Apanteles hades, Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernandez-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann, 2025

Apanteles hades sp. nov.

Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ( distribution), Fig. 39 (holotype / paratype View Figure 39 )

Type material.

Holotype. Australia • ♀; NSW, Pearl Beach, Cormellin Biological Field Station ; - 33.5511, 151.298; Dec. 2009; A. D. Austin leg.; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 244-18 ; AM: K. 647421 GoogleMaps . Paratypes. Australia • ♂; NSW, Barren Grounds, NR 21 m NE off Barren Ground Rd. ; - 34.6697, 150.712; 1–6 Feb. 2020; K. M. Bayless & J. G. Lumbers leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 1166-24 ; ANIC: 32-085543 GoogleMaps . • ♂; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 1168-24 ; ANIC: 32-085544 GoogleMaps . • ♀; NSW, Budderoo NP, Carrington Falls, off Boundary Tk. ; - 34.6276, 150.655; 3–10 Feb. 2020; K. M. Bayless, J. G. Lumbers & D. K. Yeates leg.; 6 m Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 1171-24 ; ANIC: 32-085545 GoogleMaps . • ♀; NSW, Pearl Beach, Cormellin Biological Field Station ; - 33.5511, 151.298; Nov. 2009; A. D. Austin leg.; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 241-18 ; AM: K. 647422 GoogleMaps . • ♀; as previous except: Dec. 2009; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 245-18 ; AM: K. 647423 GoogleMaps . • ♀; as previous except: BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 304-18 ; AM: K. 647424 GoogleMaps . • ♀; QLD, Cainbable Quarry, OF ; - 28.145, 153.113; 06–22 Jan. 2009; G. Monteith leg.; Malaise trap; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 070-18 ; QM: T 208347 GoogleMaps . • ♀; QLD, Cliento Conservation Reserve Nambour ; - 26.6146, 152.953; 02 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL 412-21 ; QM: T 261231 GoogleMaps .

Diagnostic description.

Size: Total body length: 2.5 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F 2 L / W ratio: 2.3; F 14 L / W ratio: 1.1. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc mostly smooth, or with very shallow scattered indentations; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; 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: 1.6. Metasoma: T 1 shape mostly parallel, T 1 medial length / anterior width between 1–2 × longer than wide; T 1 mostly rugose; T 2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length / metatibia length ratio: 1.1.

Apanteles hades is part of a trio of species (with A. alatomicans and A. magicus ) that are difficult to diagnose morphologically from each other; for the identification of these species, we recommend DNA barcoding and the placement of the unknown sequence in the context of a phylogeny that includes validated sequences. However, A. hades can be separated from the other described species of Apanteles known from Australia that have a dark metacoxa and metafemur, pterostigma without a pale centre, ovipositor sheaths approximately the same length as the metatibia, and antennae of similar length to the length of the body, by having the metatibia with a very pale (almost white) discrete band in the proximal 1 / 3 and otherwise dark and with infuscation on fore wing which is restricted to area around veins r and 1 CUb.

Etymology.

The species epithet references Hades, the god of the Underworld in ancient Greek mythology, and was inspired by the morphological similarity of this species (amongst others) to A. persephone Nixon; Persephone was Queen of the Underworld and Hades’ spouse. The epithet should be treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution.

Apanteles hades is known from along the east coast of Australia.

Molecular information.

Sequences of Apanteles hades are currently in two BINs: BOLD: ADL 5325 and BOLD: ADL 3408. The sequences in different BINs are up to 4.5 % divergent, which is irregularly high for intraspecific divergence in microgastrines. However, the wg sequences of individuals in the two BINs are identical to each other, and at least 3 bp different to other species. COI ASAP and wg PTP delimitation analyses resolved A. hades as a discrete species, COI PTP split the species into two (following the BINs / 2 % divergence grouping), whilst wg ASAP grouped the species with A. alatomicans . Apanteles hades is therefore not a well resolved species, however we have taken the balanced approach to split it from A. alatomicans but retain individuals from both BINs listed above in a single species because of the identical nuclear gene, despite the large divergence in COI. More data, including host information or further genetics, may resolve this species more clearly.