shapeRoundly narrowed behind eyes, 1.7 times as broad as long. Ocelli small, OOL 0.8 times as POL. Eye height [?] twice length of malar space. Temples 1.1 times as long as eye (dorsal view). In frontal view head broad, face 1.8 times as broad as high [LT2].
sculptureHead behind eye faintly transversely striate, face faintly longitudinally striate, frons concentrically striate. Clypeus weakly punctate and shining [LT2].
color
antenna
shape ♀
shape ♂Antennae with 19 segments, slightly longer than head and mesonotum combined; 3rd antennal segment 3 times as long as wide, apical segments about twice as long as wide [LT2].
color
mesosoma
shapeMesosoma in dorsal view as wide as head and a little wider than carapace. In lateral view, 1.5 times as long as high. Propodeum with a transversal carina, lateral tubercles well developed. [LT2].
sculptureMesonotum rugose-punctate. Scutum anteriorly granulate punctate, area before scutellum with some rugae. Scutellum largely sculptured, centrally punctate and more or less shining. Propodeum rugose [LT2].
color
legs
shapeFore and hind femora 3.5 times as long as broad. Hind tibiae as long as tarsi. Outer spur of hind tibia longer than inner spur and almost as long as half of hind metatars [LT2].
sculpture
colorAll coxae black; fore femora brown with contrastly yellow apices, fore tibiae yellowish brown; fore tarsi dark brown (tips darker), hind tarsi entirely dark [LT2].
wings
shapeRadial cell in forewing not large, its length along the metacarp 0.7 times as long as length of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell half as large as marginal cell. 3-SR as long as r, 3.5 times shorter than SR1 [LT2].
colorPterostigma, metacarpus and costal vein brown, other veins brownish [LT2].
metasoma
shapeCarapace elongate, 2.4 times as long as maximum breadth, incurved apicoventrally for 0.1 of its length [LT2].
sculptureCarapace granulate with winding longitudinal undulations spanning its 2/3 visible surface [LT2].
color
♀ ovipositor
♂ apertureAperture very small and chink-shaped, in rear view of posterior end about 0.2 of width of carapace [LT2].
other info
distributionCZ [FE].
remarksClose to M. irritus, differing in smaller body, shorter antennae and marginal cell in forewing, longer carapace, chink-shaped aperture, darker colouring of legs (in C. irritus fore femura are yellow and hind femora are yellowish brown, in M. gracitis sp. nov. hind legs are darker with only brownish colouring in hind tibiae). It also agrees with M. punctifossa Tobias, 2002, but differing in long carapace, shape of head and aperture [LT2].
Head. Roundly narrowed behind eyes, 1.7 times as broad as long. Ocelli small, OOL 0.8 times as POL. LO twice length of malar space. Temples 1.1 times as long as LO. In frontal view head broad, face 1.8 times as broad as high. Antennae with 19 segments, slightly longer than head and mesonotum combined; 1st flagellum segment 3 times as long as wide, apical segments about twice as long as wide.
Mesosoma. In dorsal view, as wide as head and a little wider than carapace. In lateral view, 1.5 times as long as high.
Wings. Radial cell in forewing not large, its length along the metacarp 0.7 times as long as length of pterostigma. Second radiomedial cell half as large as radial cell. Second radial abscissa as long as first abscissa, 3.5 times shorter than third abscissa.
Legs. Fore and hind femora 3.5 times as long as broad. Hind tibiae as long tarsi. Outer spur of hind tibia longer than inner spur and almost as long as half of 1st metatarsal segment.
Metasoma. Carapace elongate, 2.4 times as long as maximum breadth, incurved apicoventrally for 0.1 of its length. AMA very small and chink-shaped, in rear view of posterior end about 0.2 of width of carapace.
Sculpture. Head behind eye faintly transversely striate, face faintly longitudinally striate, frons concentrically striate. Clypeus weakly punctate and shining. Mesonotum rugose-punctate. Scutum anteriorely granulate punctate, area before scutellum with some rugae. Scutellum largely sculptured, centrally punctate and more or less shining. Propodeum rugose with a transversal carina, lateral tubercles well developed.Carapace granulate with winding longitudinal undulations spanning its 2/3 visible surface.
Colour. Body black. Legs: all coxae black; fore femora brown with contrastly yellow apices, fore tibiae yellowish brown; fore tarsi dark brown (tips darker), hind tarsi entirely dark. Pterostigma, metacarpus and costal vein brown, other veins brownish.
Differential diagnosis. Close to M. irritus Tobias, 1994, described from Russian Far East (Tobias, 2000), differing in smaller body, shorter antennae and radial cell in forewing, longer carapace, chink-shaped AMA, darker colouring of legs (in Af. irritus fore femura are yellow and hind femora are yellowish brown, in M. gracitis sp. nov. hind legs are darker with only brownish colouring in hind tibiae). It also agrees with M. punctifossa Tobias, 2002, but differing in long carapace, shape of head and AMA.
Type material. Holotype ♂: CZ, Moravia, Brno, Bystrc, leg. Fr. Gregor, 29.VI.1939, [“gracitis 9, ♂”]. Distribution. Central Europe (Czech Republic). Etymology. Species name makes reference to the insciption on the label gracitis''} made by the collector, Frantisek Gregor, Czech entomologist.
Data used in the multi-access key
These data are collected from the species descriptions and redescriptions, from published figures and photographs and from own measureements and observations. For a description of the different variables and value classes see this pdf.
morphology
basic information
female
male
body length (mm):
(2.6) 2.6 - 3.2 (3.4)
(2.6) 2.6 - 3.2 (3.4)
number of antennal segments:
16
19
head, dorsal view
Head width : length
narrow
narrow
Temples narrowing - widening
parallel
parallel
Eye length : temple length
0.75 - 1.0, 1.0 - 1.25
0.75 - 1.0, 1.0 - 1.25
Roundness temple
medium
medium
POL : OD
3 - 4
3 - 4
Ocellar triangle shape
narrow
narrow
Excavation of head
15 - 25%
15 - 25%
head, lateral view
Head height : length
long, very long
long, very long
Eye height : length
long, very long
long, very long
Temple length : eye length
long, very long
long, very long
head, frontal view
Head width : height
narrow
narrow
Face width : height
narrow
narrow
Eyes converging ventrally
about parallel, distinctly diverging
about parallel, distinctly diverging
EH : MSL
very short, short
very short, short
Clypeus width : height
quadrangular, semicircular
quadrangular, semicircular
Clypeus extending above bottom of eyes
far below, below
far below, below
Tentorial pits
very small, small
very small, small
Shape of lower margin clypeus
convex
convex, truncate
antennae
Antennal shape
---
filiform, not widened
Segment 3 length : width
---
medium
Penultimate segment length : width
---
long
Length of antenna : length of body
1: very short
1: very short, 2: short
mesosoma, lateral view
Length : height
medium
medium
transverse carina
present
present
lateral teeth
well developed
well developed
mesosoma, ventral view
Prepectal carina lamelliform
indistinct
indistinct
legs
Hind femur length : width ratio
medium
medium
Hind tibia length : hind tarsus length ratio
medium
medium
Hind tibia (longest) spur length : metatars length ratio
short, long
short, long
wings
Vein 1-R1 length : pterostigma length
short, medium
short, medium
Vein r length : vein 3-SR length
short
short
Shape vein SR1 (straight / concave / convex)
slightly convex, convex
slightly convex, convex
S-shape vein SR1
not S-shaped
not S-shaped
cell M : cell Sm2
Sm2 medium, Sm2 small
Sm2 medium, Sm2 small
Pterostigma length : width ratio
---
---
Angle between radial vein (r) : vein 1-R1
medium, blunt
medium, blunt
metasoma, dorsal view
Length : width ratio of metasoma
long
long
Shape of metasoma
widest in middle, widest towards apex
widest in middle, widest towards apex
metasoma, lateral view
Length : height ratio of metasoma
medium, long
medium, long
posterior : anterior height ratio of metasoma
medium
medium
Position of maximum height
medium-posterior, posterior
medium-posterior, posterior
metasoma, ventral view
Metasoma posteriorly curved forwards
just/slightly incurved
just/slightly incurved
male apical aperture
Aperture width : metasoma width
no aperture
small
Aperture shape
n. a.
elongate - slit
Median process shape
n. a.
---
sculpture
head
general coarseness
fine
fine
clypeus
coarseness punctation
punctate
punctate
density punctation
---
---
face
sculpture type
striate
striate
sculpture direction
transverse-longitudinal
transverse-longitudinal
vertex and temple
sculpture type
striate (striolate)
striate (striolate)
mesonotum
sculpture type
---
---
scutellum
middle
punctate
punctate
lateral
rugose / striate
rugose / striate
metasoma
base - mid sculpture
longitudinally rugose / rugose-striate
longitudinally rugose / rugose-striate
sculpture at apex
rugulose
rugulose
coarse / fine boundary
mid (50 - 70%)
mid (50 - 70%)
color
head
mandibles color pattern
---
---
palpi, lightest color
---
---
antennae
scapus, lightest color
black, dark brown
black, dark brown
segment 3 and 4, lightest color
black, dark brown
black, dark brown
legs
fore coxae lightest colour
dark
dark
fore femur lightest colour
light
light
fore femur color pattern
tip light
tip light
hind femur lightest colour
dark
dark
hind femur color pattern
entirely dark
entirely dark
hind tibia lightest colour
---
---
hind tibia color pattern
---
---
hind basitarsus lightest colour
dark
dark
hind tarsus segment 2-3 lightest colour
dark
dark
wings
middle veins lightest colour
medium dark
medium dark
basal veins lightest colour
medium light
medium light
metasoma
metasoma colour pattern
entirely dark
entirely dark
metasoma lightest colour
dark
dark
metasoma base, colour pattern
entirely dark
entirely dark
metasoma base, light spots
n.a.
n.a.
metasoma base, light band
n.a.
n.a.
Chelonus gracitis in published keys
LT2: Lozan & Tobias, 2005
Species of the Genus Microchelonus Szépligeti, 1908 with Very Small Apical Metasomal Aperture in Males (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae).
T14: Tobias, 2010
Palearctic species of Microchelonus Szépligeti (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Cheloninae): key to species.
