A new brachypterous species of Heterospilus Haliday (Braconidae, Doryctinae) from the Neotropical Region

U.S.A


Introduction
described Heterospilus belokobylskiji Kula and Heterospilus vincenti Kula, the first New World species of Heterospilus Haliday known to exhibit either brachyptery or aptery. There were also two brachypterous species of Heterospilus known from the Palearctic Region, Heterospilus brachyptera (Jakimavicius, 1968) and Heterospilus he-mipterus (Thomson, 1892), at that time. Belokobylskij and Kula (2012) synonymized the two aforementioned species. A new brachypterous species of Heterospilus from the Neotropical Region was discovered following the publication of Kula (2011). The new species is described herein, increasing the total number of brachypterous species of Heterospilus worldwide to four. Belokobylskij and Kula (2012) provided thorough background on brachyptery and aptery in Braconidae. Kula (2011) discussed the New World doryctines that exhibit brachyptery and aptery and provided a table indicating wing conditions for each species. However, errors and omissions were discovered in the discussion and table after Kula (2011) was published; they are corrected in this article. Additionally, research carried out as part of Belokobylskij and Kula (2012) elucidated wing conditions previously unknown or not reported for certain species in table 1 of Kula (2011). Therefore, the table is updated and included in this article.

Materials and methods
Specimens of the new species described herein were borrowed from the University of Wyoming Insect Museum, Laramie, U.S.A. (ESUW). They were examined as in Kula (2009), and their placement in Heterospilus was determined through reference to Marsh (2002), Marsh (1997), and Seltmann and Sharkey (2007). Specimens of the new species were compared with the holotypes of H. belokobylskiji and H. vincenti, as well as the paratype of each species (all in the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, U.S.A. [USNM]). The new species was differentiated from H. hemipterus using data in Belokobylskij and Kula (2012). Additionally, specimens of all New World species of Doryctinae with brachypterous or apterous individuals except Oroceguera andersoni Seltmann & Sharkey and Psenobolus triangularis van Achterberg & Marsh were examined as part of research reported in Kula (2011). See Kula (2011) for details on the numbers and kinds of specimens examined. Ecphylus caudatus, known from the Palearctic and Oriental regions, was mistakenly included in the list of specimens examined in Kula (2011) instead of the Nearctic species Ecphylus arcuatus Muesebeck. However, the holotype and six paratypes of E. arcuatus (all in the USNM) were examined as part of that research. Additionally, the author does not consider Ecphylopsis swezeyi Beardsley a species of Heterospilus as suggested in Marsh (2002) based on examination of that species as discussed in Kula (2011).
Terminology for morphological features, setation, and surface sculpture follows references listed in the materials and methods of Kula (2011). Wing conditions in Table 1 are characterized as brachypterous, micropterous, or apterous as in Belokobylskij and Kula (2012). Measurements, abbreviations, and imaging are as in Kula (2011). The maxillary and labial palpi were obscured in both female specimens of the new species. Therefore, data on penultimate maxillary palpomere length:flagellomere 1 length ratio are not presented in the description of the female.

Results and discussion
Heterospilus michaeli Kula, new species can be differentiated from some brachypterous or apterous doryctines in the New World (excluding ypsistocerines) by the condition of the wings (Table 1). Additionally, H. michaeli can be differentiated from all brachypterous or apterous New World species of Doryctinae using the same morphological features Kula (2011) (Fig. 1); it is brown in H. belokobylskiji (Kula 2011: figs 1-2) and reddish brown in H. hemipterus (Belokobylskij and Kula 2011: fig. 110). The forewing stigma is distinct in H. belokobylskiji (Kula 2011: fig. 2) and H. hemipterus (Belokobylskij and Kula 2011: fig. 110); it is indistinct in H. michaeli, with only thickened sclerotization at the wing apex. The hind wing stigma is located slightly apicad the middle of the wing in H. michaeli (Fig. 2); it is slightly basad the middle of the wing in H. belokobylskiji (Kula 2011: fig. 2) and at the wing apex in H. vincenti (Kula 2011: fig. 4). The flagellum is entirely yellow in H. michaeli females, and in males it transitions from yellow proximally to whitish yellow or white distally. The flagellum transitions from yellow proximally to brown distally in H. belokobylskiji, H. hemipterus, and H. vincenti females and males.
Forewing. Brachypterous, extending slightly posteriad middle of propodeum (including fringe); hyaline; stigma absent but with thickened sclerotization at wing apex; venation limited to one tubular vein each along anterior and posterior margins (likely C+SC+R and 1A, respectively) and one tubular vein mesally (likely M+CU), vein along posterior margin converging with vein mesally slightly before wing apex, vein mesally converging with vein along anterior margin at wing apex.
Hind wing. Brachypterous, extending slightly posterior to middle of propodeum (including fringe); basal and subbasal cells enclosed by veins, with veins enclosing cells differing in width and sclerotization but especially wide and sclerotized mesally posterior to apex of subbasal cell.
Color. Head (excluding mouthparts and antenna) yellow, mouthparts whitish yellow except mandible yellow with teeth brown, antenna yellow; mesosoma brownish yellow to yellow; wing venation tan; legs yellow to brownish yellow; T1 brownish yellow to yellow, T2-T8 yellow.
Forewing. Brachypterous, extending roughly to middle or posterior margin of T1 (including fringe); one specimen with indistinct veins likely corresponding to 1RS, 1M, RS+M, and 1CU in addition to three distinct horizontal veins (likely C+SC+R, M+CU, and 1A).
Hind wing. Brachypterous, extending roughly to or slightly posteriad middle of T1 (including fringe); stigma slightly apicad middle of wing, subelliptical; basal and subbasal cells enclosed by tubular veins except delimited distally by stigma, basal cell delimited ventrally by M+CU vein, 1M vein absent; R1 vein tubular.
Color. Antenna yellow proximally transitioning to whitish yellow or white distally; metathoracic leg with coxa, femur, and tibia brown in one specimen; T3-T5 yellow with posterior edge brown or slightly darker.
Host. Unknown. Etymology. This species is named for the author's son, Michael Alden Kula.