Blacus (Hysterobolus) flaviceps, Lu & Achterberg & Tang & Chen, 2023

Lu, Qian-Yu, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2023, The discovery of the subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae, Blacini, Blacus) in China, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5293 (3), pp. 472-498 : 476-477

Blacus (Hysterobolus) flaviceps sp. nov.

( Figs. 3-4 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Yunnan, Baoshan, Gaoligongshan Nature Park (24º50′N, 98º46′E), 10.V.2009, Wang Manman, No. 200904546 ( ZJUH).

Description. Female. Length of body 2.6 mm, length of fore wing 2.6 mm.

Body setosity. Body with long pubescence, entire head with long setae, pubescence on mesonotum sparser than on remainder of mesosoma.

Head. Antennomeres 20; length of first flagellomere 1.7 × second flagellomere; length of first, second, penultimate and terminal flagellomere 4.4, 2.9, 1.75 and 3.3 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp subequal to height of head; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 11:4:3; frons smooth, with a shallow longitudinal groove in upper half; stemmaticum smooth; eyes with short sparse setae; length of eye in dorsal view 0.8 × temple; occiput concave; face transversely rugose; temple smooth; clypeus convex, slightly punctate; width of clypeus 2.5 × its medial height; tentorial pits large, distance between pits twice distance from pit to eye; malar suture absent, length of malar space 2.8 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely reticulate; precoxal sulcus wide, with some long striae, reaching anterior edge of mesopleuron; notauli complete, wide and crenulate; mesoscutal lobes rather convex, densely pubescence; scutellar sulcus with median carina; scutellum reticulate, its lateral carina lamelliform; propodeal tubercles small, obtuse apically, lateral apical angle about 90°; surface of propodeum rugulose.

Wings. Fore wing: parastigma small; length of pterostigma 3.75 × its maximum width; length of vein r 1.0 × width of pterostigma; vein r arising almost from middle of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 6:7. Hind wing: 1r-m:1-M = 1:2; M+CU slightly short than 1-M; 2-1A present and short, branched down.

Legs. Hind coxa coarsely rugose dorsally, with distinct dorsal carina; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.8, 11.4 and 10.0 × their width, respectively; fore tarsal claws missing.

Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.8 × its apical width, widened apically, longitudinally rugose, dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.5; second tergite smooth; length of ovipositor sheath 0.17 × length of fore wing.

Colour. Dark reddish-brown; head (dorsal and anterior), scape, palpi, tegulae, hind leg (except tibia) and ovipositor yellow; antenna yellow, gradually darkened towards apex; stemmaticum, pterostigma (basally paler), parastigma, veins, ovipositor sheath brown; edges of mesoscutum yellow, remainder of mesoscutum and scutellum reddish-brown, reddish-brown area on middle lobes remain separated from each other; dorsal side of pronotum yellow, remainder of pronotum, mesopleuron, propodeum and metasomal first tergite reddish-brown; second metasomal tergite and sternum yellow, remainder of metasomal tergites blackish; fore and middle legs light yellow; all basitarsi dark brown; wing membrane slightly infuscate.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the yellow head and is derived from “ flavus ” (Latin for yellow) and “ caput ” (Latin for head).

Notes. The new species differs from other species by having a yellow head, 20 antennomeres, length of basitarsus of hind leg 10.0 × its width, and length of vein r of fore wing almost equal to width of pterostigma.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Hysterobolus flaviceps sp. nov. (body, lateral aspect). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Hysterobolus flaviceps sp. nov. A. head, anterior aspect; B. head, dorsal aspect; C. basal part of antenna; D. apical part of antenna; E. mesopleuron; F. mesosoma, dorsal aspect; G. propodeum, dorsal aspect; H. first metasomal tergite, dorsal aspect; I. hind leg; J. wings; K. ovipositor and ovipositor sheath.