Megachelonus Baker 1926
Creators: name: Zhou, Jin-Jin
name: Achterberg, Kees Van
name: Tang, Pu
name: Chen, Xue-Xin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Megachelonus

description: Subgenus Megachelonus Baker, 1926
Chelonus (Megachelonus) Baker, 1926: 451. Type-species: Megachelonus bidentatus Baker, 1926.
Megachelonus: De Saeger, 1948: 88 (as syn of Chelonus Panzer).
Diagnosis. Head transverse (Figs 6G, 8B, 10B, 12E); antennomeres of apical half of antenna distinctly flattened and broadened; face striate to reticulate rugose, clypeus semi-elliptical (Figs 6F, 8A, 10A, 12D); eyes long elliptical or ovoid in lateral view (Figs 6I, 8G, 10G, 12F); mesosoma coarsely reticulate-rugose, transverse suture distinct; scutellum distinctly protruding above level of mesoscutum, with same sculpture as mesosoma; propodeum with a transverse carina and distinct tooth-like tubercles(Figs 6C, 6J, 8F, 10F, 12C); metasomal carapace with two ventroapical tooth-like protuberances (Figs 6E, 8C, 10C, 12H).
Biology. Unknown.
Distribution. Oriental.
Key to species of subgenus Megachelonus
1 Carapace broadly yellowish basally....................................................................... 2
- Carapace completely black.............................................................................. 6
2 Antennomeres 28 in female; apex of metasomal carapace with two large teeth (Fig. 10H)..... C. (M.) macrodontus sp. nov
- Antennomeres 16 in female; metasomal carapace with two comparatively small ventro-apical tooth-like protuberances (Figs 6E, 8C, 10C)......................................................................................... 3
3 Carapace without lamella (Fig. 6D)................................................ C. (M.) irilaminatus sp. nov.
- Carapace with lamella (Figs 8D, 12D)..................................................................... 4
4 Lamella of carapace ventrally long and wide (Figs 11, 12D)........................ C. (M.) macros Zhang, Chen & He
- Lamella of carapace ventrally short and narrow (Figs 7, 8D).................... C. (M.) longqiensis Zhang, Chen & He
5 Ventral opening of metasomal carapace reaching apex of carapace.............................................. 6
- Ventral opening remains far away from apex of metasomal carapace; apex of metasomal carapace distinctly swollen in lateral view............................................................................................... 8
6 Base of metasomal carapace entirely yellowish................................... C. (M.) bicoloricomis Baker, 1926
- Base of metasomal carapace black, without spots............................................................ 7
7 Metasomal carapace with a strongly transverse depression dorsally; body length 5.5 mm .. C. (M.) rectangularis Baker, 1926
- Metasomal carapace without dorsal depression body; length 6.0 mm................. C. (M.) megacephalus Baker, 1926
8 Antennomeres dark brown; hind femur entirely dark brown or blackish; body length 3.5 mm ..................................................................................................... C. (M.) uniformis Baker, 1926
- Basal half of antennomeres pale brown and apical half dark brown; hind femur only apically blackish; body length 4 mm ........................................................................... C. (M.) bicoloricomis Baker, 1926
description: Published as part of Zhou, Jin-Jin, Achterberg, Kees Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2022, A review of the subgenera Arichelonus, Megachelonus and Scabrichelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with description of five new species from China, pp. 527-547 in Zootaxa 5165 (4) on page 533, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/6854024