ISSN 0973-1555(Print) ISSN 2348-7372(Online) HALTERES, Volume 10, 80-85, 2019 C. BINOY, P.M. SURESHAN, S. SANTHOSH AND M. NASSER doi: 10.5281/zenodo.3596046 Description of a new species of Lasiochalcidia Masi (Chalcidoidea: Chalcididae) from India with a key to Oriental species *C. Binoy1,3, P.M. Sureshan2, S. Santhosh3 and M. Nasser1 1Insect Ecology and Ethology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Kerala-673635, India. 2 Western Ghats Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Eranhipalam, Kozhikode, Kerala-673006, India. 3 Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Malabar Christian College, (Affiliated to University of Calicut), Kozhikode, Kerala-673001, India. (Email: [email protected]) Abstract Lasiochalcidia Masi, 1929 (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) is one of the rarest chalcid genera to have been recorded from the world. Association with antlions and the peculiar mode of oviposition makes the genus more interesting. Here we describe and illustrate a new species of Lasiochalcidia Masi with a key to Oriental species. Keywords: Chalcididae; Lasiochalcidia Masi; New Species; India; Oriental Region. Received: 11 July 2019; Revised: 26 December 2019; Online: 31 December 2019 Introduction Lasiochalcidia Masi, 1929 is one of innate ability to discover hidden hosts by the least common genera of hybothoracine perceiving the movements on loose soil made (Haltichellinae: Hybothoracini) tribe to occur by the antlion larva, using the specialised in any collection from the tropics. Presently mechanoreceptors on the antennae. The female constituting of 23 species worldwide, the parasitoid provokes the antlion larva to attack species is mostly associated as parasitoids of its hindlegs with the powerful and deadly antlion larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) mandibles of antlion larva. When the antlion (Nikol’skaya, 1978; Bouček 1988; Noyes, grabs on, the toothed mandibles get held on by 2019). The genus is represented by seven the rugate basal teeth of the hindlegs of the species from the Oriental region of which only parasitoid. Now, parasitoid stretches the two species are recorded from the Indian antlion’s jaws apart using its muscular legs subcontinent viz., L. dargelasii (Latreille, making the predator helpless and expose its 1805) and L. pilosella (Cameron, 1904). most vulnerable and least chitinous part of its Host association and the mode of body, the ventral side of its neck. The parasitisation of species in Lasiochalcidia parasitoid takes its time and carefully oviposit have been of much interest. Bouček (1956) an egg through the antlion's exposed throat not reported Lepidopteran pupae as hosts for harming any of its vital organs. The task when Lasiochalcidia species, but this is very completed, the parasitoid releases the helpless doubtful as Lasiochalcidia is commonly antlion larva from its hold and flies off. The regarded as a potential parasitoid of much antlion larva is thus left to rot while the voracious predators, the ant-lion larvae parasitoid lives within its body and the adult (Lotfalizadeh et al., 2012). The peculiarity in wasp emerges off the pits build by antlion oviposition is described by many as a larva when they fully mature. spectacle to watch. Stefan (1958, 1959, 1961, 1966) Materials and Methods studied the ovipositional behaviour of several The specimens for the present study species of Lasiochalcidia and found their was retrieved employing both sweeping from 80 Description of a new species of Lasiochalcidia Masi from India an abandoned vegetable field in Edakkara and Lasiochalcidia (Anoplochalcidia) Steffan, by passive yellow pan trap collections from 1953: 34. New status for Jafferkhan colony, Kozhikode district and near Anoplochalcidia Steffan (page 34) D. B. College, Shasthamkotta in Kollam Oxycoryhpus Cameron, 1904: 109. Type district of Kerala, India. The specimens were species: Oxycoryhpus pilosellus preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and later card Cameron, by monotypy mounted for microscopic observation. The Oxycoryphiscus Ghesquiere, 1946: 368. parasitoids were examined under a Replacement name for Oxycoryphus stereoscopic binocular microscope of model Cameron, 1904 nec Fischer, 1853. LEICA M205 and the images were captured Diagnosis: Temples almost lacking in profile, with the camera model LEICA DFC 500. vertex above in anterio-posterior view very Measurements were obtained using Leica LAS thin; frons and gena covered with thick silvery (Leica Application Suite V3.80) microsystems bristles; posterior margin of pronotum with a by Leica (Heerburg, Switzerland). Images at border of minute bristles; scutellum apically varying depth were stacked using Leica Auto often bidentate, propodeum sloping steeply montage Software V3.80 and the final onto gaster; scape in males often with illustrations were post-processed for contrast prominent horn like dent below. and brightness using Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 (Version 12.0 x64) software. The type Hosts: Most species of the genus are parasites specimens are deposited in the National on antlion larvae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleon- Zoological collections of Zoological Survey of tidae) (Bouček, 1988; Noyes, 2019). India, Western Ghat Regional Centre, Kozhikode (ZSIK). Distribution: This genus is distributed in Africa, Europe and Asia (Noyes, 2019). Terms and measurements: The terminology used is mainly that of Narendran (1989) and Key to Oriental species of Lasiochalcidia Narendran & van Achterberg (2016). The Masi nomenclature for cuticular sculpturing follows (Modified from Narendran, 1989) Harris (1979).The general abbreviations of the 1. Females....................................................2 terms are as follows: – Males........................................................6 F1–F7: First to seventh funicular segments 2. Hind femora less than 2× as long as wide; MV: Marginal vein distal half not narrower than proximal OD: Diameter of median ocellus (equal to subequal) half; scrobal striations OOL: Minimum distance between posterior narrow, slightly convex...........................3 ocelli and compound eye – Hind femora distinctly more than 2× as PMV: Postmarginal vein long as wide; distal half a trifle narrower POL: Distance between two posterior ocelli than proximal half; other characters partly STV: Stigmal vein or completely different............................4 T1-T6: Abdominal tergites one to six 3. Hind femora distinctly much less than 2× as long as wide; scrobal striae strong and Results and Discussion narrowed; apex of scutellum well Genus Lasiochalcidia Masi, 1929 emarginate; T1 smooth and shiny.............. Anoplochalcidia Steffan, 1951: 2. Type ……………………….…L. pilosella (Cam.) species: Anoplochalcidia guineensis – Hind femora less than or equal to 2× as Steffan, original designation and long as wide; scrobal striae weak and monotypy wider than in alternate; apex of scutellum Dromochalcidia Masi, 1929: 185. Type weakly emarginate to rounded; T1 species: Dromochalcidia moluccensis shagreened ……….............L. narendrani Masi, by monotypy Binoy and Sureshan sp.n. Lasiochalcidia Masi, 1929: 209-220. Type 4. Apex of scutellum prominently bilobate; species: Euchalcis rubripes Kieffer, by hind femora black; propodeum with subsequent designation of Nikol'skaya, median area with several longitudinal M. (1952). carinae...................L. moluccensis (Masi) 81 C. Binoy, P.M. Sureshan, S. Santhosh and M. Nasser – Apex of scutellum weakly emarginate; brownish to black, pedicel brown, F1 and F2 hind femora usually red, propodeum brownish black, remaining flagellar segments without longitudinal carinae ...................5 brownish black with apices brown, clava 5. Striations of scrobe almost straight; apex basally liver brownish, remaining portion of scutellum produced in the form of a brownish black; fore and mid femur and tibia flange; propodeum with lateral teeth reddish brown, fore and mid coxa black, all weak; antennae and legs completely tarsi testaceous; hind coxa dorsally shiny black rufous…………....L. thresiae Narendran with fine setose punctures ventrally, hind – Striations of scrobe convex; apex of femora reddish brown with black tooth at scutellum bidentate; propodeum with ventral margin and scattered pits on the disc prominent lateral teeth; antennae, fore and arising from which are thin silvery white long mid femora and hind tibiae usually hairs, hind tibia reddish brown dorsally, blackish...................... L. dargelasii (Lat.) ventrally black, carinate, surface with scattered 6. Antenna with scape without a prominent thin white hairs; gaster black with dense dent below...........................L. narendrani golden yellow pubescence laterally on T2 to Binoy and Sureshan sp.n. T5; T6 completely covered with rows of – Antenna with scape having a prominent golden yellow pubescence; pubescence on the dent below................................................7 body golden. 7. Apex of scutellum deeply or well incised Head (Fig. 1–3): Head a trifle wider than and bilobate..............................................8 width of thorax (excluding tegula), 1.86× as – Apex of scutellum hardly emarginate, high as wide in lateral view, moderately almost entire…….......L. dargelasii (Lat.) punctate with thin golden yellow pubescence 8. Hind leg black........L. birmanus (M.&D.) on the upper face extending to the occiput; – Hind leg red...............L. pilosella (Cam.) lower face moderately punctate with dense silvery white pubescence extending to the Lasiochalcidia narendrani Binoy and gena; POL 3.25× OOL, median ocellus Sureshan sp.n. slightly