Corresponding author: Neveen Samy Gadallah (
Academic editor: Cees van Achterberg
A key to the chelonine species (Braconidae) (both recorded and recently collected) from Egypt is given. It includes 16 species, of which five species are new to the Egyptian fauna and two (
Cheloninae is a moderately large subfamily within the important parasitoid family Braconidae. The subfamily comprises more than 1300 described species worldwide (
Chelonines are small to medium-sized wasps (1.8–6.0 mm long), with a rigid non-articulated metasomal carapace which is formed by the fusion of the first three metasomal tergites. This carapace is open ventrally and encloses the soft parts of the metasoma.
Wasps of the subfamily Cheloninae are known to be solitary egg-larval endoparasitoids of many lepidopterous families, and may be considered as potential bio-control agents (
In Egypt, very little attention has been paid to the taxonomy of this group of parasitoids despite their potential importance as biocontrol agents. The first work mentioning some chelonines from Egypt was that of
In the present paper, a key is presented for 16 chelonine species collected and recorded from different regions of Egypt in the period between 2008 and 2010. Five species are recorded for the first time in Egypt, and two are new species:
Regular surveys of chelonine wasps were undertaken from the beginning of 2008 to the end of 2010, covering various regions of Egypt. Sampling was done by means of net sweeping and light trapping.
Morphological terms and wing venation terminologies are based on
Global distribution and synonyms of the listed species are based mainly
The characters of the tribes, genera and subgenera (of genus
Ain Shams University collection
Cairo University collection
Ministry of Agriculture collection
Entomological Society of Egypt collection
1 | Metasoma without distinct transverse sutures ( |
2 |
– | Metasoma with two distinct sutures ( |
10 |
2 | Vein 1-SR+M of fore wing present ( |
3 |
– | Vein 1-SR+M of fore wing absent ( |
4 |
3 | Propodeum with four sharp medium-sized teeth posteriorly ( |
|
– | Propodeum with two small teeth posteriorly ( |
|
4 | Female antenna always with 16 flagellomeres, male with more than 16 flagellomeres; male carapace with apical aperture ( |
5 |
– | Antenna of both sexes with more than 16 flagellomeres; male carapace without apical aperture; carapace usually with two subbasal yellowish spots; length of body exceeding 4.4 mm. (Subgenus |
8 |
5 | Female carapace with yellowish basal band extending to half its length ( |
|
– | Carapace of both sexes entirely black or with yellowish, whitish or ivory subbasal band usually extended to about half (slightly longer or shorter) of its length; male apical aperture slit-like, transversely elongated, significantly exceeding half width of carapace (except for |
6 |
6 | Carapace entirely black, coarsely longitudinally rugose; male antenna with 23 flagellomeres | |
– | Carapace with whitish (or ivory) subbasal band of variable length, densely reticulate; male antenna with 25–26 flagellomeres (only for |
7 |
7 | Maximum length of female carapace about 2.1 times its maximum height; POL as long as (or very slightly longer than) OOL ( |
|
– | Maximum length of female carapace 2.4–2.7 times its maximum height; POL 0.6–0.7 times OOL ( |
|
8 | Vertex with weak transverse striae behind ocelli; maximum length of female carapace 2.3 times its maximum height ( |
|
– | Vertex with coarse transverse striae behind ocelli ( |
9 |
9 | Ovipositor thick ( |
|
– | Ovipositor slender ( |
|
10 | Maximum width of pterostigma 1.1–5.3 times length of vein 3-SR (in the Egyptian specimens 1.7–4.1 times); vein r of fore wing 1.0–2.1 times length of vein 3-SR ( |
11 |
– | Maximum width of pterostigma 0.5–1.1 times length of vein 3-SR ((in the Egyptian specimens 0.5–0.8 times); vein r of fore wing 0.1–0.5 times length of vein 3-SR ( |
12 |
11 | Vein r of fore wing about 2.1 times as long as 3-SR ( |
|
– | Vein r of fore wing as long as 3-SR ( |
|
12 | Metasomal T3 truncate posteriorly, with protruding corners posteriorly ( |
13 |
– | Metasomal T3 rounded posteriorly, without protruding corners posteriorly ( |
14 |
13 | Parastigma yellowish except basally; length of eye in dorsal view 1.9 times as long as temple ( |
|
– | Parastigma dark brown; length of eye in dorsal view 1.1 times as long as temple ( |
|
14 | Veins SR1 and 2-SR straight or nearly so ( |
|
– | Vein SR1 nearly straight and vein 2-SR obviously curved ( |
15 |
15 | Vein 2-SR slightly bent; vein r of fore wing 0.2–0.3 times as long as vein 3-SR ( |
|
– | Vein 2-SR distinctly bent; vein r of fore wing 0.1 times as long as vein 3-SR ( |
Egypt [without specific locality (
1♀, Arish (
New to Egypt,Europe (Central, Southeast and Western), Mongolia, New Zealand [introduced (
1♀, Alexandria (
Egypt [El-Menia, El-Sharqia (El-Zagazig and Menia El Qamh), Gharbia, Sheiben El Kom and Qena (
1♀, 1 ♂, El- Menia (
1♂, 1♀ Damanhour (
New to Egypt,Europe, Mongolia and Russia.
In Egypt previously recorded with no specific locality (
2♀♀, Ismailia (
The extreme basal part of the carapace has a black bilobed (kidney-shaped) marking, but in some specimens it may be semi-circular; the hind tibia has a whitish median band which in some cases is weakly developed.
Egypt [introduced (
2♀♀, 1 ♂, Sonnores (
The subbasal ivory band of the carapace is usually curved or rounded apically; in one specimen it is more or less V-shaped.
New to Egypt,Africa (North- and Southeast), Congo and Senegal.
1 ♀, Menia El Kamh (
The examined specimens have the carapace entirely black, but in a single specimen (from Samanoud), a peculiar crown-shaped basal orange reddish spot is present.
Egypt [Beni Suef, Minya and Sids (
1 ♀, Arish (
Egypt [Sinai-Wadi Isla, Khammissa (
Colour: Generally yellowish-brown, with the following parts dark brown to black: stemmaticum, mesoscutum (especially laterally), metanotum, sides of scutellum, propodeum posteriorly, third metasomal tergite (T3) (except laterally), pterostigma (except basal and apical 0.2), parastigma, apex and sub-basal part of middle tibia (except extreme apex which is paler), apical 0.3 and subbasal ring of hind tibia, apical half of hind basitarsus and telotarsus; apical eight antennal flagellomeres, tegula and humeral plate slightly pale brown; vein 1-M slightly paler than parastigma; apical third of fore wing infuscate; middle tibia whitish medially and basally.
Head: Slightly wider than maximum width of mesosoma; eyes slightly divergent below; preapical antennal flagellomeres cylindrical, slightly narrowed basally, apical flagellomere 1.1 times length of preapical one, scape slightly wider than first flagellomere; vertex and frons with fine transverse striae; face nearly smooth; inner tooth of mandible slightly shorter than outer tooth; length of eye in dorsal view nearly twice as long as temple; POL twice diameter of posterior ocellus; POL 0.6 times OOL; length of malar space 0.7 times basal width of mandible; longitudinal eye diameter as long as transverse diameter.
Mesosoma: Mesoscutum finely granulated; propodeum finely punctate. Fore wing with vein r as long as vein 3-SR; maximum width of pterostigma 1.7 times vein 3-SR; veins 2-SR and 1-SR straight; middle tibia without distinct blister; outer hind tibial spur 1.1 times the inner one and 0.3 times basitarsus, basitarsus about 0.9 times as long as following tarsomeres combined.
Metasoma: Ovoid, more or less parallel-sided, narrowed posteriorly; metasomal T1 and T2 with irregular fine longitudinal striae, T3 with dense reticulations, its maximum length slightly more than 1.3 times of that of T2; ovipositor not protruding beyond apex of metasoma.
This species is closely related to
This species is named in the honour of Dr. Adrian Pont (Oxford University Museum of Natural History, UK).
Holotype, ♀, Gabal Elba – El Shallal (
2♀♀, 1♂ Abu Rawash (
Egypt [without specific locality, (
Colour: Generally yellowish-brown with black stemmaticum; the following parts are dark-brown: shiny scape, seven apical antennal flagellomeres, lateral margin of mesoscutum, sides of scutellum, medio-posterior depression of scutellum, lateral sides of first metasomal tergite (T1), lateral side and a central rounded spot on T2, entire T3, apical half of middle tibia, apical 0.3 as well as subbasal ring of hind tibia, apical half of hind basitarsus and about the basal 0.7 of the other tarsomeres; tegula, humeral plate, pterostigma (except basal 0.3) and vein 1-M. Veins 1-R1 and 2-SR pale yellow; parastigma yellowish (but brown basally).
Head: Slightly wider than maximum width of mesosoma; eyes slightly divergent above and below; preapical antennal flagellomeres moderately moniliform, apical flagellomere 1.3 times length of preapical one, scape 3 times as wide as first flagellomere; vertex smooth and shiny medially, weakly rugose laterally; frons rugose but much coarser than vertex; face densely and finely punctate laterally, with fine transverse rugulae medially; inner tooth of mandible slightly less than half as long as outer tooth; length of eye in dorsal view about 1.9 times temple; POL 0.5 times diameter of posterior ocellus; POL 0.3 times OOL; length of malar space 0.8 times basal width of mandible; longitudinal eye diameter slightly longer than transverse diameter.
Mesosoma: Finely and densely punctate; mesoscutum coarsely striated laterally (near base of fore wing); metanotum smooth and shiny; propodeum with very fine longitudinal rugae that are curved towards its center and become transverse and much coarser postero-medially. Vein r of fore wing 0.5 times 3-SR; maximum width of pterostigma 0.6 times 3-SR; 2-SR and 1-SR are nearly straight; middle tibia with distinct blister; outer hind tibial spur 1.2 times as long as inner one, slightly longer than 0.3 times basitarsus; hind basitarsus about 0.6 times the following tarsomeres combined.
Metasoma: Ovoid, truncate posteriorly; T1 and T2 with irregular longitudinal reticulation, much denser and curved on complete T3; T3 with protruding corners latero-posteriorly and excavated posteriorly; maximum length of T3 slightly more than 1.1 times maximum length of T2; ovipositor greatly protruding beyond apex of metasoma; hypopygium modified, with a relatively small apical spine.
This species is related to
The species name
Holotype, ♀, Gabal Elba – Wadi Aeibed (
2♀♀, Alexandria (
Egypt (with no specific locality,
5♀♀, 1♂ Kerdasa (
The colour of the head varies from yellowish brown to nearly black; the terminal flagellomeres are usually blackish, but in few cases paler; the third metasomal tergite is usually brownish, but blackish in a few specimens, and the second tergite sometimes has brownish spots laterally.
In Egypt previously recorded from Alexandria, Dokki, Gara, Maadi, Sinai (
1♀, Balteem (
New to Egypt,Europe (Central, Southwest and West) and Russia (Central, East and Northwest.
Sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Ing. C. van Achterberg (Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Netherlands Center for Biodiversity Naturalis) for his valuable advice during the present study and for reviewing the manuscript. Also, many thanks to Dr. Dicky Yu (Canadian National Collection, Ottawa) for supplying us with missing literature.
Sincer gratitude also to Dr. Adrian Pont (Oxford University Museum of Natural History, UK) for kindly reviewing the manuscript linguistically.