Chelonus (Megachelonus) irilaminatus, Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2022

Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Kees Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2022, A review of the subgenera Arichelonus, Megachelonus and Scabrichelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with description of five new species from China, Zootaxa 5165 (4), pp. 527-547 : 533-536

Chelonus (Megachelonus) irilaminatus sp. nov.

Figs 5–6

Material examined. Holotype: female, China, Yunnan Prov., Mt. Gaoligong , 16-17.VII.2006, Jie Zeng, No. 200611349 ( ZJUH). Paratypes: 1 female, China, Guangdong Prov., Mt. Guanyin , 15.IX.2007, Jie Zeng, No. 200807931 .

Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) macros Zhang, Chen et He , but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: carapace without lamella (carapace with long and wide lamella in C. macros ); apex of carapace narrowed in dorsal view(apex of carapace rounded); apex of propodeum strongly concaved with two pairs of blunt tubercles, lateral tubercles distinctly bigger and longer than medial tubercles (apex of propodeum weakly concaved with four comparably average size blunt tubercles).

Description. Holotype, female, length of body 4.4 mm, of fore wing 3.0 mm.

Head. Antennomeres 16 in female, average length of 3-7 th antennomeres 3.3 × their width, 8-11 th antennomeres 1.5 × longer than wide; head transverse, width of head 1.9 × its dorsal length, roundly contracted behind eyes; temple rounded posteriorly; OOL: OD: POL= 20: 6: 19, vertex evenly convex and with transverse rugae behind ocelli, temple finely and longitudinally striate- rugose, frons concave, striate-rugose around antennal sockets; longitudinal diameter of eye 2.1× height of temples ( Fig. 6G ); face striate-rugose, clypeus densely setose, shiny ( Fig. 6F ).

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; pronotum finely reticulate-rugose; mesoscutum evenly convex, reticulate-rugose, more strongly and coarsely rugose postero-medially than anteriorly; scutellum punctate medially, rugose laterally ( Fig. 6B ); scutellar suture comparatively deep with 4 carinae ( Fig. 6C ); propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose, strongly concave with two pairs of blunt tubercles apically, lateral tubercles distinctly bigger and longer than medial ones ( Fig. 6J ).

Wings. Length of fore wing 3.9 × its width; length of marginal cell 2.9 × pterostigma; vein 2-Rl just present; r: 3-SR: SRl= 1: 1: 7; SRl complete and straight; parastigma not swollen; 1-CUl: 2-CUl= 1: 4; vein CUlb present ( Fig.6A ).

Legs. Hind соха completely smooth and setose, hind femur robust, length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.7 ×, 4.3 × and 6.2 × their maximum width, respectively; length of hind tibial spurs 0.5 × hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Carapace elongate-oviform, length of metasoma 2.2 × its maximum width in dorsal view; metasomal carapace much more strongly narrowed towards apex than towards base, with two ventro-apical tooth-like protuberances, coarsely longitudinally rugulose, connected by transverse elements ( Fig. 6E ), carapace without lamella around ventral opening ( Fig. 6D ); ovipositor long, slender and curved, the ovipositor sheath 0.19 × as long as fore wing, 0.59 × as long as hind tibia ( Fig. 6H ).

Colour. Black; 3 basal antennomeres yellowish-brown, remainder of antennomeres dark brown; palp light yellow; mandible brown but basally blaсk, pterostigma and most of veins blackish brown, veins of basal half of wing light yellow; parastigma light yellow; margination of metasomal carapace yellowish; legs yellowish-brown but hind tibia apically and base of hind coxa dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. From ir (Latin for without) and lamina (Latin for thin plate), because metasoma lacks the lateral lamella.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Chelonus (Megachelonus) irilaminatus sp. nov., female, holotype, habitus, lateral aspect.

FIGURE 6. Chelonus (Megachelonus) irilaminatus sp. nov., female, holotype. A, fore wing; B, mesosoma, lateral aspect; C, mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D, metasoma, lateral aspect; E, metasoma, dorsal aspect; F, head, anterior aspect; G, head, dorsal aspect; H, ovipositor and ovipositor sheath, lateral aspect; I, head, lateral aspect; J, propodeum, dorsal aspect.