Apanteles aurantius Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernandez-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Slater-Baker, Mollie-Rosae
name: Fagan-Jeffries, Erinn P.
name: Oestmann, Katherine J.
name: Portmann, Olivia G.
name: Bament, Tiahni M.
name: Howe, Andy G.
name: Guzik, Michelle T.
name: Bradford, Tessa M.
name: McClelland, Alana R.
name: Woodward, Alice
name: Clarke, Sylvia
name: Ducker, Nathan
name: Fernández-Triana, José
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Apanteles
Apanteles aurantius

description: Apanteles aurantius Slater-Baker, Fagan-Jeffries, Fernández-Triana, Portmann & Oestmann sp. nov.
Fig. 4 B (distribution), Fig. 23 (holotype)
Type material.
Holotype. Australia • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; - 27.2703, 152.856; 50 m; 22 Oct. – 14 Nov. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina / open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 411-18; QM: T 208366. Paratypes. Australia • ♂; ACT, Canberra, Cook, 8 Moss Street; - 35.261, 149.059; 632 m; 10 Apr. 2011; P. Hebert, R. Labbee, V. Levesque-Beaudin, J. McCormick, J. Sones, J. Webb leg.; BOLD Process ID: AACTA 4990-20; ANIC: 32-085566. • ♀; NSW, Eden, Bungo Street; - 37.0611, 149.903; 21–27 Dec. 2005; C. Stephens leg.; Malaise trap; in exotic native garden blend nr Eucalypt Forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 238-18; ANIC: 32-085555. • ♀; QLD, Charters Towers; - 20.058, 146.272; 1–8 Mar. 2022; Columba Catholic College students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII 204-22; QM: T 261167. • ♂; QLD, Eungella National Park, Credition Loop Road; - 21.1908, 148.542; 23 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping vegetation; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 1214-24; QM: T 261196. • ♂; QLD, Gladstone; - 23.8522, 151.258; 29 m; 04 Oct. 2020; E. Fagan-Jeffries leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: OZBOL 422-21; QM: T 261197. • ♀; QLD, Samsonvale Cemetery, 8.5 km SSE Dayboro; - 27.2703, 152.856; 50 m; 22 Oct. – 14 Nov. 2014; S. Wright leg.; Malaise trap; Casuarina / open forest; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 088-18; QM: T 208365. • ♀; QLD, Toowoomba, Kearney Springs Historical Park; - 27.5941, 151.942; 665 m; 26 Nov. 2019; E. Fagan-Jeffries, J. B. Dorey & P. Ruhr leg.; Sweeping; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 1063-24; QM: T 261198. •? abdomen missing; QLD, Townsville, Hermit Park; - 19.283, 146.801; 10 m; 21 Jul. 2011; G. V. Cocks leg.; BOLD Process ID: HYQTB 106-11; QM: T 261264. • ♂; as previous except: 03 Dec. 2016; UV Light Trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT 1055-17; QM: T 261265. • ♂; as previous except: 22 Jul. 2016; UV Light Trap; BOLD Process ID: GCQT 1101-17; QM: T 261266. • ♂; as previous except: 11 Sep. 2011; BOLD Process ID: HYQTB 145-12; QM: T 261267. • ♀; SA, SE Kangaroo Island, Heritage Agreement 1302 S boundary ~ 5.5 km NW D`Estrees Bay; - 34.0912, 137.557; 27 Dec. 2017; RV Glatz leg.; swept from foliage of Leptospermum continentali or dry grass at base of bush; BOLD Process ID: AUMIC 859-23; QM: T 261187. • ♀; WA, Newman; - 23.363, 119.734; 15–22 Mar. 2022; South Newman Primary School students leg.; Malaise trap; Insect Investigators; BOLD Process ID: ASMII 6178-22; WAM: 130552. • ♀; as previous except: 22–29 Mar. 2022; BOLD Process ID: ASMII 6217-22; WAM: 130553.
Diagnostic description.
Size: Total body length: 2.7 mm; fore wing length: 2.5 mm. Head: anterior scape colour similar or only very slightly paler than head colour; F 2 L / W ratio: 2.9; F 14 L / W ratio: 1.3. Mesosoma: scutoscutellar sulcus with ten pits; mesoscutellar disc punctate throughout; propodeal areola complete, or mostly so; propodeum mostly rugose; coxae colour (pro, meso, meta): dark all; metafemur colour mostly Pale with dark band in distal 1 / 3. Wings: centre of pterostigma pigmented to same degree as the outer edges; fore wing r vein length / 2 RS vein length ratio: 1.4. Metasoma: T 1 shape mostly parallel, T 1 medial length / anterior width narrow,> 2 × longer than wide; T 1 mostly rugose; T 2 mostly smooth; ovipositor sheath length / metatibia length ratio: 1.0.
Apanteles aurantius can be separated from other species of Apanteles in Australia by the distinctive colouration of the metafemur (mostly pale / orange with a dark area distally).
Etymology.
The species epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ‘ orange’ and refers to the bright orange colour on the metafemur and metatibia.
Distribution.
Apanteles aurantius has a broad distribution, with collection records down the east coast of Australia, and isolated records in SA and WA.
Molecular information.
Apanteles aurantius contains sequences currently in BIN BOLD: AAG 8155. The COI sequences are at least 10 % divergent from any of the other species treated here, or any available sequence on BOLD. The wg sequence of the holotype is ≥ 7 bp different to any other species. All molecular species delimitation methods separated Apanteles aurantius as a distinct species.
description: Published as part of Slater-Baker, Mollie-Rosae, Fagan-Jeffries, Erinn P., Oestmann, Katherine J., Portmann, Olivia G., Bament, Tiahni M., Howe, Andy G., Guzik, Michelle T., Bradford, Tessa M., McClelland, Alana R., Woodward, Alice, Clarke, Sylvia, Ducker, Nathan & Fernández-Triana, José, 2025, DNA barcoding, integrative taxonomy, citizen science, and Bush Blitz surveys combine to reveal 34 new species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Australia, pp. 1-128 in ZooKeys 1227 on pages 1-128, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1227.130467