For the first time, wasps in the genus Spasskia (family: Braconidae) have been found in China, according to an article in the open-access Journal of Insect Science. In addition, a species in that genus which is totally new to science was also discovered.

The new species, Spasskia brevicarinata, is very small — male and female adults are less than one centimeter long. It is similar to a previously described species called Spasskia indica, but the ridges on some of its body segments are different. In fact, the species epithet brevicarinata reflects a short ridge on its first tergite, as “brevi” is Latin for short and “carinata” is Latin for ridge.

The two species can be compared in the photos below. For high-quality photos, take a look at the online version of the article at http://www.insectscience.org/14.119.

Spasskia brevicarinata (left) and Spasskia indica (right).

Read more at:

– The discovery of the genus Spasskia Belokobylskij, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in China, with description of a new species