Sculptolobus Yang, van Achterberg & Chen, 2008

Samartsev, Konstantin & van Achterberg, Cornelis, 2021, Afrotropical species of the genus Sculptolobus Yang, van Achterberg & Chen (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 84, pp. 301-325 : 301

Genus Sculptolobus Yang, van Achterberg & Chen, 2008

Sculptolobus van Achterberg, 2006: Chen and Yang 2006: 143 (unavailable: Yu et al. 2016).

Sculptolobus Yang, van Achterberg & Chen, 2008: 95 (type species: Sculptolobus sulcifer Yang, van Achterberg & Chen, 2008); Samartsev et al. 2017: 786.

Remarks.

By a curious incident, the genus Sculptolobus was established two years after its first species had been described. The species S. bannaensis Yang & Chen, S. tobiasi Yang & Chen, and S. tongmuensis Chen & Yang have been described in the monograph on Chinese Braconinae ( Chen and Yang 2006), but the genus itself was described there without an explicit indication of its novelty and with reference to an article by C. van Achterberg, which has not been published ( Yu et al. 2016). Thus, Sculptolobus Chen & Yang, 2006 is an unavailable name according to the article 16.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature ( ICZN 1999). The valid description of the genus has been published later by Yang et al. (2008).

Diagnosis.

In the key to the Old World genera of Braconinae ( Quicke 1987), Sculptolobus runs to the couplets 56-74. Further diagnostics of the genus using this key is not possible, because the characters which are variable in species of Sculptolobus are used as diagnostic there (e.g., the relative length of the fore wing veins 2-SR+M and 3-SR, degree of development of the medio-longitudinal carina on propodeum and anterolateral areas on T3-T5). The set of 19 genera included in the couplets 56-74 currently is not complete as nine later described Old World genera (excluding Sculptolobus ) are suitable for this part of the key. These genera are: Acrocerilia van Achterberg, 1989, Ancilibracon Quicke, 1989, Crinibracon Quicke, 1988, Esengoides Quicke, 1989, Gelasinibracon Quicke, 1989, Scutibracon Quicke & Walker, 1989, Simplicibracon Quicke, 1988, Stephanobracon Ranjith & Quicke, 2016, and Uncobracon Papp, 1996. Preparation of a new version of the key to the genera related to Sculptolobus requires a larger-scale revision of many genera and is far beyond the scope of the current article. The diagnostic characters of the genus Sculptolobus are as follows:

Scape with dorsal side longer than ventral side (correctly figured but mistakenly reversed in the original description). Face with weakly differentiated triangular area above clypeus and more or less developed medio-longitudinal elevation (Figs 2M , 5E , 8D ), sometimes very prominent and incorporating clypeus (Fig. 1B ). Clypeus flattened, with ventral rim (almost) not protruding and with no or weak dorsal carina. Malar suture weakly (Figs 7B , 8B, D ) or deeply (Figs 2M , 3D ) impressed; malar space not impressed. Notauli deep and often sculptured anteriorly, shallow posteriorly (Figs 2T , 3L ). Precoxal sulcus shallowly and widely impressed (Figs 3I , 4K ). Fore wing vein 1-SR+M straight, vein 1-SR very short. Angle between veins C+SC+R and 1-SR about 70-85°. Base of hind wing membrane evenly setose (Fig. 1G ). Fore tibia with thick setae only near its apex (Fig. 8K ). Hind tibia without subapical row of thick setae (Fig. 3O ). Tarsal claws with protruding basal lobes (Figs 2S , 3O ). Metasoma with six coarsely sclerotised tergites. Median area of T2 parallel-sided, incomplete, and laterally delineated by deep furrows. Anterolateral areas of T2 (Fig. 2U : ala) round, convex, separated by crenulate margin and/or furrows, with distal margins bordered by posteriorly converging sublateral carinae (Fig. 2U : slc). Spiracle of T2 located on dorsum of tergite, often far from its lateral margin (Fig. 3I, J : s). Median area of T3 absent. T3-T5 with small anterolateral areas around spiracles separated by crenulate furrows (Fig. 3J : ala). Apical margins of T3-T6 thick, laterally straight (only margin of T3 acutely protruding). Ovipositor sheath 0.5-2.0 × as long as hind tibia; apex of ovipositor with developed dorsal nodus and ventral serration (Figs 2P , 3F , 5L ). Head, mesosoma, coxae and most of metasoma granulate or coriaceous.

Figures

Figure 1. Sculptolobus biareolatus (Granger, 1949) (holotype, female, MNHN) A habitus, lateral view B head, lateral view C head, dorsal view D apex of ovipositor E head, ventrolateral view F head, anterior view G fore wing H metanotum, dorsal view I mesosoma, dorsal view J metasoma, dorsal view K mesosoma, lateral view L T 1 - T 2, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, G); 0.5 mm (I-L); 0.25 mm (B-F, H).

Figure 2. Sculptolobus bipustulatus (Szepligeti, 1913), comb. nov. (A-I holotype, female, HNHM J-Q, S-U female, RMNH R female ZISP V male, RMNH) A, J habitus, lateral view B, R T 1, dorsal view C tarsal claw D, L head, lateral view E, O mesosoma, lateral view F head, dorsal view G, Q propodeum, dorsal view H, T mesosoma, dorsal view I, U metasoma, dorsal view K fore wing M head, ventrolateral view N head, anterior view P apex of ovipositor S hind tarsus, anterior view V habitus, dorsal view. ala anterolateral area dc dorsal carina dlc dorsolateral carina slc sublateral carina. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, J, K, V); 0.5 mm (B, E, H, I, O, T, U); 0.25 mm (C, D, F, G, L-N, P-S).

Figure 3. Sculptolobus leleji sp. nov. (A-F, I-O holotype, female, RMNH G, H paratype, female, RMNH) A, G habitus, lateral view B head, lateral view C head, dorsal view D head, ventrolateral view E head, anterior view F apex of ovipositor H fore wing I mesosoma, lateral view J metasoma, dorsolateral view K metasoma, dorsal view L mesosoma, dorsal view M T 1, dorsolateral view N metanotum, dorsal view O hind tarsus. ala anterolateral area dli dorsolateral impression s spiracle. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, G, H); 0.5 mm (I-L); 0.25 mm (B-F, M-O).

Figure 4. Sculptolobus lembaensis (Cameron, 1912), comb. nov. (lectotype, female, RMCA) A habitus, lateral view B labels C apex of ovipositor D head, dorsal view E head, lateral view F mesosoma, dorsal view G head, anterior view H head, ventrolateral view I metasoma, dorsolateral view J fore wing K mesosoma, lateral view L propodeum, dorsolateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, J); 0.5 mm (E, K, I); 0.25 mm (C, D, F-H, L).

Figure 5. Sculptolobus lembaensis harteni ssp. nov. (A-E, G-L holotype, female, RMNH F paratype, female, RMNH M, N paratype, male, RMNH) A, M habitus, lateral view B head, dorsal view C head, lateral view D head, anterior view E head, ventrolateral view F fore wing G propodeum, dorsolateral view H T 1, dorsal view I mesosoma, lateral view J metasoma, dorsolateral view K mesosoma, dorsal view L apex of ovipositor N propodeum and T 1 - T 3, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, F, M); 0.5 mm (I-K, N); 0.25 mm (B-E, G, H, L-N).

Figure 7. Sculptolobus somnialis (Szepligeti, 1913), comb. nov. (A-C, E, G, H female, RMNH D, I male, RMNH F female, ZISP) and S. suavis (Szepligeti, 1918), comb. nov. (J-R lectotype, female, MNB) A, L head, anterior view B head, ventrolateral view C head, lateral view D, G metasoma, dorsolateral view E, N head and mesosoma, lateral view F, H, R metasoma, dorsal view I, J habitus, lateral view K head, dorsal view M labels O T 1, dorsal view P fore wing Q propodeum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (I, J); 0.5 mm (D-H, N, P, R); 0.25 mm (A-C, K, L, O, Q).

Figure 8. Sculptolobus subellipticus (Granger, 1949), comb. nov. (lectotype, female, MNHN) A habitus, lateral view B head, lateral view C head, anterior view D head, ventrolateral view E head, dorsal view F mesosoma, lateral view G fore wing H propodeum, dorsal view I mesosoma, dorsal view J metasoma, dorsal view K fore tibia M middle and hind legs N T 1, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A, G); 0.5 mm (F, M, I, J); 0.25 mm (B-E, H, K, L, N).