Snellenius robertoespinozai Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield

Fernandez-Triana, Jose L., Whitfield, James B., Smith, M. Alex, Kula, Robert R., Winnie Hallwachs, & Janzen, Daniel H., 2015, Revision of the genera Microplitis and Snellenius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) from Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica, with a key to all species previously described from Mesoamerica, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (2), pp. 137-201 : 157-158

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius robertoespinozai Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 183-188

Holotype.

♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Santa Rosa, Argelia, 5m, 10.78004, -85.66405. ACG database code: 94-SRNP-1817.

Diagnosis.

This species is characterized by T1 length 2.6 × its width at posterior margin, fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a light yellow (clearly much lighter than most of surrounding veins), body color reddish brown, ocellar area strongly raised (bounded by strong and coarse punctures), and smooth occiput delimited from coarsely sculptured vertex and gena by a keel resembling a carina. The only ACG Snellenius that might be confused with Snellenius robertoespinozai is Snellenius quiricojimenezi , but the latter has a relatively shorter and narrower T1, pterostigma brown with pale spot at base (pterostigma brown in Snellenius robertoespinozai ), and scutoscutellar sulcus with three to five carinae (scutoscutellar sulcus with one carina in Snellenius robertoespinozai ).

Description.

Male. Scape color: Light brown. Mesosoma color: Reddish brown. Metasoma color: Reddish brown. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, reddish yellow. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, light reddish yellow. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, reddish brown. Metatibia spurs color: White yellow. First segment of metatarsus color: Brown. Tegula and humeral complex color: Brown, brown. Wings: Hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Entirely or partially transparent or light yellow (clearly much lighter than most of surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.6 mm. Fore wing length: 3.4 mm. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.6 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.7 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.14/0.09/0.15 mm. Antenna in males: Strongly flattened (but posterior half of antenna missing). Epicnemial carina: Present. Anteromesoscutum: With strong, coarse sculpture, central area appearing elevated compared to lateral areas of anteromesoscutum, notauli wide and deeply excavated, with numerous crenulae. Scutellar disc sculpture: With deeper sculpture near margins, central part appearing slightly raised and less sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: One. Metafemur length/width: 3.7 × (1.00/0.27 mm). Metatibia length: 1.24 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.47 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 2.6 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.66/0.30/0.34/0.25 mm. Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Host.

Noctuidae : Melipotis cellaris . Solitary parasitoid.

Molecular data.

None.

Etymology.

This species is named in honour of Roberto Espinoza in recognition of his contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.