A new micropterous species of the genus Spathius Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) from the North Eastern Himalayas, India Author Ranjith, A. P. Author Belokobylskij, Sergey A. Author Priyadarsanan, Dharma Rajan Author Aswaj, Punnath Author Nasser, M. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-04-08 4763 1 1 16 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.4763.1.1 9154aa94-fd90-41cd-ae54-288ccd433d67 1175-5326 3743973 F8EC8D95-5BFD-49B0-9E23-C8D21A7F8731 Key to brachypterous, micropterous and apterous species of the genus Spathius 1. Face almost entire with excessively fine, absolutely even, transverse aciculation; clypeal suture mostly absent. (Present as fullwinged as micropterous forms). ( Fig. 11 ) Body length 2.5–3.1 mm [ India ]................ Spathius critolaus Nixon, 1939 - Face without such fine aciculation, rugulose-striate or reticulate, sometimes almost smooth; clypeal suture present at least laterally................................................................................................ 2 2. Mesonotum distinctly concave (hollowed out) medially, this cavity mainly smooth and with fine median keel. (Malar space half length of longitudinal diameter of eye) ( Fig. 6 ). Body length 2.2 mm [ Australia ]............ Spathius turneri Nixon 1943 - Mesonotum not concave medially, mostly sculptured, granulate or coriaceous with rugosity.......................... 3 3. Dorsal body, metapleuron and legs with extremely long dark setae; setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia more than 3.0 × longer than its maximum width; body of female having a mottled white, dark brown and brown pattern. Body length 3.9 mm [Lord Howe Island]..................................................... Spathius lubomiri Austin et Jennings, 2009 - Dorsal body, metapleuron and legs with short or long pale setae, if setae long ( Spathius cursor , S. maderi , S. himalayicus sp. nov. ), then distinctly shorter than in S. lubomiri ; setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia less than 3.0 × longer than it maximum width; body of female predominantly monochromic or partly mixed pale or dark colour............................. 4 4. Mesoscutum without notauli and prescutellar depression (scutal sulcus); scutellum not delineated, indistinct; malar space distinctly longer than height of eye; promesosoma, meso-, and metapleuron entirely coarsely longitudinally striate. Body length 3.2–3.6 mm . ( Figs 7 , 8 ) [ Canary Islands ]...................................... Spathius canariensis Hedqvist, 1976 - Mesoscutum with rather distinctly delineated notauli, prescutellar depression (scutal sulcus) and scutellum; malar space not longer than height of eye; promesosoma, meso-, and metapleuron without longitudinally striate, granulate-rugulose and sometimes partly almost smooth.............................................................................. 5 5. Propodeum strongly convex, upper laying more or less upper level of scutellum, without protuberances and delineated basolateral areas. (scutellum distinctly convex; ovipositor sheath usually longer than metasoma; body covered by short, semi-erect setae). Body length 2.0– 3.3 mm . ( Fig. 10 ) [ U.K. , Denmark , Belgium , Netherlands , France , Spain (with Canary Is), Germany , Switzerland , Italy , Slovenia , Yugoslavia (former), Poland , Czechoslovakia (former), Hungary , Romania , Ukraine , Russia (European part), Georgia, Israel , New Zealand (accidental introduction)]............................................................................................. Spathius pedestris Wesmael, 1838 (= S. apterus Wollaston, 1858 ) - Propodeum weakly convex, laying far below scutellum level, with distinct protuberances and delineated basolateral areas (except S. apotanus )..................................................................................... 6 6. Scutellum in form of rounded hump or conical projection; propodeum without postero-lateral protuberances and delineated basolateral areas; metasoma behind petiole matt. Body length 2.0–4.0 mm. ( Fig. 4 ) [ South Africa ]............................................................................................. Spathius apotanus Wilkinson, 1931 - Scutellum normal, weakly evenly convex or almost flat; propodeum with more or less distinct postero-lateral protuberances and delineated basolateral areas; metasoma behind petiole smooth and shining........................................ 7 7. Vertex smooth; setae of upper surface of hind tibia rather short and semi-erect, their length 0.5–0.8 × maximum width of tibia; petiole of metasoma short, 1.4–1.7 × longer than apical width; ovipositor sheath 1.0–1.3 × as long as metasoma. Body length 1.9–2.6 mm . ( Fig. 9 ) [ Spain , Serbia , Albania , Russia (south of the European part)]..................................................................................... Spathius maderi Fahringer, 1930 (= S. hirtus Hedqvist, 1976 ) - Vertex sculptured; setae of upper surface of the hind tibia long and outstanding, almost erect, much longer than maximum width of tibia; petiole of metasoma long, 2.1–3.0 × longer than apical width; ovipositor sheath shorter than metasoma.......... 8 8. Face almost entirely smooth, with delicate transverse striae partly; scutellum almost flat; body yellowish-brown with dark metasoma; hind tibiae honey-brown, faintly paler at extreme base. Body length 2.5–2.7 mm . ( Fig. 5 ) [ South Africa ]................................................................................. Spathius cursor Wilkinson, 1931 - Face entirely coarsely transversely striate with rugulosity and/or granulation; scutellum distinctly convex; body brownish yellow or mainly dark reddish brown; hind tibia mainly pale brown to yellow, dark medially and at extreme base............ 9 9. Apical segments of female antennomeres dark, same colour as preceding segments; head, mesosoma and legs with sparse and shorter setae; precoxal sulcus running along anterior half of lower part of mesopleuron; areola of propodeum distinctly delineated, basolateral areas mainly smooth; second metasomal tergite entirely smooth. Body length 2.2–3.2 mm [ New Zealand ]............................................................... Spathius thorpei Belokobylskij et Austin, 2013 - Apical segments of female antennomeres light brown, much paler than preceding submedial segments; head, mesosoma and legs with more dense and distinctly longer setae; precoxal sulcus running along entire length of lower part of mesopleuron; areola of propodeum not delineated, basolateral areas entirely sculptured; second metasomal tergite finely striate basally. Body length 2.2–2.8 mm . ( Figs 2 , 3 ) [ India ]........................ Spathius himalayicus Ranjith et Belokobylskij , sp. nov.