Bruesopria Wing, 1951: 195–210

MASNER, LUBOMÍR & GARCÍA R, JOSÉ LUIS, 2002, The Genera Of Diapriinae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) In The New World, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2002 (268), pp. 1-138 : 72-75

Bruesopria Wing, 1951: 195–210 .

DIAGNOSIS (♀ 3): Small­sized individuals (about 1 mm); female body light brown, males darker, smooth and highly shining, with fine scattered pubescence, hairy cushions developed, foamy structures absent; palpi extremely short and minute, palpal formula appearing 2–1; female antenna with abrupt 3­segmented clava; metapleuron predominantly glabrous, deeply excavate and almost smooth anteriorly, rugulose and strongly produced above hind coxae; propodeum in dorsal view separated from metathorax by strong constriction; petiole strongly modified, remarkably higher than long, fingerlike produced dorsally above anterior margin of syntergite; metasoma past petiole relatively large and massive in females, anterior margin remarkably broad, distinctly wider than petiole, with anterolateral corners subangular, entire syntergite with dense semierect pale hairs.

DESCRIPTION (♀ 3): HEAD. Head in dorsal view globular, frons unarmed, antennal shelf remarkably small, not margined posteriorly; head in lateral view with antennal shelf only moderately projecting, level of torulus in lower half of eye; eye ovoid, subequal to malar space, distinctly smaller in females than males, posterior orbit of eye rounded; ommatidia small and flat, not raspberry­like; oral carina probably absent, covered by large postgenal cushion; occipital flange minute; face transverse, wider than high; mandible bidentate; hypostomal bridge present; palpi extremely short and minute, palpal formula appearing 2–1; female antenna 11–12­segmented, generally short and stout, with abrupt 3­segmented clava, A11 slightly larg­ er than A10, A4–A8 broadly transverse, A1 moderately to strongly compressed, not armed apically; male antenna 14­segmented, rather short, A5–A14 beadlike with random long bristles, A4 sexually modified with sharply pointed keel apically; special brushes not developed in male flagellum. MESO­ SOMA. Pronotum in dorsal view well developed; pronotal shoulders not developed; side of pronotum slightly convex, epomium not developed; pronotal cushion minute; propleuron densely hairy; mesoscutum as long as wide, almost flattened, covered with scattered fine semierect hairs; anterior parallel lines and humeral sulci absent; anterior scutellar pit relatively large, rather shallow, subrectangular, without longitudinal keels, smaller than scutellar disc; scutellar disc pillow­shaped, subcircular, lateral keels weakly developed; posterior margin of axilla almost rounded, axillar depression small, with fine pilosity; mesopleuron rather flat, submedian oblique line indicated by transparent darker line; sternaulus not developed; dorsellum weakly developed, keels indistinct; metapleuron predominantly glabrous, deeply excavate and almost smooth anteriorly, rugulose and strongly produced above hind coxae; propodeum in dorsal view separated from metathorax by strong constriction (i.e., excavate anterior part of metapleuron), posterior margin of propodeum with deep semicircular excavation, median keel of propodeum rudimentary, posterolateral corner of propodeum angularly projecting; wings primarily present, clear, basal vein not indicat­ ed, submarginal vein relatively short, not exceeding basal quarter of wing length; legs relatively short and stout, especially in female, mid tibiae slightly sinuate; tarsi short, stout, and not compressed, tarsomere 5 enlarged; apex of foretibia with strong dorsal spine. METASOMA. Petiole strongly modified, remarkably higher than long, fingerlike, produced dorsally above anterior margin of syntergite, with abundant pilosity apically; metasoma past petiole relatively large and massive in females, moderately convex dorsally, anterior margin remarkably broad, distinctly wider than petiole, with anterolateral corners subangular; entire syntergite with dense semierect pale hairs, syntergite moderately convex; S2 without depressions anterolaterally, with distinctly flexed semicircular rim anteromedially, without specialized spot.

RECOGNITION AND RELATIONSHIPS: Bruesopria , like Auxopaedeutes , is interpreted here as a specialized lineage of Trichopria , with morphological adaptations for subterranean behavior and interaction with ants. Bruesopria differs from Auxopaedeutes principally in the structure of the propodeum, which is strongly constricted anteriorly due to deep excavation of the anterior part of the metapleuron. Bruesopria is closely related to Palearctic genera Solenopsia Wasmann and Lepidopria Kieffer ; future studies may necessitate subsequent synonymy.

DISTRIBUTION: Two species are described from America north of Mexico ( Wing, 1951). We also examined an undescribed species associated with Solenopsis sp. in Arizona; the female antenna of the latter species is 12­ segmented.

BIOLOGY: Bruesopria aberrans (Brues) was found in a nest of the ant genus Solenopsis ; the wings are frequently bitten off by host ants. Several closely related genera of Diapriini , all in the Northern Hemisphere, are also associated with Solenopsis ants: Auxopaedeutes , Solenopsia , Lepidopria , and Trichopria (part).

Cruzium , new genus Figures 35, 36

DIAGNOSIS (♀): Medium­sized (2.7 mm) robust individuals; body predominantly dark brown, some parts reddish, legs and antennae lighter, body smooth and highly shining, with only moderate pilosity, foamy structures present; female antenna 12­segmented, with moderate nonabrupt clava, clavomeres not flattened ventrally, A12 without ventral pit; legs remarkably short and stout; petiole large, robust, swollen vase­shaped, smooth and glabrous dorsally; apical sternite large, with massive carpet of dense, stiff, curved, yellowish pegs.

DESCRIPTION (♀): HEAD. Head in dorsal view globose, frons unarmed, antennal shelf well developed in front of toruli; temple moderately long; head in lateral view about as long as high, antennal shelf distinctly projecting, level of toruli at midpoint of eye; eye relatively large, subellipsoidal, with moderately large ommatidia; oral carina developed but partly obscured by pilosity of postgenal cushion, outer margin of postgena with patch of foamy structures; occipital flange developed, not distinctly steplike, noncrenulate; head in frontal view with face broad, clypeus almost flat; epistomal sulcus weakly indicat­ ed; labrum not exposed; malar sulcus not developed, area between lower orbit and mandibular condyle narrow; tentorial pit not developed; mandible clasped, strong, bidentate; palpi very short, palpal formula 5–2; head in frontal view with hypostomal bridge developed; antenna 12­segmented; A1 long, cylindrical, with apical rim not excavate ventrally, rim not produced into flaps; A4–A9 subcircular, almost beadlike; clava nonabrupt weakly 3­segmented, clavomeres not flattened ventrally, A12 without ventral pit. ME­ SOSOMA. Mesosoma moderately long, slightly wider than high, considerably flattened dorsally, mesoscutum, scutellum, and propodeal keel almost at same level; prothorax in dorsal view with cervix strongly developed; pronotal shoulders moderately broad but not projecting; anterior margin of pronotal side with massive foamy structures, side of pronotum moderately concave, smooth, shining and glabrous, with only few scattered long bristles along dorsal margin; epomium not developed; spiracle on pronotum not spikelike; propleuron in upper part with massive foamy structures; mesoscutum subtrapezoidal, with few long semierect bristles; parapsidal and anterior parallel lines absent; humeral and posthumeral sulci not developed; anterior scutellar pit large but shallow, subrectangular, with weak median longitudinal keel; scutellar disc flat, subrectangular, with low lateral keels; axillar, lateral and posterior scutellar pits not developed; posterior margin of axilla rounded; axillar depression very small and shallow, with scattered pilosity; mesopleuron almost flat, smooth, shining, glabrous; median oblique depression not developed; sternaulus not developed, reduced to rudiment right above midcoxa; posterior margin of mesopleuron smooth, noncrenulate; metanotum relatively narrow; dorsellum with three short longitudinal keels, median keel weak; metapleuron densely hairy; propodeum large, relatively long; median keel strongly developed, crestlike with only minute point posteriorly; plica well developed, space between plica and median keel almost smooth and largely glabrous; posterior margin of propodeum rimlike, posterolateral corners distinctly angular; side of propodeum densely hairy; nucha very short; forewing relatively narrow, surpassing tip of metasoma, apex round, marginal cilia relatively long; marginal vein not surpassing basal quarter of wing length, submarginal vein strongly approximated to foremargin, no other veins developed; hind wing without tracheate submarginal vein; legs remarkably short and stout; femora strongly clavate, only twice as long as wide; apex of anterior tibia dorsally with short strong spine; middle and hind basitarsi shortened, shorter than apical tarsomere, all claws large and strong. ME­ TASOMA. Metasoma short pedunculate; petiole slightly longer than wide, large, robust, swollen vase­shaped, smooth and glabrous dorsally, with dense pilosity and longitudinal streak of foamy structures ventrally, with large patches of foamy structures posterolaterally; metasoma past petiole subrectangular, distinctly depressed, much wider than high, not pointed apically; anterior margin of syntergite entire, not notched medially, syntergite occupying almost entire surface of metasoma past petiole, following tergites extremely narrow; T8 and T9 extremely small, T9 bluntly triangular, not pointed; base of S2 anterolaterally with two large pits filled with foamy structures and pilosity; apical sternite large, as long as three preceding sternites combined, with massive carpet of dense, stiff, curved, yellowish pegs.

TYPE SPECIES: Cruzium amphorale , new species (described below), by present designation.

RECOGNITION AND RELATIONSHIPS: Cruzium differs from all genera of the tribe Diapriini in two strong apomorphies, viz. structure of the petiole and the presence of the specialized peggy carpet on the apical sternite. The short, strong legs are also unusual for members of this tribe. Cruzium shares with the Diapria complex a dorsal spine on the apex of the foretibia. The males of Cruzium are not known.

ETYMOLOGY: The generic name is in honor of Mr. Eladio Cruz , formerly a resident of Peñas Blancas ( Costa Rica), the type locality of C. amphorale . The gender is neuter.

MALE: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: At present, Cruzium amphorale , new species is known from the rainforests of Costa Rica; a closely related sec­ ond species was caught in a Malaise trap in lowland rainforest in Ecuador (Sucumbios) ( CNCI) .

BIOLOGY: Host unknown. The highly specialized structure of the petiole and especially the unique peggy brush on the apical sternite indicate the possibility of an association with ants.

Cruzium amphorale , new species Figures 35, 36

DESCRIPTION: Holotype, ♀: Length 2.7 mm; head, mesosoma and metasoma generally dark brown, with lighter reddish tint on pronotal cervix, tegulae, nuchal region, legs including coxae uniformly orange­yellow, antenna reddish brown, A8–A12 dark brown, forewing slightly infuscate with light yellowish tinge. HEAD. Head in dorsal view slightly longer than wide (52:49); ocelli close together, POL considerably shorter than OOL; antennal shelf in front of toruli sharply carinate, not emarginate medially; space between toruli slightly shorter than diameter of torulus; head in lateral view slightly longer than high (52:47); eye distinctly higher than long (26:21), remarkably higher than malar space (26:6), longer than postgena, (21:16); head in frontal view with face slightly convex, smooth, with scattered setigerous punctures; antennal segments in relative proportions (43:9.5), (12:8), (14:8), (12:9), (11:9), (11:9.5), (10:10), (10:10), (10:11), (10:13), (11:14), (18:14). MESOSOMA. Mesosoma in dorsal view longer than wide (110:60); mesoscutum slightly wider than long (45: 43); anterior scutellar pit shorter than scutellar disc medially (11:15); posterior margin of propodeum broadly angular, invaginated medially; femora strongly clavate, only twice as long as wide, sharply carinate ventrally; mid basitarsus distinctly shorter than corresponding tarsomere 5 (7:11). METASOMA. Petiole large, robust, slightly longer than wide (45:30), swollen vase­shaped, smooth and glabrous dorsally, with several short irregular crenulae at anterior margin; syntergite only slightly longer than wide (77:69), almost entirely glabrous; T8 with long erect scattered bristles; apical sternite with row of long erect bristles in front of peggy cushion.

MALE: Unknown.

TYPE MATERIAL: 2♀. Holotype, ♀ ( CNCI no. 22452), COSTA RICA, Alajuela, Peñas Blancas, 700 m, March 1987, E. Cruz, MT, primary rainforest. Paratypes, 1♀, same data as holotype.

ETYMOLOGY: The species name refers to the shape of the petiole resembling a Greek vase (amphora).

DISTRIBUTION: Costa Rica (rainforests on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Tilarán range).

BIOLOGY: Host unknown.

VARIATION: No variation encountered in the two specimens examined.

Diapria Latreille Figure 38

Figures

Figs. 34–44. 34, Calogalesus sp. female habitus, lateral view; 35, Cruzia amphoralis n. sp. female, apical tergite; 36, C. amphoralis female habitus, dorsal view; 37, Coptera sp. female habitus, lateral view; 38, Diapria conica (Fabricius) female habitus, lateral view; 39, Doddius sp. female habitus, dorsal view; 40, Doddius sp. female habitus, lateral view; 41, Doliopria sp. female mesosoma, dorsal view; 42, Doliopria sp. female petiole dorsal view; 43, Doliopria sp. female head, frontal view; 44, Doliopria