Baeus arachnophagus Veenakumari, 2020

Kamalanathan, Veenakumari, Mohanraj, Prashanth, Samuel, D. K. & Reddy, M. Krishna, 2020, Revision of Indian species of Baeus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Scelionidae), Journal of Natural History 54 (13 - 14), pp. 813-917 : 834-836

Baeus arachnophagus Veenakumari , sp. n. ( Figures 4 (a–e) and 39(b))

http://www.zoobank. org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8C32C549-90DF-4768-8186-0DFB8DCF2E16

Holotype. Female; body length = 0.80 (0.78–0.85) mm; n = 5

Colour ( Figure 4 (a)). Frons yellowish brown, vertex slightly darker than frons; mesoscutum and metasoma honey brown; mesoscutellum anteriorly brown, posteriorly honey brown with a weak silvery posterior margin; hyperoccipital carina black; propodeum brown with a black band posteriorly; A1 dark brown with yellow patch; A2 blackish brown; A3–A6 yellow; clava yellow with apical black patch; legs yellowish brown.

Head ( Figure 4 (a–e)). Head 1.32 (1.29–1.35)× as wide as high; IOS 0.48 (0.45–0.52)× width of head and 1.29 (1.25–1.33)× eye length; eye large (L: W = 13.5:15.2) not setose, touching hyperoccipital carina posteriorly; head height 2.0 (1.9–2.1)× eye length; POL>LOL in ratio of 19.0:11.2; lateral ocellus contiguous with orbit; distance between posterior margin of lateral ocellus from hyperoccipital carina 1.20 (1.18–1.23)× MOD; pilosity sparse and setae short; interantennal process triangular, rugose; central keel short, reaching 0.50 (0.45–0.54)× distance to median ocellus; facial striae extending 0.66 (0.61–0.67)× the length between mandibular end to lower orbit; malar striae sparse; frons adjacent to central keel smooth followed by semicircular striae and reticulations; upper frons above central keel and vertex weakly reticulate; gena reticulate, reticulations elongate, short costae present on postero-ventral margin, 3.18 (3.14–3.20) × as long as wide; anterior margin of gena in contact with 0.68 (0.64–0.69)× length of ventral margin of eye; length of A1 subequal to that of clava; length of A2 0.42 (0.41–0.46)× that of A1.

Mesosoma ( Figures 4 (a,c,e) and 39(b)). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum 0.42 (0.38–- 0.42)× and 0.15 (0.13–0.15)× as long as wide, respectively; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum finely imbricate, scutes on latter wider than long; metascutellum not visible; propodeum smooth dorsally, as long as mesoscutellum medially; pilosity sparse, setae short; antero-lateral margin of mesoscutellum with a fovea; lateral pronotal area dorsally imbricate, remainder smooth except for a furrow antero-medially and sparse weak oblique carinae ventrally; postero-dorsal margin of lateral pronotal area with two short, weak projections; ventral margin of lateral pronotal area extending as a blunt projection; transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron extend up to the level of dorsal metapleuron; mesopleuron ventrally with a weak coriaceous reticulate patch, followed by semicircular carinae, remainder smooth; mesopleuron extending as a short, narrow, projection ventrally; mesopleural pit elongate; metapleuron smooth; posterior suture of metapleuron almost straight, curving towards mesopleuron dorsally; dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture ventral to level of antero-lateral margin of T 2; anteroventral metapleuron extended as a blunt projection; sculpturing of propodeum anterior to spiracle smooth followed by transverse carinae and furrows, region posterior to spiracle smooth; region ventral to spiracle with a crescent shaped carina; remainder of lateral propodeum smooth with sparse transverse carinae antero-ventrally; opening of propodeal spiracle small and round.

Metasoma ( Figure 4 (a,c,e)). Metasoma 0.81 (0.78–0.83) × as long as wide; pilosity sparse and setae short; T 2 predominantly imbricate; remaining tergites smooth.

Material examined. Holotype: Female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2987 ), INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Chidambaram, Annamalai University , 11 ° 23 ʹ 30 ʹ ’ N 79 ° 42 ʹ 48 ʹ ’E, 7 m, YPT, 02.VII.2016 ; Paratypes: 9 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2988 – P2996 ), same as holotype; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2997 ), same as P2994, 10 . V .2013; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P2998 – P2999 ), Goa: Old Goa, Ela, CCARI, 15 ° 29 ʹ 52 ʹ ’ N 73 ° 55 ʹ 00 ʹ ’E, 15 m, YPT, 18 .VII .2015; 3 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3000 – P3002 ), Goa: Carambolim, KVK, CCARI, 15 ° 29 ʹ 53 ʹ ’ N 73 ° 55 ʹ 25 ʹ ’E, 15 m, YPT, 14–15 . VII .2015; 17 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3003 – P3019 ), Andaman Islands: South Andaman , Garacharma, CIARI, 11 ° 61 ʹ 29 ʹ ’N 92 ° 71 ʹ 54 ʹ ’E, 63 m, YPT, 22 .II .2012; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3020 ), same as P3003, 26 .I .2013; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3021 ), Andaman Islands: Little Andaman, Harminder Bay , 10 ° 59 ʹ N 92 ° 54 ʹ E, 7 m SN, 29 .I .2013; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3022 ), Karnataka: Chikkaballapur, Nandi Hills , 13 ° 37 ʹ 02 ʹ ’N 77 ° 68 ʹ 34 ʹ ’E, 1448 m, SN, 18 .IX .2010; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3023 – P3024 ), Tamil Nadu: Kodaikanal, Shenbaganur , 10 ° 14 ʹ 01 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 30 ʹ 47 ʹ ’E, 1865 m, YPT, 02 .IV .2014; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3025 ), Tamil Nadu: Dindugul , Thandikudi, RCRS, 10 ° 18 ʹ 34 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 38 ʹ 34 ʹ ’E, 1305 m, YPT, 25 . VI .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3026 ), Tamil Nadu: Periyakulam , 8 ° 59 ʹ 13 ʹ ’N 76 ° 82 ʹ 67 ʹ ’E, 53 m, YPT, 16 .VIII .2013; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3027–3028 ), Tamil Nadu: Dharmapuri, Hosur, Uddanapalli , 12 ° 37 ʹ 28 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 55 ʹ 29 ʹ ’E, 758 m, YPT, 12 .XI .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3029 ), same as P3027, 02 .XII .2014; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3030 ), Tamil Nadu: Yercaud, HRS, 11 ° 47 ʹ 44 ʹ ’ N 78 ° 12 ʹ 42 ʹ ’E, 1399 m, YPT, 03 .VIII .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3031 ), Tamil Nadu: Vellore, Yelagiri , 12 ° 34 ʹ 43 ʹ ’ N 78 ° 39 ʹ 46 ʹ ’E, 969 m, YPT, 13–15 . VI .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3032 ), Puducherry: Auroville , 12 ° 00 ʹ 19 ʹ ’ N 79 ° 48 ʹ 46 ʹ ’E, 60 m, YPT, 15 . V .2011; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3033 ), Tripura: Agartala , Tripura University ( TU), 23 ° 76 ʹ 28 ʹ ’ N 91 ° 26 ʹ 33 ʹ ’E, 17 m, YPT, 03 .III .2016; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3034 ), Himachal Pradesh: Dalhousie , 32 ° 32 ʹ 19 ʹ ’ N 75 ° 58 ʹ 15 ʹ ’E, 2021 m, SN, 25 . IX .2014; 4 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3035 – P3038 ), Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram; Vellayani , 8 ° 43 ʹ 50 ʹ ’N 76 ° 99 ʹ 14 ʹ ’E, 11 m, YPT, 20 .XI .2015; 3 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3039 – P3040 , P3042 ), Kerala: Kasargod, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute ( CPCRI), 12 ° 31 ʹ 29 ʹ ’ N 74 ° 57 ʹ 52 ʹ ’E, 6 m, YPT, 20 .II .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3041 ), Tamil Nadu: Udagamandalam, Wellington , 11 ° 21 ʹ 36 ʹ ’ N 76 ° 48 ʹ 42 ʹ ’E, 1997 m, SN, 16 .II .2016; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3043 – P3044 ), Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram; Vellayani , 8 ° 43 ʹ 50 ʹ ’N 76 ° 99 ʹ 14 ʹ ’E, 11 m, YPT, 22 .XI .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3045 ), South Andaman: Sippighat , 11 ° 36 ʹ 17 ʹ ’ N 92 ° 41 ʹ 12 ʹ ’E, 8 m, YPT, 31 .I .2013; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3046 ), Himachal Pradesh: Palampur , 32 ° 06 ʹ 39 ʹ ’E, 76 ° 32 ʹ 10 ʹ ’N, 1269 m, YPT, 13 .VIII .2017; 2 females ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3047 , P3048 ), Tamil Nadu: Dharmapuri, Kelamangalam, Jakkeri , 12 ° 42 ʹ 17 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 48 ʹ 37 ʹ ’E, 899 m, YPT, 3–16 .III .2015; 1 female ( ICAR / NBAIR / P3049 ), Karnataka: Bengaluru, Hessaraghatta , 13 ° 08 ʹ 01 ʹ ’ N 77 ° 29 ʹ 27 ʹ ’E, 859 m, YPT, 07 .IX .2016.

Etymology. This species is named ‘arachnophagus’ as these wasps parasitise spider eggs. The name is treated as an adjective.

Diagnosis. Baeus arachnophagus sp. n. is closer to B. krumbiegeli sp. n., B. reticulatus sp. n., B. mareecha sp. n., and B. primitus , where all of them are sparsely setose and setae short. B. arachnophagus sp. n. differs from B. krumbiegeli sp. n. in having dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture ventral to the level of antero-lateral margin of T2, gena and posterior margins of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sculptured; whereas in B. krumbiegeli sp. n. dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture is dorsal to the level of antero-lateral margin of T2, and gena including the postero-medial margin of mesoscutum and posterior margin of mesoscutellum is smooth; B. arachnophagus sp. n. differs from B. reticulatus sp. n. and B. primitus in having a wider gena, dorsal propodeum smooth and as long as mesoscutellum, transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron extending up to the level of dorsal metapleuron; whereas in B. reticulatus sp. n. and B. primitus gena is narrow, propodeum shorter than mesoscutellum and weakly striate, transverse carinae on dorsal mesopleuron extend below the level of dorsal metapleuron; B. arachnophagus sp. n. differs from B. mareecha sp. n. in having dorsal level of posterior metapleural suture ventral to the level of antero-lateral margin of T2, while it is level with antero-lateral margin of T 2 in the latter; region ventral to propodeal spiracle with a crescent shaped carina in B. arachnophagus sp. n. whereas in B. mareecha sp. n. there is a semicircular carina in addition to the crescent shaped carina.

Figures

Figure 4. Baeus arachnophagus sp. n. (a) Habitus (colour); (b) Frons; (c) Habitus; (d) Antenna; (e) Habitus (lateral view).