Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith

Sheeba, M., Ranjith, A. P. & Narendran, T. C., 2017, Review of Testudobracon Quicke (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with descriptions of four new species from south India, Zootaxa 4232 (3), pp. 331-346 : 339-341

Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith sp. nov.

( Figs 5–6 )

Material examined. Holotype, female, (♀) “ India: Kerala , Kozhikode, Panikkarkadavu, 29.xii.2015, coll. A.P. Ranjith ”. Paratype, 1(♀) with same data as holotype ( DZUC) .

Description. Holotype, female, length 2.80 mm, antennae 2.40 mm, fore wing 2.70 mm, ovipositor 1.40 mm.

Head. Antennae with 24 segments. Length of first flagellomere 1.20× as long as second flagellomere. First, second and penultimate flagellomeres 2.20, 1.90 and 1.60× as long as wide. Head 1.20, 1.80× as wide as long medially in anterior and dorsal view respectively. Frons granulate without distinct mid longitudinal groove ( Fig. 5 C). Vertex granulate, sparsely setose ( Fig. 5 C). OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL= 4.2: 1.8: 2.3. Oculo antennal groove indistinct. Length of eye 2.40× as long as temple in dorsal view. Lateral temples smooth and shiny, sparsely setose. Height of eye: width of face: width of head= 5: 6: 11.7. Face granulate, setose with a mid longitudinal ridge on anterior half ( Fig. 5 B). Height of clypeus: inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance= 1.6: 5.7: 3.3. Clypeus with distinct postero-dorsal carina ( Fig. 5 B). Length of malar space 1.40× basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma . Length of mesosoma 1.10× height. Pronotum sparsely setose with crenulated medial groove laterally. Mesoscutum smooth and shiny, setose, middle lobe without medial longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 5 D). Notaulus complete, crenulate, with a depressed area anteriorly ( Fig. 5 D). Scutellar sulcus wide sub medially, divided by seven carinae ( Fig. 5 D). Scutellum smooth, shiny, setose with a pit antero-medially. Mesopleuron striated medially with an oval deep pit medially ( Fig. 5 E). Precoxal sulcus distinct. Metapleuron smooth except posteriorly crenulate ( Fig. 5 E). Median area of metanotum crenulate with a short mid longitudinal carina. Propodeum with a complete mid longitudinal carina, smooth, sparsely setose.

Wings. Fore wing vein 1SR 0.42× as long as 1-M. ratio of length of fore wing veins r: 3-SR: SR1= 4.2: 8: 23 and 2-SR: 3SR: r-m= 7: 8: 4.3. Hind wing vein C+SC+R with single hamulus apically. Ratio of length of hind wing veins 1r-m: SC+R1= 3.12: 5.6.

Legs. Length of fore femur: tibia: tarsus= 7: 7.6: 7.5. Hind coxa smooth, setose. Length of hind femur: tibia: basitarsus= 9.8: 11.4: 4.9.

Metasoma. First metasomal tergite rugose, 0.60× as long as wide apically with a longitudinally impressed area anteriorly and posterior carinae. Second metasomal tergite coarsely rugose, 2.50× wider than long with posterolateral groove, setose ( Fig. 5 F). Third metasomal tergite coarsely rugose, setose ( Fig. 5 F). Second metasomal suture more or less straight medially ( Fig. 5 F). Fourth and fifth metasomal tergites faintly rugose, sparsely setose. Sixth metasomal tergite with more or less rounded postero-lateral lobes, medial emargination deep ( Fig. 6 A), 0.50× as long as tergite medially. Ovipositor as long as metasoma and 0.50× as long as fore wing.

Colour. Body dark yellow ( Fig. 5 A) except ocelli reddish ( Fig. 5 C), face ( Fig. 5 B), malar space ( Fig. 5 B), mandible except apically ( Fig. 5 B), fore legs, mid legs, hind trochanter, hind femur apically, hind tibiae basally, hind telotarsi, first metasomal tergite except medially ( Fig. 5 F), second metasomal tergite except mediao-basally ( Fig. 5 F), third metasomal tergite except postero-laterally ( Fig. 5 F), fourth and fifth metasomal tergites except laterally ( Fig. 6 A), sixth metasomal tergite ( Fig. 6 A) yellow, mesoscutum medially and laterally black ( Fig. 5 D), antennae ( Fig. 5 B), eyes ( Fig. 5 B), occiput medially ( Fig. 5 C), ocellar region ( Fig. 5 C), mandible apically ( Fig. 5 B), metanotum ( Fig. 5 F), propodeum ( Fig. 5 F), mid and hind coxae, hind femur, hind tibia medially, claws, first metasomal tergite medially ( Fig. 5 F), second metasomal tergite medio-basally ( Fig. 5 F), third metasomal tergite medially ( Fig. 5 F), third to sixth metasomal tergites laterally ( Fig. 6 A) reddish brown to dark brown, ovipositor sheath brown.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. India (Kerala) ( Fig. 9 ).

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. APR dedicates this species to Mr. Shameer, K.S., for his unconditional support and continuous encouragement.

Comments. Testudobracon shameeri sp. nov. is close to T. asphondyliae in having vertex granulate, median area of metanotum with short mid longitudinal carina. However, it differs from T. asphondyliae in the following characters: face granulate, 2.00× as wide as long (face punctulate, 1.50× as wide as long in T. asphondyliae ), frons without distinct mid longitudinal groove (with distinct mid longitudinal groove in T. asphondyliae ), head yellow to dark yellow (head brown in T. asphondyliae ), ocelli reddish (ocelli transparent in T. asphondyliae ), mid legs except coxae and claws yellow (mid legs brown in T. asphondyliae ), fore wing vein SR1 2.80× as long as 3-SR (fore wing vein SR1 3.20× as long as 3-SR in T. asphondyliae ), propodeum smooth (granulate in T. asphondyliae ).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith sp. nov., female, holotype; (A) Habitus, in lateral view; (B) Head, in anterior view; (C) Head, in dorsal view; (D) Mesosoma, in dorsal view; (E) Head (in part) & mesosoma, in lateral view; (F) Metasoma, in dorsal view.

FIGURE 6. Testudobracon shameeri Ranjith sp. nov., female, holotype; (A) Apical metasomal tergites, in dorsal view; (B) Wings.

FIGURE 9. Distribution map of Testudobracon athashi Ranjith sp. nov. (Black circles), T. malabaricus Sheeba sp. nov. (Red circles), T. shameeri Ranjith sp. nov. (Yellow circle) and T. travencorensis Sheeba sp. nov. (Brown circles).