Microctonus gouleti, 2013

Pucci, Thomas M., 2013, Contributions to the classification of North American Microctonus (Braconidae, Euphorinae), Zootaxa 3725 (1), pp. 1-150 : 16-17

M. gouleti Pucci new species

Figures 61–63

Etymology: In honor of Dr. Henri Goulet, an accomplished entomologist who has been especially helpful to the author with this project.

Females.—Color: Head orange but flagellum and near the ocelli brown to black; mesonotum black but occasionally orange anteriorly and/or scutellar disk orange to brown, orange below but often dark brown to black ventrally; legs orange but tarsi and hind tibia often brown; propodeum black but occasionally orange laterally; petiole black but for anterior end orange; remaining metasoma orange to black. Length excluding ovipositor: approximately 3.1–4.0. Head: Occipital carina absent medially; lateral eye/gena 1.3–1.6; transverse head/face 2.1– 2.3; flagellum length 2.5–3.0, number of flagellomeres 23–26; first flagellomere/second 1.2–1.3; face smooth but for setal insertions; clypeus suboval to subtriangular; length of last four maxillary palpomeres/fore femur length 0.67–0.77. Mesosoma: Subanterior pronotum carinate, pronotum smooth to rugulose elsewhere; number of setae along widest transverse line of anterior lobe approximately 16; notaulus foveate, joined at approximately posterior 1/3 of mesoscutum; longitudinal carina on the posterior mesoscutum present or absent; lateral mesonotal lobes glabrous but for a narrow fringe, exceptionally with setae present centrally; C+SC+R length 1.2–1.5; stigma length/R1 1.4–1.7; fore wing RS a shallow arch; sternaulus formed by fovea extending diagonally dorso-anteriorly to postero-ventrally then horizontally to propodeum; propodeum areolate-rugose, median groove moderate; outline of propodeum in lateral view usually convex, sometimes posterior end vertical; setae of hind femur less than half maximum femur width; hind tibia less than C+SC+R. Metasoma: Petiole with longitudinal striae curved medially as they extend posteriorly; subbasal petiole rounded dorso-laterally; petiole length/posterior width 2.6–3.2; terga 2 + 3 length 0.67–0.80; sheath length 0.90–1.0, sheath/C+SC+R 0.62–0.78.

Males differ from females by the following: length approximately 2.9; C+SC+R 1.1–1.2; transverse head/face 1.9; flagellum length 3.2, number of flagellomeres 28; petiole length/posterior width 2.3–2.7; the striae of the petiole is not as strongly curved.

Specimens examined: Holotype: female, Mexico, Chiapas, 7200’, S. Crist. las Casas, VI . 1.1969, Malaise trap ( CNC). Paratypes: Mexico: 1 male, Chiapas, Teopisca , route 190, H. V . Weems Jr., VIII . 20.1963, 6000–6500’ ( FSCA); 1 male, Chiapas, 7200’, S. Crist. las Casas , VI . 18.1969, Malaise trap ( CNC); 1 female, Chiapas, Mpio. San Cristobal, Reserva Huitepec, 7440’, VII.2–14.1997, 97/073, Wooley & Gonzales ( TAMU); 1 female, Chiapas, Munic : San Cristobal, San Felipe , 2200m, VII.1991, R Jones ( TAMU); 1 female, Durango, 9000’, El Salto , 10 mi. W, VI .11.1964, W.R. M. Mason ( CNC); 1 female, as above but VI . 19.1964 ( CNC); 1 female, as above but VI . 20.1964 ( CNC); 1 female, as above but VI . 22.1964 ( CNC); 1 female, Durango , 3 mi. E El Salto, 8400’, VI .21.1964, W.R. M. Mason ( CNC); 2 female, Guerrero, 6.4 mi. SW Filo de Caballo, VII.8.1987, 9000’, Wooley & Zolnerowich ( TAMU); 1 female, Guerrero, 6.6 mi. SW Filo de Caballo, VII.12.1985, J. Wooley & G. Zolnerowich ( TAMU); 1 male, Michoacan, 6 miles N. Cheran, VII.7–8.1985, J. Wooley, G. Zolnerowich, 85/034 ( TAMU); 1 male, as above but VII.8.1985, Wooley & Zolnerowich ( TAMU); 1 male, Nayarit, Ahuacatlan , VIII . 6.1965, HE & MA Evans ( MCZ); 1 male, Puebla, 4.7 mi. SW La Cumbre, 5100’, VII.23.1987, Wooley & Zolnerowich ( TAMU); 1 male, Sinaloa, 20 mi. E Condordia , 3000’, VIII .8.1964, W.R. M. Mason ( CNC); 1 female, Texpan [Tuxpan, Veracruz?], VIII .12.1954, 7500’, R. R . Dreisbach ( MSUC); 1 male, Orizaba [Veracruz], Crawford ( USNM). Guatemala: 1 male, Escuintla, VIII . 20.1975, N.L.H. Krauss ( USNM) .

Flight period: June through August.

Remarks: The orange dorso-posterior edge of the pronotum almost always distinctly contrasts with the black mesonotum.

There are four specimens from Smokemont, NC (NCSU) that correspond with the description above but the hind wing M/r-m is 0.47–0.58 as opposed to measures of 0.75–1.0 for M. gouleti . This character is rarely used by the present author because large ranges within a species have been observed. The Smokemont specimens are designated, “near M. gouleti ” because of the disjunct distribution.

Figures

FIGURE 61. M. gouleti, lateral view, holotype.

FIGURE 62. M. gouleti, anterior view of head, holotype.

FIGURE 63. M. gouleti, petiole and propodeum, holotype.