Buluka frederiquebakkerae Hovorka & Fernandez-Triana, 2024

Buluka frederiquebakkerae Hovorka & Fernandez-Triana sp. nov.

( Fig. 14 View Fig )

Type locality. Indonesia, North Maluku, Sula Islands, Pulau Mangole, Buluhaya, approx. 1°51′ S, 125°49′ E; 90 m a.s.l.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀, “ INDONESIA: Sula Isl. / Mangole, Buluhaya / Mal. Trap. 18, c 90 m / 6.-23.iii.1995, C. v. Ach- / terberg & Y. Yasir, RMNH [p] // CNC / 281635 View Materials [p]”. Deposited in RMNH.

Diagnosis. Among the species with gena and vertex smooth, the posterior rim of metasoma not overhanging the posterior margin of metasoma, T1 and T2 only partially yellow, with the yellow not covering the full width of the tergite, scutellum punctate-reticulate to rugose, and T2 and T3 with longitudinal striae only anteriorly, Buluka frederiquebakkerae sp. nov. can be recognized by its propodeal spiracle surrounded by a well-developed cristula which delimits a relatively small, smooth, polished area (large in B. taiwanensis ), and forewing basal and subbasal cells almost without setae or just apically with setose area around infuscation (fully setose in B. achterbergi and B. quickei ). Buluka frederiquebakkerae can be distinguished from B. buntikae sp. nov. by the characters discussed in the diagnosis of that species, and from B. longi sp. nov., which shares similar characteristics, by mesotibia and the first segment of metatarsus white-yellow; T 2 in anterior 0.5 (laterally) or 0.7–0.8 (centrally) with sculpture consisting of striae that delimit elongated areas, reticulate sculpture limited to the posterior part of T2; and T2 with pentagonal yellow area narrowing posteriorly.

Description. Female ( Fig. 14 View Fig ). Head in anterior view 0.77× as long as wide medially, setose; first flagellomere 1.1× as long as second flagellomere, 4.4× as long as wide; second flagellomere 4.2× as long as wide; fifteenth flagellomere 1.3× as long as wide; face smooth, sparsely setose; frons setose; vertex smooth; gena smooth and setose; eyes setose, diverging behind antennal sockets; clypeus slightly concave, smooth and densely setose; ratio of maximum head width to minimum face width 2.32 (86/37).

Mesosoma. 1.39× as long as high; mesoscutum punctate anteriorly and laterally; notaular courses and posterior margin of mesoscutum reticulate rugose, with strong white setae; scutellar sulcus with 7 medial carinae; scutellum areolate rugose, setose with strong white setae along lateral and posterior margin; propodeum with medial carina not straight, polished and smooth area anteriorly, with incomplete rugosity near median carina and posterior margin of propodeum, setose laterally; propodeal spiracle surrounded by cristulae; area around propodeal spiracle smooth, not reaching anteriorly to fore margin of propodeum; pronotum crenulate posteriorly; mesopleuron rugose punctate, setose, smooth and glabrous anteriorly; metapleuron smooth and glabrous antero-medially, posterior part rugose punctate, setose.

Metasoma. Posterior rim of metasoma shorter than carapace; T1 with smooth median longitudinal groove basally with polished area in basal medial half; T1 0.6× as long as wide apically, areolate in apical half (laterally) with small enclosed area centrally; T2 0.5× as long as wide apically with anterior 0.5 (laterally) or anterior 0.7–0.8 (centrally) with sculpture consisting of striae that delimit elongated areas, reticulated sculpture limited to posterior 0.5 (laterally) or posterior 0.2–0.3 (centrally); second metasomal suture deep basally, shallow and wide apically; T 3 in basal 0.3 with strong longitudinal striae with polished area in between; apex of T3 fully sculptured without polished area; ovipositor sheath setose apically with two spatulate sensillae.

Legs. Metacoxa large, setose dorsally and ventrally, punctate reticulate, with distinct transversal striae apically; metafemur 3.4× as long as wide; metatibia 6.0× as long as wide; inner metatibial spur 0.6× as long as basitarsus; metatarsal claw with one tooth.

Wings. Fore wing 3.11× as long as wide; 1 st discal and 1 st subdiscal cell setose; basal and subbasal cell glabrous, only setose in their 0.2 apically; pterostigma 3.5× as long as wide; 2RS vein of fore wing about 2× as long as r-m vein.

Measurements. Body length: 2.4 mm; fore wing length: 2.4 mm; second flagellomere length/width: 4.2; fifteenth antennal segment length/width: 1.3; metafemur length/ width: 3.4; metatibia length: 0.9 mm; carapace length/ width: 1.7; T1 length/apical width: 0.6; T2 length/apical width: 0.5.

Color. Head yellow to orange; clypeus light yellow; face, scape and pedicel yellow-orange; frons gena and vertex orange to brown; palpi white-yellow; mesosoma black; fore legs yellow-orange; mesocoxa and femora yellow-orange, tibiae together with tarsal segments 1–4 white-yellow, telotarsi yellow; metacoxa black; metatrochanter, metatrochantellus and metafemora dark brown; metatibia dark brown with apical 0.3 white-yellow; hind basitarsus white-yellow; hind tarsal segments 2–4 white-yellow; hind telotarsus brown; tegula brown; wing venation light brown to white-yellow; fore wing widely infuscate throughout below pterostigma and around vein 1-CU; fore wing infuscate area wider than pterostigma; T1 with diamond-shaped light yellow area centrally around medial longitudinal groove, narrowing posteriorly; T2 with yellow pentagonal area, narrowing posteriorly; T3 black; ovipositor sheath dark brown.

Etymology. Named after Frederique Bakker (Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden) in recognition of her curation of the collection of Braconidae over the years, and for her help in facilitating the loan of a large collection of Microgastrinae to the last author.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Indonesia (North Maluku, Sula Islands, Pulau Mangole).