Oxyscelio bipunctuum Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2013, Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), Part I: Indo-Malayan and Palearctic fauna, ZooKeys 292, pp. 1-263 : 46-48

Oxyscelio bipunctuum Burks sp. n. Figures 52-55Morphbank34

Description.

Female. Body length 3.75-3.8 mm (n=2).

Radicle color: darker than scape. Scape color: Yellowish. A4: broader than long. A5: broader than long. Antennal club: formed, segments compact.

Interantennal process: not elongate. Median longitudinal elevation in frontal depression: present. Frontal depression: concave. Frontal depression sculpture: with 3 or more broadly interrupted transverse carinae. Submedian carina: strong, formed by a sharp raised carina. Submedian carina medially: without peak. Concavity across dorsal part of frontal depression: absent. Depression extending ventrally from median ocellus: absent. Upper frons: not hood-like. Malar area near antennal foramen: without carina or expansion. Malar area at mouth corner: with radiating striae. Smooth strip along posterior side of malar sulcus: absent or not consistently broad. Middle genal carina: absent. Direction of middle genal carina dorsally: absent (replace with question mark). Major sculpture of gena anteriorly: umbilicate-punctate. Major sculpture of gena posteriorly: umbilicate-punctate. Microsculpture of gena anteroventrally: absent. Microsculpture of gena posteroventrally: absent. Median carina extending posteriorly from hyperoccipital carina: absent. Hyperoccipital carina: complete, continuous with anterior genal carina. Lateral connection between hyperoccipital and occipital carinae: absent. Area between vertex and occipital carina: umbilicate-punctate. Occipital carina medially: uniformly rounded; absent. Lateral corners of occipital carina: not protruding.

Lateral pronotal area: without bulge projecting towards anterior pit. Epomial corner: weak. Netrion surface anteriorly: not inflexed. Mesoscutum anteriorly: not steep. Mesoscutal median carina: present and complete. Longitudinal carina between median carina and notauli: absent. Major sculpture of medial mesoscutum anteriorly: umbilicate-foveate. Major sculpture of medial mesoscutum posteriorly: umbilicate-foveate. Microsculpture of medial mesoscutum anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of medial mesoscutum posteriorly: absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum: umbilicate-punctate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum medially: absent; granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum laterally: granulate. Mesoscutellar apex: convex or straight. Setae along anterior limit of femoral depression: arising from tiny pits. Number of carinae crossing speculum above femoral depression: 3; 4. Number of carinae crossing femoral depression: 3-5. Mesepimeral sulcus pits: 3-5. Metascutellum dorsally: concave. Metascutellar sculpture dorsally: smooth or with transverse carinae. Median carina of metascutellum: absent or branched. Metascutellar setae: absent. Metascutellar apex: deeply emarginate. Metapleuron above ventral metapleural area: smooth. Metasomal depression setae: absent. Lateral propodeal carinae anteromedially: weakly diverging. Anterior areoles of metasomal depression: absent. Anterior longitudinal carinae in metasomal depression: median carina present. Lateral propodeal areas: separated medially. Postmarginal vein: present. Fore wing apex: reaching beyond T6.

T1 midlobe: with 4 longitudinal carinae. T1: without anterior bulge. T2: with straight longitudinal striae or rugae. T6: broader than long. Apical flange of T6: exposed apically. Metasomal apex: rounded. Major sculpture of T6: umbilicate-punctate. Microsculpture of T6: absent.

Male. Body length 3.55-3.65 mm (n=2). A5 tyloid: carina-like, not expanded. A11: longer than broad. Median tooth of frontal depression: present. Median lobe of T1: with 4 longitudinal carinae. Metasomal apex: with no distinct corners.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes: Frons without elevation between antennal foramen and eye. Hyperoccipital carina present, continuous with anterior genal carina. Metascutellum deeply emarginate. Metasomal depression elongate, with a pair of areoles separated by a short median carina; lateral propodeal carinae narrowly separated anteriorly. Female: A4, A5 broader than long. T1 midlobe with 4 longitudinal carinae. T6 rounded apically. Male: Frontal depression with tooth-like median protrusion dorsally. T1 midlobe with 4 longitudinal carinae. T7 without distinct posterolateral corners. Oxyscelio bipunctuum differs from other species of the Oxyscelio convergens -complex in having a median protrusion dorsomedially from the frontal depression in males. This character also occurs in some species of the Oxyscelio mesiodentis -complex, but these species do not otherwise strongly resemble Oxyscelio bipunctuum .

Etymology.

Latin noun, 4th declension, plural genitive case. Refers to the two small areoles on the metasomal depression.

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=275497]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: INDIA: Tamil Nadu St., Palni (Pulney) Hills, Kodaikanal, 6500ft, V-1953, P. S. Nathan, OSUC 369048 (deposited in CNCI). Paratypes: INDIA: 2 females, 2 males, OSUC 376572-376575 (BMNH).