Brachymeria costalimai Delvare

Delvare, Gérard, Heimpel Hannes Baur, George E., Chadee, Dave D., Martinez, Raymond & Knutie, Sarah A., 2017, Description of Brachymeria philornisae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), a parasitoid of the bird parasite Philornis trinitensis (Diptera: Muscidae) in Tobago, with a review of the sibling species, Zootaxa 4242 (1) : -

Brachymeria costalimai Delvare nom. nov.

( Fig. 7 A −G)

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Trigonura annulipes Costa Lima, 1919: 57 −58. Original description ♀. BRAZIL: Maranhão. Preoccupied by B. annulipes (Walker, 1834) .

Brachymeria annulipes ; Bouček, 1992: 88; Aquino et al., 2015: 294, 297 [lectotype designation]. Brachymeria subconica Bouček : Delvare, 1993: 351, 353, 361[misidentification]. Brachymeria subrugosa Blanchard : Aquino et al., 2015: 294 −299 [misidentification].

Material examined. COLOMBIA. Santander, San Alberto, Indupalma plantation, ex Peleopoda arcanella [ Lepidoptera : Peleopodidae ] on Elaeis guineensis , 13.iii.1986, Genty P. leg. (7 ♀ 7 ♂) [Ref. Cirad 8087] (in CIRAD) ; same sampling information but without Cirad ref. (3 ♀ 1 ♂) (in CIRAD); same locality, associate plant and collector, ex Stenoma cecropia [ Lepidoptera : Elachistidae Stenomatinae ], 23.v.1989 [Ref. Cirad 9583] (in CIRAD) ; same locality, associate plant and collector, ex Anteotricha sp. [ Elachistidae : Stenomatinae], 31.iii.1986 (2 ♂) (in CIRAD) ; same locality and associated plant, ex Casinaria sp. [Hymenopera: Ichneumonidae ], 08.ii.1977, Desmier de Chénon R. leg. (1 ♀) (in CIRAD) ; same locality, on Solanum torvum , 03.x.1984, Genty P. (1 ♀) (in CIRAD) ; same locality, on Urena sinuata , 23.vii.1987, Delvare G. leg. (1 ♀) (in CIRAD) . ECUADOR. Pichilingue (3 ♀) [1 ♀ with identification label ' Pseudobrachymeria conica Ashm. ' in Steffan's handwriting] . PERU. Palmawasi , ex Peleopoda arcanella on Elaeis guineensis , 03.ix.1995, Chigne A. leg (4 ♀ 2 ♂) (Ref. Cirad 14536 and 14537) (in CIRAD) .

Diagnosis. Mandibles largely brown in apical half ( Fig. 7 B). At least upper half of epicnemium, and most often also medioventral projection of prepectus, orange ( Fig. 7 E, F). Metepisternum from entirely black to broadly orange ( Fig. 7 G). Black ring on mesotibia complete. Head about as broad as mesosoma. Gena, lower face and supracoxal stripe of metepimeron moderately setose ( Fig. 7 A, 7B). Clypeus with 3 large points on either side in a dorsal row ( Fig. 7 B). Adtorular carinae well expanded, appearing as a swelling ( Fig. 7 B). Antennal scrobes shorter than eye height (0.85−0.91×), their upper edge reaching lower margin of median ocellus but somewhat below upper ocular line. Ocellar ocular distance much shorter than median ocellus diameter (as in Fig. 5 A). Clava tapering with small area of micropilosity ( Fig. 7 C). Mesosoma 1.25−1.4× as long as broad. Basal fold of fore wing with 7–13 setae (median 9). Metasoma 1.9−2.3× as long as broad. Apex of hypopygium emarginate mesally (as in Fig. 5 J).

Recognition. This species is easily separated from B. subconica and Brachymeria 'Brassolis' by the smaller number of setae on the basal fold. It is distinguished from B. subrugosa by its shorter antennal scrobes and lighter epicnemium, the upper half of which is orange. It differs from B. philornisae by its moderately dense setation on the gena, lower face and supracoxal stripe of metepimeron, by the different ornamentation of the clypeus, and by the habitus of the adtorular carina.

The ratios from the LDA extractor (Tab. 4) are also useful. The ratios of head breath: frontovertex breath and scutellum breath: median ocellus diameter readily separate it from B. subrugosa and B. philornisae (Fig. 4).

Hosts. The type series of T. annulipes was originally reared from Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders (Gelechiidae) on cotton. From the material examined, the species mostly develops upon small Lepidoptera belonging to the families Elachistidae , Peleopodidae or Yponomeutidae , but may also be hyperparasitoid of Ichneumonidae hence the hosts quoted by Delvare (1993) for B. subconica actually refer to B. costalimai . In addition, most of the hosts quoted by Aquino et al (2015: 297−298) for B. subrugosa probably also refer to B. costalimai , especially those belonging to Tortricidae and the above families.

Distribution. It is certainly wide and includes at least Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. According to Aquino et al (2015) [under B. subrugosa ] the distribution also includes the United States (Texas), Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica and Venezuela.

Comments. A new name is proposed for the original species name of Costa Lima because it is preoccupied by B. annulipes (Walker, 1834) , synonymised with B. annulata (Fabricius) by Bouček & Delvare (1992).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Brachymeria philornisae Delvare sp. nov. ♀. (A − I paratype TRMO # 1, 10 paratype TRMO # 10). A, head in dorsal view. B, mesosoma in dorsal view. C, sculpture of mesonotum. D, mesosoma in lateral view. E, propodeum in posterolateral view. F, hind leg. G, sculpture of metafemur. H, hind telotarsus. I, metasoma in dorsal view. J, apex of metasoma in lateral view. Abbreviation: fsa, falcate seta.

FIGURE 7. Brachymeria costalimai Delvare nom. nov. ♀. A, head in lateral view. B, lower face in anterolateral view. C, clava in lateral view. D, meso- and metapleuron in lateral view. E, mesepisternum in ventral view. F, mesepisternum in posteroventral view. G, metepisternum in ventral view. Abbreviations: atrc, adtorular carina; epcm, epicnemium; fcx 3, metacoxa foramen; mtst, metepisternum; mvpt, medioventral projection of prepectus; scxs supracoxal stripe; stsw subtorular swelling.