Sycophaga brevis Liu & Huang n. sp.

(Figs 1–12)

Material examined. Holotype. ♀, China: Yun Nan: Xi Chou, 2.V.2004, Wen-Quan Zen, ex Ficus orthoneura (IZCAS) . Paratypes. 2♀, 3♂, same data as holotype (IZCAS); 3♀, same data as holotype, ethanol-preserved (IZCAS) .

Diagnosis. Female. Pronotum about 2.1× as wide as long medially (Fig. 4); pronotum medially about 2/3 as long as mesoscutum (Fig. 4); ovipositor about 1.25× as long as body (Fig. 1). Male. Pronotum with lamella expanding anteriorly and laterally as thin roof and medial cleft absent (Fig. 10); all tarsi with basal four segments nearly equal in length and ta5 about 4× as long as ta4 (Fig. 12); head with submedian lines absent (Fig. 8). Spiracular process about 5.6× as long as basal width.

Description. Female. Head capsule, mesosoma and gaster with metallic tinge, predominantly green (Figs 1–4) with gaster dark green (Fig. 6). Eyes red and legs yellow (Fig. 3). Ovipositor valves yellow and sheaths black.

Head capsule uniformly micropunctate-reticulate (Fig. 2); in anterior view (Fig. 2) about 1.3× as wide as high medially; in lateral view (Fig. 3) about 1.4× as high as long; malar space about 0.56× eye height and 0.69× eye width. Antenna (Fig. 3) with scape and pedicel alutaceous; scape about 2.3× as long as wide, pedicel about 1.7× as long as apical width and about 1.2× as long as fu1; an1 about 4.5× and an2 about 2.4× as wide as long, and an2 about 1.9× as long as an1; flagellum with dense longitudinal sensilla a little longer than respective segment; funicle with fu1 as long as wide, fu1 about 1.6× as wide as an2, and all funiculars of nearly same size; clava about 2.7× as long as wide (Fig. 3). Clypeus and supraclypeal area not defined.

Mesosoma uniformly micropunctate-reticulate except propodeum with two symmetrical smooth and shiny oval areas (Figs 1, 4). Mesosoma (Fig. 5) with pronotum about 2.1× as wide as long medially and about 0.7× as long as mesoscutum; mesoscutum about 1.7× as wide as long medially with posterior margin of mid lobe as wide as anterior margin of scutellum; scutellum trapezoidal, with anterior width, posterior width and length in ratio of 17:21:17. Fore wing with marginal vein, postmarginal vein and stigmal vein in ratio of 15:11:12 (Fig. 5).

Gaster (Fig. 6) about 1.7× as long as wide medially; tergites smooth and shiny with irregular micropunctures except GT6 alutaceous. Ovipositor 1.25× as long as body.

Male. Brown. Head capsule in dorsal view (Fig. 8) longitudinally striate-strigose and striate-punctate with sparse setae, about 1.5× as long as wide with anterior margin incurved medially; in lateral view about 2.4× as long as high (fig. 9). Antenna with scape strongly shortened and broad, about 1.2× as long as wide; pedicel triangular, below lamella of scape; fl1 flat, about 2× as long as wide; fl2 triangular with apex dull, about 1.7× as long as wide.

Pronotum (Fig. 10) as long as wide medially, longitudinally striate-strigose, with setae originating from shallow depressions; mesonotum (Figs 10, 11) micropunctate, about 1.4× as wide as long medially; metanotopropodeum (Fig. 11) about 1.3× as wide as long medially, longitudinally alutaceous-coriaceous except anterior margin oblique, with setae originating from shallow depressions. All tibiae, except for inner surfaces, with dense, stout, rounded spines, with maximal spine length about 1.1× as long as spiracular diameter on metanotopropodeum.

Gaster longitudinally striate-strigose; spiracular process about 5.6× as long as basal width.

Etymology. The Latin word “ brevis ”, meaning “short”, in reference to the fact that females of S. brevis have a shorter ovipositor than S. diutius .

Biology. Reared from the monoecious fig species, F. orthoneura .