Townesella

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 : 11-12

Townesella , presumably, is related to Labidopria .

NEOTROPICAL REGION

The 45 genera of Diapriinae in the Neotropical region form 5 geographic subregions ( Mexico, Antilles, Central America, South America, and Valdivian/Patagonian) most of which seem to be more sharply delimited than the corresponding subregions of the Nearctic region.

1. Mexico. This area covers Mexico from the US border to the isthmus of Tehuantepec. Twenty genera ( Acanthopria , Auxopaedeutes , Avoca , Basalys, Caecopria , Coptera , Doddius , Doliopria , Ecitovagus , Entomacis , Idiotypa , Labidopria , Leucopria , Megaplastopria , Monelata , Paramesius , Pentapria , Psychopria , Spilomicrus , and Trichopria ) are recorded from Mexico but none are peculiar to it. The fauna is a typical mixture of Nearctic and Neotropical fauna; Nearctic elements proliferate deeply south along the central mountains and Neotropical elements extend along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and northwards.

2. Central America. This area covers the Mexican state of Chiapas south to Panama. With 28 genera ( Acanthopria , Asolenopsia , Basalys, Caecopria , Coptera , Cruzium , Doddius , Doliopria , Ecitovagus , Eladio , Entomacis , Hansona , Idiotypa , Labidopria , Leucopria , Megaplastopria , Mimopriella , Monelata , Ortona , Paramesius , Peckidium , Pentapria , Psychopria , Spilomicrus , Szelenyiopria , Szelenyisca , Trichopria , and Turripria ) including virtually all speciose ones, this subregion is second only to South America. The two subregions are closely related faunally (at species­group level) and many widespread species are shared, especially along coastlines both in the Caribbean and Pacific. There are no genera peculiar to Central America.

3. Antilles. This area covers the Greater and Lesser Antilles minus Trinidad. With only 18 genera ( Acanthopria , Auxopaedeutes , Avoca , Basalys, Caecopria , Calogalesus , Coptera , Doliopria , Entomacis , Idiotypa , Megaplastopria , Monelata , Paramesius , Peckidium , Pentapria , Psychopria , Spilomicrus , and Trichopria ), and no endemics this subregion is generally depauperate. Most conspicuously missing are all Neotropical genera of Diapriinae associated with army ants (Ecitonini), but some speciose Neotropical genera are also not represented. The overall species diversity of some larger genera is rather low in the Antilles (e.g., Trichopria , Coptera , and Spilomicrus ). The single record of Calogalesus (Lesser Antilles) most probably accounts for a ‘‘tramp’’ species.

4. South America. We include here the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas, Trinidad, Amazon basin, Pantanal ( Paraguay, Argentina) and the Andes from Colombia to Peru and Galapagos Islands. The maximum of 36 genera ( Acanthopria , Asolenopsia , Avoca , Basalys , Bruchopria, Caecopria , Coptera , Cruzium , Doddius , Doliopria , Eladio , Entomacis , Hansona , Idiotypa , Labidopria , Leucopria , Megaplastopria , Mimopria , Mimopriella , Mitropria , Monelata , Neivapria , Notoxoides , Omopria , Ortona , Paramesius , Philolestoides , Peckidium , Pentapria , Psychopria , Spilomicrus , Szelenyiopria , Szelenyisca , Trichopria , Turripria , and Xanthopria ) makes the South American subregion the richest and simultaneously the most diverse in the New World. In particular, the genera of Diapriinae associated with ants reach the highest levels of diversity. The High Andes are notable for the northward proliferation of southern temperate faunal elements.

5. Valdivian/Patagonian. This subregion comprises most of southern Chile (including Juan Fernandez Island) and the Argentinian province Nunquen (including the Falkland Islands) with temperate to cool­temperate forests and grasslands. There are relatively few faunal connections to the rest of the Neotropics but endemism is high and some distinct Gondwanic ties to New Zealand, Australia, and (rarely) South Africa. Only 11 genera (( Chilomicrus , Doddius , Entomacis , Epomium , Ferrugenus , Idiotypa , Paramesius , Pentapria , Poecilopsilus , Spilomicrus , and Xenismarus ), with 5 genera endemic ( Chilomicrus , Epomium , Ferrugenus , Poecilopsilus , and Xenismarus )) are recorded from this subregion. The records of Diapria from Chile probably represent a tramp species. However, the number and frequency of species in any habitat of this subregion is truly remarkable. Together with the Belytinae and Ambositrinae , Diapriinae is the dominant group among all microhymenoptera in this part of the New World. Conversely, the genera of many New World Diapriinae , including some speciose ones, are remarkably absent here. The Valdivian/Patagonian subregion appears to be an important center of evolution, having predominately archaic or plesiomorphic taxa of Diapriinae .