Crassomicrodus muesebecki Marsh, 1960

Figueroa, Jose Isaac, Sharkey, Michael Joseph, Napoles, Jesus Romero, Garcia, Jose Antonio Sanchez, Martinez, Ana Mabel, Lopez-Martinez, Victor & Pineda, Samuel, 2011, Revision of the new world genus Crassomicrodus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae), with an identification key to species, ZooKeys 142, pp. 27-75 : 46-48

Crassomicrodus muesebecki Marsh, 1960 Fig. 9 a–e

Crassomicrodus muesebecki Marsh 1960: 153-154 [Examined].

Holotype female.

7 miles Southwest of Trimmer, Fresno County, California [USA]. June 2, 1951. Cat. No. 64876 (USNM)

Description female.

Body. Length. 6.08-6.95 mm. Color (Fig. 9e). Integument black except yellowish orange as follows, femora, one-fourth basal area of hind tibia, fore and middle tibia with its tarsomeres; medial areas of mandible yellow reddish; eyes silver or blackish; ocelli translucent yellow; medial area of hind tibia pale yellow, apical area of hind tibia with its tarsomeres blackish; wing veins dark brown; forewing slightly infumate with a hyaline spot on the first submarginal cell that is similar in size to the parastigma. Head (Fig. 9ab). Transverse in frontal view; face with weak longitudinal ridge dorsomedially; eye height/width = 1.41-1.45; eye height 0.61 –0.62× inter-ocular distance; area between antennal sockets with a median transverse elevation and two weakly defined lateral tubercles, sometimes tubercles not defined; frons deeply excavated with two or more foveolae on center, posteriorly continue a pair of smooth groove that diverge towards the ocellar area, sometimes microfoveolate; posterior surface of antennal sockets smooth; groove between lateral ocelli smooth; median ocellus separated from lateral ocellus by smooth groove; gena distinctly bulging; malar space 0.46 –0.50× as long as eye height; clypeus 2.30 –2.50× wider than high; length of ventrolateral margin of clypeus similar to diameter of tentorial pit; antenna with 28-29 flagellomeres; setae at base of mandible similar on size than setae on rest of body surface. Mesosoma (Fig. 9cde). Pronotum smooth with abundant setae on pronotal groove and lateral pronotal area; lateral pronotal margins with weakly crenulate groove; notauli not impressed; anterolateral edges of scutellum lacking small acute projection; scutellar disc convex with sparse setae from 0.18 to 0.20 mm in length; scutellar disc sloped posteriorly and rounded; lateral scutellar depression microfoveolate centrally, with rugosities and foveolae on the margins; carinae of central metanotal area almost circular shaped; propodeum reticulate rugulose, more pronounced on lateral margins; subalar lobe separated from mesopleuron by narrow rugose reticulate groove, width distinctly shorter than the subalar lobe; three-fourth dorsal area of metapleuron smooth, rest reticulate-punctuate. Legs. Inner spur of middle tibia 0.72 –0.86× length of basitarsus; inner spur of hind tibia 0.59 –0.67× length of basitarsus; metabasitarsus 1.03 –1.18× length of tarsomeres III, IV, and V combined; hind tibia 2.63 –2.81× longer than basitarsus; hind femur length 3.09 –3.33× its maximum width. Wings. Forewing length/width = 2.51-2.53; stigma 2.62 –3.00× longer than maximum width; forewing vein R1 0.59 –0.64× as long as vein RS; vein RS not sinuate; vein r arising at middle of stigma; second submarginal cell triangular, with petiole 0.04-0.11 mm long; vein M+CU not pigmented throughout; hind wing length/width = 3.26-3.44; hind wing vein 1M 1.66 –1.76× longer than 1r-m; hind wing with 4-5 hamuli. Metasoma. Apical width of petiole (tergum 1) 1.78 –2.11× wider than basal width; minimum width of petiole 0.67 –0.70× apical width; length of ovipositor sheath 1.83-2.33 mm.

Male.

Similar to female.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

USA.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other Crassomicrodus species by the following combination of characters: area between antennal sockets with a median transverse elevation, gena distinctly bulging, setae at base of mandible similar on size than setae on rest of body surface, notauli not impressed, scutellar disc convex with sparse setae from 0.18 to 0.20 mm in length, length of ovipositor sheath 1.83-2.33 mm, and body black with wings slightly infumate.

Remarks.

Crassomicrodus muesebecki Marsh was described with observations on 14 specimens. In this revision, we included 13 of these, one homotype and 14 additional specimens. With the inclusion of these new specimens we confirm Marsh’s (1960) observation that specimens from central and northern California have infumate wings, and in almost all the hind tibiae are yellowish orange, whereas the more southern specimens have hyaline wings and the medial areas of hind tibiae pale yellow. The species status of these two groups is tentative.

Material examined.

Holotype ♀: USA, California: 7 mi. SW Trimmer, Fresco Co. 2/VI/1951, Mac Neill C.D. (USNM). Paratypes revised: USA,California: Keen Camp, San Jacinto Mts., 2 ♀ 31/V/1939, Bush W.C. (EMEC); 1 ♀ 31/V/1939, Smith Ray F. (USNM). Ribbonwood, San Jacinto Mts., 1 ♀ 21/V/1940, Michener C.D. (EMEC); 1 ♀ 21/V/1940, Michener C.D. (USNM). Tuolumne County, 1 ♀ 9/VI/1938, 1067 m., Hardman N.W. (EMEC); 1 ♀ 9/VI/1938, 1067 m., Hardman N.W. (USNM). Bucks Lake, Plumas County, 1 ♀ 23/VI/1949, Cox D. (CAS). Bass Lake, Madera County, 1 ♀ 6/VI/1938, Bohart R.M.; Rucker Lake, Nevada Co., 1 ♀ 5/VII/1949, Schlinger E.I.; Rumsey, Yolo Co., 1 ♀ 30/V/1956, Bohart R.M. (UCDC). Idyllwild, San Jacinto Mountains, 1 ♂ 19/VI/1951, Bechtel G.C. (USNM). Homotype ♀: Pinon Flat, San Jacinto Mts., 15/V/1941, Van Dyke E.C. (CNC). Other specimens examined .- California: Genoa, 3 ♀ 2 ♂ 26/VI/1948, Townes H.M.G. & D. Townes (AEIC); Keen Camp, 2 miles W San Jacinto Mts., 1 ♀ 31/V/1939, Laningham T.E.; Tuolumne County, 1 ♂9/VI/1938, 1067 m. (EMEC); Ribbonwood, San Jacinto Mountains, 1 ♀ 21/V/1940, Michener C.D. (HIC); Kelso Dunes, MNP, San Bernardino Co., 1 ♂19/V/2001, 770 m., Hawks D. 34.53.20 N 115.43.02 W; Kelso Dunes, San Bernardino, 2 ♂30/V/1999, Ballmer G.R. (UCR); Keen Camp, San Jacinto Mountains, 1 ♀ 31/V/1939, Smith Ray F.; Westwood Hills, Los Angeles, 1 ♂27/VII/1970, Linsley E.G. (USNM). Utah: Leeds Cyn. Washington Co., 1 ♂ 30/V/1973, Torchio P. & F. Parker (CNC).