HymenopteraKerri-Lee HarrisBatch 3

Ascogaster (Braconidae: Cheloninae)

HymenopteraKerri-Lee HarrisBatch 3
Ascogaster (Braconidae: Cheloninae)

Workbook

A small, unfamiliar black wasp landed on a white surface, in the sun … so I collected it for a closer look.

Collected: 7th September 2023. Died in vial overnight. Preserved dry, unpinned. I removed wings on one side to assist in imaging. Label: 2309A

Identification

  • Cheloninae … initial ID based on diagrams and description in Naumann (1991). The gaster and mesosoma shape a very good match for Fig. 42.20D (p. 946)

  • Identified to genus using Kittel & Austin (2014)

Featured
Length: 3.2mm

Length: 3.2mm

Wings on left side removed

Wings on left side removed

Forewing venation: 1-SR+M arising from 1-M (close to parastigma) 2-R1 present, short … R not reaching apex of wing cu1b present (subdiscal cell closed)(star)

Forewing venation:
1-SR+M arising from 1-M (close to parastigma)
2-R1 present, short … R not reaching apex of wing
cu1b present (subdiscal cell closed)(star)

P9080014-Edit.jpg
Metasomal carapace without sutures. [Note: what happened to the rest of the abdomen? The carapace appears hollow. I didn’t think I had damaged the wasp in handling. It had been allowed to dry for no more than 48 hours before imaging …???]

Metasomal carapace without sutures.
[Note: what happened to the rest of the abdomen? The carapace appears hollow. I didn’t think I had damaged the wasp in handling. It had been allowed to dry for no more than 48 hours before imaging …???]

P9080044-Edit.jpg
Postpectal carina is complete (i.e. it spans the mesosternum) … best seen in more ventral view

Postpectal carina is complete (i.e. it spans the mesosternum) … best seen in more ventral view

Mid tibia simple (without ‘blister’?)

Mid tibia simple (without ‘blister’?)

P9080085-Edit.jpg
P9080085-Edit-Edit.jpg
Eyes oval in lateral view

Eyes oval in lateral view

Entire mesothorax strongly sclerotised. Propodeum with small, posterolateral tubercles (green arrows); strongly raised scutellum (S) with lateral axilla (A) ; canaliculate metanotum (red arrow).

Entire mesothorax strongly sclerotised.
Propodeum with small, posterolateral tubercles (green arrows); strongly raised scutellum (S) with lateral axilla (A) ; canaliculate metanotum (red arrow).

Metasomal carapace without sutures Metasoma black, with pale brown medial patch ‘T1’ (i.e. anterior region of carapace)

Metasomal carapace without sutures
Metasoma black, with pale brown medial patch ‘T1’ (i.e. anterior region of carapace)

P9080171-Edit.jpg
Occipital carina complete (arrows) (i.e. not interrupted dorsally). Ocelli form a low, isosceles triangle … a line drawn across the anterior edges of the posterior ocelli (P) passes through the anterior ocellus (A).

Occipital carina complete (arrows) (i.e. not interrupted dorsally).

Ocelli form a low, isosceles triangle … a line drawn across the anterior edges of the posterior ocelli (P) passes through the anterior ocellus (A).

Eyes glabrous (i.e. no hairs apparent). Mandibles curved inwards, tips meet, when closed.

Eyes glabrous (i.e. no hairs apparent).
Mandibles curved inwards, tips meet, when closed.

Clypeus without teeth. Medioventral margin of clypeus close to upper level of mandible bases (i.e. without obvious, large hypoclypeal depression)

Clypeus without teeth.
Medioventral margin of clypeus close to upper level of mandible bases (i.e. without obvious, large hypoclypeal depression)

Long flagellum, comprising ~33 flagellomeres [ note: this is a stacked image, so the lengths of the articles cannot be reliably compared, except for the basal few which are relatively planar ]

Long flagellum, comprising ~33 flagellomeres
[note: this is a stacked image, so the lengths of the articles cannot be reliably compared, except for the basal few which are relatively planar]

Based on the key to Australian genera of Cheloninae (Kittel & Austin, 2014), this is a good match for Ascogaster.

Keys out to Ascogaster ( Kittel & Austin, 2014 p. 184))

References

Eady, R.D. 1968. Some illustrations of microsculpture in the Hymenoptera. Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series A, General Entomology, 43 (4-6): 66-72

Kittel, R.N. & Austin, A.D. 2014. Synopsis of Australian chelonine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae) with description of two new genera. Austral Entomology, 53: 183-202

Kittel, R.N. & Austin, A.D. 2016. New species of Australian arid zone chelonine wasps from the genera Phanerotoma and Ascogaster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) informed by the ‘Bush Blitz’ surveys of national reserves. Journal of Natural History, 50(3-4): 211-262 DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2015.1074747

Naumann. I. D. 1991. Chapter 42: Hymenoptera, in Insects of Australia, 2nd Edition, Volume II. CSIRO Publishing.

van Achterberg, C. 1988. Revision of the subfamily Blacinae Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen, 249: 1-324.

This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.