title: A new species of Parapanteles Ashmead, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) parasitic on Charaxes athamas (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in India.
abstract: A new species of gregarious endoparasitoid, Parapanteles athamasae n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasitising caterpillars of Charaxes athamas (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) on the host plant Senegalia catechu (=Acacia catechu) (L.f.) Hurter & Mabb., is described from Maharashtra, India. Diagnostic characters of the new species include: propodeum with areola 0.93× longer than wide, legs yellow, hind tibia 4.30× as long as ovipositor, ovipositor sheaths exerted, first metasomal tergal plate 1.24× longer than wide, with coarse sculpture merging with longitudinal striations at 3/4 of the apical region. This is the first time a species of the family Nymphalidae Rafinesque is recorded in association with Parapanteles Ashmead, 1900. A key to the Indian species of Parapanteles based on females is also provided.
authors.affiliation: National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Insects, Post Bag No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bangalore, 560 024, Karnataka, India, drankitagupta7@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ankita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khot
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chorge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002965:Classification; D005260:Female; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D007194:India; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity