Laibalea enigmatica, 2020

LAIBALEA ENIGMATICA QUICKE & BUTCHER SP. NOV.

( FIGS 4–6)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:23206719-96D4-45BD-A36D-2D9E7BB9E88B

Diagnosis: See genus diagnosis.

Etymology: From Latin aenigma, a mystery, an enigma, referring to the mysterious nature of this species and its uncertain taxonomic placement.

Type material: HOLOTYPE: female, ‘ KENYA, Kakamega Forest , 1525 m, 0°13′N, 34°52′E, 23 September 2005, coll. L. Friedman’, collected by sweep-netting a roadside verge (L. Friedman, pers. comm.) ( TAU) GoogleMaps . PARATYPE: female, ‘ République Centrafricaine, P.N. Ndoki, loc 1, 28–31 January 2012, forêt à Gilbertiodendron, Malaise trap, expedit. Sangha 2012, P. Moretto leg.’ ( MRAC) .

Length of body 2.7 mm, of forewing 2.9 mm, of antenna 2.4 mm and of ovipositor (part exserted beyond apex of metasoma) 1.0 mm.

Description

Antenna with 21 flagellomeres. Median flagellomeres submoniliform; 3.5× longer than wide. First flagellomere 2.0× longer than wide, 1.1× longer than second and 1.2× longer than third, the latter being 2.5× longer than wide. Ocelli small; transverse diameter of posterior ocellus ~0.2× shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye. Vertex shiny, with dense setiferous punctures. Maxillary palps with segments 3 and 4 having long, anteriorly directed setae. Mesosoma 1.5× longer than high (lateral view). Mesoscutum shiny except for small setiferous punctures. Notauli narrow, impressed, crenulated on anterior 0.6 of mesoscutum, absent posteriorly. Forewing vein r-rs emerging marginally before middle of pterostigma, almost perpendicularly to pterostigma; vein r-rs 0.65× 2RS. Pterostigma 5.5× longer than wide. Lengths of veins r-rs: 3RSa: 3RSb = 1.0: 1.5: 4.5. Hindwing vein M+Cu 0.9× 1-M. Base of hindwing evenly setose. Lengths of fore-femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.0: 1.0: 1.0. Lengths of hind-femur: tibia: tarsus = 1.15: 1.15: 1.0. Length of hind-basitarsus 3.5× second tarsal segment. First metasomal tergite strongly sclerotized, 1.5× wider posteriorly than long, largely with irregular rugulose sculpture. Body mostly black; legs dark reddish brown, but forelegs paler.

Variation: Paratype: Length of body 2.8 mm, of forewing 2.5 mm, of antenna 2.5 mm and of ovipositor (part exserted beyond apex of metasoma) 1.5 mm. Vein r-rs of forewing inclivous to pterostigma; vein m-cu of forewing shortly present; hind-femur 3.3× longer than wide; first metasomal tergite 1.8× wider posteriorly than long.

Remarks

The holotype has an abnormally developed head, being microphthalmic on the right-hand side ( Fig. 4A–D; this is an occasional atavism among Braconidae and other Hymenoptera ; e.g. Balazuc, 1958; Bin, 1976; Bordera & Tormos, 1986). The other side of the head appears normal and agrees well with that of the paratype from the Central African Republic ( Fig. 5). The Kenyan specimen was selected as the holotype because we obtained DNA sequence data for it, whereas the paratype failed to yield sequenceable DNA.

CONTENTS OF RHYSSALINAE AS HERE UNDERSTOOD

Achaiabraconini: Achaiabracon Belokobylskij, 2009 .

Acrisidini: Acrisis Foerster, 1863 ; Proacrisis Tobias, 1983 .

Histeromerini: Histeromerus Wesmael, 1838 .

Rhyssalini (Oncophanini): Dolopsidea Hincks, 1944 ; Lysitermoides van Achterberg, 1995 ; Oncophanes Foerster, 1863 (including subgenus Koreophanes Belokobylskij, 2004 ); Pseudobathystomus Belokobylskij, 1986 (including subgenus Atlantobathystomus Belokobylskij & Koponen, 2004 ); Rhyssalus Haliday, 1833 ; Thoracoplites Fischer, 1961 ; Tobiason Belokobylskij, 2004 .

Laibaleini trib. nov.: Laibalea Quicke & Butcher gen. nov.

CONTENTS OF MESOSTOINAE S. L. AS HERE UNDERSTOOD

Anachyra van Achterberg, 1995 View in CoL ; Andesipolis Whitfield & Choi 2004 View in CoL ; Apoavga van Achterberg, 1985 ; Aspilodemon Fischer, 1966 View in CoL ; Austrohormius Belokobylskij, 1989 View in CoL ; Doryctomorpha Ashmead, 1900 View in CoL ; Hydrangeocola Brèthes, 1927 View in CoL ; Mesostoa View in CoL vanAchterberg, 1985; Metaspathius Brues, 1922 View in CoL ; Neptihormius van Achterberg & Berry, 2004 View in CoL ; Opiopterus Szépligeti, 1908 View in CoL ; Praonopterus Tobias, 1988 View in CoL ; Proavga Belokobylskij, 1989 View in CoL ; Rhyssaloides Belokobylskij, 1999 View in CoL .

M o r p h o l o g y a l s o s u g g e s t s t h e i n c l u s i o n o f C a e n o p a c h y e l l a S z é p l i g e t i, 1 9 0 8; C a n b e r r i a Belokobylskij, 1991; Hormiitis van Achterberg, 1985 View in CoL ; Zeachremylus Belokobylskij, 2018 .