Opius simplicornis Fischer

Wharton, Robert, Daniels, Sophia, Shirley, Xanthe & Restuccia, Danielle, 2013, An opiine Braconidae (Hymenoptera) reared from Richardiidae (Diptera) and recognition of a new species group of Opius s. l., ZooKeys 289, pp. 65-101 : 96-97

Opius simplicornis Fischer Fig. 48

Opius simplicornis Fischer, 1968b: 463-464 (key), 477-479 (description). Holotype female in AEIC (examined).

Opius simplicornis : Fischer 1971: 111 (catalog).

Opius (Pendopius) simplicornis : Fischer 1977: 714, 736-748 (key, redescription); Fischer 1979b: 484-485 (key); Fischer 1983a: 92; Yu et al. 2005, 2012 (electronic catalogs).

Type locality.

Argentina, Horco Molle, near Tucumán.

Type material.

Holotype. Female (AEIC), first label, first line: Horco Molle second line: nr. Tucumán third line: III.27-31.66 Arg. fourth line: Lionel Stange

Diagnosis.

Face finely but distinctly punctate, punctures separated by nearly 2 × their diameter, otherwise smooth between punctures. Eye in lateral view about 2.6-2.9 × longer than temple; temples in dorsal view strongly receding. Female antenna with 30 flagellomeres; setae on basal flagellomeres thick, dark. Mesoscutum anteriorly on nearly same plane as pronotum, without distinct anterior declivity; notaulus extending laterally towards tegula as groove bordered by distinct supramarginal carina. Propodeum rugulose with median trough anteriorly separated by carina posteriorly from fairly well-defined pentagonal areola. Fore wing 3RSa straight, about 1.6 × longer than 2RS; m-cu postfurcal. T1 evenly curving into basal pit anteriorly, not distinctly declivitous, pit not delimited posterior-medially; surface largely smooth; dorsal carinae weakly sinuate, broadening subapically, narrowing apically, not obviously transversely carinate between dorsal carinae. T2 and T3 smooth, polished. Ovipositor long; ovipositor sheath about 1.0-1.1 × longer than mesosoma. Head, propodeum, T1 pale orange; mesosoma mottled dark orange, and brown; T2-5, hind coxa, and hind femur yellow; T6 at least partly dark brown; antenna without subapical pale ring; wing lightly infumate.

Remarks. This species is known only from the female holotype. The holotype matches the original written description, but the figure ( Fischer 1968b, fig. 7) is not of this species because it shows a very short ovipositor. The written description indicates a much longer ovipositor, as evident in the holotype (Fig. 48).

Fischer (1979b, p. 493) compared Opius simplicornis to Opius caudisignatus Fischer and later ( Fischer 1983a) to Opius vinoanus Fischer. The former has a much longer ovipositor and the latter a more heavily sculptured T1 relative to Opius simplicornis . The absence of a distinct anterior declivity on the mesoscutum suggests a relationship to members of the ingenticornis species group, but the antenna is shorter, with significantly fewer flagellomeres and T1 lacks the steep anterior declivity typical of nearly all members of this species group.