Rhyukyuspathius, A New Peculiar Genus of the Tribe Spathiini (Hymenoptera:

Braconidae: Doryctinae) from Japan

Author(s): Sergey A. Belokobylskij
Source: Annales Zoologici, 58(4):761-766. 2008.
Published By: Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3161/000345408X396693
URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.3161/000345408X396693

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 A N N A L E S Z O O L O G I C I (Warszawa), 2008, 58(4): 761-766

RHYUKYUSPATHIUS, A NEW PECULIAR GENUS OF THE

TRIBE SPATHIINI (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE:
DORYCTINAE) FROM JAPAN

SERGEY A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ

Museum and Institute of Zoology Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64,

00-679 Warszawa, Poland; Zoological Institute Russian Academy of Sciences,
St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia; e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract.— A new genus from the Ryukyu Islands of Japan belonging to the braconid wasp
subfamily Doryctinae, Ryukyuspathius gen. nov., with its type species, R. spinifer sp.
nov., is described and illustrated. The position of this genus in the tribe Spathiini sensu
stricto and its morphological similarities with other genera are discussed.

Key words.— Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Doryctinae, new genus and species, parasitoids,
Ryukyu Islands.

INTRODUCTION Recently, two molecular phylogenetic studies were

carried out (Zaldivar-Riveron et al. 2007, 2008) includ-
With over 250 species belonging to 17 genera and ing a vast number of species belonging to 50 and 64
taxa recorded from all zoogeographic regions, the tribe doryctine genera, respectively, from the all continents.
Spathiini sensu lato represents one of the largest Among other findings, these studies demonstrated that
supergeneric taxa of the polymorphic and worldwide a considerably elongated acrosternite of the petiolate
distributed braconid wasp subfamily Doryctinae. Most or subpetiolate first metasomal tergite independently
of the diversity from this tribe, however, was contained evolved within the Doryctinae in at least seven sepa-
by the mainly Old World distributed genus Spathius rate lineages. Strikingly, some of these lineages were
Nees, 1819, which has more than 200 described species represented by genera belonging to the Spathini
recorded to this date (Nixon 1943, Chao 1956, 1977, (Spathius, Psenobolus Reinhard, 1885, Notiospath-
1978, Belokobylskij 2003, Chen and Shi 2004). ius Matthews et Marsh, 1973, Tarasco Marsh, 1993,
The main diagnostic character that was traditional- etc.). The latter tribe was therefore concluded to be
ly regarded to distinguish the members of the Spathii- actually polyphyletic, leaving it only represented by
ni was the presence of a considerably elongated first Spathius (Spathiini sensu stricto), though it also prob-
metasomal tergite transformed in petiole. The petiolate ably contains some other Old World genera with petio-
first tergites with very long its acrosternite was also late first metasomal tergite that were not examined in
regarded to be the only known reliable putative the above studies (Parana Nixon, 1943, Toka Nixon,
synapomorphy for this tribe (Belokobylskij 1992), since 1943, Paraspathius Nixon, 1943, Spathioplites Fis-
all the other proposed morphological synapomorphies cher, 1962, Afrospathius Belokobylskij et Quicke,
(e.g. first metasomal tergite with distinct abrupt apical 2000, Hemispathius Belokobylskij et Quicke, 2000,
dilatation, postfurcal position of recurrent vein (m-cu) etc.).
of fore wing, subinterstitial position of parallel vein Here, a new doryctine genus, Ryukyuspathius
(2CUb): Nixon 1943) considerably varied among its gen. nov., with its type species R. spinifer sp. nov.,
members. from the Ryukyu Islands of Japan (Okinawa I.) is

PL ISSN 0003-4541 © Fundacja Natura optima dux

doi: 10.3161/000345408X396693
762 S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ

described. This genus appears to be closely related to The smooth mesoscutum, the parallel vein (2CUb)
Spathius and therefore is placed within the Spathiini arising distinctly behind the middle of apical side of
s. s. subject to further confirmation. It possesses sever- brachial (first subdiscal) cell and the large submedial
al peculiar external morphological features, including (subbasal) cell of hind wing are also known in
the metanotum with long pointed tooth, propodeum Palaearctic and Australasian genus Spathiomorpha
with pair of long and curved inward lateral processes, Tobias (Tobias 1976); however, Ryukyuspathius
eye with distinct and sparse setae, middle tibia without gen. nov. differs from the latter in having the metan-
spines. It also additionally has a very posterior position otum with long, thick basally and distinctly pointed
of the parallel vein (2CUb) of fore wing in comparison median tooth, the propodeum with thick and apically
with the second abscissa of cubital (1CUb) vein, long weakly curved inward lateral processes, the recur-
submedial (subbasal) cell of hind wing, and mostly rent vein (m-cu) of fore wing postfurcal, the eye with
smooth mesoscutum. distinct and sparse setae, and the middle tibia without
Terminology of morphological features, measure- spines.
ment and sculpture follows Belokobylskij and Tobias Description. Head transverse (Fig. 2), not depress-
(1998). The wing venation nomenclature follows ed (Fig. 3). Antennal sockets distinctly separated from
Belokobylskij and Tobias (1998) and Sharkey and each other. Frons almost flat, without median keel or
Wharton (1997) (in parentheses). The following abbre- furrow. Ocelli arranged in equilateral triangle. Eye
viations are used: with distinct and sparse setae, without emar-
POL – postocellar line, gination opposite antennal sockets. Occipital carina
OOL – ocular-ocellar line, coarse, complete dorsally, joined below with hypo-
Od – maximum diameter of lateral ocellus. stomal carina. Malar suture absent. Clypeus dis-
The holotype of the new species is kept in the tinctly convex (Fig. 3), with short lower flange; cly-
National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences peal suture complete. Face above clypeus with 2
(Tsukuba, Japan). distinct and narrow depressions (Fig. 1). Postgenal
bridge very narrow. Maxillary palpus long, 6-seg-
mented, labial palpus short, 4-segmented. Third
TAXONOMY segment of labial palpus not shortened. Antenna
(Fig. 4) with scape thick and short, without apical lobe
Ryukyuspathius gen. nov. and basal constriction. First flagellar segment sub-
cylindrical, almost straight, longer than second seg-
Type species. Ryukyuspathius spinifer sp. nov. ment. Apical segment pointed apically and without
Etymology. From the name of the Ryukyu Islands, spine.
where it was collected, and the generic name Spa- Mesosoma not depressed (Fig. 5). Prothorax rather
thius. short. Pronotal carina absent, but coarse subanterior
Diagnosis. Ryukyuspathius gen. nov. resembles carina present (dorsal view). Sides of pronotum with
Spathius Nees, but differs from it in having the metan- more or less delineated wide median groove. Posterior
otum with long, thick basally and distinctly pointed propleural lobe wide. Mesonotum highly and perpen-
median tooth, the propodeum with long, thick and api- dicularly elevated above pronotum, almost entirely
cally weakly curved inward lateral processes, the par- smooth. Median lobe of mesonotum wide and with dis-
allel vein (2CUb) arising from posterior 0.3 of apical tinct anterolateral shoulders. Notauli deep, wide and
side of brachial (first subdiscal) cell, the submedial complete (Fig. 6). Prescutellar depression long and
(subbasal) cell of hind wing large and with first abscis- deep; distinct wing-like flanges developed laterally on
sa of mediocubital vein (M+CU) almost as long as sec- level of depression. Scuto-scutellar suture distinct. Me-
ond abscissa (1M), the eye with long and sparse setae, tanotum with long, thick basally and distinctly pointed
the mesoscutum mostly smooth, and the middle tibia apically median tooth. Mesopleural pit deep, rather
without spines. short and narrow. Sternaulus more or less deep, wide,
Propodeal processes are also known in the Polyne- running along almost entire lower part of mesopleuron.
sian genus Fijispathius Belokobylskij, Iqbal et Austin Prepectal carina coarse and complete. Postpectal cari-
(Belokobylskij et al., 2004), but the new genus differs na absent. Metapleural flange relatively long, wide
from it in having the metanotum with a long and dis- basally, rounded apically. Propodeum (Fig. 7) with
tinctly pointed median tooth, the parallel vein (2CUb) areas distinctly delineated by carinae, with long, thick
arising from posterior 0.3 of apical side of brachial and apically weakly curved inward lateral processes;
(first subdiscal) cell, the submedial (subbasal) cell of propodeal bridge absent. Propodeal spiracle small and
hind wing large and with first abscissa of mediocubital rounded. Metapleural suture distinct. Subanterior ver-
vein (M+CU) almost as long as second abscissa (1M), tical groove crossing propodeum and metapleuron
and the eye with distinct and sparse setae. wide and very deep.
 RHYUKYUSPATHIUS GEN. NOV. FROM JAPAN 763

1 2 3

8
7
9

10

11

Figures 1–11. Morphological features of Ryukyuspathius spinifer gen and sp. nov. (1) Head, front view; (2) head, dorsal view; (3) head, lateral
view; (4) basal and apical segments of antenna; (5) mesosoma, lateral view; (6) mesonotum; (7) propodeum, dorsal view; (8) part of fore wing,
place of the connection of recurrent (m-cu) and first radiomedial (2RS) veins; (9) part of fore wing, brachial (first subdiscal) cell; (10) fore wing;
(11) hind wing.
764 S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ

Wings. Pterostigma of fore wing short and wide protuberance (Fig. 14). Hind tibia without spines on
(Fig. 10). Radial (marginal) cell weakly shortened. apical outer margin, with area of very dense setae on
Both radiomedial veins (2RS and r-m) present. Recur- inner apical part. Spurs of hind tibia short, slender and
rent vein (m-cu) weakly postfurcal (Fig. 8). Nervulus setose. Hind basitarsus ventrally with narrow keel,
(cu-a) distinctly postfurcal. Discoidal (first discal) cell 0.65 times as long as second-fifth segments combined.
long and more or less narrow, distinctly petiolate ante- Claws rather large.
riorly. Basal (1M) and recurrent (m-cu) veins parallel. Metasoma. Petiole arched (Fig. 16), with distinct
Parallel (2CUb) vein arising from posterior 0.3 of apical subbasal lateral processes and small dorsope, with dis-
side of brachial (first subdiscal) cell (Fig. 9). Brachial tinct spiracular tubercles in basal 0.35 (Fig. 17); acros-
(first subdiscal) cell closed postero-apically by brachial ternite 0.7 times as long as first tergite. Second tergite
(2cu-a) vein. Hind wing (Fig. 11) with 3 hamuli. First without areas and furrows (Fig. 17); second suture
abscissa of costal vein (C+Sc+R) 0.75 times as long as absent. Second and third tergites without separate lat-
second abscissa (Sc+R). Radial (RS) vein arising from erotergites. Ovipositor subapically with single dorsal
costal (R) vein closely to basal (1r-m) vein. Radial nodes, more or less distinctly serrate ventro-apically
(marginal) cell almost parallel-sided, without addition- (Fig. 15).
al transverse vein (R). Medial (basal) cell large, dis- Distribution. Ryukyu Islands.
tinctly widened towards apex. Nervellus (cu-a) present.
Submedial (subbasal) cell large; first abscissa of
mediocubital vein (M+CU) almost as long as second Ryukyuspathius spinifer sp. nov.
abscissa (1M). Recurrent vein (m-cu) present. (Figs 1–17)
Legs. Fore tibia with several long and narrow
spines arranged in row. Middle tibia without spines. Type material. Holotype: female, “Japan: Ryu-
Hind coxa with baso-ventral corner and small tooth kyus, Mt. Nago-dake, MT, Okinawa Is., 29.V–2.VI.2004,
(Fig. 12). Hind femur subclavate, without dorsal H. Makihara” (NIAES).

12 13

14 15

16

17

Figures 12–17. Morphological features of Ryukyuspathius spinifer gen and sp. nov. (12) Hind coxa; (13) hind tibia; (14) hind femur;
(15) apex of ovipositor; (16) petiole, lateral view; (17) metasoma, dorsal view.
 RHYUKYUSPATHIUS GEN. NOV. FROM JAPAN 765

Description. Body length 4.0 mm; fore wing length pigmented, long, antefurcal, strongly curved towards
2.8 mm. Head width 1.5 times its median length, 1.3 base of wing.
times width of mesoscutum. Head behind eye (dorsal Legs. Middle tarsus long. Hind coxa 1.8 times longer
view) distinctly roundly narrowed. Transverse diameter than wide. Hind femur almost 4.0 times longer than
of eye 1.4 times length of temple. Ocelli medium-sized; wide. Hind tarsus 0.9 times as long as hind tibia. Sec-
POL almost equal to Od, 0.35 times OOL. Eye 1.25 times ond segment of hind tarsus 0.5 times as long as basitar-
as high as broad. Malar space height 0.4 times eye sus, twice longer than third segment, 1.3 times longer
height and 0.85 times basal width of mandible. Face than fifth segment (without pretarsus).
width equal to eye height and 1.2 times height of face Metasoma 1.1 times longer than head and mesoso-
and clypeus combined. Clypeal suture deep, additional- ma combined. Petiole (lateral view) distinctly curved
ly marginated by carina. Hypoclypeal depression rather ventrally and dorsally, weakly thickened medially, dis-
large and round, its width almost equal to distance from tinctly widened in apical quarter (dorsal view). Length
edge of depression to eye, 0.45 times width of face. of petiole 2.4 times its apical width, 1.6 times length of
Hypostomal flange wide. Vertex convex. propodeum, 0.7 times as long as rest of metasoma; api-
Antenna filiform, slender, 30-segmented, 0.9 times cal width of petiole 1.5 times its width at level of spira-
as long as body. Scape 1.6 times longer than its maxi- cles, 2.2 times its minimum width. Median length of sec-
mum width. First flagellar segment 3.5 times longer ond and third tergites combined 1.3 times basal width
than its apical width, 1.15 times longer than second of second tergite, 0.8 times their maximum width.
segment. Penultimate segment twice longer than wide, Ovipositor sheath 2.2 times longer than petiole, 0.6
0.5 times as long as first segment, 0.8 times as long as times as long as fore wing, 0.8 times as long as metaso-
apical segment. ma, 1.3 times longer than mesosoma.
Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.8 times longer than height. Sculpture and pubescence. Vertex, frons and tem-
Subanterior transverse carina of pronotum (dorsal ple entirely smooth; face rugose-striate medially and
view) connected medially with anterior curved up smooth laterally, clypeus rugose. Mesoscutum mostly
flange by short and distinct keel. Lateral pronotal de- smooth, with coarsely rugose area in medioposterior
pression quite shallow, densely and coarsely crenulate. 0.7. Scutellum mostly smooth, finely punctate, but
Median lobe of mesoscutum distinctly protruding for- rugulose laterally. Mesopleuron punctate to smooth in
wards, rounded anteriorly, its maximum width 1.1 median area, distinctly rugose-areolate in lower 0.3.
times median length. Notauli coarsely crenulate. Pres- Metapleuron entirely coarsely rugose-reticulate. Pro-
cutellar depression with high median carina, mostly podeum mostly coarsely rugulose-reticulate, basolater-
smooth, 0.4 times as long as scutellum. Scutellum con- al areas medially granulate-reticulate, rather widely
vex, with lateral carinae. Subalar depression shallow, rugulose along carinae; basal carina long, about 0.4
rather narrow, coarsely rugose-striate. Sternaulus times of propodeum and 2.5 times longer than anterior
wide anteriorly and narrow posteriorly, weakly curved, fork of areola; areola narrow and long; petiolate area
coarsely rugose-crenulate. Metapleural flange wide long, narrow and distinctly separated from areola.
and long. Hind coxa almost entirely coarsely rugose-reticulate,
Wing. Fore wing about 4.0 times longer than wide. with rather fine transverse striae postero-dorsally.
Pterostigma 3.5 times longer than its maximum width. Hind femur mostly smooth, dorsally rugulose. Petiole
Radial (r) vein arising behind middle of pterostigma, its rugulose-striate in basal 0.7, smoothly striate in apical
inner margin from parastigma to radial vein (r) 1.2 0.3. Remaining tergites smooth. Whole vertex with
times inner margin from radial vein (r) to metacarpus sparse long and almost erect setae. Mesoscutum with
(R1). Metacarpus (R1) 1.3 times longer than pterostig- sparse, long and erect setae arranged more or less nar-
ma. First radial abscissa (r) 0.5 times as long as maxi- row stripes along notauli and laterally, glabrous on
mum width of pterostigma. Second radial abscissa median parts of all lobes. Setae on dorsal surface of
(3RSa) almost 5.0 times longer than first abscissa (r) hind tibia long, almost erect and rather dense, its
and forming with it obtuse angle, 0.6 times as long as length 1.0–1.4 times maximum width of tibia.
the straight third abscissa (3RSb), 1.5 times longer Colour. Body dark reddish brown with blackish
than first radiomedial vein (2RS). Second radiomedial patches, metasoma behind petiole reddish brown.
(second submarginal) cell not narrowed distally, its Antenna brown, black apically, scape and pedicel yel-
length 3.2 times maximum width, 1.4 times length of lowish brown. Palpus yellow. Legs reddish brown, part-
brachial (first subdiscal) cell. First medial abscissa ly infuscate, fore and middle coxa and all trochanters
((RS+M)a) weakly sinuated. Distance from nervulus and trochantelli brownish yellow, middle and hind ti-
(cu-a) to basal vein (1M) 1.3 times nervulus (cu-a) biae yellowish basally. Ovipositor sheath mostly brown
length. Mediocubital vein (M+CU) very weakly curved to dark brown, yellowish brown basally. Wings evenly
to anal vein (1A) in distal half. Hind wing 5.5 times faintly infuscate. Pterostigma dark brown, paler basal-
longer than its maximum width. Recurrent vein (m-cu) ly and apically at short distances.
766 S. A. BELOKOBYLSKIJ

Male unknown. the subfamily Spathiinae (Braconidae)]. Proceedings of

Distribution. Japan (Rhyukyu Is.). the Fujian Agricultural College, 4: 1–18. (In Chinese).
Chao, H.-F. 1977. [A study on Chinese braconid wasps of the
tribe Spathiini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Doryctinae)].
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Acta entomologica sinica, 20(2): 205–216. (In Chinese).
Chao, H.-F. 1978. [A study on Chinese braconid wasps of
the tribe Spathiini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Dorycti-
I am very thankful to Dr. A. Zaldívar-Riverón (Mad-
nae)]. Acta entomologica sinica, 21(2): 173–184. (In Chi-
rid, Spain) and Dr. A. G. Radchenko (Kiev, Ukraine) for
nese).
their comments of the manuscript of this paper and Chen, J. and Q. Shi. 2004. Systematic studies on Doryctinae of
useful suggestions. This work was in parts supported China (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Fujian: Fujian Science
by the grant 2 P04C 001 28 given by the Ministry of Sci- and Technology Publishing House, 274 pp.
ence and Higher Education (Poland), and a grant given Nixon, G. E. J. 1943 A revision of the Spathiinae of the Old
by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (No. World (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). Transaction of the
07–04–00454). Royal Entomological Society of London, 93(2): 173–456.
Sharkey, M. J. and R. A. Wharton. 1997. Morphology and ter-
minology. In: Wharton, R. A., Marsh, P. M. and Sharkey M.
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Received: November 15, 2008

Accepted: November 20, 2008