth antennomere 3.2 and 1.8 × their width, respectively ( Fig. 12M ); length of maxillary palp 1.3 × height of head ( Fig. 12J ); eye in dorsal view 1.1 × as long as temple ( Fig. 12H ); eye in lateral view 1.4 × higher than wide ( Fig. 12J ); frons smooth posteriorly, but rugose between antennal sockets ( Fig. 12H ); vertex and temple smooth and with few long setae ( Fig. 12H ); OOL:diameter of ocellus:POL= 13:5:3; face sculptured medially and with transverse rugae around the eye, 2.5 × wider than high, rather convex medially, with a short medio-longitudinal ridge and long setae near eye ( Fig. 12I ); clypeus small, semi-elliptical, with some punctures and long setae ( Fig. 12I ); mandible enlarged apically, dorsal tooth enlarged, lobe-shaped ( Fig. 12K ), ventral tooth medium-sized and lobe-shaped ( Fig. 12L ), middle tooth curved and acute, with small incision between first and second tooth ( Fig. 12K ), medial length of mandible 1.5 × its maximum width.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.3 × its height ( Fig. 12C ); pronope absent; medio-anteriorly pronotum crenulate, remainder of pronotum smooth ( Fig. 12C ); epicnemial area widely crenulated; precoxal sulcus crenulate and only present medially ( Fig. 12C ); pleural sulcus narrowly crenulated; episternal scrobe linear and deep ( Fig. 12C ); metapleuron rugose ventrally, remainder smooth ( Fig. 12C ); notauli incomplete, only present anteriorly and sculptured ( Fig. 12D ); medio-posterior depression deep and long, almost extending to middle of mesoscutum, mesoscutum with long setae along trace of notauli; scutellar sulcus deep, with one longitudinal carina medially, sulcus 4.0 × wider than its maximum length ( Fig. 12D ); scutellum smooth; surface of propodeum densely reticulate-rugose, areola absent posteriorly ( Fig. 12E ).

Wings ( Figs 12A–B ). Pterostigma wide, 3.8 × longer than its maximum width. r:3-SR:SR1 = 1:3:10; 1-SR+M nearly straight; SR1 straight; r 0.5 × as long as width of pterostigma; cu-a postfurcal; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 3:19; 3-CU1 as long as CU1b; 2-SR:3-SR:r-m = 2:2:1; m-cu postfurcal, converging to 1-M posteriorly; first subdiscal cell 2.5 × as long as wide; M+CU1 sclerotized. Hind wing: M+CU: 1-M: 1r-m = 20:15:11; m-cu weakly postfurcal.

Legs. Hind coxa smooth, without ventro-basal tubercle, with dense long setae; tarsal claws slender, longer than arolium ( Fig. 12N ); length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 4.0, 6.3 and 3.8 × their width, respectively; apical appendages of hind tarsal segments absent, segments ventrally with dense bristles ( Fig. 12N ).

Metasoma. Length of first tergite almost equal to its apical width, its surface finely longitudinally striate ( Fig. 12E ); dorsope distinct; convexity of upper valve of ovipositor low basally ( Fig. 12G ); setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.4 × as long as fore wing (total visible sheath 0.4 times), and 1.2 × as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 12G ).

Colour. Black ( Fig. 11); mandible and legs dark brown; pterostigma and veins brown; wing membrane hyaline.

Variation. Females have body length 3.6–4.0 mm, and length of fore wing 4.0– 4.4 mm.

Comparative diagnosis. This species is similar to A. avatsha Belokobylskij but differs by having the hind tarsal claws lacking a small lobe (versus claws with a small lobe in A. avatsha ); comparatively wide face, 2.5 × wider than high (versus 1.8–2.0), and mandible with small incision between first and second tooth (versus without incision).

Etymology. Named “ stenopos ” because of the low face: “ steno ” is Greek for “narrow” and “ opos ” is Greek for “face”.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Alysia stenopos sp. n., ♀, holotype. A, fore wing; B, hind wing; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, mesosoma, lateral aspect; E, propodeum, first and second metasomal tergites, dorsal aspect; F, propodeum and metasoma, dorsal aspect; G, ovipositor and ovipositor sheath, lateral aspect; H, head, dorsal aspect; I, head, anterior aspect; J, head, lateral aspect; K, mandible, full view on first and second teeth; L, mandible, full view on third tooth; M, basal segments of antenna, lateral aspect; N, hind leg, lateral aspect.