Aleiodes atuin, Quicke & Butcher, 2012

Butcher, Buntika Areekul, Smith, M. Alex, Sharkey, Mike J. & Quicke, Donald L. J., 2012, A turbo-taxonomic study of Thai Aleiodes (Aleiodes) and Aleiodes (Arcaleiodes) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) based largely on COI barcoded specimens, with rapid descriptions of 179 new species, Zootaxa 3457, pp. 1-232 : 46-47

Aleiodes atuin sp. nov.

( Fig. 22 )

Holotype, ♀, Thailand, Sakon Nakhon, Phu Phan NP, dry evergreen forest near house at 1567 station, 29.xii.2006, 16° 48.627’ N, 103° 53.511’ E, 512m, S. Kongnara (voucher BCLDQ00720, Genbank JQ388424 ) ( QSBG).

Paratype ♀, Thailand, Sakon Nakhon, Phu Phan NP, dry evergreen forest near house at 1567 station, 8.xii.2002, 16° 48.628’ N, 103° 53.591’ E, 522m, S. Kongnara (voucher BCLDQ00734, Genbank JQ388412 ) ( QSBG) .

Body length 5.6 mm, fore wing length 4.4 mm and antenna length 7.8 mm.

Antenna with 51–54 flagellomeres (paratype and holotype respectively). Terminal flagellomere strongly acuminate. Median flagellomeres 1.8 x longer laterally than wide. Occipital carina complete, dorsally curved. Mesopleuron largely aciculate, precoxal sulcus weakly impressed with fine longitudinal striation, speculum present. Propodeum with rather dense silvery setosity submedially, without midlongitudinal carina. Fore wing vein 2-CU1 1.5 x 1-CU1. Apex of fore wing subbasal cell with distinct glabrous zone posteriorly. Fore wing vein 3-SR 1.75 x vein r. Fore wing vein 2-SR+M 0.85 x vein r. Fore wing vein SR1 2.15 x vein 3-SR. Hind wing vein M+CU 1.25 x 1-M. Hind wing subbasal cell evenly setose. Hind wing vein m-cu short, weakly pigmented, not tubular, interstial. Apex of hind tibia with comb of specialised adpressed setae medially and ventrally between spurs. Claws with pecten composed of line of approximately 10–15 adpressed teeth giving appearance of a silvery lamella. Basal lobes of 1 st tergite weakly produced, rather straight sided anteriorly, convex posteriorly. Midlongitudinal carina of 3 rd tergite weakly differentiated on anterior 0.5 of tergum.

Etymology. Named after the Great A’tuin, the fictional giant turtle that carries the world on its back in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

Notes. The variation in the number of flagellomeres is unusual, however, the holotype (with 54 flagellomeres) is the slightly larger individual; their DNA sequences are identical and otherwise they appear mrphologically identical. The possibility that the two specimens represent different species cannot, however, be excluded.

Figures

FIGURE 22. A. atuin sp. nov. A, habitus; B, face; C, head and anterior mesosoma, dorsal view; D, fore wing; E, metasoma; F, metanotum and propodeum, dorsal view.