Dioxybracon vannoorti

Quicke, Donald L. J., Villemant, Claire & Butcher, Buntika A., 2019, The Afrotropical braconine genus Dioxybracon Granger with descriptions of four new species and new generic synonymy, Journal of Natural History 53 (27), pp. 1673-1689 : 1683-1687

D. vannoorti Quicke & Butcher sp. nov.

( Figures 6 , 7 )

Type locality

Holotype female: SOUTH AFRICA: ‘ Port St. John , Pondoland. July.10 – 31.1923 ’ and ‘ S. Africa, R. E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1923 – 398 ’ (barcode-label, NHMUK010880749 ).

Paratypes. SOUTH AFRICA: 1 female, E . Cape Prov., Katberg, 4000ft. 14 – 26 .xi .1932, R. E. Turner, ‘ Brit. Mus. 1932 – 577 ’; 1 female, Port St . John, Pondoland, Sept. 1923, R. E. Turner, ‘ Brit. Mus. 1923 – 510 ’, (barcode-label, NHMUK010880741 ); 1 female, Port St . John, Pondoland, April 9 – 30 1923, R . E. Turner, ‘ Brit. Mus. 1923 – 286 ’, (barcode-label, NHMUK010880747 ); 1 male, E . Cape Prov., Katberg, 4000 ft., xii.1932, R. E. Turner, ‘ Brit. Mus. 1933 – 69 ’, (barcode-label, NHMUK010880748 ) .

Diagnosis. This and D. australiensis Quicke & Ingram comb. nov. are the only species with forewing vein C+SC+R and pterostigma dark (blackish) contrasting with remainder of venation which is yellowish. D. vannorti sp. nov. differs in having the posterior margin of tergite 6 narrowly and more or less deeply emarginate medially and in lacking an expansion of the lateral lamella of metasomal tergites 1 – 3 at level of tergite 3.

Description. Female: Length of body 3.3 – 4.3 mm (posterior of metasoma often strongly curved), of forewing 4.2, of antenna 4.7 mm, part of ovipositor exserted beyond apex of metasoma 0.6 – 0.8 mm.

Head. Antenna with 32 – 34 flagellomeres; terminal flagellomere weakly acuminate; median flagellomeres 1.2 × longer than wide; 1st flagellomere 1.2 × longer than both 2nd and 3rd, separately, the latter 1.7 × longer than wide; width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.4: 1.25: 1.0; intertentorial distance 2.1 × shortest distance between tentorial pit and eye; face shiny, sparsely punctate, laterally with subparallel transverse striation; medially with sharply defined narrow ridge running from dorsal margin of clypeus to between antennal sockets; clypeus shiny with sparse punctuation, somewhat elevated away from face. Lower part of hypostomal carina (occipital flange) moderately developed; frons shiny with fine subtransverse striation; shortest distance between posterior ocelli: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye = 1.0: 1.5: 3.2; length of head behind eye 0.25 × length of eye in dorsal view.

Mesosoma. 1.4 × longer than high; pronotum largely smooth, with some weak irregular rugae posterodorsally and narrowly posteriorly; propleuron with sculptured posterior lobe; mesoscutum setose with extensive transverse sculpture and deep setiferous punctures; middle lobe of mesoscutum with pair of weak but distinct submedial grooves; scutellar sulcus with 4 strong crenulae between outer ones; scutellum with numerous deep setiferous punctures that form, laterally, longitudinal confluent rows; axillae smooth and shiny; mesopleuron with anterodorsal crenulations, and otherwise with pattern of fine curved subhorizontal striations dorsally and subvertical striations ventrally; mesopleural furrow smooth; median area of metanotum with midlongitudinal carina protruding to form sharp point; propodeum with well-developed apophyses that give rise to lamelliform carina that runs to posterior margin; median carina strong and giving rise to numerous short transverse crenulae otherwise finely rugulose.

Wings Forewing. Lengths of veins r-rs: 3RSa: 3RSb = 1.0: 2.6: 5.7; veins 2RS: 3RSa: rs-m = 1.8: 2.4: 1.0.; vein m-cu 0.3 × (RS+M)b. Base of hindwing with large glabrous area distal to vein cu-a.

Legs. Lengths of fore femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.0: 1.0: 1.1; lengths of hind femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.0: 1.1: 1.1. Claws with acutely pointed basal lobe.

Metasoma. Coarsely reticulate. First tergite with dorsal carinae more or less distinct (somewhat irregular), converging to reach posterior margin; 2nd tergite 2.2 × wider posteriorly than medially long, marginally longer than 3rd tergite; 4th and 5th metasomal tergites basally with deep groove; apical margin of 6th metasomal tergite deeply and narrowly emarginate; ovipositor sheaths 0.9 × longer than hind tibia.

Colour. Body and legs entirely ochreous yellow except orbits slightly paler; antennae and ovipositor sheaths black. Wings hyaline, most venation and tegulae brownish yellow contrasting with nearly black forewing C+SC+R and pterostigma.

Male. As for females except posterior margin of 6th metasomal tergite more or less truncate, rather transparent.

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. Afrotropical ( South Africa).

Etymology. Named after Dr Simon van Noort in recognition of his major contribution to Hymenoptera research in Africa.

Figures

Figure 6. Dioxybracon vannoorti sp. nov. (a) habitusı lateral viewı holotype; (b) headı dorsal viewı holotype; (c) headı front viewı holotype; (d) mesosomaı lateral view; (e) mesosomaı dorsal viewı holotype; (f) base of hindwingı paratype female.

Figure 7. Dioxybracon vannoorti sp. nov. (a) forewingı paratype female; (b) metasomal tergites 2–6ı dorsal viewı paratype female; (c) metasomal tergites 5 and 6ı posterior viewı holotype; (d) metasomaı lateral view showing deep inter-tergite grooves; (e) metasomal tergites 3–6ı postero-dorsal viewı paratype male.