The subgenera Glabrobracon Fahringer, Lucobracon Fahringer and Uncobracon Papp of the genus Bracon Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) in China, with the description of eleven new species

The species of three subgenera of the genus Bracon Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae), i.e. Glabrobracon Fahringer, 1927; Lucobracon Fahringer, 1927; and Uncobracon Papp, 1996 from China are revised and 31 species are recognised, including 11 new species, i.e. Bracon (Glabrobracon) indistinctus sp. nov., B. (G.) leptotes sp. nov., B. (G.) longistriatus sp. nov., B. (G.) megaventris sp. nov., B. (Lucobracon) brevicarinatus sp. nov., B. (L.) coarctatus sp. nov., B. (L.) curculiovorus sp. nov., B. (L.) flavitestaceus sp. nov., B. (L.) quadratus sp. nov., B. (Uncobracon) eurysulcatus sp. nov. and B. (U.) longwangshanensis sp. nov. The new species are described and illustrated. Keys to the subgenera of the genus Bracon and the Chinese species of three subgenera Glabrobracon, Lucobracon and Uncobracon are provided.

Bracon (Orthobracon) Fahringer, 1927Fahringer, : 232, 1928Tobias 1957Tobias : 443, 1971Papp 1974: 415.  Diagnosis. Antenna long, usually as long as body, flagellomeres longer than wide; hypoclypeal depression small, as wide as its distance from eye or slightly more; maxillary palpi moderately long, usually shorter than height of head; fore wing vein SR1 reaching tip of wing; second submarginal cell of fore wing usually medium-sized; metasomal tergites often entirely smooth or only basal tergites weakly sculptured, rarely apical tergites somewhat sculptured and propodeum sculptured along middle (sometimes with longitudinal ridge) and ovipositor clearly shorter than metasoma.

Key to Chinese species of the subgenus Glabrobracon Fahringer
Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 4.1 mm, of fore wing 4.2 mm, of ovipositor sheath 2.1 mm.
Note. Li (1935) reported this species from Jiangsu and Zhejiang and Chu et al. (1978) from Zhejiang. He and Wang (1987) also reported species from Zhejiang; You et al. (1994) reported this species from Hunan, He et al. (2004) from Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Sichuan and Zhejiang and Chen and Yang (2006) from Fujian and Hubei. Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (G.) arcuatus Thomson, 1892, but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: fore wing second submarginal cell medium-sized, vein 3-SR 1.7× as long as vein 2-SR (short, vein 3-SR slightly longer than (rarely as long as) vein 2-SR in B. (G.) arcuatus); setose part of ovipositor sheath distinctly longer than hind tibia +  (Cushman, 1931 basitarsus combined, as long as or slightly longer than hind tibia + tarsus combined (as long as hind tibia + basitarsus combined and shorter than hind tibia + tarsus combined); first metasomal tergite 1.2× longer than its apical width, lateral grooves with sparse crenulae, remainder of tergite smooth (quadrate or nearly so, slightly longer than or as long as its apical width, lateral grooves with distinct crenulae and tergite with median and lateral areas rugose).
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (G.) instabilis Marshall, 1897, but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: in dorsal view, temples gradually narrowed behind eyes and length of eye 1.4× temple (temples strongly narrowed behind eyes and length of eye more than twice as long as temple in B. (G.) instabilis); first metasomal tergite (except median area), second tergite (but infuscate medially) reddish-yellow, third tergite sometimes reddish-yellow basally (metasomal tergites often entirely blackish-brown); legs yellow and only claws dark brown (legs blackish-brown with yellow or yellowish-brown pattern); first metasomal tergite 1.0-1.1× longer than its apical width (1.2-1.4 times).
Variation. Length of body of female 3.0-4.5 mm, of fore wing of female 3.1-4.2 mm and of ovipositor sheath 1.0-2.0 mm; antenna of female with 28 segments; apical antennal segment acute, 2.6× longer than its maximum width; first flagellomere 2.0× longer than wide, 1.1 and 1.2× longer than second and third, respectively, the latter being 1.6× longer than wide; length of mesosoma 1.4-1.6× its height; length of first tergite 1.0-1.1× its apical width; ovipositor sheath 0.3-0.5× as long as fore wing; third metasomal tergite sometimes basally yellowish-brown; pterostigma and veins yellowish-brown to dark brown.  Male. Length of body of male 2.3-3.3 mm, of fore wing of male 2.0-2.9 mm; metasomal tergites sometimes uniformly black brown.
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (G.) leptotes sp. nov., but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: ovipositor sheath 0.1× as long as fore wing (0.4× in B. (G.) leptotes); hind femur relatively robust, 2.8× as long as maximum width (slightly more slender, 3.8× as long as maximum width); second metasomal suture medially distinctly wider than laterally, nearly straight (medially slightly wider than laterally and slightly sinuate); mesosoma in lateral view 1.9× as long as high (1.6 times).

Key to Chinese species of the subgenus Lucobracon Fahringer
Description. Holotype, ♀, length of body 3.9 mm, of fore wing 3.5 mm, of ovipositor sheath 2.6 mm.
Male. Length of body of male 3.1-3.4 mm, of fore wing of male 2.3-2.9 mm; antenna relatively longer, with 27 segments; second metasomal tergite sometimes largely rugose; body colour variable; head sometimes largely blackish-brown dorsally; middle lobe of mesoscutum sometimes yellowish-brown, without blackish-brown spot; third to sixth metasomal tergites sometimes blackish-brown posteriorly (fourth tergite sometimes black brown medially).
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (L.) histeromeroides Sarhan & Quicke, 1990, but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: mesosoma in lateral view 2.2× as long as high (1.4× in B. (L.) histeromeroides); second metasomal tergite with longitudinal striae medio-basally (slightly "pinchedup" medio-basally, otherwise without sculpture); setose part of ovipositor sheath about as long as metasoma (half as long as metasoma); metasomal tergites largely blackish-brown, second to seventh tergites yellow laterally (entirely darkish brown).
Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.4× its apical width; first tergite concave medio-basally, median area convex and smooth (Fig. 18e); lateral grooves of first tergite narrow, only with a few weak crenulae medially (Fig. 18e); median length of second and third tergites about equal; second metasomal suture narrow and shallow, without crenulate, straight medially (Fig. 18e); second to seventh tergites smooth, with some short setae posteriorly and laterally (Fig. 18e); setose part of ovipositor sheath 0.5× as long as fore wing.
Variation. Length of body of female 4.8-5.5 mm, of fore wing of female 3.9-4.5 mm, and of ovipositor sheath 1.8-2.0 mm; antenna with 22-26 segments; fore wing vein m-cu 1.7-2.1× longer than vein 2-SR+M; fore wing vein cu-a interstitial or weakly postfurcal; third-seventh segments of antenna sometimes paler than of holotype.
Male. Length of body of male 3.9-4.5 mm, of fore wing of male 3.1-3.5 mm; antenna relatively longer, with 38-40 segments, uniformly black brown; head dorsally largely blackish-brown; scutellum, metanotum and propodeum uniformly blackish-brown; second metasomal tergite sometimes without blackish-brown spot; blackish-brown spots of third to sixth tergites sometimes relatively small.
Biology. The type series has been reared from Curculio spp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (L.) fortipes (Wesmael, 1838), but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: third metasomal tergite smooth (coarsely sculptured in B. (L.) fortipes); hind femur 3.5× longer than its maximum width (2.5 times); fore wing vein SR1 2.2× longer than vein 3-SR (1.5 times); setose part of ovipositor sheath distinctly shorter than hind tibia (as long as hind tibia + first and second of tarsus combined); body largely yellowish-brown (largely reddish-brown).
Male. Length of body of male 3.1 mm, of fore wing of male 2.9 mm; antenna with 27 segments; pronotal side with an oblique transverse blackish-brown stripe.

Bracon
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (L.) grandiceps Thomson, 1892, but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: fore wing vein 1-SR+M 1.5× longer than vein 1-M (1.8× in B. (L.) grandiceps); hind femur 3.4× longer than maximum width (2.5 times); propodeum smooth along medio-longitudinal carina (rugose along medio- longitudinal carina); tergites yellow with third to sixth tergites with a brown medial spot, respectively (uniformly dark brown).
Biology. Unknown. Distribution. China (Liaoning). Etymology. Named after the square brown and medial spot of fourth and fifth metasomal tergites: "quadratus" is Latin for "square". Diagnosis. Antenna usually as long as body, flagellomeres longer than wide; in lateral view, cheek below with a hook-like process directed anteriorly; temples often distinctly narrowed behind eyes; notauli often deeply impressed; propodeum with a medio-longitudinal carina or rugose medially and with a medio-longitudinal groove; second submarginal cell of fore wing medium-sized; hind wing vein 2-SC+R1 relatively long, longitudinal; second metasomal tergite with subfoveolate or reticulate or striated sculpture; third tergite with fine antero-lateral grooves; third to sixth tergites discrete and separate (not confluent) punctures and interspaces polished or with striae; ovipositor sheath often shorter than body.
Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to B. (U.) eurysulcatus sp. nov., but can be separated from the latter by the following characters: metasomal tergites largely blackish-brown, third to fifth tergites laterally and sixth tergite (except medio-basally) white yellow, seventh tergite yellowish-brown (largely blackish-brown, first and second tergites whitish-yellow, with black spots in B. (U.) eurysulcatus); propodeum with medio-longitudinal groove and with medio-longitudinal carina posteriorly (only with complete medio-longitudinal carina); second tergite without medio-longitudinal carina (medio-longitudinal carina connected to medio-basal area of second tergite); in dorsal view, length of eye 2.2× temple (2.6 times); hind femur 3.2× longer than its maximum width (4.6 times).
Note. This species is new to China.