Mischochalcis Ranjith & Priyadarsanan & Delvare 2022, gen. nov.

Mischochalcis Ranjith & Delvare gen. nov.

Figs 1–8

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Etymology. The genus name is formed by a combination of ‘ Mischo ’ referring to the presence of a mixture of morphological characters exhibited by Haltichellini and Hybothoracini, and the type genus name, ‘ Chalcis ’, of the family. Gender masculine.

Type species. Mischochalcis enigmatus sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Both mandibles 3-toothed (Figs 1C, D, F, 2E, 6C). Lower edge of antennal toruli distant from upper margin of clypeus (Figs 1C, D, F, 6A). Interantennal projection moderately raised and sulcate (Figs 1C, D, F). Female flagellum clavate with flagellomeres short, the terminal funiculars strongly transverse (Figs 2A, B); clava asymmetric (Fig. 2B). Mesosoma dorsally flattened with hardly sloping propodeum (Figs 1A, 2D, 5A, 7A). Mesoscutellum with evenly convex posterior margin, lacking median or submedian teeth or lobes (Figs 1B, 2C, 5B, 7B, D). Axillular plate subtriangular (Figs 7A, C: axlup). Prepectus with a medioventral tooth (Fig. 2E). Mesodiscrimen forming a crest on its dorsal section ending as a sharp projection ventrally and forming a groove on its ventral section (Fig. 2E). Metafemur with low basal serrulate tooth or lobe followed by evenly serrulate and slightly convex ventral margin (Figs 3A, 5A, 8C, D). Metatibia with outer ventral (Fig. 3C: ouv) and additional carinae; in addition, tibia with further intermediate oblique carina (Fig. 3C: ic) continuing as a spine (Fig. 3C: asp); outer apical spur vestigial but present (Figs 3C–E, 8C–F). Fore wing membrane entirely setose (Figs 1A, 3B, 8A); parastigma with a single sensillum (Fig. 8B); marginal vein somewhat removed from the front margin of wing (Fig. 8B); postmarginal vein absent (Figs 1A, 3B, 8A).

Description. FEMALE.

Head. Head transverse in dorsal view (Figs 1E, 6D). Preorbital carinae present but not continuing on vertex (Figs 1E, 6D). Both mandibles with three teeth of about the same length and with somewhat blunt apex (Figs 1C, D, F, 2E, 6C). Oral fossa reduced, narrower than malar space (Figs 1D, 6A, B). Clypeus moderately bulging (Figs 1C, D, F, 6A). Anterior tentorial pits large (Figs 1C, D, F, 6A). Lower edge of antennal toruli separated from anterior margin of clypeus by a distance hardly smaller than torulus diameter (Figs 1C, D, F, 6A). Interantennal projection not much raised and sulcate (Figs 1C, D, F, 6A, D: arrow). Malar carina complete and raised (Figs 1C, F, 6A–C). Temple with a row of postorbital areolae (Figs 2D, 5A, 6B, C).

Antenna. Antennal formula 11171 (Figs 1C, D, 2A, 6E). Scape linear, not bulging ventrally. Flagellum clavate, with short, transverse funiculars (Figs 1C, D, 2A, 6E). Clava 1-segmented, ovoid, depressed ventrally, narrowly rounded at apex and bearing a ventral area of micropilosity (Figs 1C, D, 2A, B, 5A).

Mesosoma. Mesosoma dorsally flattened (Figs 1A, 2D 5A, 7A). Pro- and mesonotum with dense and uniform punctures, the interspaces smooth, and with setae lanceolate, adpressed, reclinate, and at least as long as diameter of punctures (Figs 1B, 2C, 5A, B, 7A–D). Pronotal carina restricted to the sides (Figs 2D, 5A, 7A). Mesoscutellum virtually flat, with narrowly truncate base, the axillar grooves narrowly separated on transscutal line; posterior margin of mesoscutellum uniformly convex with frenal carina indistinct, thus not forming any teeth or lobes (Figs 1B, 2C, 5B, 7B, D). Axillular plate subtriangular (Figs 7A, C: axlup). Propodeum hardly sloping (Figs 1A, 2D, 5A, 7A), with parallel-sided, mesal areola that extend anteriorly to posterior margin of metanotum and interrupting a basal transverse strip of large areolae (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B); with large subtrapezoidal areolae on either side of mesal areola (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B), and this set of areolae followed by two oblique rows of areolae, the second row bearing sparse, thin and suberect setation; remainder of propodeal surface, with the exception of callus anterolaterally and sides posteriorly, bare (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B); lateral oblique carinae raised behind spiracle (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B); septa separating areolae thick (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B); adpetiolar areola indistinct (Figs 2F, 5B, 7B). Prepectus with medioventral tooth. Mesodiscrimen with dorsal section raised into a crest ending ventrally as a beak-like projection (incurved with sharp apex); its ventral section forming an areolate groove. Adscrobal carina raised dorsally, below prepectus. Adscrobal area, ventral shelf of mesepisternum, mesepimeron and metepimeron densely punctured, bearing erect, lanceolate setae (Figs 2D, 5A, 7A); femoral scrobe coarsely sculptured, densely rugose, coriaceous anteriorly (Figs 2D, 5A, 7A). Supracoxal flange present between posterodorsal angle of metepimeron and propodeum (Fig. 7B: scxfl). Metepimeron with subcoxal and precoxal teeth on posterior margin blunt and not projecting. Metepisternum rugose-areolate in front of petiolar foramen, reticulate-strigose anteriorly, with vestigial posterior projection.

Legs. Metacoxa with basodorsal blunt tooth and a short longitudinal carina beneath the tooth (Figs 1A, 2D, 3A). Metafemur with low basal serrulate tooth followed by serrulation, its ventral margin uniformly convex beyond the basal tooth (Figs 3A, 5A, 8C, D). Metatibia with an intermediate carina (Fig. 3C: ic) between the usual, outer ventral carina (Fig. 3C: ovc) and the additional external one (Fig. 3: aec), the former almost complete, but not completely extending to tibial apex; in addition, a subapical oblique carina (Fig 3C: ic), situated between them, extending to apex of the tibia where continued as a ventral apical spine (Figs 3C: asp, D, E, 8C–F); outer spur of tibia vestigial, visible only at large magnification, thus easily overlooked (Figs 1A, 3A, C–E, 8C–F). Metatarsus as long as tibia (Figs 1A, 3A, 5A, 8C, D). Tarsal claw without basal lobe (Figs 3A, 8D).

Wings. Wing membrane entirely setose, setae dark (Figs 1A, 3B, 8A). Marginal vein somewhat removed from front margin of wing (Fig. 8B); postmarginal vein absent (Figs 1A, 3B, 8A); parastigma with a single sensillum (Fig. 8B); sensilla on stigma represented as wavy line.

Metasoma. Metasoma broadly sessile, truncate anteriorly and with submedian carina basally (Figs 1B, 4A, B, 5A, B, 7E). Gaster lanceolate with acute apex (Figs 1B, 4B). First gastral tergite large, dorsally smooth, its posterior margin strongly curved posteriorly (Figs 1B, 4B, 5B, 7E). Following tergites short, with incurved posterior margins (Figs 1B, 4B, 5B, 7E). Syntergum short and smooth with thin transverse carina in front of cercal plates (Figs 1A, 4A, 5A). Gastral sternites smooth, setose only medially (Figs 1A, 4A, 5A). Hypopygium pointed apically, its tip with level of cercal plates (Figs 1A, 4A, 5A).

MALE.As for female except clava with false suture suggested by internal infuscate thickening of the integument (Figs 6E, F: fsu). Male genitalia broadly truncate at apex.

Recognition. The new genus, Mischochalcis is distinguished by the presence of an additional longitudinal carina (Figs 3C, 8F: ic) obliquely joining the additional external carina (Figs 3C, 8F: eac) to the outer ventral carina (Figs 3C, 8F: ovc) on the metatibia, which is otherwise not recorded in Haltichellini, and thus apparently an autapomorphic character of the genus. Mischochalcis is also easily distinguished from other haltichelline genera by the presence of an apical ventral spine on the metatibia (Figs 3C: asp, 8F). In addition, 3-toothed mandibles are otherwise possessed only by the hybothoracine genera Lasiochalcidia, Hybothorax Ratzeberg and Neohybothorax. However, in Lasiochalcidia the mesosoma is quite convex and the mesoscutellum shows upturned submedian projections, and the latter two genera have slender hind legs, quite different from Mischochalcis. No other haltichelline genera have 3-toothed mandibles, with at least the left mandible 2-toothed; in addition, other haltichelline have a more convex mesosoma, the mesoscutellum has a median or submedian apical teeth or lobes and the postmarginal vein is nearly always expanded at least as a stub.

Distribution. Indomalayan region (Western Ghats, India) and Afrotropical (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Host(s). Unknown.