Leluthia (Euhecabolodes) minqingensis, Zhang & Geng & Chen & Liang & Zheng, 2025

Zhang, Ke-Ran, Geng, Jun-Ling, Chen, Shi, Liang, Guang-Hong & Zheng, Min-Lin, 2025, Revisional notes on the genus Leluthia Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) from China, with description of a new species parasitizing Phloeosinus sinensis Schedle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Zootaxa 5618 (4), pp. 595-600 : 597-599

Leluthia (Euhecabolodes) minqingensis sp. nov.

Figs 2 (A, B); Figs 3 (A–I)

Type material. Holotype, ♀, SE China, Fujian Province, Minqing, Fuzhou, 27.vi.2023, Liang guanghong . Paratype: 5♂ ♀, same label data as holotype .

Description. Holotype, ♀, length of fore wing 3.0 mm, of antenna 3.7 mm, and of body 4.2 mm ( Fig. 2 A ).

Head. Head width 1.5 × median length, roundly narrowed behind eyes ( Fig. 3 B ). Diameter of antennal socket about equal to distance between antennal sockets, 2.0 × distance between socket and eye ( Fig. 3 B ). Frons densely granulate, sometimes with fine striation ( Fig. 3 B ). Ocelli medium size, arranged in triangle with base 1.3 × its sides, POL 1.9 × Od, 0.65 × OOL ( Fig. 3 B ). Vertex transversely striate and with granulation between striae ( Fig. 3 B ). Temple finely striate and with finely reticulate ( Fig. 3 B ). Occipital carina complete dorsally, ventrally remaining separated from hypostomal carina ( Fig. 3 B ). Eye sparsely and shortly setose, 1.3 × as height as width ( Fig. 3 B ). Face width equal to eye height and 1.25 × height of face ( Fig. 3 A ). Face sparsely long setose, with two round concavities between antennal sockets and clypeus, small one above and bigger one below ( Fig. 3 A ). Clypeal suture distinct ( Fig. 3 A ). Clypeus semicircle, reticulate, 2.0 × as wide as high ( Fig. 3 A ). Malar space height 0.4 × eye height ( Fig. 3 A ). Malar suture absent ( Fig. 3 A ). Hypoclypeal depression round, its width 0.8 × distance from edge of depression to eye, 0.4 × width of face ( Fig. 3 A ). Antenna filiform, 30 antennomeres. Scape 2.2 × longer than maximum width. First flagellomere 4.0 × longer than its apical width, almost equal to second flagellomere ( Fig. 2 A ). Penultimate flagellomere 3.0 × longer than width, 0.5 × as long as first flagellomere, almost equal to apical flagellomere ( Fig. 2 A ).

Mesosoma . Length 1.8 × its height ( Fig. 3 C ). Pronotum weakly convex laterally with irregular wrinkles ( Fig. 3 D ). Mesoscutum highly and almost perpendicularly elevated above pronotum ( Fig. 3 C ). Notauli complete, shallow, with rough and irregular short wrinkles and its posterior half merges with a roughly wrinkled area at the posterior part of the middle lobe of mesoscutum ( Fig. 3 D ). Mesoscutum slightly convex, glabrous with fine reticulation, median portion with distinct striae and irregular sculpture between the striae ( Fig. 3 D ). Scutellar sulcus wide, with seven carinae, smooth between them, 0.4 × as long as scutellum ( Fig. 3 C ). Scutellum convex, with fine reticulation ( Fig. 3 D ). Mesopleuron with distinct striae and irregular sculpture between the striae in upper half portion, and granulate-coriaceous in lower half portion ( Fig. 3 C ). Sternauli deep and wide in medial portion of mesopleuron longitudinally ( Fig. 3 C ). Propodeum convex, without lateral tubercles, coarsely reticulate ( Fig. 3 H ).

Wings. Length of fore wing 3.2 × its maximum width ( Fig. 3 E ). Pterostigma 3.2 × as long as maximum width ( Fig. 3 E ). Vein r arising from basal 0.4 of pterostigma and 0.7 × as long as maximum width of pterostigma ( Fig. 3 E ). Vein 1-SR+M slightly curved. Vein 2-SR 2.4 × as long as r, 1.6 × as long as 3-SR, 1.7 × as long as m-cu, 0.7 × as long as 1-SR+M. Vein 3-SR slightly longer than r-m ( Fig. 3 E ). Vein M+CU1 slightly curved. Vein m-cu interfurcal. Vein cu-a postfurcal. Vein 1-CU1 0.15 × as long as 2-CU1. The first subdiscal cell open apical ( Fig. 3 E ).

Legs. Hind coxa 1.7 × as long as wide, with distinct baso-ventral protuberance, reticulation, with long setae; hind femur 3.3 × as long as wide, finely coriaceous, with sparsely short setae ( Fig. 3 I ); setae of hind tibia erect and 0.4 × as long as maximum width of tibia, finely coriaceous; hind tarsus 1.2 × as long as hind tibia; basitarsus 0.6 × as long as second-fifth segments combined; second segment of hind tarsus 0.6 × as long as basitarsus.

Metasoma. First tergite 0.8 × as long as its apical width, with medium-sized dorsope, with distinct longitudinal striae, and with minute transverse sculpture between striae ( Fig. 3 G ). Length of second and third tergite 1.2 × as long as first tergite ( Fig. 3 G ). Second tergite with shallow V-shape grooves, with distinct longitudinal striae, and with minute transverse sculpture between striae ( Fig. 3 G ). Basal 4/5 of third tergite with distinct longitudinal striae, apical 1/5 smooth and with shiny circular area ( Fig. 3 G ). Basal half of fourth tergite with distinct longitudinal striae, and with minute transverse sculpture between striae, medially only with distinct longitudinal striae, and apical smooth ( Fig. 3 G ). Basal half of fifth tergite finely granulate-reticulate. Remainder of metasoma smooth. Ovipositor sheath 0.6 × as long as body ( Fig. 3 G ).

Colour. Yellowish-brown to dark brown; palpi yellow; scutellum, metanotum, propodeum yellowish-brown; wing membrane hyaline, pterostigma brown, veins brownish to pale brown; antenna dark brown, but its basal six antennomeres yellow; legs brownish yellow; metasoma dark brown.

Paratype. Male. Body length 3.7 mm; fore wing length 3.0 mm; antenna length 4.3 mm, with 31 antennomeres. Hind wing with large brown pterostigma ( Fig. 2 B ).

Remarks. The new species have fore wing vein r-m present, thus differing from Leluthia (Euhecabolodes) transcaucasica (Tobias) . It differs from Leluthia (Euhecabolodes) postfurcalis Belokobylskij & Maeto by vein m-cu of fore wing interfurcal, and mesopleuron without striate below sternauli.

Biology. So far only known to be the endoparasitoids of larvae of Phloeosinus sinensis Schedl, 1953 ( Coleoptera : Buprestidae ).

Distribution. China (Oriental).

Etymology. The specific name refers to Minqing, Fujian Province of China (Southeast of China) where this species was first found.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Leluthia minqingensis, sp. nov. Habitus, lateral aspect: A. female; B. male.

FIGURE 3. Leluthia minqingensis, sp. nov., ♀, holotype (but 10 of ♂paratype) (A–I):A. Head, anterior aspect; B. Head, dorsal aspect; C. Mesosoma, lateral aspect; D. Mesosoma, dorsal aspect; E. Wings, female; F. Wings, male; G. First to fifth metasomal tergites, dorsal aspect; H. Propodeum, dorsal aspect; I. Hind coxa.