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
Author
Fernandez-Triana, Jose L.
Author
Whitfield, James B.
Author
Smith, M. Alex
Author
Kula, Robert R.
Author
Winnie Hallwachs,
Author
Janzen, Daniel H.
text
Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift
2015
62
2
137
201
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/dez.62.5276
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/dez.62.5276
1860-1324-2-137
A7FDC588B1504AEBA136346DA36907A9
Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Braconidae
Snellenius isidrochaconi
Fernandez-Triana
& Whitfield
sp. n.
Figures 103-109, 227
Holotype.
♂ in CNC. COSTA RICA: ACG, Guanacaste Province, Sector Pitilla, Amonias, 390m, 11.04249, -85.40339. ACG database code: DHJPAR0020741.
Paratypes.
2♂ (CNC, USNM). COSTA RICA, ACG, database codes: DHJPAR0049417, 08-SRNP-31574.
Other specimen examined.
1♀, DNA voucher code: CNCHYM 07055, Panama, Gamboa, Canal Zone, vii.1967, W&M Wirth.
Diagnosis.
The combination of body color (yellow orange), metatibia (mostly or entirely dark red brown) and wings (with dark brown infumation, veins and pterostigma mostly brown), as well as hosts (
Erebidae
,
Gonodonta
spp.) separates this species from all other ACG
Snellenius
except for
Snellenius phildevriesi
. No female specimens are known from
Snellenius isidrochaconi
but males are distinguishable from
Snellenius phildevriesi
by slight differences in size, interocellar area color, carination pattern in the propodeum, and the presence of a rather acute projection on the posterior margin of the metascutellum. Additionally, the two species have over 4 % of base pair differences in the barcoding region, and the caterpillars that they parasitize, although belonging to the same genus (
Gonodonta
), feed on host plants in different families.
Description.
Male. Scape color: Partially brown, partially yellow. Mesosoma color: Yellow orange. Metasoma color: Yellow orange. Coxae color (pro-, meso-, metacoxa): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Femora color (pro-, meso-, metafemur): Yellow, yellow, yellow. Tibiae color (pro-, meso-, metatibia): Yellow, yellow, anterior 0.8 reddish orange and posterior 0.2 dark brown to black. Metatibia spurs color: Brown. First segment of metatarsus color: Dark brown to black. Tegula and humeral complex color: Yellow, yellow. Wings: Infumated. Pterostigma color: Dark brown. Fore wing veins 1RS and (RS+M)a: Brown (same color as surrounding veins). Body length (head to apex of metasoma): 3.5-3.6 mm (3.6 mm). Fore wing length: 3.5 mm. Antenna in males: Flattened on central and apical segments. 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: 0.94-0.97 mm (X = 0.96 mm). Metatibia length: 1.24-1.30 mm (X = 1.27 mm). First segment of metatarsus length: 0.48-0.50 mm (0.49 mm). Mediotergite 1 length/width at posterior margin: 3.4-3.7 x. Mediotergite 1 length/width at anterior margin/maximum width/width at posterior margin: 0.55
-0.58/0.21-0.22/0.17-0.18/0.15-
0.17 mm). Mediotergite 1 sculpture: Partially sculptured.
Female. One female specimen, from Panama, is associated with the male specimens with some question due to the fact it is from a different country and there is no other known female associated with this species. Thus, it is excluded from the type series and was not used to characterize the species.
Figures 103-109.
Snellenius isidrochaconi
Fernandez-Triana
& Whitfield. 103 Habitus, lateral view 104 Fore wing 105 Metasoma, lateral view 106 Middle and hind legs 107 Head and mesosoma (partially), dorsal view 108 Metasoma, dorsal view 109 Propodeum, dorsal view.
Distribution.
Costa Rica (ACG) and Panama.
Host.
Erebidae
: three species of
Gonodonta
feeding on
Cissampelos
spp. (
Menispermaceae
). Solitary parasitoid (Fig. 227).
Molecular
data.
One haplotype, seven sequences (five barcode-compliant) in BOLD.
Etymology.
This species is named in honour of Isidro
Chacon
in recognition of his contribution to understanding the plant biology of ACG.
Comments.
Only males were available to describe this species (but see comment on a female above), and they were almost indistinguishable from males of the morphologically similar
Snellenius phildevriesi
. Thus, the description provided above only includes those characters that differ from males of
Snellenius phildevriesi
.