Table Of ContentJournal ofthe Bombay Natural HistorySociety, 105 (2), May-Aug 2008 202-205
NEW DESCRIPTION
A REVIEW OF THE GENUS PARAHORMIUS NIXON WITH DESCRIPTION
OF TWO NEW SPECIES (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) FROM INDIA
1
Anjum, Z. Ahmad2'3 and Z. Ahmed2
'AcceptedJune 17,2008
"SectionofEntomology.DepartmentofZoology,AligarhMuslimUniversity,Aligarh202002,UttarPradesh,India.
"Email: [email protected]
TheIndian speciesofParahonniusNixonarereviewed.Twospeciesnamely, P. leucopteraesp. nov. andP.punensis
sp. nov. are described and illustrated from India. Briefdiagnosis of the genus and key to the Indian species ofthe
genusParahonnius is provided.
Key words: review, Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Hormiinae, new species, India
INTRODUCTION GenusParahormius Nixon
Wharton 1993)discussedGenusParahonniusNixon Parahonnius Nixon, 1940: 473. Type species:
(
in detail anddefined its limits within Subfamily Hormiinae. Parahonniusjason Nixon, by original designation.
Parahonnius is characterized by loss ofepicnemial carina, Parahormius Nixon; Hedqvist, 1963: 49
reduction or loss ofthe pleural flange and carina, relatively Parahormius Nixon; Shenefelt, 1975: 1151
narrowprescutellarpits,rathernarrowpronotumandoccipital ParahormiusNixon; Belokobylskij andTobias, 1986:
carina disappearing ventrally before reaching hypostomal 64
carina. Parahormius Nixon; Belokobylskij, 1990b: 59-64,
Most ofthe species of Parahonnius are ofeconomic 1994b: 15
interest as they are gregarious or solitary ectoparasitoids of ParahormiusNixon; Papp, 1990:186
lepidopteran larvae of the families Coleophoridae, ParahormiusNixon; Whitfield & Wagner, 1991: 740
Cosmopterygidae, Gelechiidae and Lyonetiidae ParahormiusNixon; Wharton, 1993: 150
(Belokobylskij 1988; Whitfield and Wagnerl991; Wharton Diagnosis:Headsmoothornearlysoandsparselysetose
1993). dorsally; antennae slender; mesoscutum with a narrow and
The genus is almost worldwide in distribution but is usually smooth median depression between notauli; notauli
yet to be recorded from theAustralian region. Narendran et narrowandshallowposteriorly,impressedanteriorly;scutellum
al. (2002) described four species of Parahonnius from gently rounded laterally; scutellar sulcus shallow and
southern India. In the present work, the Indian species of comparatively narrow; precoxal sulcus and mesopleuron
Parahonnius are revised. Material pertaining to five out of smooth;propodeumareolate;vein2m-cuofhindwingpresent;
six species known from India was studied. Also, two new veinM+CUofhindwingaboutaslongasvein 1M;vein 1Mof
speciesaredescribed.Thegenusisrediagnosed,andakeyto fore wing largely unsclerotized; vein 2m-cu of fore wing
the Indian species of Parahonnius is also given. The new postfurcal; vein cu-a ofhind wing present, short; first tergite
species, namely P. punensis sp. nov. is based on a single completely sclerotized medially with lateral areas of tergite
specimensinceallavenuesofexaminingadditionalspecimens comparativelynarrow; ovipositorsheathssomewhatwidened.
by borrowing orcollecting did not yield any result.
The following abbreviations are used in the text: Key toIndian speciesofthegenusParahormiusNixon
OOL-ocello-ocularline (distance fromthe outeredge ofa
lateral ocellus to the compound eye); POL - post-ocellar 1. Fore wing with 3-SR shorter than or equal to r; fore wing
line (distance between the inner edges of the two lateral shorterthan body 2
—
ocelli); AOL - anterior-ocellar line (distance between the Fore wing with 3-SR longer than r; length of fore wing
inner edges ofanterior and lateral ocellus); OD - diameter distinctly longerthan body 5
of an ocellus; ZDAMLT - Zoology Department, Aligarh 2. Antennae with 19 segments P.jasonNixon
—
Muslim University. Antennae with morethan 19 segments 3
NEW DESCRIPTION
3. Malarspace 0.16x as long aseye length otherwise smooth andpolished; stemaulus smooth.
P. zonusNarendran Wings: Fore wings 3x as long as wide; 0.8x as long as
—
Malarspace more than 0.2x as long aseye length 4 bodylength;pterostigma3.4xaslongaswide,0.9xR1a,rarising
4. T1 ofgasterwhitish; stemaulus weakly crenulate: mesonotal from its middle; r0.8x as long as pterostigma; 3-RSa0.7x as
disc smooth, without longitudinal furrow longasr,0.5x2RS,0.15x3RSb;r-m 1.3x3RSa;2CUbarising
P.diephobusNixon from a little above middle of first discal cell; marginal cell
—
T1 yellowish; stemaulus crenulate; mesonotal disc smooth slightlynaiTOwertowardsapex; 1RSstraight;2m-cupostfurcal;
with longitudinal furrow P. leucopteraesp. nov. lcu-apostfurcal;hindwing5xaslongaswide.
5. Antennae 17 segmented, shorterthan body; scutellarsulcus Legs: Hind femur 3.7x as long as wide; hind tarsus
narrow and smooth P.punensissp. nov. 0.9x as long as hind tibia; hind basitarsus 0.7x as long as
—
Antennae with 19 or more segments, longer than body; tarsal segment 2-4combined.
scutellarsulcus narrow and crenulate 6 Metasoma: 1.2xaslongasmesosoma;T1 sclerotized,
6. Ovipositor a little shorter than hind metatarsus; mesosoma with longitudinal striations apically, basally smooth,
shorterthan metasoma P. stomNarendran
—
Ovipositorlongerthan hind metatarsus; mesosomaequal to
orlongerthan metasoma 7
7. OOL; POL=7:4;notauliindicatedbyapairoflongitudinal
carinae P. rameshiNarendran
—
OOL: POL= 8: 3; notaulinotdistinctP.absonusNarendran
1. Parahormiusabsonus Narendran
ParahormiusabsonusNarendran, 2002:56
Material Examined: 1 ?. Paratype: india: Kerala,
Walayar, 9,ix,1989, Coll. T.C. Narendran and party (ZSIC).
Host: Unknown.
Distribution: india: Kerala.
2. Parahormius leucopterae sp. nov.
(Figs 1-3)
Female: Length ofbody, 1.9 mm; fore wing, 1.6 mm.
Head: 1,5xaswideaslongindorsalview,0.9xashigh
aslonginventralview;eyes3xaslongastemple;eyeslarge,
1.5x as long as wide, inner margin ofeyes parallel; temple
punctate, sparsely hairy; ocelli small, elliptical, forming an
equilateraltriangle;AOL: POL: OD: OOL=l: 1: 1:3; malar
space0.3xaslongaslengthofeye,2xbaseofmandible;face
sparselyhairy,slightlyconvex,punctate, l.lxaswideaslong;
clypeus punctate, distinctly separated from face, slightly
convex,2.2xaswideaslong;fronssmoothandshiny;vertex
punctate,sparselyhairy;antennae22segmented,0.8xaslong
asbody, scape 1,3xaslongaswide,F; Flx 1,7xand F)92.6x
as long as wide respectively.
Mesosoma: 1.8x as long as wide in dorsal view, 1.7x
as long as high in lateral view; pronotum short; mesonotum
polished;notaulibroad,smooth,distinctonlybasally;median
lobe of mesoscutum with a median longitudinal furrow
posteriorly; scutellar sulcus narrow, straight and smooth;
scutellumsmoothandpolished;propodeumwithpentagonal
areolaandreticulationofcarinae;propleuronwithtransverse Figs 1-3: Parahormiusleucopterae, sp. nov. female:
striations; mesopleuron dorsally with transverse striations 1. Head, dorsal view; 2. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 3. Fore wing
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (2), May-Aug 2008 203
NEW DESCRIPTION
wideningmarkedlyaboveand belowthespiracles,spiracles Host:LeucopterasphenograptaMeyrickonDalbergia
presentone-thirdbasally, 1.2xaslongasitsapicalandbasal sisso.
widthrespectively;restofthetergitessub-sclerotized,tergites Distribution: india: UttarPradesh.
(2+3)-6 with lateral much darkened, sclerotized patches;
patches ofT6joined to form a broad sclerotized band right 5. Parahormiuspunensis sp. nov.
across the tergite, tergite 7 fully sclerotized; ovipositor (Figs 4-6)
mm mm
sheaths blunt and sparsely hairy, 2.3x as long as basitarsus, Female: Body: 1.6 long; fore wing: 1.7 long
4.6x as long asTl, 0.3x as long as fore wing. Head: 1,6x aswide as longindorsal view, 1.lxashigh
Colour: Face,mesonotum,scutellumyellowishbrown; aslonginventralview;eyeslarge,4.5xaslongastemple; 1,5x
frons, vertex, antennae, legs, metasoma, propodeum as long as wide, inner margin of eyes parallel; ocelli small,
yellowish; mandible except its tip; stemmaticum, tip of elliptical, forming an equilateral triangle; AOL: POL: OD:
mandible,ovipositorsheathsbrown;ocellitransparent;eyes OOL = 2: 2: 1:4; malar space 0.3x as long as length ofeye,
black; wing hyaline, pterostigma pale yellow, veins brown.
Male: same asfemale.
Holotvpe 9: India:UttarPradesh,Aligarh, 14.viii.2005,
ex.LeucopterasphenogrptaonDalbergiasisso Coll.Anjum
,
(ZDAMU). Paratypes: 4 9,2c?, same collection ofdata as
holotype.
Host: Leucoptera sphenograpta on Dalbergia sisso.
Type Locality: India: UttarPradesh.
Etymology:Thespeciesnameisbasedonthe nameof
its host.
Remarks: Parahormiusleucopterae sp. nov. is closely
related to Parahormiusdiephobus Nixon. However, it differs
fromP.diephobusinhaving(1)Antennae22segmented,0.8x
as long as body (antennae 23 segmented in P. diephobus),
(2)Malarspace0.3xaslongaslengthofeye(malarspace0.2x
aslongas length ofeyeinP. diephobus), (3)Vertexpunctuate
(vertex somewhatsmoothin P. diebhobus).
3. Parahormiusdeiphobus Nixon
ParahormiusdeiphobusNixon, 1940: 479.
ParahormiusdeiphobusNixon; Hedqvist, 1963: 49
Material Examined: 2 9 9,1c?; India: UttarPradesh,
Aligarh 26.v.2005, ex. Leucoptera sphenograpta on
Dalbergia sisso. Coll.Anjum.
Host: Leucoptera sphenograpta.
Distribution: India: UttarPradesh.
4. Parahormiusjason Nixon
Parahormiusjason Nixon, 1940: 478;
Parahormiusjason Nixon; Hedqvist, 1963:49.
Parahormiusjason Nixon; Chatterjee & Misra, 1974:
89.
Parahormiusjason Nixon; Narenderan Rajmohana,
Karmaly andJobiraj, 2002:57.
Materia! Examined: 39 9: india: Punjab. Changa
Manga Pltn. 13.iv.1938.Collector not stated (F.I.R.); india: Figs4-6: Parahormiuspunensissp. nov.
Uttar Pradesh Aligarh, 5 9 9, 26.V.2005, 2 9 9, 8.V.2005, female: 4. Head in dorsal view; 5. Mesosoma, dorsal view;
Coll. Anjum (ZDAMU). 6. Forewing
204 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (2), May-Aug 2008
:
NEW DESCRIPTION
1.5xbaseofmandible;facesparselyhairy,smoothandpolished, ofmandible,ovipositorsheathsbrown;wingshyaline,stigma
1.4x as wide as long; clypeus convex, polished, distinctly pale yellow, veins brown.
separated from face; vertex, temple and frons smooth and Male: Unknown.
sparsely hairy; antennae 17 segmented, 0.9x as long as body, Holotype 9: india: Maharashtra, Pune, 7.i.2005,
scape2xas longaswide, F 2.5x,F 2x as longawide, restof Coll.Anjum (ZDAMU).
thesegments4xaslongaswide, apicalsegmenttapering. Host: Unknown.
Mesosoma: 1.9x as long as wide in dorsal view, 2.4x Type locality: india: Maharashtra.
as long as high in lateral view; pronotum smooth, sparsely Remarks: Parcihormiuspunensis sp. nov. is closely
hairy; mesonotum smooth and polished with a median relatedtoP.absonusNarendran.However,itdiffersinhaving
longitudinal furrow in posteriorhalf; scutellarsulcusrather (1)Antennae 17 segmented, 0.9x as long as body (antennae
long and smooth; scutellum slightly convex, smooth and 19 segmented, longer than body in P. absonus), (2) OOL:
polished, sideofscutellumconcaveandsmooth;metanotum POL= 4: 2 (OOL: POL= 8:3 in P. absonus), (3) Fore wing
with longitudinal striations; propodeum areolate, with a 1,2x as long as body with 3RSa 1,2x as long asr(fore wing
pentagonal areola, having a short median carina present 1.2x longer than body with 3RSa 2.2x as long as r
anteriorly, inside of areola transversely rugose, side of in P. absonus), (4) Scutellar sulcus narrow and smooth
propodeum reticulate rugose; popleuron smooth and (scutellar sulcus narrow, small with longitudinal carinae in
polished; mesopleuronanteriorly withtransverse striations, P. absonus).
otherwise smooth and polished.
Wings: Forewings2.6xaslongaswide, 1,06xaslong 6. Parahormiusstom Narendran
as bodylength; pterostigma3.7x as long as wide, 0.8x Rla, ParahormiusstomNarendran, NarendranRajmohana,
rarisingfromitsmiddle;r0.2xaslongaspterostigma;3RSa Karmaly andJobiraj, 2002:55
1,2x aslongasrand0.2x 3RSb; r-m as longas 3-SR; 2CUb Material Examined: Paratype: 1 9, india: Kerala,
arisingfromdistalendofbrachialcell;marginalcellslightly Peechi, 5. xi.1989, Coll. Narendran,T.C. and party (ZSIC).
narrower towards apex; 3RSb straight; 2m-cu postfurcal; Host: Unknown.
lcu-apostfurcal;hindwing5xaslongaswide;M+CU 0.5x Distribution: india: Kerala.
1M.
Legs: Hind femur 4.3x as long as wide; hind tarsus 7. Parahormiuszonus Narendran
0.9x as long as hind tibia; hind basitarsus 0.8x as long as ParahormiuszonusNarendran;NarendranRajmohana,
tarsal segments 2-4combined. Karmaly andJobiraj, 2002: 53
Metasoma: 0.9xaslongasmesosoma;T1 smoothand Material Examined: Paratype: 1 9, india: Kerala,
polished, 1.2x as long as wide apically and basally Vellakkrithadam(Peechi), 5,xi.1989, Coll. Narendran,T.C.
respectively, distinctly widened at the spiracular tubercles, and party (ZSIC).
spiracles present a little above middle ofTl, spiracles 1.2x Host: Unknown.
as wide as long, 1,5x as wide as apical and basal width of Distribution: india: Kerala.
Tl;restofthetergitessubsclerotizedandsmooth;ovipositor
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sheaths blunt and sparsely hairy, 1,3x as long as basitarsus,
2.8x as long asTl, 0.2x as long as fore wing.
Colour: Vertex,face,clypeus,scapeyellowwithbrown We thank Dr. M. Hayat and Dr. Shujauddin for
markings.Pedicel,mandibleexceptitstip,legs,mesoscutum, reviewing the manuscript and offering useful suggestions.
scutellum, metasoma yellowish brown; eyes, stemmaticum Authors are also thankful to Chairman, Department of
black; ocelli transparent; pronotum creamish; antennae, tip Zoology forlaboratory facilities.
REFERENCES
Belokobylskjj, S.A. (1988): Braconids ofthe supertribe Exothecidii Wharton, R.A. (1993): Review of the Hormiini (Hymenoptera:
(Hymenoptera, Braconidae,Doryctinae)ofTaiwan, Proc.Zool. Braconidae) with a description ofnew taxa. J. Nat. Hist. 27:
Inst. Leningrad. 175: 3-37. 107-171.
Narendran,T.C., K. Rajmohana, K.A. Karmaly & T. Jobiraj (2002): Whitfield,J.B.&D.L.Wagner(1991):Annotatedkeytothegeneraof
A study of Parahormius Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Braconidae (Hymenoptera) attacking leaf mining Lepidoptera
Ecobios. 1 53-58. intheHolarcticregion.J. Nat. Hist. 25: 733-754.
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 105 (2), May-Aug 2008 205
