Doryctobracon simulatus Marinho, 2024

Doryctobracon simulatus Marinho sp. nov.

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( Figs 17–22 View FIGURES 5–22 , 23 View FIGURE 23 )

Diagnosis. Doryctobracon simulatus sp. nov. is similar to D. fluminensis (Lima) . However, D. simulatus sp. nov. is distinguished by the complete absence of black spots on the body, except at the apex of the mandibles ( Figs 17–22 View FIGURES 5–22 , 23 View FIGURE 23 ), whereas in D. fluminensis black areas are present on the head [antenna, apex of the mandibles, and vertex (ocellar triangle)] and mesosoma (median and lateral lobes of the mesoscutum, anterior region of the mesopleuron, mesosternum, and hind leg, except the apical half of the femur) ( Figs 5–10 View FIGURES 5–22 , 24–30 View FIGURES 24–33 ). Doryctobracon simulatus sp. nov. also differs from D. maculatus in the large number of black spots present on D. maculatus ( Figs 11, 17 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Doryctobracon simulatus sp. nov. can be further distinguished from D. fluminensis and D. maculatus by the propodeum, which, although areolate, has a sinuous longitudinal carina in the center of areola, continuing from the anterior mid-longitudinal carina, which may be more or less strongly impressed ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 5–22 ). In comparison, the center of the areola is smooth in D. fluminensis ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 5–22 ), while in D. maculatus within the areola are two very weak longitudinal carinae that bend posteriorly ( Figs 15 View FIGURES 5–22 , 34d View FIGURE 34 ) and another transverse carina at the base ( Figs 15 View FIGURES 5–22 , 34e View FIGURE 34 ). Doryctobracon simulatus sp. nov. is also distinguished from D. fluminensis and D. maculatus by the dorsal surface of the petiole (T1) of D. simulatus , which has small punctures of various sizes on the inner margins of the dorsal carina, located subapically in a very shallow groove ( Fig 23c View FIGURE 23 ). Wharton (1997) described the petiole of Doryctobracon as smooth, and in all other Doryctobracon species, this characteristic was not mentioned; therefore, this character is described herein for the first time in D. simulatus sp. nov. and may be useful in the characterization of other Doryctobracon species.

Type material. Holotype: male ( ESALQENT001773 ), Brazil, Minas Gerais, Jaíba, 20-I-2000, reared in larva/ pupa of Anastrepha pickeli Lima in cassava Manihot esculenta Crantz , coll. Clarice D. Alvarenga . Paratype, 1 male ( ESALQENT001774 ), same data as holotype. Both deposited in the collection of the Entomological Museum “Luiz de Queiroz”, Department of Entomology and Acarology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture ( MELQ / ESALQ) .

Male. Body length 5.4 mm.

Head. 1.3–1.4× wider than high; 1.3× wider than width of mesoscutum; face polished and shiny, with smooth, slightly developed median crest that originates between toruli and slightly exceeds mid-length of clypeus; antenna longer than body, 5.8–6.4 mm long, excluding scape and pedicel; with 43 to 45 flagellomeres, first and second flagellomeres of equal length and width. Eyes large, 1.25× higher than wide ( Fig 18 View FIGURES 5–22 ); in lateral view, eye 1.66× longer than temple length; malar space 0.5× eye height. Malar space approximately equal to basal width of mandible (0.2 mm). Clypeus 2.5–3.0× wider than high, slightly sinuous on ventral margin, with setae two to three times longer than setae on face.

Mesosoma. 1.26–1.28× longer than high; 1.9–2.0× longer than wide; 1.5× higher than wide. Pronotum not visible dorsally; mesoscutum polished, shiny, with few bristles; notaulices smooth, complete, deep anteriorly, slightly shallower posteriorly, converging into large impression without midpoint ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 5–22 ); scutellar groove divided into two large pits by median longitudinal carina; scutellum smooth with small punctures; mesopleuron shiny, smooth, with slight longitudinal impression ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Propodeum with short anterior mid-longitudinal carina (0.1 mm long) with long setae, followed by posterior areola, this carina having inconspicuous striae laterally ( Fig. 23a View FIGURE 23 ). Pentagonal propodeal areola imperfectly closed by anterior transverse carinae and median longitudinal carina of areola, which appear to be separate but are closed by narrow carina ( Fig. 23b View FIGURE 23 ). Sinuate carina present in center of areola and similar to continuation of anterior median longitudinal carina, which may be quite distinct ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Anterior transverse carina of areola disappears toward lateral longitudinal carina ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Median longitudinal carina of areola and lateral longitudinal carina are united by posterior transverse carina, forming two posterolateral loops ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 5–22 ) that may have a very noticeable carina or protuberance in center of each loop ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 5–22 ).

Metasoma. 2.0–2.4× longer than wide and 1.3–1.5× wider than high; T 1 length 1.0–1.1× greater than width at apex; apex T 1 about 1.5× wide at base; T 1 with two parallel dorsal carinae, just above spiracles, well developed at base but indistinct posteriorly; T 1 smooth and polished, but with small punctures of varying size that follow inner margins of carinae from posterior half, sitting in very shallow groove ( Fig. 23c View FIGURE 23 ); spiracles at midpoint of T 1. Remaining terga completely smooth, polished and shiny ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 5–22 ).

Wings. Fore wing 4.3–4.9 mm long; stigma 3.0–3.3× longer than wide, ( RS +M)a 1.5–2.0× longer than 3RSa; 2RS 1.2–1.63× longer than 3RSa, 1.6× longer than 1m-cu and 2.5× longer than r-m; 1m-cu directly in line with 2RS; 3RSa 1.9–3.0× longer than r vein; 2M 1.7–2.3× longer than 3RSa; 1cu-a straight line separated from 1M by 0.1 mm. Hind wing 3.4–3.5 mm long, m-cu distinctly pigmented. Fore and hind wings darkened (infumate), stigma and veins brown ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 5–22 ).

General coloration. Reddish orange, head and mesosoma darker, lower half of head and metasoma slightly lighter ( Figs 17, 18 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Scape and pedicel dark brown ( Figs 17, 18 View FIGURES 5–22 ); flagellomeres brown at base and lighter toward apex ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 5–22 ); apex of mandible black; vertex, mesoscutum and tegula same reddish orange color as body ( Figs 17–20 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Foreleg completely orange, median leg with orange reddish coxa and trochanter, and other parts orange, hind leg same color as body, completely reddish orange except for orange anterior half of tibia ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 5–22 ). Metasoma lighter, sometimes with light brown transverse bands ( Fig. 23d View FIGURE 23 ); T 7 with circular brown dorsal spot ( Figs 22 View FIGURES 5–22 , 23e View FIGURE 23 ).

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. From Latin, simulatus (adjective), meaning false, copy, referring to the morphological similarity with D. fluminensis .

Fruit fly and associated plant. The two specimens were reared from larvae of Anastrepha pickeli Lima in fruits of Manihot esculenta Crantz ( Euphorbiaceae ) ( Alvarenga et al. 2009).

Comments. The majority of the specimens identified as D. fluminensis have the tritrophic association Manihot / Anastrepha / Doryctobracon (see Marinho & Zucchi 2023). With the description of D. simulatus sp. nov., 14 species of Doryctobracon , eight of which occur in Brazil, are known to parasitize fruit-infesting tephritids.