Snellenius gerardoherrerai 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 : 149

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae

Snellenius gerardoherrerai Fernandez-Triana & Whitfield sp. n. Figures 89-95

Holotype.

♀ in USNM. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Santa Rosa, Bosque San Emilio, 300m, 10.84389, -85.61384. ACG database code: DHJPAR0013326.

Paratypes.

6♀ (BMNH, CNC). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0012579, DHJPAR0012580, DHJPAR0012583, DHJPAR0012584, DHJPAR0012608, DHJPAR0013330.

Diagnosis.

The combination of T1 length at least 3.0 × its width at posterior margin, body mostly dark reddish-brown to brown, metatibia dark brown on posterior 0.8, and metatibial spurs yellow-white separates this species from all other ACG Snellenius , except for Snellenius warrenwagneri . It is distinguishable from the latter species by having scape yellow-orange, tegula and humeral complex dark brown, and relatively shorter flagellomeres (flagellomere 2 2.4-2.5 × as long as wide, flagellomere 14 2.0-2.3 × as long as wide).

Description.

Female. Scape color: Yellow-orange. Mesosoma color: Dark reddish-brown. Metasoma color: Dark reddish-brown. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow-brown, dark brown. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, dark reddish-brown. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, anterior 0.2 yellow-white and posterior 0.8 dark brown. Metatibia spurs color: Yellow-white. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown to black. Tegula and humeral complex color: Half pale, half dark. Wings: Hyaline. Pterostigma color: Brown with pale spot at base. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 2.9-3.2 mm (X = 3.0 mm). Fore wing length: 2.5-2.8 (X = 2.6 mm). Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.8-2.0 x. Interocellar distance/posterior ocellus diameter: 1.7-1.9 x. Ocular-ocellar line/posterior ocellus diameter/interocellar distance: 0.16/0.15/0.08-0.09 mm. Antennal flagellomere 2 length/width: 2.3-2.5 × (0.23-0.25/0.10 mm). Antennal flagellomere 14 length/width: 1.9-2.0 × (0.17-0.18/0.09 mm). Length of flagellomere 2/length of flagellomere 14: 1.3-1.4 x. Antenna in males: Strongly flattened. 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 elevated and less sculptured. Number of carinae in scutoscutellar sulcus: One centrally, with other 2-4 smaller and partially defined carinae. Metafemur length/width: 32.-3.3 × (0.75 –0.80/0.23– 0.25 mm). Metatibia length: 0.96-0.99 mm. First segment of metatarsus length: 0.35-0.36 mm. Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 3.0-3.1 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: (0.43 –0.45/0.22–0.24/0.22/0.14– 0.15 mm). Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Fully sculptured.

Male. As female but with T2-T3 mostly yellow.

Distribution.

Costa Rica, ACG.

Host.

Unknown.

Molecular data.

Three haplotypes, seven sequences (seven barcode-compliant) in BOLD.

Etymology.

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