Research Article |
Corresponding author: Zubair Ahmad ( dzubair@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Jose Fernandez-Triana
© 2019 Zubair Ahmad, Hamed A. Ghramh, Anjum Ansari.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Ahmad Z, Ghramh HA, Ansari A (2019) Two new species of braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from India. ZooKeys 889: 23-35. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.889.36436
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Two new species viz., Pambolus (Phaenodus) shujai sp. nov., and Parachremylus trachysi sp. nov., of braconid wasps are described as new to science. Parachremylus trachysi sp. nov., is reared from larvae of the leaf miner Trachys sp. (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) on Corchorus sp. (Wild Jute Plant). A new species of Pambolus Haliday along with two known species is also recorded. A key to the Indian species of Pambolus is also provided. Diagnoses with morphological characters and illustrations are provided.
Braconidae, coleopteran leafminer host, Corchorus, Pambolus, Parachremylus, taxonomy, Trachys
Braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) represent an important insect group of natural parasitoids which have an efficient role in biological control programs (
In the present work, two new braconid species, one each from the genus Pambolus Haliday and the genus Parachremylus Foerster are described as new to science. Taxonomically the genus Pambolus was included either in the subfamily Hormiinae Foerster, 1862 s. l. (
The systematic position of the genus Parachremylus Granger is disputed, either included in the subfamily Exothecinae (tribe Avgini Belokobylskij, 1993) or more traditionally in the subfamily Hormiinae (
The specimens were collected from northern Uttar Pradesh in order to study the biodiversity and conservation of parasitoid wasps in the northern region of India. The subfamily keys of
1 | Female length 3–4.2 mm; notauli distinct throughout, deep, crenulated; antennae about 1.5–1.7 × as long a body; propodeal spines as long as second and third tarsomere of hind tarsus; face and vertex sculptured usually rugose to rugulose | 2 |
– | Female length at most up to 2.8 mm; notauli indistinct anteriorly, rather prominent posteriorly; antennae about 2.0 × as long as body; propodeal spines short, half as long as third tarsomere of hind tarsus; face polished, vertex smooth to finely granulate | 3 |
2 | Eyes about 2.0 × as long as temple in dorsal view, latter rounded; hind femur 4.6–5.0 × as long as broad medially; antennae with 27–30 segments. T1 as long as broad apically; vertex, and occiput rather transversely rugulo-rugose | P. (Ph.) topali Papp |
– | Eyes 2.7–3.0 × as long as temple in dorsal view, latter receded; hind femur 3.5–3.8 × as long as broad medially; antennae with 33–40 segments. T1 1.1–1.3 × as long as broad apically; vertex and, occiput coriaceous to rugulose | P. (Ph.) ruficeps Belokobylskij |
3 | Antennae yellowish brown; malar space 2.0–2.5 × basal width of mandible; pterostigma 4.0–5.0 × as long as wide; propodeal spines located anterior to middle of propodeum; antennae 26 segmented | P. (Ph.) ignarus Papp |
– | Antennae with F17–F29 creamish-white; malar space 3.5 × basal width of mandible; pterostigma 3.0 × as long as wide; propodeal spines located in the middle of the propodeum; antennae 29 segmented | P. (Ph.) shujai Ahmad, sp. nov. |
Pambolus (Phaenodus) ignarus
Papp, 1996: 46;
2 females, “INDIA: Uttar Pradesh, Aurriya, 23.IX.03; coll. M Shamim (
Pambolus (Ph.) ignarus is known among all the Oriental species by its smaller size and almost absence of notauli, which is hardly impressed on the anterior part of mesoscutum and without any crenulation. A brief diagnosis is as follows: body length 1.8 mm long; forewing length 1.9 mm; ground color of head brownish yellow; meso- and metasoma rusty brown; antennae unicolor (yellowish brown); head in dorsal view less transverse 1.7 × as broad as long; eye 4.0 × as long as temple; antenna nearly 2.0 × as long as body and with 25 segments; F1 5.0 × as long as broad apically; face polished; notauli hardly distinct on disc of mesonotum; mesonotum finely granulose; propodeal spines short, as long as half of third tarsomere of hind tarsus; forewing vein r arising beyond middle of pterostigma; ovipositor sheath as long as hind basitarsus.
Unknown.
Holotype, female, “INDIA: Uttar Pradesh, Etawah, 13.IV.02; coll. M Shamim (
The new species Pambolus shujai Ahmad sp. nov., is closely related to Pambolus ignarus Papp. However, it differs from P. ignarus in having (1) antennae with F17–F29 creamish-white (antennae yellowish brown in P. ignarus); (2) POL: ØOD: OOL = 2:1.5:6 (POL: ØOD: OOL = 2: 2: 5 in P. ignarus); (3) antennae as long as body (antennae 2.0 × as long as body length in P. ignarus); (4) propodeal spines present at the middle of propodeum, length of spine 0.4 × as long as fore basitarsus, 0.3 × the distance between them (pair of lateral spines present at one-third below the middle of propodeum; length of spines as long as fore basitarsus, 0.5 × the distance between them length in P. ignarus); (5) hind basitarsus 1.2 × as long as tarsal segment 2–4 combined (hind basitarsus 0.7 × as long as tarsal segment 2–4 combined in P. ignarus); (6) forewings distinctly shorter than the body (forewings distinctly longer than the body P. ignarus). (7) pterostigma 3.0 × as long as wide (pterostigma 5 × as long as wide P. ignarus). The new species also differs from other Indian species, P. ruficeps Belokobylskij, by having (1) vertex finely granulates around ocelli, smooth elsewhere (rugulose in P. ruficeps); (2) forewing veins r, 2RS, 3RSa thickened (forewing veins r, 2RS, 3RSa normal in P. ruficeps); (3) antennae as long as body (antennae 1.5–1.7 × as long as body length in P. ruficeps); (4) face smooth (face reticulate rugulose in P. ruficeps).
Female, body length: 2.8 mm; forewing: 2.3 mm.
Head. Antennae 29 segmented, almost as long as body; scape 1.6 × as long as wide, F1 3.5–4.0 × as long as wide, head transverse, ca. 2.0 × as wide as long in dorsal view, temple smooth, distinctly widening ventrally, widest distance from eyes 2.0 × as long as eye dorsally; AOL: POL: ØOD: OOL =1:2:1.5:6; malar space 3.5 × basal width of mandible; face sparsely setose, smooth, 1.3 × as wide as long; clypeus smooth, distinctly separated from face, slightly convex, 3.5 × as wide as long; hypoclypeal depression elliptical almost 3.0 × as wide as long medially; frons strigose with few setae; vertex finely granulate around ocelli, rest smooth.
Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.8 × as long as wide in dorsal view, 2.0 × as long as high in lateral view; pronotum small and sparsely setose; median and lateral lobes of mesoscutum granulate, sparsely setose; notauli poorly developed anteriorly, distinct posteriorly with some longitudinal carinae; scutellar sulcus deep and broad with four crenulae, 0.6–0.7 × as long as scutellum, scutellum polished with fine setae laterally and posteriorly, side of scutellum concave with longitudinal striations, metanotum almost at the same level, longitudinally striated, sparsely setose; propodeum with strong areolation, areola elongate, with a pair of spines, present at the middle of propodeum; propodeal spine 0.4 × as long as fore basitarsus and 0.3 × the distance between them; propleuron anteriorly granulate, posteriorly rugose, sparsely setose; mesopleuron anteriorly rugose, otherwise smooth and polished; episternal scrobe deep and isolated, crenulate at the margins.
Wings. Forewing 2.7 × as long as wide, 0.8–0.9 × as long as body, 2.7 × as long as hind tibia; pterostigma 3.0 × as long as wide, 0.8 × length of R1a, r arising from its middle; r about as long as width of pterostigma; second marginal cell of moderate size; 3RSa 0.9 × as long as r, 0.5 × 2RS, 0.25 × 3RSb; r-m 0.7 × 3RSa; CU1b arising from the middle of brachial cell; marginal cell somewhat short about 2.25 × as wide as high, 3RSb straight and falls much before the tip of wing; (RS+M)a slightly curved; hind wing 4.0 × as long as wide; M+CU 0.6 × 1M.
Legs. Hind leg setose, hind femur 4.0 × as long as broad, hind tarsus 0.9 × as long as hind tibia, hind basitarsus 1.2 × as long as tarsal segment 2–4 combined.
Metasoma. Metasoma as long as head and mesosoma combined in dorsal view, 2.0 × as long as wide; T1 longitudinally striated, strongly broadening posteriorly; 2 × as long as broad basally, spiracles present a little basally from middle; further tergites polished; ovipositor sheath in lateral view 1.1 × as long as tarsomere 2–4 combined; ovipositor short, straight and pointed.
Color. Head brownish yellow with dark brown patches; eyes, stemmaticum, propleuron, mesopleuron, propodeum black; mesonotum, metanotum, legs brownish; metasoma reddish brown; ovipositor sheath brownish; mandibles yellowish brown; tip of mandible, claws, antennal segment F1–F16 dark brown; F17–F29 creamish-white; ocelli transparent; wings hyaline, pterostigma yellowish brown, veins yellowish brown and thickened.
Unknown.
Unknown.
India (Uttar Pradesh).
The species is named after Dr Shujauddin for his valuable contributions to the taxonomy of Indian Braconidae.
Pambolus (Phaenodus) ruficeps
Belokobylskij, 1988: 27 (Taiwan);
2 females, “INDIA: Uttar Pradesh, Etawah, 13.IV.02; coll. M Shamim (
Pambolus (Ph.) ruficeps is quite unlike all Oriental species of the genus Pambolus due to the presence of a heavily sculptured head. A brief diagnosis of P. (Ph.) ruficeps follows: body length 3.0–4.2 mm long, forewing length 3.0 mm long; eye 2.7–3.0 × as long as temple in dorsal view, latter receded; antenna with 33–40 segmented, 1.5–1.7 × as long as body; vertex, occiput coriaceous to rugulose; face reticulate rugulose; notauli distinct and crenulated; vein r, 2RS, 3RSa normal; propodeal spine as long as second or third tarsomere of hind tarsus; hind femur 3.5–3.8 × as long as broad medially; F1 1.1–1.3 × as broad behind as long medially.
Unknown.
India: Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh; Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam (
Holotype, female, “INDIA: Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh, 10.VIII.2005; ex Trachys sp. on Corchorus sp., Coll. Zubair Ahmad (
Following the key to world species of Parachremylus by
Female, body length: 2.1 mm; forewing: 2.0 mm.
Head. Antennae 27 segmented, about as long as body length, F1– F2 3–3.3 × as long as apical width, except the apical segment which is 4.5 × as long as wide; head transverse, 1.5–1.7 × as wide as long in dorsal view and 1.2 × as high as long in lateral view; eyes in lateral view 1.2 × as high as wide, 4.0 × as long as temple, inner margin of eyes not parallel; temple granulate, sparsely setose, its widest part behind eye 0.25 × as long as width of eye; occipital carina dorsally slightly curved towards ocelli, rather widely interrupted medially; occiput with uniform transverse striations; AOL: POL: OOL: ØOD = 2:1:3:2; face polished, laterally shagreened, sparsely setose, 1.5 × as wide as long medially; clypeus 1.6 × as wide as long; vertex granulate, sparsely setose; malar space 0.4 × as long as eye and 1.2 × as long as basal width of mandible;
Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.5 × as long as wide in dorsal view , 1.6 × as long as high in lateral view; pronotum small, indistinct; median and lateral lobes of mesoscutum granulate, sparsely setose; notauli broad anteriorly, shallow posteriorly, shallow field of hind half of mesonotum with a medio-longitudinal carinae running up to middle of mesoscutum; scutellar sulcus deep and 3.5 × as wide as long with three crenulae; scutellum indistinctly granulate, rather densely setose; propodeal areola with a median longitudinal carina anteriorly, two transverse carina inside, lateral areola with longitudinal striations anteriorly and inside with transverse ruguae; propleuron smooth; mesopleuron smooth and polished except few striation at subalar depression.
Wings. Forewing 2.5 × as long as wide, as long as body; pterostigma 3.0 × as long as wide, issuing r from its middle; length of marginal cell along R1a about 1.2 × as long as pterostigma; 2RS and 3RSa 3.5 × as long r respectively; hind wing vein M+CU 0.8 × 1M; hind femur 3.4–3.6 × as long as broad medially; hind tibia 1.2 × as long as hind tarsus; hind basitarsus 0.6 × as long as tarsomere 2–4 combined.
Metasoma. Metasoma dorsally sub-sclerotized, 1.0 × as long as head and mesosoma combined, T1 evenly and distinctly broadening posteriorly, T2 2.1 × as broad as long, 1. 5 × as long as T3; T3 3.0 × as broad as long; T4 4.0 ×, as wide as long medially; basal pair of carinae of T1 meeting at its basal one-third and continuing a medio-longitudinal carinae up to apical end of T3; all tergites sub- sclerotized; ovipositor sheaths setose and blunt, in lateral view 1.2 × as long as hind basitarsus.
Color. Vertex yellow with brown marking, mandibles, scutellar sulcus, metanotum creamish; tip of mandible, mesoscutum, claws, dark brown; antennae brown; ocelli transparent; eyes, stemmaticum black; wings hyaline, pterostigma pale yellow, veins brown; scutellum, propodeum, legs yellow.
Same as ♀ except body size (2 mm).
Trachys sp. on Corchorus sp. (Wild Jute).
India (Uttar Pradesh).
The first two authors (Zubair Ahmad and Hamed A. Ghramh) extend their appreciation to the Research Center of Advanced Material, King Khalid University, Abha, KSA. The first author (ZA) extends his gratitude to the Research Center Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University for funding through research program (RCAMS)-009/19. We also thank the editor, associate editor, and anonymous reviewers for their valuable and helpful comments to improve the quality of the manuscript. Authors are also thankful to Phillip Raines (Academic Organizer, Native English Language Section, King Khalid University Abha, Saudi Arabia) for improving the use of English in the manuscript.