Blacus (Ganychorus) shennongjiaensis Lu, Chai, Achterberg, Tang & Chen, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lu, Qian-Yu
name: Chai, Hong-Fei
name: Achterberg, Cornelis Van
name: Tang, Pu
name: Chen, Xue-Xin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Blacus
Blacus shennongjiaensis

description: Blacus (Ganychorus) shennongjiaensis sp. nov.
(Figs 31–32)
Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Hubei, Shennongjia, Songbai, 19.VII.1997, Du Yuzhou, No. 975181 (ZJUH).
Diagnosis. The new species is similar to B. (G.) fuscitarsis van Achterberg, 1988 because it has hind coxa largely dark brown, antenna almost completely dark brown dorsally, frons sparsely setose, malar suture present, second tergite smooth, propodeal tubercles absent, propodeum without areola, and length of ovipositor sheath approx. 0.21 × length of fore wing, but differs by having 22 antennomeres (♀; 20 in B. (G.) fuscitarsis), precoxal sulcus striate-rugose (only medially impressed and with few short striae), first discal cell of fore wing rather widely truncate anteriorly (narrowly truncate), length of first metasomal tergite 2.8 × its apical width (2.1 ×), and hind femur infuscated (yellow).
Description. Female. Length of body 2.85 mm, length of fore wing 3.1 mm.
Head. Antennomeres 22 (Fig. 32C); length of first flagellomere 2.1 × length of second flagellomere; length of first, second and penultimate flagellomere 5.3, 2.5 and 2.0 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.5 × height of head; occipital carina complete; frons smooth and sparsely setose, frontal suture absent; OOL: OD: POL = 8: 5: 6; length of eye in dorsal view 1.3 × length of temple; face smooth; malar suture present, length of malar space equal to basal width of mandible.
Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum rugose ventrally and smooth dorsally; precoxal sulcus wide and striate-rugose (Fig. 32D); notauli wide (Fig. 32E); mesoscutal lobes densely setose; scutellum largely smooth, protruding dorsally; propodeal tubercles absent; surface of propodeum sculptured, carinae protruding, longitudinal carina of anterior propodeum not continuous posteriorly, medial area absent (Fig. 32G).
Wings. Fore wing: first discal cell widely truncate anteriorly; 1-CU1: 2-CU1 = 2: 5 (Fig. 32I).
Legs. Hind coxa rugose dorsally; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 7.4, 12.1 and 10.6 × their width, respectively; fore claws with blackish bristles; left middle tarsal claw of ♀ with blackish bristles, right middle tarsal claw of ♀ simple, without dark bristles (Fig. 32J); hind claws simple.
Metasoma. Length of first tergite 2.8 × its apical width, widened apically, finely rugose (Fig. 32G); second tergite with short and weak striae basally, remainder smooth (Fig. 32G); length of ovipositor sheath 0.15 × length of fore wing.
Colour. Reddish brown; 3 apical antennomeres, clypeus, mandible, tegulae, ovipositor yellowish brown; palpi and all legs (but hind coxa largely dark brown and telotarsi brown) yellow; pterostigma, parastigma and veins brown; wing membrane infuscated.
Male. Unknown.
Biology. Unknown.
Distribution. China (Hubei).
Etymology. The specific name shennongjiaensis refers to the collection site of the holotype in Hubei Province.
description: Published as part of Lu, Qian-Yu, Chai, Hong-Fei, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2025, The first review of the subgenus Ganychorus Haliday, 1835 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) in China, pp. 201-250 in Zootaxa 5575 (2) on pages 237-239, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14746703