Osirinus fritzi Roig-Alsina, 1989

Melo, Gabriel A. R. & Zanella, Fernando C. V., 2003, The species of the parasitic bee genus Osirinus (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Journal of Natural History 37 (24), pp. 2919-2929 : 2921-2922

Osirinus fritzi Roig-Alsina

( figures 1–5 )

Osirinus fritzi Roig-Alsina, 1989: 20 . Holotype female, Argentina: Entre Rios, Palmar de Colón (MACN; not examined).

Comments

Roig-Alsina compared fritzi to what he thought was rutilans based on a specimen identified by Shanks. As explained below, this specimen is actually santiagoi . These two species seem to be closely allied, differing mainly in the characters given in the key. Roig-Alsina also used the proportion between the lengths of the posterior and apical margins of the 1st submarginal cell to distinguish santiagoi (his rutilans ) from fritzi . This proportion varied from 1.3 to 1.6 in the specimens of santiagoi examined, the lower limit being too close to the value of 1.25 given for the type of fritzi . He also mentions that santiagoi lacks stiff setae on the hind tibiae, these setae being present along the posterior (his dorsal) margin in fritzi . We do not agree, however, with his interpretation, since the outer surface of the hind tibiae in santiagoi has abundant stiff, simple setae intermixed with the finely plumose pubescence. Nevertheless, the stiff setae in santiagoi are somewhat slender and lighter coloured when compared to those present in fritzi .

The male specimen examined agrees with the description of the female holotype, except as follows: proportion of 1st to 2nd flagellomere 1.1:1; proportion of lengths of submarginal cells on posterior margin 1:0.9:1; ‘basal vein’ of forewing arising apical to vein cu-a. Its S7, S8 and genitalia are depicted in figures 1–5 , respectively.

Material examined Argentina, Entre Rios: one male (MACN), ‘ARG.-E. RIOS, Liebig, Zelich’.

Figures

FIGS 1–5. Osirinus fritzi: male, ventral view of sterna VII (1) and VIII (2); lateral (3), dorsal (4) and ventral view of genitalia (5).