Zele aquilus Fang, van Achterberg & Chen, 2025

Fang, Yu, van Achterberg, Cornelis, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-xin, 2025, Revision of genus Zele Curtis (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) from China, with description of nineteen new species, ZooKeys 1248, pp. 125-208 : 125-208

Zele aquilus Fang, van Achterberg & Chen sp. nov.

Fig. 4

Type material.

Holotype. China – Shaanxi Prov. • ♀; Pingheliang, Ningshan ; 33.47°N, 108.50°E; alt. 2105 m; 25 Jul. – 22 Oct. 2017; Jiang-li Tan, Qing-qing Tan leg.; B [lack] Malaise trap; ( ZJUH) No. 202315012 . Paratypes. China – Shaanxi Prov. • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; ( ZJUH) No. 202315002 . • 1 ♀; Pingheliang, Ningshan ; alt. 2188 m; 17 Aug. – 1 Oct. 2016; Jiang-li Tan, Qing-qing Tan leg.; B [lack] Malaise trap; ( NWU) No. 202315001 .

Diagnosis.

Metanotum with enlarged smooth knob medio-posteriorly and median carina in front of it short (Fig. 4 C ); precoxal sulcus sparsely sculptured anteriorly and mesopleuron shiny (Fig. 4 B ); vein 1 r-m of hind wing 1.8–2.2 × longer than vein 1 - M (Fig. 4 E ); pterostigma of ♀ dark brown (Fig. 4 D ); length of malar space 0.2 × basal width of mandible; first tergite 2.3–2.6 × longer than its apical width; dorsope of first tergite medium-sized (Fig. 4 K ), but space between dorsope wider than dorsope; hind tarsus mainly white; ovipositor sheath 0.25–0.33 × as long as fore wing; first tergite costate medio-posteriorly (Fig. 4 K ).

Comparative diagnosis.

Very similar to Z. inclinator but differs mainly by the large ocelli (smaller in Z. inclinator ), the white hind tarsus (yellowish in Z. inclinator ) and the blackish brown pterostigma (pale yellow in Z. inclinator ).

Description.

Holotype, ♀, length of fore wing 5.1 mm, of body 4.5 mm, and antenna 1.2 × as long as fore wing.

Head. Antennal segments 34, third segment 1.1 × longer than fourth segment and third, fourth and penultimate segments 3.6 ×, 3.4 ×, and 2.0 × longer than wide, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.3 × longer than height of head; frons smooth and behind antennal sockets distinctly impressed; POL: diameter of posterior ocellus: OOL = 7: 5: 5; vertex superficially finely punctulate and densely setose (Fig. 4 H ); clypeus strongly convex in lateral view, distinctly punctate and with long setae (Fig. 4 I ); face superficially finely punctate and distinctly narrowed ventrally, minimum width of face 1.2 × height of face (Fig. 4 G ); length of eye 2.5 × temple in dorsal view (Fig. 4 H ); length of malar space 0.2 × basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.5 × its height; dorsally side of pronotum shiny and smooth, medially punctate and with three carinae and posteriorly largely smooth except crenulate posterior border; prepectal carina no-lamelliform; precoxal sulcus dorsally distinctly crenulate and anteriorly broadly rather superficially punctate and shiny; remainder of mesopleuron smooth and shiny but antero-dorsally punctate (Fig. 4 B ); mesosternum largely smooth and shiny; metapleuron spaced rugose; mesoscutal lobes superficially punctate or punctulate, interspaces smooth and shiny; scutellar sulcus deep anteriorly, with one long and four short carinae; scutellum slightly convex, and punctulate, its medio-posterior depression rather wide and laterally crenulate; metanotum with large posterior knob and with a pair of rather short carinae medially; propodeum completely areolate, remotely rugose, subbasal carina complete, angulate, medio-longitudinal carina complete, and mostly weakly developed; in lateral view propodeum gradually lowered posteriorly except for dorsal part in front of subbasal carina, dorsal part comparatively large, mainly smooth and shiny (Fig. 4 B, C ).

Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 4 D ): r: 3 - SR: SR 1 = 9: 29: 134; 2 - SR: 3 - SR: r-m = 37: 29: 23; 1 - CU 1: 2 - CU 1 = 2: 28; cu-a vertical, postfurcal. Hind wing (Fig. 4 E ): r absent; M + CU: 1 - M = 70: 22; 1 r-m 1.8 × 1 - M.

Legs. Hind coxa largely smooth dorsally; length of fore femur 7.5 × its width (Fig. 4 L ); length of fore tibial spur 0.3 × fore basitarsus (Fig. 4 M ); lengths of hind femur and basitarsus 7.0 × and 9.2 × their widths, respectively (Fig. 4 N ).

Metasoma. First tergite 2.6 × longer than its apical width, part behind level of spiracles distinctly widened and rugose but posteriorly striate, dorsope elliptical and medium-sized, area behind it depressed (Fig. 4 K ), laterope medium-sized and sublateral (Fig. 4 J ); second tergite glabrous, smooth and strongly shiny; ovipositor comparatively slender basally; length of ovipositor sheath 0.22 × as long as fore wing and sheath with semi-erect, medium-sized setae (Fig. 4 A, F ).

Colour. Body rather dark reddish brown, but head (except posteriorly), scutellum, and metasoma (except first tergite) brownish yellow; palpi and tegulae pale yellowish basally but palpi largely whitish, hind tarsus largely white, but telotarsi dorsally and base of basitarsus brownish; veins and pterostigma dark brown; wings subhyaline with slight infuscation; apex of ovipositor sheath brown.

Variation. Vein 1 r-m of hind wing 1.8–2.2 × as long as vein 1 - M; fore femur of ♀ 7.0–7.5 × longer than wide; hind femur of ♀ 6.0–7.0 × longer than wide; first metasomal tergite 2.3–2.6 × its apical width. Antennal segments of ♀ 34 (1), 35 (2); of ♂ unknown.

Distribution.

China (Shaanxi).

Biology.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Named after the blackish brown pterostigma; aquilus is Latin for blackish.

Figures

Figure 4. Zele aquilus sp. nov., holotype, ♀ A. Habitus, lateral aspect; B. Mesosoma, lateral aspect; C. Mesosoma, dorsal aspect; D. Fore wing; E. Hind wing; F. Ovipositor sheath; G. Head, anterior aspect; H. Head, dorsal aspect; I. Head, lateral aspect; J. First metasomal tergite, lateral aspect; K. First metasomal tergite, dorsal aspect; L. Fore femur, lateral aspect; M. Fore tibial spur and fore basitarsus; N. Hind femur, lateral aspect. Scale bars: 500 μm.