Description of a new Species of the Genus Blacus Nees (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Along with a Key To Indian Species

2008·1 MB·

by  Z Ahmad

Journal ofthe Bombay Natural HistorySociety, 105 (1),Jan-Apr2008 84-85
NEW DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION OFANEW SPECIES OFTHE GENUS BLACUS NEES
(HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE), ALONG WITH A KEYTO INDIAN SPECIES1
Z.Ahmad2 andZ.Ahmed
'AcceptedFebruary 13,2008
^SectionofEntomology, DepartmentofZoology,AligarhMuslimUniversity,Aligarh202002,UttarPradesh,India.
Email: [email protected]
AnewspeciesofthegenusBlacusNees,namelyBlacus(Ganychorus)hayatisp.nov.,isdescribedunderthesubgenus
Ganychorusfrom India. Akey tothe Indian speciesofBlacus is also given.
Key words: Hymenoptera. Braconidae, Blacinae, Blacus, new species, India
INTRODUCTION
4. Fore wing shorter than the body length; ovipositor sheaths
approximately0.2xaslongasforewing;pterostigmauniform
The genus Blacus Nees belongs to the subfamily — Blacus(Ganychorus) indicus Ahmad and Shujauddin
Blacinae of Braconidae. Aehterberg (1988) revised the Fore wing longer than the body length; ovipositor sheaths
subfamily and included fourspecies underthe genus Blacus approximately0.16xaslongasforewing; pterostigmawith
from India. Recently, Ahmad and Shujauddin (2001) added apical margin infuscate 5
one species to the genus Blacus from India. In the present 5. Fronsdenselysetose;facelargelyandtransverselyrugulose;
work, a new species is described and a key to the Indian precoxal sulcus widely rugose; dorsal carina of first
species of Blacus is provided. Aehterberg (1988) has been metasomal tergite only neardorsope
followedforterminologies. — Blacus(Ganychorus) setosifrons Aehterberg
The followingabbreviations areused in thetext: OOL Frons sparsely setose; face smooth; precoxal sulcus and its
—ocello-ocularline (distancefromtheouteredgeofalateral surrounding striate; dorsal carina offirst metasomal tergite
ocellus to the compound eye); POL - post-ocellar line almostreaching up tothe apical margin
(distance between the inneredges ofthe two lateral ocelli); Blacus(Ganychorus) hayatiAhmad, sp.nov.
AOL-anterior-ocellarline(distancebetweentheinneredges
ofanteriorandlateral ocellus), OD-diameterofanocellus; Blacus (Ganychorus)hayatiAhmad, sp. nov.
ZDAMU-Zoology Department,AligarhMuslim University. (Figs 1-4)
Keyto Indian speciesoftheGenus Blacus Nees Female: Bodylength2.5 mm; forewinglength3 mm.
1. Eyes conspicuously setose; medio-posteriorpropodeal area Head: Antennae 20 segmented, densely setose with
small and rectangular short silvery-whitish setae; FI 1.5x as long as F2, terminal
— Blacus (Contochorus) turbidus Papp. segment2xaslongaspenultimatesegments;lengthofFI,F2
Eyes glabrous ornearly so; medio-posteriorpropodeal area andterminal segment6,4and3.5xtheirwidth;fronssmooth
differentorsmall 2 and sparsely setose; OOL: POL: AOL: OD = 4:3:2.5:1;
2. Propodealcarinacomparativelyweakly developed; antenna occipital margin somewhat crenulate; eyes in dorsal view
17 segmented; fore claw offemale only setose aboutas longas temple; facesmooth withasomewhatweak
Blacus Blacus imitatorPapp. tubercle between antennal sockets; malar suture present;
— ( )
Propodeal carina distinctly developed; antennae length ofmalarspace about 1.2x basal width ofmandible.
20 segmented; fore claw offemale with blackish bristles or Mesosoma: Lengthofmesosoma 1.6xitsheight;sides
simple 3 of pronotum extensively reticulate rugose, but smooth
3. Scutellarsulcussmooth;middletarsalclawoffemalesimple; dorsally;precoxalsulcusanditssurroundingstriate,fewstriae
second metasomal tergite largely costate reachinguptoprepectalcarinaandpostpectalcarina;notauli
Blacus (Tarpheion) votrus Papp. completerathernarrowandcrenulate;mesoscutalloberather
Scutellarsulcuscrenulate;middletarsalclawoffemalewith convexandsetose;scutellumwithfewrugulae,lateralcarinae
blackish bristles; second metasomal tergite smooth 4 not protruding dorsally; propodeal tubercles absent, surface
NEW DESCRIPTION
clypeus, tegulae, pterostigma (except infuscated margin of
apical half), fore leg, mid leg, hind leg (except telotarsus),
second and third tergite largely pale yellowish; face, vertex
behindeyes,mesoscutumandapexofhypopygiumyellowish
brown; wings hyaline membrane, veins largelydarkbrown.
Male: Unknown
mm
1.0 Holotype: ?, India: Uttar Pradesh, Rampur;
13.iii.2003, Coll. Z. Ahmed (ZDAMU).
Paratypes: 1 9, same as holotype (ZDAMU)
Host: Unknown.
Distribution: India: UttarPradesh.
Etymology: The species has been named inhonourof
Dr. Mohammed Hayat for his contribution towards the
knowledge ofparasitic Hymenoptera.
Remarks: Blacus(Ganychorus)hayatiAhmadsp.nov.
closely resembles Blacus Gancychorus setosifrons
( )
Achterberg,butdiffersinhavingfronssparselysetose(frons
densely setose in setosifrons); face smooth (face largely
1. FoFirges:wi1n-g4;: 2B4..laHPceruaosdp,(oGdfareonunymtca,lhoTvri1oeuaw;sn)d3.hTyM2aitditsapr.sanlovc.law; tsrualncsuvserasnedlyitosrsoubrlrioquunedliynrgugsturlioastee (inprseectooxsailfrsounslc);usprweicdoexlayl
rugose in setosifrons); dorsal carinae of first metasomal
of propodeum largely smooth, its median area absent; fore tergitealmostreachinguptotheapicalmargin(dorsalcarinae
wing with first discal cell truncate anteriorly; 2-CU1 about offirst metasomal tergite only neardorsope insetosifrons).
2.Ox as long as 1-CU1; parastigma rather large; length of Thetype materialisdepositedinZoological Museum,
hind femur, tibia and basitarsus 6x, 9x and 8x their width DepartmentofZoology,Aligarh MuslimUniversity,Aligarh.
respectively;foreandmiddleclawwithblackishbristlesand
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
teeth; hind claw simple, only whitish (bristly) setose.
Metasoma:Lengthoffirsttergite 1,65xitsapicalwidth,
longitudinally rugose, dorsal carinae almost reaching up to We thank Dr. M. Hayat and Dr. Shujauddin for
theapicalmargin;secondtergitesmooth;lengthofovipositor reviewing the manuscript and offering useful suggestions.
sheaths approximately 0.16x offore wing. We are also thankful to Chairman, Department of Zoology
Colour: Darkreddishbrown;palpi, mandible,ventral forlaboratory facilities.
REFERENCES
Achterberg,C. Van(1988): Revisionofsubfamily BlacinaeFoerster Ahmad, Z. & Shujauddin (2001): A new species ofthe genus Blacus
(Hymenoptera, Braconidae). Zool.Verh-hand. Leiden. 249: Nees(Blacinae:Braconidae:Hymenoptera)fromIndia.Shashpa
1-324. 8(1): 15-18.
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (1), Jan-Apr 2008 85