[Entomology • 2025] Batothecoides sirindhornae • A Second Species of the rogadine Genus, Batothecoides Watanabe, 1958 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Thailand

 

Batothecoides sirindhornae   

 Ranjith, Quicke & Butcher, 2025

แตนเบียนเจ้าฟ้า  ||   Tropical Natural History. Suppl. 8 (2025); 

Abstract

A second species of the rogadine braconid wasp genus, Batothecoides Watanabe, 1958 is described from Thailand, the genus having been known only from the type species for the past 66 years. The new species, Batothecoides sirindhornae Ranjith, Butcher & Quicke, sp. nov., is distinguished from the type species of the genus, B. yakushimensis (Watanabe, 1938), by morphology, color and DNA sequence data. The type species is redescribed based on images of the holotype. A molecular phylogeny of all members of the subtribe Spinariina for which barcode data are available is presented.

Keywords: Spinaria, Oriental region, molecular data, redescription

Batothecoides sirindhornae sp. nov. holotype, male
 A. habitus, lateral view; B. head, anterior view; C. head, dorsal view;
D. head, lateral view; E. head, dorso-ventral view.

Batothecoides sirindhornae Ranjith, Butcher & Quicke sp. nov. 

Etymology.‒ The new species is named in honour of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of  Thailand in celebration of the year of her seventieth birthda.

Avinjikkattu Parambil Ranjith, Donald Quicke and Buntika Areekul Butcher. 2025. A Second Species of the rogadine Genus, Batothecoides Watanabe, 1958 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Thailand. Tropical Natural History. Supplement 8 (2025); 149-159. [2025-10-14]

https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/tnh/article/view/266800

[Entomology • 2025] Cotesia ginginensis • A New Species of parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from Queensland, Australia

 

Cotesia ginginensis Fagan-Jeffries & Davies,

in Fagan-Jeffries, Davies et Howe, 2025.

DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5660.2.11

Cotesia Cameron, 1891 is the third largest genus of the braconid subfamily Microgastrinae, both in terms of described species  (>320  worldwide)  and  estimated  true  diversity  (1500+  species)  (Fernández-Triana et  al.  2020).  The  genus  is cosmopolitan  and  has  a  broad  host  range,  with  30  different  families  of lepidoptera  recorded  as  hosts,  and  with  many species acting as important biological control agents of pest lepidopterans (Fernández-Triana et al. 2020). The Australian Cotesia fauna was recently reviewed; there are 22 species currently known from the country, including several species introduced for biological control (Fagan-Jeffries et al. 2024; Fagan-Jeffries & Austin 2020).

 

Whilst there are likely to be many undescribed species of Cotesia in Australia and surrounding regions, we take the opportunity to add a single new species to the list of named biodiversity that was collected as part of a citizen science project, Insect Investigators. This citizen science project (insectinvestigators.com.au) ran in 2022 and involved 50 regional schools in Queensland, South Australia, and western Australia (Howe et al. 2025; insectinvestigators.com.au). Students and teachers ran Malaise traps on or near their school property, the samples were sorted and DNA barcoded, and a selection of specimens were sent to taxonomists to identify or include in current taxonomic projects. Two Queensland schools, gin gin State High School and Prospect Creek State School, each caught a single female specimen of a species in the genus Cotesia. Students and teachers at gin gin State High School collaborated with the authors to name the new species in 2023, and we here formally describe the species and raise the number of Cotesia from Australia to twenty-three.

...

Cotesia ginginensis; holotype.
A. lateral habitus B. fore wing C. dorsal head D. dorsal habitus E. anterior head F. T1 g. metanotum and propodeum.

BRACONIDAE Latreille, 1829

MICROGASTRINAE Foerster, 1862

Cotesia ginginensis Fagan-Jeffries & Davies, sp. nov.  

Diagnosis. Cotesia ginginensis can be separated from all other species of Cotesia currently described from Australia and Papua New guinea by the following combination of characters: mesosoma not dorsal-ventrally flattened (i.e., not as in Cotesia nonagriae (olliff, 1893)); fore wing r vein clearly longer than 2rS (r length >1.4 × length of 2rS); centre of the medial band of the mesoscutellar disc smooth; propodeum strongly sculptured with the medial carina clearly distinct for the whole length; T1 slightly broadening posteriorly but not strongly wedge-shaped (i.e., not as in C. ruficrus (Haliday, 1834)); T2 not strongly sculptured and T3 not densely setose (i.e., not as in C. rubecula (Marshall, 1885)).

Eeinn P. FAGAN-JEFFRIES, Emily DAVIES and Andy G. HOWE. 2025. Cotesia ginginensis sp. nov., A New Species of parasitoid wasp (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from Queensland, Australia.  Zootaxa. 5660(2); 293-296. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5660.2.11 [2025-07-09]

[Entomology • 2025] World checklist of the Genus Lipolexis Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) with Description of Lipolexis khaoyaiensis, A New Species from Thailand

 Lipolexis khaoyaiensis 

Kerkig, Quicke, Latibari & Butcher, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5613.2.7 

 facebook.com/IIERUCU

Abstract

We describe and illustrate a new species of the aphidiine braconid genus Lipolexis Förster, Lipolexis khaoyaiensis sp. nov., from Thailand, using an integrative approach. Morphologically, the new species is similar to L. peregrinus Tomanović and Kocić, 2020, but molecular analysis showed clear separation of at least 27 independent Lipolexis lineages, only eight of which correspond to previously known species, plus the one which represents the new species described here. A molecular phylogeny based on all available barcodes support that the genus comprises two well supported clades, with L. khaoyaiensis sp. nov. being recovered in the gracilis species-group with strong support (100% ultrafast bootstrap). A modified section of the identification key to species of Lipolexis is added to include the new species. Reported host associations for each of the described species as well as a distribution map of all records of species plus provenances of all barcoded specimens is provided.

Hymenoptera, taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, DNA barcodes, new species, parasitoid, Southeast asia

 Lipolexis khaoyaiensis sp. nov.

Pornthap KERKIG, Donald L. J. QUICKE, Minoo Heidari LATIBARI and Buntika A. BUTCHER. 2025. World checklist of the Genus Lipolexis Förster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae) with Description of A New Species from Thailand. Zootaxa. 5613(2); 323-336. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5613.2.7 [2025-03-27]

 facebook.com/IIERUCU/posts/1208741007921529

[Entomology • 2024] Rugosimirax bimacula & R. obsolescens • First Records of Miracinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Borneo with Description of Two New Species

Rugosimirax bimacula 

Liu & Polaszek, 2024

DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2024.935.2563 

 Researchgate.net/publication/381366063

Abstract

The braconid subfamily Miracinae is recorded for the first time from Borneo. Two new species are described: Rugosimirax obsolescens sp. nov. and Rugosimirax bimacula sp. nov. based on specimens in the Natural History Museum, UK. The relationships of Miracinae genera are discussed.

Keywords: Rugosimirax, Oriental region, new taxon

Rugosimirax obsolescens sp. nov. 

Rugosimirax bimacula sp. nov.

 

Zhen Liu and Andrew Polaszek. 2024. First Records of Miracinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Borneo with Description of Two New Species. European Journal of Taxonomy. 935(1), 283–292. DOI: doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2024.935.2563 

 Researchgate.net/publication/381366063_First_records_of_Miracinae_from_Borneo

[Entomology • 2023] Rugosimirax expectata, Centistidea lanka, C. yamu, ... • A New Genus in the braconid Subfamily Miracinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Oriental region, with Descriptions of Seven New Species from India and Sri Lanka

Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg, 
 

in Ranjith, van Achterberg et Priyadarsanan, 2023. 

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.4.1 

 facebook.com/RidhuRanjith

 twitter.com/ATREE_org

Abstract

A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae is described from the Oriental region including a new species from south India. Additionally, six new species of the genus Centistidea Rohwer is described from India and Sri Lanka. Taxonomic keys to separate the new genus from other miracine genera, to the extant species of Rugosimirax gen. nov. and to the Oriental species of Centistidea are provided.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Centistidea, Mirax, apomorphic characters, Rugosimirax, taxonomic key

Rugosimirax Ranjith & van Achterberg, gen. nov.

Etymology. The genus is named after the combination of the remarkable rugose or carinate sculpture of the propodeum and ‘Mirax’, the type genus of the subfamily.

Rugosimirax expectata Ranjith & van Achterberg, sp. nov.

Etymology. The species is named after the high chances for finding more new species of Miracinae considering the very limited study of this subfamily.

Distribution. India (Karnataka).

 

Centistidea burwelli sp. nov., 

Centistidea flavostigmata sp. nov.,  

Centistidea furca sp. nov.,   

Centistidea lanka sp. nov.,   

Centistidea nyeringensis sp. nov.,   

Centistidea yamu sp. nov.

A.P. Ranjith, Cornelis van Achterberg, Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan. 2023. A New Genus in the braconid Subfamily Miracinae from the Oriental region, with Descriptions of Seven New Species from India and Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. 5318(4); 451-473. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.4.1

  twitter.com/ATREE_org/status/1689563801887379456

 facebook.com/RidhuRanjith/posts/6468471649895874

 treatment.plazi.org/id/FF50878EB36DFF8AFF0143FEFDE75F98

[PaleoEntomology • 2024] Palaeorhoptrocentrus tenuicornis, Taphaeus obscurus & Eubazus electrus • New Species of braconid parasitoid wasps from the Subfamilies Doryctinae and Brachistinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from late Eocene Baltic Amber

 

Belokobylskij, Pankowski & Zaldívar-Riverón, 2024 

DOI: 10.11646/palaeoentomology.7.5.8

Abstract

Three new fossil species of braconid wasps are described and illustrated from late Eocene Baltic amber: Palaeorhoptrocentrus tenuicornis sp. nov. (Doryctinae), Taphaeus obscurus sp. nov. (Brachistinae: Diospilini), and Eubazus electrus sp. nov. (Brachistinae: Brachistini). Keys to the known species of Palaeorhoptrocentrus Belokobylskij, 2023 and to species of Eubazus Nees, 1812 described from Baltic amber are provided. An illustrated redescription of Blacus (Electroblacus) facialis Brues, 1933 (Brachistinae: Blacini) is also provided, along with digital photographs for the first time of the female of B. (Electroblacus) facialis, whose type material was lost during the World War II. We also provide morphological notes and digital photographs of a male belonging to an undescribed species of Meteorus (Euphorinae).

Eocene, parasitoids, wasp, fossil, Diospilini, Blacini, Brachistini, Meteorus

 

Sergey A. Belokobylskij, Madeline V. Pankowski, Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón. 2024. New Species of braconid parasitoid wasps from the Subfamilies Doryctinae and Brachistinae from late Eocene Baltic Amber.  Palaeoentomology. 7(5); 645–658. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/palaeoentomology.7.5.8

 x.com/ZaldivarRiveron/status/1851562765980229755 

[Entomology • 2024] Syntretus perlmani • Drosophila are hosts to the First described Parasitoid Wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Adult Flies

Syntretus perlmani Shaw & Ballinger,

in Moore, Amuwa, Shaw et Ballinger, 2024. 

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07919-7

Abstract

Parasitoid wasps are exceptionally diverse and use specialized adaptations capable of manipulating the physiology and behaviour of host organisms. In more than two centuries since the first records of Drosophila-parasitizing wasps, nearly 200 described and provisional parasitoid species of drosophilids have been identified. These include endoparasitoids and ectoparasitoids, as well as species attacking larval and pupal hosts. Despite a deep history of research attention and remarkable biodiversity, a wasp species that attacks and develops inside the adult stage of a fly host has not been described previously. Here we report the discovery of a wasp species that infects the adult stage of fruit flies in the genus Drosophila, including one of the most deeply studied model organisms in biology, Drosophila melanogaster. Notably, this wasp can be easily collected from backyard fly baits and has a broad geographic distribution throughout the eastern USA. We document its life history and unique host interactions, including egg-laying into and larval emergence from adult flies, and provide protocols to raise wasps from wild-caught host flies. Our results emphasize the need for ongoing research investment in insect biodiversity and systematics. As parasitoid research continues to uncover unusual biology and supports fundamental mechanistic insights into immunity, metabolism, ecology, evolution and behaviour, we anticipate that this wasp’s association with the laboratory model organism, D. melanogaster, will provide new research opportunities across the life sciences.

a, The life cycle of S. perlmani, including oviposition (1), early larval development (2), appearance of teratocytes (2′), late larval development and reduction in teratocyte number (3), larval emergence (4), cocoon formation and metamorphosis (5) and adult emergence (6).

a,b, The development of wasp larvae inside host flies (a) is accompanied by growth of wasp teratocytes (b, black arrows), which can be seen through the host abdominal cuticle and obstruct the view of the testes (b, white arrow). c, The second and following larval instars lack a head capsule and tail spike, and the final instar grows to nearly the length of the host fly (see Supplementary Video 2). d, Pupal development takes place within a white silken cocoon as is typical of euphorine wasps. e, Larval emergence is always from the abdomen and has been observed to occur between the second and third tergites (dorsolaterally) or laterally through a tear in the abdominal cuticle. f, The adult wasp (male shown) is small, yellowish brown and approximately 1.5 mm in length. Scale bars, 0.5 mm (a–d) and 1 mm (e,f).

Syntretus perlmani sp. nov.
a, Holotype lateral habitus. b, Holotype propodeum. c, Holotype forewing venation.

 Scale bars, 1 mm (a), 100 μm (b) and 400 μm (c).

Family Braconidae Latrielle, 1829

Subfamily Euphorinae Foerster, 1862

Tribe Syntretini Shaw, 1985

Genus Syntretus Foerster, 1862

Subgenus Syntretus Foerster, 1862

Syntretus perlmani sp. nov. Shaw & Ballinger, 2024

Differential diagnosis. Syntretus perlmani sp. nov is a tiny species that is distinct from other known Syntretus species by virtue of its small size (body length about 1.5 mm) and utilization of adult Drosophila flies as hosts. The antenna is shorter than the head and mesosoma combined, and there are 12–13 flagellomeres. Often the antenna has only 12 flagellomeres (the lowest number recorded for any North American Syntretus species).

Of the North American species, S. perlmani is most similar to Syntretus brevicornis Muesebeck, which also has a small body size and short antenna. Of the two species, S. perlmani is the smaller, with a body length of about 1.5 mm, as compared to 2.2 mm for ...

Etymology. This species is named after Steve Perlman (University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada), in recognition of his contributions to research and mentorship in the field of Drosophila–parasite interactions.

Logan D. Moore, Toluwanimi Chris Amuwa, Scott Richard Shaw and Matthew J. Ballinger. 2024. Drosophila are hosts to the First described parasitoid Wasp of Adult Flies. Nature. 633; 840–847. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07919-7

 www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2024/09/new-species-wasp-hidden-plain-sight-discovered-msu-researchers

 reflector-online.com/30665/news/new-species-of-parasitoid-wasp-discovered-in-starkville

[Entomology • 2024] Allorhogas lavraensis & A. margitae • Two New Species of Allorhogas (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) from southeast Brazil reared from Seed Pods of Inga vera and Anadenanthera colubrina (Fabaceae)

Oliveira, Sáenz, Faria & Riveron, 2024

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5415.1.4 

 x.com/ZaldivarRiveron

 

Abstract

Two new species of Allorhogas (Braconidae: Doryctinae), Al. lavraensis sp. nov and Al. margitae sp. nov., which were reared from seed pods of Fabaceae species, are described from southeast Brazil. Allorhogas lavraensis forms seed galls on Inga vera Willd., whereas Al. margitae predates on seeds of Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) without making galls. The latter represents the first report of seed predation by a species of Allorhogas on the genus Anadenanthera.

Hymenoptera, Fabaceae, COI, phytophagous, Integrated taxonomy

Tamires Camila Talamonte de Oliveira, Ernesto Samacá Sáenz, Lucas Del Bianco Faria and Alejandro Zaldivar Riveron. 2024. Two New Species of Allorhogas (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae) from southeast Brazil reared from Seed Pods of Inga vera Willd. and Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) (Fabaceae).  Zootaxa. 5415(1); 106-116. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5415.1.4

  x.com/ZaldivarRiveron/status/1762921029867827559

[Entomology • 2024] Masona neon & M. wow • Small Jewels: Two New Species of the rare Genus Masona van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea: Braconidae), with A Catalogue of World Species and Comments on the peculiar morphology of the genus

Masona wow Dal Pos & Martens, 

in Dal Pos, Broad et Martens, 2024.

DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.925.2457 

 twitter.com/DDP_Ichneumonid

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive review of the enigmatic genus Masona van Achterberg is provided. Two new species are described from the USA: Masona neon Dal Pos & Martens sp. nov. from Puerto Rico, and Masona wow Dal Pos & Martens sp. nov. from California. A key to the world species of Masona is presented, together with a discussion of the morphology of the genus and an annotated catalogue of the species. [Masona] timpaynei Quicke, 2019, is excluded from Braconidae and placed as incertae sedis in the Ichneumonidae, subfamily Neorhacodinae.

Keywords: Braconidae, Masoninae, taxonomy, North America, distribution

Davide Dal Pos, Gavin R. Broad and Abigail P. Martens. 2024. Small Jewels: Two New Species of the rare Genus Masona van Achterberg (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae), with A Catalogue of World Species and Comments on the peculiar morphology of the genus. European Journal of Taxonomy. 925(1); 135–160. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.925.2457

  twitter.com/DDP_Ichneumonid/status/1767180899450601740

[Entomology • 2023] Pseudorhadinobracon luteus, Rhadinobracon levigatus & R. nitidus • A New Genus and Two New Species of Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Oriental Region

Pseudorhadinobracon luteus (Szépligeti) Ranjith & van Achterberg,  

Rhadinobracon levigatus Ranjith, 

R. nitidus Ranjith

in Ranjith, van Achterberg, Kumar & Priyadarsanan, 2023. 

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5374.2.2 

 facebook.com/RidhuRanjith

 

Abstract

A new genus of Braconinae, Pseudorhadinobracon Ranjith & van Achterberg, is described based on the species (P. luteus (Szépligeti) gen. et. comb. nov.) earlier classified under the genus Rhadinobracon Szépligeti. Additionally, the genus Rhadinobracon is newly reported from the Oriental region with the description of two new species from India, R. levigatus Ranjith and R. nitidus Ranjith. A taxonomic key to separate Pseudorhadinobracon from Rhadinobracon is provided. The generic diagnosis of Rhadinobracon is revised along with a taxonomic key to the extant species.

Hymenoptera, Atanycolus, India, new species, taxonomic key, revised generic diagnosis 

A.P. Ranjith, Cornelis van Achterberg, P. Girish Kumar and Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan. 2023. A New Genus and Two New Species of Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Oriental Region.  Zootaxa. 5374(2); 196-210. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5374.2.2

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[Entomology • 2022] Zaglyptogastra piyachudasringi • A New Species of Zaglyptogastra Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) from Thailand

Zaglyptogastra piyachudasringi

Chansri, Quicke & Butcher, 2022

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.2.8

 facebook.com/IELabCU

 

Zaglyptogastra Ashmead, 1900 was erected for a large, distinctive Braconinae wasp, Z. abbotti, collected in Lower Siam (Thailand) (Ashmead 1900). Although nine species are known from the Indo-Australian region, only three are recorded from mainland Indochina: Z. abbotti Ashmead, 1990 (Thailand), Z. vitalisi (Turner, 1919) (Thailand, Laos) and Z. vietnamica Long & Mai, 2015 (Vietnam) (El-Heneidy & Quicke, 1991; Long & Mai, 2015). In 2021, two further Asia species, Z. exilis Li, van Achterberg & Chen, 2021 and Z. tricolor Li, van Achterberg & Chen, 2021 were described from China (Li et al. 2021).

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae 

 

Zaglyptogastra piyachudasringi sp. nov. 

Distribution. Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand. Host. Unknown. 

Etymology. Named after Piya Chudasring, late friend of the second author.

Kittipum Chansri, Donald L. J. Quicke and Buntika A. Butcher. 2022. A New Species of Zaglyptogastra Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) from Thailand.  Zootaxa. 5188(2); 189-194. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5188.2.8

 facebook.com/IELabCU/posts/1689966164730252

[Entomology • 2022] Euurobracon bhaskarai • A New Species of the Long-tailed Wasp Genus Euurobracon Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) from Java, Indonesia, is Described and the Type Species Redescribed

Euurobracon bhaskarai Quicke,  

in Quicke, Gafar, Watanabe & Butcher, 2022. 

DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.1116.84593

Abstract

A new species, Euurobracon bhaskarai Quicke, sp. nov., from West Java, Indonesia, is described, illustrated and differentiated from other members of the genus. It is closely related to the type species of the genus, E. yokahamae Dalla Torre, 1898, which is known from China, India, Japan, Laos, South Korea and Thailand. Euurobracon yokahamae is redescribed and illustrated for comparative purposes. The two species are separable mainly on colouration, but differ markedly based on their mitochondrial gene sequences (cytochrome c oxidase I, cytochrome b and 16S rDNA). The slower-evolving nuclear 28S rDNA and elongation factor 1-alpha did not differentiate E. bhaskarai sp. nov. from E. yokahamae, but consistently split Euurobracon into two species groups.

Keywords: 16S, COI, cytochrome b, DNA sequences, Japan, mitochondrial genes, molecular analysis, Oriental, parasitoid wasp

Euurobracon bhaskarai Quicke sp. nov, ♀, holotype
2 habitus, dorsal view 3 head, anterior view 4 head, dorsal view 5 head, lateral view 6 medial part of fore and hind wings 7 propodeum and metasomal tergites 1 and 2, dorsal view.

 Euurobracon bhaskarai Quicke, sp. nov.

  

Diagnosis: Body largely orange-yellow; wings largely yellow, fore wing with greyish margin narrowly infuscate, a small dark brown mark at apex of pterostigma, a dark brown patch around the confluence of veins 1RS, 1-M and (RS+M)a, and a brown patch at the posterior part of the 1st subdiscal cell; hind wing vein R (or RSa) interstitial or short transverse; 2nd metasomal tergite without transverse groove at approximately midlength; ovipositor more than 4 × longer than body. In addition, apex of hind wing basal cell with a small elongate sclerome in the membrane at approximately midlength of 1r-m.

...

Etymology: Named after Mr Edy Bhaskara, friend of the first author, who lives on the island where the new species was collected.

Donald L. J. Quicke, Dian Gafar, Kyohei Watanabe and Buntika A. Butcher. 2022. A New Species of the Long-tailed Wasp Genus Euurobracon Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) from Java, Indonesia, is Described and the Type Species Redescribed. ZooKeys. 1116: 71-83. DOI:  10.3897/zookeys.1116.84593

[Entomology • 2022] Atree rajathae • A Remarkable New Genus of Braconid Wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Brachistinae) and The First Report of the Tribe Diospilini from India

Atree rajathae 

Ranjith, Van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan, 2022

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5105.4.6 

 facebook.com/RidhuRanjith 

Abstract

The braconid tribe Diospilini (subfamily Brachistinae) is reported for the first time from India with the description of a new genus, Atree, along with the description of a new species A. rajathae from south India. The newly described genus belongs to the Aspigonus genus group showing the presence of a wide, deep sculptured groove on the propleuron. Based on morphological affinities, two species reported from Taiwan which were earlier included in the genus Diospilus have been transferred to the new genus, as A. improcerus (Chou & Hsu, 1998) comb. nov. and A. validus (Chou & Hsu, 1998) comb. nov. A key to the Indomalayan and Palaearctic genera of Diospilini is provided along with the key to the species of Atree gen. nov.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Helconinae, new species, south India, taxonomic key, Indomalayan region

  Atree rajathae gen. et sp. nov. holotype, female
A) habitus, lateral view; B) head, anterior view; C) head, dorsal view; D) head, antero-dorsal view; E) head, lateral view; F) head, ventro-lateral view.

Atree rajathae Ranjith, van Achterberg & Priyadarsanan sp. nov.

Etymology. The species is named commemorating ATREE’s Rajatha Jubilee (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment's 25th anniversary) which is being celebrated in 2021–22. Gender: feminine.

A.P. Ranjith, Cornelis Van Achterberg and Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan. 2022. Atree, A Remarkable New Genus of the Subfamily Brachistinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and The First Report of the Tribe Diospilini from India. Zootaxa. 5105(4); 571-580. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5105.4.6 

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Researchgate.net/publication/359056289_Atree_a_new_genus_of_Hymenoptera_from_India

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