Aximopsis arietinis Gates

Gates, M. W., Metz, M. A. & Schauff, M. E., 2006, The circumscription of the generic concept of Aximopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eurytomidae) with the description of seven new species, Zootaxa 1273, pp. 9-54 : 40-41

Aximopsis arietinis Gates , n. sp.

( Figs. 63–64 )

Etymology

arietinus (Greek, noun, masculine) = of a ram; a feminized adjective describing the hornlike extensions typical of species in this genus.

Diagnosis and identification

Aximopsis arietinis possesses the characteristic horns on the vertex and dorsomedial pronotum of the genus, but lacks a distinctly different patch of short, thickened, yellowish brown setae on the female vertex.

Female. Length 3.1–3.3 mm. Prepectus with shallow concavities in middle and along ventral border, ventral concavity finely alveolate; metacoxa posterolateral carina irregularly shaped. Gt1 glabrous anteriorly. Antenna brown ( Fig. 64 ). Legs brown, except extreme apices of femora and tibiae pale yellow and tarsomeres pale yellow, pretarsus brown.

Head. 1.5X wider than high; 1.5X broader than pronotum; HTE:msp 2.53. POL 1.8X longer than OOL. Width of oral fossa 0.33X width of head. Scape 5X longer than broad, apical width of pedicel subequal to length, narrowed basally. Antennal segment ratios 24:5:1:13:11:10:10:9:18. Clava 2.5X longer than broad.

Mesosoma. Dorsal pronotum 2.25X wider than long, with paired pronotal processes. Mesoscutum 2X broader than long. Scutellum 1.3X longer than wide at its widest. Dorsellum disc composed of a central ovoid structure with lateral arms broadening laterally into paddle­shapes ( Fig. 63 ). Propodeum ( Fig. 63 ) medially with greatly enlarged punctae and a depression posteriorly. Postmarginal vein subequal in length to stigma, ratio of mv:pmv 0.67.

Metasoma. Petiole 1.5X longer than wide; dorsal median carina with anterior and posterior thickened processes, lateral carinae higher in middle; ventral surface with weak medial and lateral carinae.

Male. Length 3.4–3.5 mm. Similar to female in coloration and structure except as follows: scape 4.0–4.4X longer than broad, indistinct ventral plaque in basal half; petiole 6.8–7.0X longer than broad, reticulate­rugose, broadest and highest in anterior half, thinning apically, two irregular dorsomedial carinae diverging from unique origin anteriorly, fading by midlength, with anterodorsal carinae fading by midlength, mpp reticulate with ventrolateral carinae diverging from mpp, extending length of petiole.

Va r i a t i o n

One female (USNM ENT 00480041) with alveolate sculpturing at base of Gt1 anteriorly. One male (USNM ENT 00480000) has the dorsal petiolar carinae indistinct, but traceable.

Type material (5 Ψ, 3 ɗ)

Holotype Ψ ( USNM ENTO 00480039) ( USNM); Brazil: Santa Catarina: Bananal Selva, vi.1961, G.B. Vogt, Vogt coll. #61­1344, reared from Taphrocerus ( Coleoptera : Buprestidae ) ex palm. Paratypes 3Ψ ( USNM ENTO 0 0 480001, 0 0 480003, 004800041) ( USNM), 3ɗ ( USNM ENTO 0 0 480000, 0 0 480022, 004800030) ( USNM), same data as holotype; 1Ψ ( USNM ENTO 00480024) ( USNM), same data as holotype, Vogt coll. #61­ 1339.

Figures

FIGURES 60 – 67. 60. A. anubis, female, metacoxa, lateral. 61. A. anubis, female, petiole + anterior gaster, lateral. 62. A. anubis, female, propodeum, dorsal. 63. A. arietinis, female, propodeum, dorsal. 64. A. arietinis, male, antenna. 65. A. hespenheidei, female, petiole, dorsal. 66. A. hippolytis, female, vertex, anterolateral. 67. A. hippolytis, female, dorsellum, dorsal.