Bioacoustics of Microplitis

Biology. This is one of the most apomorphic genus of the subfamily Microgastrinae and Shaw & Huddleston (1991) in their work include specific comments on the genus Microplitis . In brief, the genus contains both solitary and gregarious species that oviposit into the early stages of mostly exposed host larvae. There are usually three larval instars, sometimes four (e.g. M. demolitor ), which complete development and emerge from the host larva by the latter's final instar. For the solitary species, the host larva is only partially eaten, and the host survives for a period of time after the emergence of the parasitoid. The cocoon of the emerged parasitoids is formed beneath or beside the dead or dying host ( Song & Chen 2008 ). Many species of the genus are important natural enemies, and some have been used in biological control, for example, Microplitis mediator (Haliday) against Heliothis armigera (Hübner) in China (Li et al. 2004). Indian Microplitis species are, as far as is known, solitary parasitoids, usually of Noctuidae . The exceptions are those species reared from Erebidae : M. demolitor Wilkinson reared from Laelie obsoleta (Fab.) in Australia , and in this study we reared Microplitis narendrani sp. nov. and M. pennatulae sp. nov. from P. pennatula . Microplitis maculipennis (Szépligeti) is a natural biological control agent of castor semilooper Acanthodelta janata (Linnaeus) ( Gupta 2013 ) . Microplitis species are attacked by several hyperparasitoids, Mesochorus pilicornis ( Cameron ) ( Ichneumonidae : Mesochorinae ) and Brachymeria secundaria (Ruschka) (Chalcididae) ( Prabhakar & Prasad 2005 ). Microplitis narendrani sp. nov. and M. pennatulae sp. nov. are also attacked by an unidentified species of Brachymeria (Chalcididae) The species placed in the genus Microplitis can be separated using combinations of the following character states (see Table 1 ). Note that some characters states, denoted by ‘?’, are unknown in species that we have not been able to examine. 1 Notauli: 0; faintly indicated 1; deeply impressed. 2 Medial furrow on mesoscutum: 0; present 1; absent 2; indistinct. 3 Percurrent medial longitudinal carina of propodeum: 0; distinct 1; indistinct. 4 Shape of T1: 0; parallel sided 1; sub-parallel sided or widening posteriorly 2; narrowing posteriorly. 5 Sculpturing of scutellum: 0; rugose 1; rugulose 2; micropunctured. 6 Medial longitudinal groove on T1: 0; present 1; absent. 7 Longitudinal carina between antennal sockets: 0; present 1; absent. 8 Sculpturing of propodeum: 0; coarsely rugose 1; reticulo-rugose. 9 Median field of T2: 0; present 1; faintly indicated 2; absent. 10 Sculpturing of hind coxa: 0; smooth 1; striate basally 2; sculptured or punctate basally. 11 Terminal flagellomere: 0; acute 1; blunt. 12 Sculpturing of face: 0; smooth 1; rugose or rugulose 2; punctate. 13 Body colour: 0; black 1; reddish brown. 14 Lateral temples in anterior view: 0; hidden 1; slightly visible. 15 Scutellar lunules: 0; narrow 1; wide.

1. Notauli absent, if present, then indicated only by indentations at anterior margin of mesoscutum or by pair of depressions postero-medially ( Figs 10 -A & F); medial and lateral lobes of mesoscutum (apart from notauli) smooth or virtually so, though often with micropunctures associated with pilosity; medial furrow of mesoscutum often absent, if present then slightly indented and never sculptured............................................................................ 2 - Notauli present, smooth to crenulate, impressed, percurrent and meeting posteriorly ( Figs 3 -C, 4-C, 6-D, 7-C, 8-C, 9-C, 12-C, 13-D, 15-C, 17-C, 20-C & 22-C); medial and lateral lobes of mesoscutum (apart from notauli) sculptured at least in part; medial furrow of mesoscutum present, distinct and usually sculptured............................................ 6 2. Propodeum strongly rugose with weak indication of median carina; T1 1.6× as long as its maximum width; scutellar lunules divided by 8–9 well defined carinae................................................... Microplitis indicus Marsh - Propodeum with distinct median longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity; T1 more than 1.6× as long as its maximum width; scutellar lunules divided by fewer than eight carinae.................................................... 3 3. Transverse carinae on propodeum absent or indistinct; wings infuscated or hyaline.................................. 4 - Transverse carinae on propodeum distinct; wings hyaline...................................................... 5 4. Wings infuscated, pterostigma uniformly dark brown; T1 1.7× as long as wide, parallel sided, slightly narrowed at apex with apical swelling, finely rugose punctate in posterior half except apical patch; median length of T3 more than T2......................................................................................... Microplitis manila e Ashmead - Wings hyaline ( Fig. 5 -D), pterostigma brown with faint patch basally; T1 2× as long as wide, dilated at apex and converging towards tip ( Fig. 5 -C); median length of T3 less than T2 other characters different..... Microplitis ajmerensis Rao & Kurian 5. Propodeum with clear median longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity with large reticulations ( Figs 10 -A & E); distinctly raised transverse carinae; T1 2.1× as long as maximum width; posterior half striate rugose, apical half smooth with apex nitid; T2 without defined median field ( Fig. 10 -A).................................. Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson - Propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose with distinct medial longitudinal carina surrounded by coarse rugosity with dense mesh of reticulations; transverse carinae indistinct; T1 1.85× as long as its maximum width, strongly reticulate rugose (except apical tip), reticulations larger pre-apically; T2 with median field.................................. Microplitis murkyi Gupta 6. T1 more than 2× as long as wide; widest basally, parallel sided................................................. 7 - T1 equal to or less than 2× as long as wide, sub-parallel sided................................................. 11 7. T1 2.5–3.3× as long as its apical width; notauli excavate, crenulate and coarsely sculptured ( Fig. 13 -C & D); metapleuron coarsely reticulate-rugose; scutellar lunules divided by four carinae ( Fig. 13 -D); dorsal scutellum very coarsely rugulose-punctate and pilose ( Fig. 13 -D); propodeum with two faces meeting sharply at about 90°, coarsely rugose ( Fig. 13 -E); medial longitudinal carina indistinct.................................................... Microplitis maculipennis (Szépligeti) - Above characters partly or completely different or in different combination; propodeum with distinct medial longitudinal carina; number of carinae dividing scutellar lunules variable.................................................... 8 8. Scutellar lunules divided by three carinae ( Fig. 7 -C); dorsal scutellum coarsely rugose ( Fig. 7 -C); propodeum reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 7 -D); T1 2.6× as long as wide, smooth antero-medially, rugose postero-laterally ( Fig. 7 -D)................................................................................................... Microplitis bicoloratus Xu & He - Scutellar lunules divided by five or six carinae; dorsal scutellum slightly rugose or smooth with fine micropunctures; propodeum rugose; T1 2–2.1× as long as wide, rugose............................................................. 9 9. Face 1.7× as wide as high; area between antennal sockets without distinct carinate longitudinal ridge; mesoscutum without medial furrow ( Fig. 17 -C); scutellar lunules divided by six carinae Figs 17 -C & D, 18-C); hind femur 3.5× as long as wide; hind tibia 6.7× as long as wide......................................................... Microplitis similis Lyle - Face 1.2× as wide as high; area between antennal sockets with distinct carinate longitudinal ridge; mesoscutum with medial furrow; scutellar lunules divided by five carinae other characters variable........................................ 10 10. Mesosoma 1.7× as long as high; scape reddish yellow ( Fig. 15 -B); first subdiscal cell 1.1× as long as high; hind coxa reddish black ( Fig. 15 -A); T1 smooth anteriorly, remainder reticulate-rugose ( Fig. 15 -D)........... Microplitis marshalli Kokujev - Mesosoma 1.4× as long as high; scape black ( Fig. 22 -B); first subdiscal cell 1.3× as long as high; hind coxa black ( Fig. 22 -F); T1 entirely coarsely rugose ( Fig. 22 -D)............................................... Microplitis zhaoi Xu & He 11. Propodeum coarsely rugose ( Fig. 8 -D); scutellum rugose or rugulose ( Figs 3 -C, 4-C & 8-C)......................... 12 - Propodeum coarsely reticulo-rugose ( Figs 9 -C, 12-D & 21-C); scutellum rugose, evenly or unevenly punctate ( Figs 9 -C, 12-C & 21-C)........................................................................................... 18 12. Scutellar lunules divided by more than five carinae ( Figs 3 -C & 4-C)............................................ 13 - Scutellar lunules divided by five carinae ( Figs 6 -D & 11-C)................................................... 17 13. T1 2× as long as wide; scutellar lunules divided by seven carinae; T2 and T3 reddish brown, T2 dark brown at median field, median field without slanting margins; T3 with a mix of red, brown and black, darker laterally ( Fig. 16 -A); median length of T3 greater than T2; ovipositor exserted, visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 16 -A)............. Microplitis prodeniae Rao & Kurian - T1 less than 2× as long as wide; other characters partly or completely different or in different combination..............14 14. T1 1.25× as long as wide, black and rugose ( Figs 19 -B & 20-E); median length of T2 nearly equal to T3 (Fig. 20-E); scutellar lunules divided by six carinae (Fig. 20-C).................................... Microplitis spodopterae Rao & Kurian - T1 1.7× as long as wide, brown and rugulose laterally; medial length of T2 0.6–0.8× as long as T3; scutellar lunules divided by six–nine carinae..................................................................................... 15 15. Scutellar lunules wide medially divided by eight–nine carinae ( Fig. 3 -C); antennae 1.2× body length; length of maxillary palp 1.3× height of head in dorsal view; length of eye 3.7× length of malar space; metasoma orange brown; T 2 in medial line 0.8× as long as T3................................................... Microplitis narendrani Ranjith & Nasser sp. nov. - Scutellar lunules divided by six or seven carinae ( Figs 4 -C & 8-C); antennae 1 or 1.2× as long as body; length of maxillary palp less than 1.3× height of head in dorsal view; length of eye less than 3.7× length of malar space; metasoma black or reddish; T 2 in medial line 0.6× as long as T3................................................................. 16 16. Body black ( Fig. 4 -A); face 1.4× as wide as long, rugose-punctate; fore wing 2.8× as long as wide ( Fig. 4 -F); pterostigma yellowish basally, 2.6× as long as wide; first flagellomere 2.8× as long as wide; terminal flagellomere acute; hind femur 3.3× as long as wide; hind tibia 6.6× as long as apical width................... Microplitis pennatulae Ranjith & Rajesh sp. nov. - Body reddish brown ( Figs 8 -A & C); face 1.6× as wide as long, rugulose; fore wing 2.6× as long as wide; pterostigma without yellowish area, 2.8× as long as wide; first flagellomere 3.4× as long as wide; terminal flagellomere obtuse; hind femur 3× as long as wide; hind tibia 6.9× as long as apical width............................... Microplitis carinicollis ( Cameron ) 17. Fore wing 2.6× as long as wide; pterostigma 2× as long as wide; wings with infuscate patch below pterostigma ( Fig. 6 -F); T1 with broad medial longitudinal furrow, finely punctate-strigose except for smooth apical margin; hind coxa mostly smooth, with fine oblique striae dorsally ( Fig. 6 -E)............................. Microplitis areyongensis Austin & Dangerfield - Fore wing 2.16× as long as wide; pterostigma 3.1× as long as wide; wings hyaline ( Figs 11 -A & F); T1 without broad medial longitudinal furrow, smooth medially ( Figs 11 -C & D); hind coxa rugose basally remainder smooth ( Fig. 11 -A)........................................................................................ Microplitis leucaniae Xu & He 18. Mesoscutum mostly smooth except for micropunctures anteriorly and laterally; notauli slightly indented ( Fig. 12 -C); T1 2.1× as long as wide ( Fig. 12 -D); pterostigma 3.1× as long as wide; T3 as long as T2 ( Fig. 12 -E).................................................................................................. .. Microplitis longwangshana Xu & He - Mesoscutum rugose-punctate; notauli well developed, represented by coarsely crenulate furrows meeting posteriorly to form a sunken area; T1 less than or 2× as long as wide; pterostigma less than 3.1× as long as wide; T3 longer than T2........... 19 19. Mesosoma 1.7× as long as high; pronotum weakly rugose-punctate; 1-R1 0.8× as long as pterostigma; propodeum with distinct anterior transverse carina; T1, parallel sided, dark yellowish brown; T2 with distinct smooth median field........................................................................................ Microplitis brevispina Song & Chen - Mesosoma 1.3 or 1.4× as long as high; pronotum coarsely rugose-punctate; 1-R1 1.6 or 2.9× as long as pterostigma; propodeum with indistinct anterior transverse carina; T1, sub parallel sided, narrowing posteriorly, reddish yellow or dark yellowish brown; T2 without distinct smooth median field............................................................ 20 20. Face densely punctate; POL 1.1× OOL; 1-R1 1.6× as long as pterostigma; scutellum densely micropunctate ( Fig. 21 -C); first distal cell 1.5× as long as high; T1 1.7× as long as wide......................... Microplitis vitellipedis Li, Tan & Song - Face rugose ( Fig. 9 -B); POL 0.7× OOL; 1-R1 2.9× as long as pterostigma; scutellum coarsely rugose ( Figs 9 -C & D); first distal cell 1.2× as long as high; T1 2× as long as wide....................................... Microplitis chui Xu & He