Seventeen new genera of microgastrine parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from tropical areas of the world
Author
Fernandez-Triana, Jose L
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0425-0309
Canadian National Collection of insects, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K 1 A 0 C 6, Canada
cnc.braconidae@gmail.com
Author
Boudreault, Caroline
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4511-2626
Canadian National Collection of insects, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K 1 A 0 C 6, Canada
text
Journal of Hymenoptera Research
2018
2018-06-25
64
25
140
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.64.25453
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.64.25453
1314-2607-64-25
A27707E3673148319A0BAAB6C2CD1412
FFB89E571131B424FFEA6468C760FFF4
1303466
Agupta Fernandez-Triana
gen. n.
Type species.
Agupta jeanphilippei
Fernandez-Triana & Boudreault, here designated.
Diagnostic description.
Head relatively elongate. Face, clypeus and labrum with coarse and dense punctures. Face projection between antennal base with median carina. Malar line relatively long. Mouth parts elongate, including bilobate glossa (as in Figs
1B
,
2B
,
3B
,
8B
). First few flagellomeres with placodes irregularly distributed (so that at times three rows could be distinguished but other times rows are not clearly defined). Anteromesoscutum relatively long (longer than maximum width). Scutoscutellar sulcus relatively wide and deep, with strong crenulae. Propodeum with strongly raised median carina which has strong lateral carinae radiating across its length (Figs
1E
,
2E
,
3E
,
4F
,
5E
,
6D
,
7E
). Fore wing with small, slit-shaped areolet. Fore wing vein (RS+M)b much longer than areolet width (Figs
1C
,
3C
,
4C
,
6C
,
7C
,
8C
). Metacoxa smooth and relatively long (reaching beyond posterior margin of T3). T1 relatively strongly narrowing from anterior margin to half of tergite, then parallel sided up to posterior margin (Figs
1E
,
2E
,
3D, E
,
4E, F
,
5E
,
6E
); T1 anterior half mostly smooth, strongly concave and with central sulcus; posterior half punctured and with a polished area on posterior margin. Hypopygium folded and with several pleats. Ovipositor sheaths setose and about same length as metatibia. Specimens of the genus are among the largest within
Microgastrinae
(body length and fore wing length almost always 5 mm or more, reaching up to 6.6 mm in the largest specimens).
Putative autapomorphies and potentially related genera.
From a morphological perspective, this genus seems to be related to
Choeras
(and several related groups
considered
to be part of
Choeras
; e.g., see comments on
Austin and Dangerfield 1992
and also Discussion below). From those "
Choeras
s.l." taxa,
Agupta
is unusual because a number of features. The antenna in males (and sometimes in females) has the first few flagellomeres with placodes irregularly distributed in three rows, or no row can be clearly defined. The mouth parts are elongate, including a bilobated glossa. The propodeum has a strongly raised median carina that has small radiating carinae across its length. The shape of T1 is also distinctive (Figs
1C-E
,
2E
,
3C-E
,
4E-F
,
5C-E
,
6C, E
,
7E
). The large size of most specimens in
Agupta
is second only to
Larissimus
, which is the largest known
Microgastrinae
genus (
Nixon 1965
).
Figure 1.
Agupta danyi
female holotype.
A
Habitus
B
Head frontal
C
Fore wing
D
Metasoma dorsal
E
Head and mesosoma, dorsal
F
Ovipositor and ovipositor sheaths.
Biology.
Host unknown.
Distribution.
The known species are found in the Australasian and Oriental regions.
Molecular data.
Three of the species described below have DNA barcodes available, corresponding to BINs BOLD:ADE1110 and BOLD:ADE1550. There are at least 25 additional BINs that cluster as a group and likely represent additional species of
Agupta
; however, they are not described in this paper. Overall, the
Agupta
BINs are clearly separated from dozens of other "
Choeras
s.l." sequences in BOLD.
Etymology.
The genus name refers to and honors the Indian braconid expert Ankita Gupta in recognition of her significant contributions to the knowledge of
Microgastrinae
and other parasitoid wasp groups of India. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Ankita over the past few years and we hope she continues to shine as one of the best Indian taxonomists. The gender of the genus is neuter.
Species.
We describe below four new species for the genus. However, as the molecular data suggests, there are probably dozens of additional species awaiting description. The four new species can be separate using the following key.