Entomological Science (2009) 12, 411–415 doi:10.1111/j.1479-8298.2009.00344.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The genus Asiabregma Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto

(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from China, with description of a
new species ens_344 411..415

Jiang-Li TAN, Jun-Hua HE and Xue-Xin CHEN

State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture for Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens
and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Abstract
The small Asian genus Asiabregma Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto 2008 is recorded from China for the
first time and one new species, A. achterbergi sp. nov., is described and illustrated. A key to species of genus
Asiabregma is updated to include A. achterbergi. The relationship between Asiabregma and other members
of the subtribe Facitorina and the systematic position of Facitorina are discussed.
Key words: Betylobraconinae, Conobregma, new record, Rogadinae, Yeliconini.

INTRODUCTION microscope (Leica) with an Image 1000 system (Leica)

The aberrant genus Asiabregma was erected recently by
Belokobylskij et al. (2008) to include three described
species from Southeast and East Asia: A. sulaensis
(van Achterberg 1995a) from Indonesia; A. ryukyuensis
Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto 2008 from Japan and
Malaysia; and A. makiharai Belokobylskij, Zaldivar &
Maeto, 2008 from Japan. The biology of this genus is
unknown (van Achterberg 1995a,b; Belokobylskij et al.
2008).
Here we describe the fourth species, Asiabregma acht-
erbergi sp. nov., of this genus from Hainan and Guang-
dong, China and report this genus from China for the
first time.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
For the identification of the genus see Belokobylskij
et al. (2008) and for the morphological terminology
used in this paper see van Achterberg (1993) and Harris
(1979). All descriptions and measurements were made
with a MZ 12.5 microscope (Leica Microsystems,
Wetzlar, Germany), a Stermi SV6 microscope (Zeiss,
Jena, Germany) was used for the figures and a MZ APO
Correspondence: Xue-xin Chen, Institute of Insect Sciences,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
Email: xxchen@zju.edu.cn
Received 5 February 2009; accepted 11 May 2009.
was used for the photographs. The type specimens are
deposited in the Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou, China (ZJUH).
Key to species of genus Asiabregma
1. Metasomal tergite II rather finely striate in basal 0.8
and almost smooth in apical 0.2; tergite III with short
striation basally or latero-basally. Length of hind
femur 2.5–2.6 ¥ its width ............................. 2
– Tergite II entirely and III in basal 0.6–0.9 striate.
Length of hind femur 2.9–3.2 ¥ its width ........... 3
2. First flagellar segment slender, 2.5 ¥ longer than its
apical width. Notauli wide. Vein m-cu of fore wing
interstitial; M+CU1 of hind wing short, 0.45 ¥ as
long as 1-M. Basal area of tergite I not pointed
medio-apically; tergite I with longitudinal striae lat-
erally only, small rugulose reticulation in wide
median area between dorsal carinae; second metaso-
mal suture narrow and finely sculptured. Body
2.0 mm long. Indonesia (Sula Is).......................
........................... A. sulaensis (van Achterberg)
– First flagellar segment thick, 1.9 ¥ longer than its
apical width. Notauli narrow. Vein m-cu of fore wing
antefurcal; M+CU1 of hind wing short, 0.4 ¥ as long
as 1-M. Basal area of tergite I distinctly pointed
medio-apically; tergite I entirely with coarse longitu-
dinal striae; second metasomal suture wide and
corsely crenulate. Body 1.9 mm long. Japan (Ryukyu

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J-L. Tan et al.

Islands) ....................................................
..... A. makiharai Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto
3. Vein r of fore wing arising beyond the middle of
pterostigma; m-cu of fore wing antefurcal, shorter
than half length of 3-CU1; vein SR of hind wing
entirely unsclerotized. Tergites I and III without
smooth lateral patches. Length of eye 2.3–2.7 ¥
temple in dorsal aspect. Metapleuron finely
reticulate–coriaceous in anterior 0.3–0.5, rather
sparsely and coarsely rugose–areolate with fine
granulation or reticulation in posterior half. Basal
area of tergite I slightly pointed medio-apically.
Mesosoma brownish yellow, propodeum and meta-
soma dorsally reddish brown or dark reddish brown.
Pterostigma brown, pale yellow in basal 0.2 and
apically. Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Peninsula Malaysia
... A. ryukyuensis Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto
– Vein r of fore wing arising from the middle of
pterostigma; m-cu of fore wing interstitial, longer
than half length of 3-CU1; vein SR of hind wing
pigmented basally. Tergites I and III each with one
pair of small and smooth patches laterally. Length of
eye 2.0 ¥ temple in dorsal aspect. Metapleuron Figure 1 Holotype female of Asiabregma achterbergi sp. nov.,
mostly smooth except for some sparse rugulosity in lateral aspect.
posterior part, very finely reticulate along the spiracle
line. Basal area of tergite I not pointed medio-
apically. Mesosoma and propodeum brownish space about 0.7 ¥ height of eye, 1.4 ¥ basal width of
yellow, metasoma dark reddish brown dorsally. mandible; malar suture absent. Mandible strongly
Pterostigma entirely dark brown, at most faintly pale twisted, and bidentate apically; maxillary labial palp
basally and apically. Southern China (Guangdong formula 6 + 4; length of maxillary palp about equal to
and Hainan) ................... A. achterbergi sp. nov. the height of head. Occipital flange distinct; occipital
carina complete, strongly concave (dorsal aspect),
Asiabregma achterbergi sp. nov. (Figs 1–12) joining hypostomal carina distinctly above base of man-
Holotype, 씸, length of body 2.1 mm, and of fore wing dible (Figs 1,4,5,12).
1.56 mm. Antenna broken, remaining antennal segments 12,
Head. Head comparatively long, gradually narrowed filiform and setose; length of third segment 1.2 ¥ fourth
ventrally in frontal aspect. Head width 1.3 ¥ its median segment, length of third and fourth segments 3.2 and
length in dorsal aspect. Temple behind eye (dorsal 2.1 ¥ their width, respectively (Figs 1,12).
aspect) roundly narrowed. Eyes glabrous, length of eye Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma about twice its
2.0 ¥ temple in dorsal aspect, not emarginated and 1.2 ¥ height (Figs 1,12). Pronotal keel partly absent mid-
as high as broad in frontal aspect. Ocelli medium-sized, dorsally, bifurcate into two carinae laterally; its upper
in almost equilateral triangle; OOL:diameter of ocellus: branch thick, short, extending upwards to dorsal prono-
POL = 18:7:9. Vertex with long setae. Frons flat with tal margin; its ventral branch long, slender, curved,
sparse setae in lateral aspect, pores of these setae granu- extending to the posterior pronotal margin but broken
late shaped with the rim dark brown. Face strongly broadly and medially (Fig. 6,12); side of pronotum
protruding with setae arranged in rows, densely punc- anteriorly and posteriorly smooth except for carinae.
tuate with fine rugulosity, almost smooth laterally and Propleuron strongly convex; posterior flange of propleu-
ventrally; width of face 1.25 ¥ height of eye and 1.1– ron largely dorsally situated. Prosternum hardly visible.
1.2 ¥ height of face and clypeus combined. Tentorial pits Mesoscutum highly and roundly raised above prono-
rounded and conspicuous. Hypoclypeal depression tum; notauli complete, distinctly crenulate, deep in
indistinct, 0.9 ¥ as wide as distance from depression to anterior half and shallow in posterior half with a
eye and 0.4 ¥ as wide as face. Clypeus slightly convex medio-posterior rugose area; transverse suture of
and smooth, its ventral margin straight. Length of malar mesonotum present (Fig. 7); scutellar sulcus wide, deep;

412 Entomological Science (2009) 12, 411–415

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 Asiabregma from China

Figures 2–11 Asiabregma achterbergi sp. nov., holotype female. 2 forewing; 3 hind wing; 4 head, dorsal aspect; 5 head, frontal
aspect; 6,7 mesosoma, dorsal aspect; 8 foreleg; 9 middle leg; 10 hind leg; 11 metasoma, dorsal aspect. Scale bar, 0.25 mm.

prescutellar depression rather deep, with a high median
carina, almost smooth, 0.8 ¥ as long as scutellum;
scutellum slightly convex and coriaceous with continu-
ous and crenulate subposterior depression, side of
scutellum crenulate. Mesopleuron largely smooth except
for anterior rugose area; mesosternal sulcus rather
shallow and smooth; anterior subalar depression with
weak carinae; prepectal carina present; epicnemial area
distinctly rugose; precoxal sulcus short and oval, largely
smooth, with one distinct middle ruga (Figs 1,12); post-
pectal carina distinct. Metanotum with a distinct com-
plete median carina. Metapleuron mostly smooth except
for some sparse rugulosity in posterior part, very finely
reticulate narrowly along the spiracle line; metapleural
flange large. Propodeum reticulate; its median carina
about 0.25 ¥ as long as propodeum, developed anteri-
orly and divided posteriorly, similar to surrounding
sculpture.
Wings. Forewing: length about 3.0 ¥ as long as
maximum width. Pterostigma rather wide, 2.8 ¥ as long
as maximum width, parastigma minute; vein M+CU1
strongly curved; vein r-m present, weakly oblique;

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J-L. Tan et al.
Figure 12 Habitus of Asiabregma achterbergi sp. nov., holo-
type female, lateral aspect.
vein 2-M present; vein r arising from the middle of
pterostigma; length of r about 0.8 maximum width
of pterostigma; r:2-SR:SR1:3-SR:r-m = 11:12:45:14:9;
1-SR+M almost straight; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 8:17; 3-CU1
upwards, distinctly longer than m-cu; m-cu about inter-
stitial, longer than half length of 3-CU1, somewhat con-
verging to 1-M posteriorly; cu-a short and postfurcal;
first subdiscal cell comparatively small; vein CU1a far
above level of vein 2-CU1. Hind wing: apex of vein 1-M
distinctly removed from wing margin; vein M+CU1
comparatively short, 1-M:M+CU1 = 9:5; vein m-cu
present; 1-SC+R terminating near dorsal third of wing
(Figs 2,3); vein SR of hind wing pigmented basally.
Legs. Forelegs similar to middle legs: length of fore
femur about 2.6 ¥ its width; tibiae slender basally, dis-
tinctly thicker distally with thick setae ventrally; the
maximum diameter of tibia about 3 ¥ its minimum
diameter; basitarsus with thick setae arranged about in a
raw ventrally, correspondingly, the fore tibial spur about
0.6 ¥ as long as basitarsus and bent toward basitarsus,
with a row of thick setae dorsally; tarsus shortened and
telotarsus somewhat wider than forth tarsal segment;
claws pectinate (Figs 8,9). Hind leg: hind femur about
2.8 ¥ as long as wide; tarsus moderately long; basitarsus
without a row of thick setae ventrally; telotarsus more
slender than fourth tarsal segment; claws robust, simple;
tibial spurs comparatively short without thick setae in a
raw, less than 0.5 ¥ hind basitarsus (Fig. 10).
Metasoma. Length about 0.9 ¥ as long as head and
mesosoma combined; seven metasomal tergites exposed.
Basal half of tergite I convex; dorsope present, minute;
414
length of tergite I about equal to its apical width, its
surface with distinct, relatively sparse and complete
striae, with additional fine striae in distal 0.5–0.9, and
with minute transverse sculpture between the striae; spi-
racle in basal third of tergite, without distinct spiracular
tubercles. Tergite II completely striate with a narrow
mediobasal area, and with minute transverse sculpture
between the striae; most striae of tergite II curved
toward midline; second suture obscurely striate; tergite
III finely and densely striate in basal 0.6 (medially)–0.8
(laterally), without reticulations between carinae,
smooth distally; lateral side of tergites II and III with one
pair of small and smooth patches, respectively; median
length of tergites II and III 1.05 ¥ its apical width and
1.4 ¥ its basal width. Remaining tergites smooth; ovi-
positor sheath 0.14 ¥ as long as forewing; narrow
basally, widened medially, with an acute tip; ovipositor
straight, without distinct notch or teeth (Figs 1,11,12).
Color. Brown; head and basal three segments of
antenna yellowish brown, ocelli triangle darker, apical
segments dark brown; eyes black; palpi pale yellowish;
mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum
brown; legs pale yellow, but telotarsus darker, fore and
mid claws blackish brown; wing membrane hyaline,
veins brown; pterostigma distinctly dark brown; tergite
I of metasoma dark brown, tergite II brown with part
between both furrows dark brown, tergite III brown
with mediobasal part dark brown, remaining segments
of metasoma brown; basal half of ovipositor sheath pale
and its distal half blackish brown; ovipositor yellowish
brown (Figs 1,12).
Variation. Antenna of paratype 20 segmented, about
1.7 mm long. Paratype is very similar to holotype, but
length of vein 3-SR of fore wing longer, SR1 com-
paratively short, r:2SR:SR1:3SR:r-m = 11:13:40:21:10.
Precoxal sulcus with four trifle, indistinct rugae. Length
of tergite I 1.1 ¥ its apical width; most striae of tergite II
slightly straight, not so distinctly curved toward mid line
as the holotype.
Distribution. Hainan and Guangdong Provinces,
China.
Holotype. Female, Mt Guanyinshan, Fugang, Guang-
dong, China, 15–16.ix.2007, coll. Xu Zaifu, no.
200711447. Paratype, female, Mt Diaoluoshan,
Hainan, China, 16–17.vii.2007, coll. Liu Jingxian, no.
200802340. Preserved in Zhejiang University, Hang-
zhou, China (ZJUH).
Diagnosis. The new species is similar to A. ryukyuensis
Belokobylskij, Zaldivar & Maeto, but can be separated
by the characters indicated in the above key.
Etymology. It is a great pleasure to name this species
after Dr C. van Achterberg of the Nationaal Natuurhis-
torisch Museum, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Entomological Science (2009) 12, 411–415
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DISCUSSION
The genus Asiabregma is closely related to the genus
Conobregma van Achterberg. When van Achterberg
(1995a) initially described the genus Conobregma, it
included five species only from the New World. Shortly
after that, van Achterberg (1995b) added a new species
of this genus, C. saluensis from the Old World in
Indonesia. Recently, however, Belokobylskij et al.
(2008) reexamined the holotype of C. saluensis and
other related material and found that the Asian species
of Conobregma have a set of possible autapomor-
phies that distinguish them morphologically from the
New World species. Consequently they established a
new genus, Asiabregma, to include the Asian species.
Asiabregma can be separated from its closely related
New World genus Conobregma by having the claws of
middle tarsi long and pectinate, the postpectal carina
distinct, the vein 3-CU1 of forewing very long, and the
transverse carina between antennal sockets developed.
Here we describe the fourth species of A. achterbergi sp.
nov., from Hainan and Guangdong Provinces of south-
ern China, an area belonging to the Oriental part of
China. This is within the peculiar distribution range of
this genus, that is, subtropical to tropical coasts or
islands of the Western Pacific region.
Asiabregma is the fourth member of the tribe Faci-
torini van Achterberg 1995a (including one Old World
genus Facitorus van Achterberg 1995a, and two New
World genera Conobregma van Achterberg 1995a and
Jannya van Achterberg 1995a) previously placed in sub-
family Betylobraconinae (van Achterberg 1995b).
However, this tribe was transferred and sunk to a sub-
tribe, Facitorina, in tribe Yeliconini van Achterberg of
subfamily Rogadinae based on a molecular phylogenetic
analysis using COI mtDNA and 28S rRNA sequences
(Belokobylskij et al. 2008). Although a paraphyletic
Rogadinae was resolved in their analyses, Belokobylskij
et al. (2008) found that both Asiabregma and Facitorus
were always grouped together with members of the tribe
Yeliconini. Interestingly van Achterberg (1991) origi-
nally placed Yeliconini (only including Yelicones at that
time) within Betylobraconinae sensu lato because both
of them have a flat labrum, widened tarsi and a strongly
visible vein m-cu of hind wing, but only a few years later
van Achterberg (1993, 1995a) transferred Yeliconini to
Rogadinae based on their similar biology and sharing a
long median carina on proprodeum, converging dorsal
carinae on tergite I forming an arched basal area and a
triangular medio-basal area on tergite II. This placement
has been supported by subsequent molecular phyloge-
netic analyses (Chen et al. 2003; Zaldivar-Riveron et al.
2006).
Entomological Science (2009) 12, 411–415
© 2009 The Entomological Society of Japan
Asiabregma from China
Since Belokobylskij et al. (2008) could not support
the monophyly of Betylobraconinae either in their
analyses after removal of the tribe Facitorini, the defi-
nition of subfamilies Rogadinae and Betylobraconinae
and their relationships with other related subfamilies
still remain unclear and need further work.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank Dr C. van Achterberg (Leiden, the Nether-
lands) for his valuable comments on the draft. Funding
for this study was provided jointly by the National
Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars
(30625006), the National Natural Science Foundation
of China (30570193, 30499341, 30700063), the
National S & T Infrastructure Project (2005DKA21402,
2005DKA21105) and the National Special Basic
Research Funds (2006FY110500-3, 2006FY120100).
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