Chelonus (Microchelonus) crassitibialis Zhou & Achterberg & Tang & Chen 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Zhou, Jin-Jin
name: Achterberg, Cornelis Van
name: Tang, Pu
name: Chen, Xue-Xin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Chelonus
Chelonus crassitibialis

description: Chelonus (Microchelonus) crassitibialis sp. nov.
Figs 23–26
Material examined. Holotype: female, Chebaling, Guangdong Prov., China, 21.VIII.2003, Zaifu Xu, No. 20047938 (ZJUH). Paratypes: 1 male, same label data as holotype but No. 20047943; 3 females, same label data as holotype but Nos. 20047935, 20047943, 20047875.
Diagnosis. This new species is similar to C. (M.) flagellaris (Tobias, 1989), considering metasomal carapace posteriorly gradually widened and rather truncate in lateral view and apex of carapace distinctly incurved in lateral view (Fig. 24D), but both species can be separated by the following characters: carapace widest at middle in dorsal view (Fig. 24E) (versus tapering towards base in C. (M.) flagellaris); clypeus extending above lower level of eyes (Fig. 24F) (versus below lower level of eyes); apical antennomere 2.4 × longer than wide (Fig. 24H) (versus 4.8 × longer than wide).
Description. Holotype, female, length of body 3.5 mm, of fore wing 2.7 mm.
Head. Head transverse, width of head 2.3 × its dorsal length, occiput slightly excavated; antennomeres 16, antenna filiform, not widened; length of 3 rd and penultimate antennomeres 4.0 × and 1.3 × their width, respectively; eye 1.6 × as long as temple in dorsal view; OOL: OD: POL=18: 8: 11; temple narrowed behind eyes, vertex and frons finely striate-rugose (Fig. 24G); face flat, coarsely transverse-longitudinally punctate-rugose, width of face 1.5 × its height; eyes slightly converging ventrally; clypeus sparsely punctate, shiny, 2.2 × wider than high, distance between tentorial pits 1.6 × distance between pits and eyes (Fig. 24F).
Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.5 × its height; side of pronotum and mesopleuron finely reticulate-rugose (Fig. 24B); notauli slightly developed, anterior part of mesoscutum dense punctulate and posterior part coarsely reticulate-rugose; scutellum reticulate-rugose; scutellar suture comparatively deep and wide, with carinae; propodeum coarsely rugose, lateral tubercles small and weak (Fig. 24C).
Wings. Vein r somewhat arched; marginal cell 0.9 × as long as pterostigma; 2-R1 short; r: 3-SR: SR1=13: 13: 53; SR1 straight; marginal cell 1.8 × longer than second submarginal cell; 1-CU1: 2-CU1=13: 33, 2-R1 short (Fig. 24A).
Legs. Hind coxa punctate; length of hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 3.2 ×, 3.6 × and 3.4 × their maximum width, respectively; length of inner hind tibial spur 0.5 × hind basitarsus.
Metasoma. Length of carapace 2.2 × its maximum width in dorsal view, widest at middle, apically rounded; carapace striate-rugose up to basal 80% and apically rugulose (Fig. 24D); carapace in lateral view 3.1 × longer than its maximum height, posteriorly rather truncate, posterior height of metasoma 2.0 × its anterior height (Fig. 24D); apex of metasomal carapace distinctly incurved.
Colour. Body black; antenna dark brown; palpi light yellow; pterostigma brown; parastigma yellowish; wing and its veins medium dark brown; hind femur entirely black, hind tibia with pale ring (Fig. 23); basal third of carapace with yellowish band.
Male. Antennomeres 25, antenna filiform, not widened medially (Fig. 26I); temple parallel-sided behind eyes (Fig. 26H); apical margin of clypeus slightly excised, sinuate (Fig. 26G); metasomal carapace widest after middle in dorsal view, and with one medial yellow spot (Fig. 26E); apical aperture in posterior view large, elongate, slit-shaped and median process of aperture horizontal and oval (Fig. 26F); other characters as in female (Fig. 25).
Biology. Unknown.
Distribution. China (Guangdong).
Etymology. Named after the strong and thick hind tibia: “ crassus ” is Latin for thick, fat, stout.
description: Published as part of Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2024, A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 5412 (1) on pages 33-35, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5412.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10675974