Oxyscelio aureamediocritas 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 : 43-46

Oxyscelio aureamediocritas Burks sp. n. Figures 48-51Morphbank33

Description.

Female. Body length 3.45 mm (n=1).

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

Interantennal process: not elongate. Median longitudinal elevation in frontal depression: absent. 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: hood-like, protruding over pedicel when antenna at rest. 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: present. Direction of middle genal carina dorsally: parallel to eye margin. Major sculpture of gena anteriorly: umbilicate-foveate; rugose. Major sculpture of gena posteriorly: umbilicate-foveate; rugose. 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: crenulate; umbilicate-punctate. Occipital carina medially: convex, with a sharp median peak. 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-punctate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of medial mesoscutum anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of medial mesoscutum posteriorly: absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum: umbilicate-foveate; irregularly rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum medially: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum laterally: absent. 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. Number of carinae crossing femoral depression: more than 5. Mesepimeral sulcus pits: more than 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: one or more areoles present. 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 5 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. Unknown.

Diagnosis.

Female: A4, A5 longer than broad. Frons without elevation between antennal foramen and eye. Hyperoccipital carina present, continuous with anterior genal carina. Metascutellum deeply emarginate. Metasomal depression elongate, with median carina; lateral propodeal carinae narrowly separated anteriorly. T1 midlobe with 5 longitudinal carinae. T6 rounded apically. Oxyscelio aureamediocritas is similar to Oxyscelio convergens and other species with a sculptured and conspicuous metasomal depression, and with the flagellum in females having an elongate A4 and A5 and weakly developed club. It differs in having a propodeal median carina. Although males of this species are unknown, patterns of variation in other species of Oxyscelio suggest that males may lack the median propodeal carina.

Etymology.

Latin noun in apposition to the generic name, based on "The Golden Mean" coined by Horace. Refers to the median propodeal carina and general golden color of the holotype.

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=275486]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: THAILAND: Phetchabun Prov., Hell, evergreen forest, T1329, Nam Nao National Park, 16°44.402'N, 101°34.560'E, 883m, 27.XI-4.XII.2006, malaise trap, N. Hongyothi, OSUC 280518 (deposited in QSBG).