DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in AustraliaAuthorSlater-Baker, Mollie-Rosae0000-0003-0627-3117School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorFagan-Jeffries, Erinn P.0000-0002-3322-6255School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia & South Australian Museum, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorOestmann, Katherine J.https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3775-7127School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorPortmann, Olivia G.https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4099-3155School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorBament, Tiahni M.https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7749-5535School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorHowe, Andy G.0000-0002-7460-5227Forest Research Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, AustraliaAuthorGuzik, Michelle T.0000-0002-4947-9353School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorBradford, Tessa M.0000-0003-0607-1398School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia & South Australian Museum, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorMcClelland, Alana R.0000-0002-1373-1051School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, AustraliaAuthorWoodward, AliceMurraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, Murray Bridge, AustraliaAuthorClarke, SylviaMurraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, Murray Bridge, AustraliaAuthorDucker, NathanWestern Australian Gould League, Wembley, AustraliaAuthorFernández-Triana, José0000-0003-0425-0309Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, CanadatextZooKeys20252025-02-1112271128journal article10.3897/zookeys.1227.130467627B3463-87D6-4CA6-AAE1-B6F3CB412D75Apanteles ramsaris
Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann
sp. nov.Fig. 5 B
(
distribution), Fig. 55 (
holotype
)
Type material.Holotype
.
Australia
•
♀
;
SA
,
Banrock
site B;
- 34.1708
,
140.319
;
12–14 Dec. 2019
;
R. Glatz
leg.;
Malaise trap
;
BOLDProcess ID
:
AUMIC 651-23
;
SAMA
: 32-47762.
Diagnostic description.Size
: Total body length:
2.1 mm
; fore wing length:
2.6 mm
.
Head
: antennae slightly shorter than body length; anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour;
F 2L / W
ratio: 2.6;
F 14L / W
ratio: 1.0.
Mesosoma
: scutoscutellar sulcus with nine pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly smooth posteriorly, mostly rugose anteriorly; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): all dark; metafemur colour mostly dark.
Wings
: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length / 2 RS vein length ratio: 1.2.
Metasoma
:
T 1
shape almost barrel shaped, very curved on lateral margins;
T 1
medial length / anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; mostly rugose distal 1 / 2, mostly smooth basal 1 / 2;
T 2
mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length / metatibia length ratio: 1.2.
Apanteles ramsaris
can be separated from most other described species of
Apanteles
in
Australia
that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur and the pterostigma without a pale centre, the ovipositor sheath length> 0.6 × metatibia length by the pterostigma having a small pale spot proximally, the metatibia displaying a gradient of colouration from pale to dark, the colours merging in the centre,
T 1
with strong sculpture over at least most of posterior 1 / 2 of tergite, mesoscutellar disc with at most scattered punctures along margins, and fore wing vein 1 M much less pigmented (often transparent / pale) compared to pigmentation of vein 1 CUa. Compared to
A. brockhedgesi
,
A. ramsaris
has the scutoscutellar sulcus comparatively wider and with comparatively larger pits. The species can currently be best separated from
A. insulanus
by DNA barcoding, and placement of the unknown sequence in the context of a phylogeny with the
holotype
barcodes of both species (which are> 7 % divergent).
Apanteles ramsaris
(holotype
AUMIC 651-23
).
A
lateral habitus
B
dorsal head
C
anterior head
D
dorsal propodeum and
T 1
–3
E
fore and hind wing
F
dorsal habitus.
Etymology.The species epithet is an adjective formed from the term ‘ Ramsar’ relating to the Ramsar accredited wetlands at Banrock Station, the collection locality.Distribution.Apanteles ramsaris
is currently only known from the
type
locality in the Riverland region of
SA
.
Molecular information.
The
holotype
of
Apanteles ramsaris
is the only sequence in BIN
BOLD: AFE 7524
. The
COI
sequences are at least 7 % divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on
BOLD
. The
wg
sequence of the
holotype
is at least 2 bp different to any other species. Most delimitation methods resolved
A. ramsaris
as a discrete species, except for
wgASAP
and
PTP
, which grouped the species with
A. insulanus
.