Balcha eximia (Masi)

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2005, The world species of Balcha Walker (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), parasitoids of wood-boring beetles, Zootaxa 1033 (1), pp. 1-62 : 27-29

Balcha eximia (Masi) (Figs. 1, 13, 20, 47)

Sauteria eximia Masi, 1927: 334–338 . Type data: [ Taiwan], Kankau (Koshun), VI.1912, H. Sauter (1♀ DEIC, 1♀ MCSN). Kosempo, IV.1912, H. Sauter (1♀ DEIC). Taihorin, V. 11 (1♂ MCSN) , 7.VIII.1911 (1♂ DEIC), H. Sauter. Syntypes, examined.

Balcha exima (!); Gibson, 1989: 67. Change of combination.

Additional material examined. ORIENTAL. TAIWAN: Hualien Pref., Liyuchih , 22.VI.1968, K. Tsuneki (1♀ USNM). Taihorin, V.1910 (1♀ BMNH) .

Description. FEMALE. Length, 11–15 mm. Antenna dark except scape and sometimes pedicel yellowish­orange to orange; scape widened apically but spindlelike and with outer surface uniformly setose; Fl 1 about 1.1–1.25 x as long as wide and about 0.5– 0.6 x as long as pedicel; Fl 2 about 1.4–1.7 x as long as clava. Head with punctures and interstices not contrasting in color on face, the lower face and parascrobal region partly green, but interantennal region, lower parascrobal region variably extensively to about level of apex of interantennal region and upper parascrobal region near ocelli purple (Fig. 1), and upper parascrobal region along margin of scrobal channel narrowly dark or with slightly coppery luster; ocellar region and about anterior half of vertex posterior to ocelli dark, but green to blue along upper inner orbit from about level of posterior ocellus and more extensively blue to purple on occiput and behind outer orbit. Face with setiferous punctures (Fig. 20), the punctures more closely crowded on lower face but deep and distinct even near oral margin, more widely separated by flat, finely but quite distinctly coriaceous interstices on parascrobal region, except about dorsal quarter to third of region uniformly setose, flat and punctulate­coriaceous, the punctures much smaller, shallower, crowded and with distinct coriaceous subsculpture. Scrobal depression with scrobes dark, smooth and shiny ventrally and distinctly punctate­reticulate dorsally; channel smooth and shiny with green to blue or purple luster ventrally, but dorsally dark or with slight coppery luster and finely coriaceous and setose toward anterior ocellus.

Pronotum dark anteriorly, but posteriorly and laterally blue to purple; only very finely coriaceous­aciculate between setal pores. Tegula yellow. Mesoscutum narrowly purple laterally along margin and green between purple and parapsidal band, dorsally with notaular and parapsidal bands extending posteriorly to scutellum and either separate or only indistinctly joined near scutellum ( Fig. 13 ), the notaular band with slightly concave sides so posteriorly widening uniformly and extending across width of scutellum, and parapsidal band widest near apex of parapsidal line and narrowed posteriorly to extend linearly to inner angle of axilla, the bands separated by distinct greenish­blue paranotaular band ( Fig. 13 ). Mesoscutum (cf. Fig. 37 ) punctate­alveolate laterally, dorsally the punctures shallower so as to be more reticulate, particularly between notauli and near parapsidal line; without distinct depression anterior to level of inner angle of axilla; with white to brownish hairlike setae. Scutellum ( Fig. 13 ) purple laterally and variably widely green medially; sculpture sometimes aligned into variably distinct longitudinal setiferous furrows and slightly sinuous ridgelike interstices, or varying from punctate­coriaceous to extensively coriaceous with tiny setiferous pits, but with mediolongitudinal bare coriaceous band, when evident (cf. Fig. 37 ), not raised above height of other sculpture. Metanotum green to purple under different angles of light; dorsellum thick, with crenulate dorsal surface and coriaceous, bare, posterior surface; precrenular region of panel with 1 or 2 rows of setae ( Fig. 47 ). Acropleuron with slender, minutely coriaceous­aciculate subalar region separating punctate­alveolate prealar region from finely coriaceousaciculate postalar region; prealar region dark to greenish anteriorly, but usually more coppery or violaceous to purple posteriorly, and subalar and postalar regions violaceous to purple or green. Lower mesepimeron shallowly punctate­reticulate. Metapleuron punctaterugulose over distinct coriaceous subsculpture except for crenulate furrow along posterior margin and anterior margin ventrally. Propodeum dorsally green to blue or purple under different angles of light except plical region dark and vertical surface of callus more uniformly purple; paraspiracular region setose; callus smooth between setal pores, the surface laterally adjacent to metapleuron obviously different from metapleural sculpture ( Fig. 47 ); plical region bare, with carinate margin of foramen ­like recurved to anterior margin of propodeum as strong median carina similar in appearance to crenulae lateral to median carina ( Fig. 47 ). Forewing hyaline; vannal area with subcubital setal line extending over about apical half. Legs entirely yellowish beyond coxae except metatibia usually broadly lighter, more yellowish white, medially.

Petiole composed of anterior carina and lunate horizontal surface obviously longer medially than propodeum, the surface longitudinally crenulate but crenulae either distinctly weaker or more widely spaced than on propodeal plical region ( Fig. 47 ). Gaster in dorsal view dark brown or penultimate tergum at most with very faint greenish luster and not contrasting distinctly in color with other terga, in lateral view all terga except syntergum greenish dorsally to blue or purple ventrally; about twice as long as head and mesosoma combined. Syntergum about 0.7–0.8 x as long as remaining gaster and in lateral view about 7.5–9 x as long as high; uniformly setose, sculptured and tapered posteriorly, with cercus at basal margin.

MALE. Similar to female except as follows: length, 7 mm; petiole and propodeal plical region longer; petiole with median carina and at most a few inconspicuous crenulae laterally; plical region with inverted Y­shaped median carina and about 3 strong, irregular carinae between median carina and deep paraspiracular furrow.

Biology. Unknown.

Discussion. Females, and likely males of B. eximia , are very similar to those of B. eximiassita , as discussed under the latter species.

Figures

FIGURES 9–18. Mesosoma dorsal: 9, Balcha laciniosa; 10, B. cylindrica; 11, B. elegans; 12, B. indica (N. Am.); 13, B. eximia; 14, B. eximiassita; 15, B. dictyota; 16, B. reticulata; 17, B. anemeta; 18, B. splendida (nob = notaular band, pnb = paranotaular band, ppb = parapsidal band).

FIGURES 31–38. Mesosoma dorsal: 31, Balcha anemeta; 32, B. punctiscutum; 33, B. indica (N. Am.); 34, B. indica (holotype); 35, B. elegans; 36, B. laciniosa (not = notaulus, pl = parapsidal line); 37, B. eximiassita; 38, B. reticulata.

FIGURES 47–54. 47. Metanotum and propodeum: Balcha eximia. 48. B. indica (N. Am.): dorsellum and propodeal plical region. 49 and 50. Mesosoma, lateral: 49, B. punctiscutum; 50, B. indica (N. Am.). 51–54. Posterior half of acropleuron: 51, B. indica (holotype); 52, B. eximiassita; 53, B. anemeta; 54, B. levicollis (sar = subalar region of acropleuron).