Two new species of the rare genus Gastrotrypes Brues (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) from India

Gastrotrypes Brues (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is a rare genus, represented so far by only 7 species globally. Two new species viz. Gastrotrypes brevis Sunita et Rajmohana sp. n. and Gastrotrypes carinatus Sunita et Rajmohana sp. n. are hereby described as new to science from Kerala, India. A revised identification key to species is also provided

Chakra Rajmohana and Veenakumari

Chakra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, gen. nov. (Figs 1–11) Type species: Chakra sarvatra Rajmohana and Veenakumari. Derivation of genus name. ‘ Chakra ’ in Sanskrit means wheel, referring to the unique wheel-like setigerous flat-topped tubercles distributed all over the head and mesosoma. The gender is feminine. Diagnosis. Although the specimens of the new genus key out to Opisthacantha Ashmead at couplets 59 of Masner (1976) and 50 of Austin and Galloway (1984), they do not fit into the concept of the genus Opisthacantha Ashmead sensu Masner (1976). The new genus differs from Opisthacantha in having frons, vertex, dorsal, lateral and ventral mesosomal surfaces with large, round, setigerous tubercles, whose diameter is almost equal to the diameter of the lateral ocelli (Figs 2, 11) and also in having remarkably small eyes that are hardly as long as temples, small ocellar triangle, with lateral ocelli much closer to median ocellus than to orbits (OOL> POL) and raised interantennal prominence. Description. Body minute, 1.0–– 1.2 mm long. Head and body brown to blackish brown; Frons, vertex, dorsal, lateral and ventral mesosoma with large round setigerous tubercles, the diameter of the tubercles almost equal to diameter of lateral ocelli. Head distinctly transverse dorsally, subellipsoidal, densely setose; Occipital carina present, crenulate, extending throughout and continuing on lower margin of postgena; Eyes small, shorter than temples; Interommatidial setae short, 1.7 times as long as the diameter of a single ommatidium, comparable both in size and density to setae on frons and vertex; Temple visible in dorsal view; Ocelli clustered in a small triangle on vertex; OOL>POL>LOL (Fig. 2); Frons convex without frontal depression; Interantennal process well developed with a pronounced curve (Fig. 3); Clypeus narrow, transverse, more than 3 × as long as wide; Mandibles short and wide (L: W = 39: 48), subtridentate, median tooth highly reduced relative to lateral teeth (Fig. 6); Teeth acute; Facial striae short, 0.9 × length of malar sulcus; Malar sulcus wide near inner orbit of eye; Subocular suture present (Fig. 3); Antenna with 12 antennomeres in both sexes, with 6 clavomeres in females (Fig. 8) and filiform in males (Fig. 7), male A 5 carinate. Mesosoma almost as long as wide in dorsal view, both mesosoma and mesoscutellum with similar sculpture as head; Skaphion and notaulus absent (Fig. 4); Mesoscutellum 2 × as wide as long, anterior margin crenulate; Lateral axillar area wide; Metascutellum foveolate with a broadly based triangular, medially pointed spine; Scutoscutellar sulcus wide; Epomial carina present; Netrion almost smooth, closed near fore coxa; Acetabular area setose, sculpture partially effaced in mesopleural depression; Mesepimeral sulcus foveolate; Metapleuron smooth dorsally, ventrally sculptured similar to mesonotum; Lateral propodeal area setose, with similar sculpture to that of head and mesoscutum; Propodeum with posterior margin concave medially, Posterior propodeal projection pointed downwards, with sparse setae (Fig. 4); Tibial spur formula 1: 2: 2. Fore wing extending beyond tip of metasoma in flexed position; Fore wing submarginal vein not reaching anterior margin and not curved posteriorly or broken before fore wing marginal vein; Fore wing marginal vein shorter than fore wing stigmal vein and fore wing postmarginal vein; Fore wing stigmal vein placed at a broad angle of 45 0 from fore wing margin (Fig. 9); other fore wing veins absent; Marginal ciliae present; Hind wing with submarginal vein complete. Metasoma pedunculate or spoon shaped (Fig. 1), widest at its apical two-third, nearly as wide as mesosoma, shorter than head and mesosoma combined; Metasomal tergites transverse, T 1 without horn; T 1 and T 2 costate, costae reaching posterior margin of tergite; T 3 longest and widest; 7 tergites and 8 mediosternites in both sexes; Laterotergites narrow; Submarginal ridge well impressed; T 6 visible as a thin strip with lower margin emarginated; T 7 represented by a short lobe, external and not exerted with ovipositor.Published as part of Keloth, Rajmohana & Kamalanathan, Veenakumari, 2014, Chakra, a new genus of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) from India, along with description of a new species, pp. 285-290 in Zootaxa 3821 (2) on page 286, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3821.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/22556

Not Available

Not AvailableA new genus and one new species of Scelioninae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae) is described and illustrated from India: Chakra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, gen. nov. and Chakra sarvatra Rajmohana and Veenakumari, sp. nov. The new genus is most similar to Opisthacantha Ashmead and differs from it in the presence of a unique sculpture on the head and mesosoma: large and round tubercles separated by sinuous, narrow furrows; the position of lateral ocelli; the dorsally extended prominent interantennal prominence and the fore wing with stigmal and postmarginal veins distinctly longer than the marginal vein.Not Availabl

A new free-living marine nematode, Polkepsilonema arabicensis sp. n. (Desmodorida: Epsilonematidae), from Lakshadweep, India

Datta, Tridip Kumar, Rajmohana, Keloth (2020): A new free-living marine nematode, Polkepsilonema arabicensis sp. n. (Desmodorida: Epsilonematidae), from Lakshadweep, India. Zootaxa 4722 (4): 371-380, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4722.4.

Polkepsilonema Verschelde & Vincx 1993

Genus <i>Polkepsilonema</i> Verschelde & Vincx, 1993 <p> <b>Type species:</b> <i>P. mombasae</i> <b>Verschelde & Vincx, 1993</b></p>Published as part of <i>Datta, Tridip Kumar & Rajmohana, Keloth, 2020, A new free-living marine nematode, Polkepsilonema arabicensis sp. n. (Desmodorida: Epsilonematidae), from Lakshadweep, India, pp. 371-380 in Zootaxa 4722 (4)</i> on page 373, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4722.4.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3609615">http://zenodo.org/record/3609615</a&gt

<i>Glyptotermes chiraharitae</i> n. sp., une nouvelle espèce de termite de bois humides (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) d’Inde

Glyptotermes chiraharitae n. sp. (isoptera: Kalotermitidae), un nouveau termite vivant dans du bois humide, est décrit du Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Inde méridionale, sur la base des caractères des imagos, des soldats et des pseudergates. L’espèce se distingue dans le genre par la combinaison suivante des caractères chez les soldats : front fortement incliné et avec seulement une faible dépression et une impression médiane bilobée, protubérance frontale peu développée, suture épicraniale ou suture en Y indistincte, et antennes à 12 articles. 95 % des Glyptotermes Froggatt, 1897 de la région orientale sont endémiques. Une clé d’identification des soldats des espèces de Glyptotermes d’Inde est proposée.Glyptotermes chiraharitae n. sp., a new dampwood termite (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) is described from Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, an evergreen forest of South India, based on the characters of imagoes, soldiers and pseudoworkers. The species is unique in the genus due to the following combination of characters seen in their soldiers: frons inclined sharply and only with a weak depression and a bilobed impression medially, frontal protuberances weak, epicranial suture or Y-suture indistinct and antennae with 12 segments. 95% of Glyptotermes Froggatt, 1897, of the Oriental Region are endemic. A dichotomous key to the soldiers of the Glyptotermes spp. from India is also provided here.</p

First report of the genus Conostigmus Dahlbom (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea: Megaspilidae) from India with description of a new species

The genus Conostigmus Dahlbom (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea: Megaspilidae) is reported for the first time from India, along with description and illustration of C. neotubifer sp. n. A comparative discussion on the morphological affinities of the new species with its putative sister C. tubifer Dessart is provided. An intermixing of character states of genera Conostigmus as well as Dendrocerus Ratzeburg is observed

Telenomus oryzae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), a new egg parasitoid of the rice black bug, Scotinophara (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from India

Volume: 4Start Page: 79End Page: 8

First record of the male of the widespread Calliscelio elegans (Perkins) (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) along with some taxonomic notes on the species

The hitherto unknown male of the widespread and tramp species, Calliscelio elegans (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) is hereby reported for the first time, from India. The two sexes are chromatically quite similar. The male has the same conspicuous banding pattern in the forewing as that of the female. The status of Calotelea tanugatra Narendran (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) from India is reviewed and is proposed to be a junior synonym of Calliscelio elegans, new synonymy. Distribution of C. elegans in India is mapped

First report of the genus Conostigmus Dahlbom (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea: Megaspilidae) from India with description of a new species

The genus Conostigmus Dahlbom (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea: Megaspilidae) is reported for the first time from India, along with description and illustration of C. neotubifer sp. n. A comparative discussion on the morphological affinities of the new species with its putative sister C. tubifer Dessart is provided. An intermixing of character states of genera Conostigmus as well as Dendrocerus Ratzeburg is observed