Plaxopsis pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI

Papp, Jenö, 2013, A revision of five braconid species described by SZÉPLIGETI in 1913 and deposited in Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 63 (2), pp. 297-312 : 302-303

Plaxopsis pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI

( Figs 63–72 , 75 )

Plaxopsis pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI, 1913: 383 , female(s) type locality: “ Kamerun ”, female lectotype (hereby designated, examined in 2005) in Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Müncheberg; examined.

Lasiophorus pulchricaudis (SZÉPLIGETI) : FAHRINGER 1931: 340 (in key) and 356 (redescription). SHENEFELT 1978: 1693 (literature up to 1931).

Generic affinity:

According to VAN ACHTERBERG’s “Key to the genera of Braconinae with facial protuberance” (VAN ACHTERBERG 1983: 177-178) SZÉPLIGETI’s species P. pulchricaudis is representing the genus Plaxopsis SZÉPLIGETI, 1905 . VAN ACHTERBERG (l.c.) defines the genus with the following features: (1) face with prominent carina ( Fig. 65, 66 ; Fig. 87 in VAN ACHTERBERG 1983: 197); (2) mesoscutum glabrous; (3) medio-basal field of second tergite wide ( Figs 75, 77 ); (4) upper half of face protruding giving an odd joining place to the scape ( Fig. 63 ); (5) tergites 4-5 behind flat ( Figs 57 and 84 in VAN ACHTERBERG 1983: 195, 197); (6) marginal cell of hind wing narrowed apically ( Figs 72, 73 , see arrows).

Labels of the lectotype:

( First label, printed) “ Kamerun / Conradt”; (second label) “ Plaxopsis ♀ / pulchricaudis sp. n. ” (my handscript) / “det. Szépligeti ” (printed) “1913” (my handscript), SZÉPLIGETI’s original handscript label is reverse the second label; third label is the lectotype card. (Labels 2 and 3 were attached by me.) – Lectotype is in fairly good condition: (1) pinned by mesosoma (mesoscutum / prosternum); (2) both flagella distally deficient; (3) missing: right hind tibia + tarsus and left hind tarsus; (4) one ovipositor sheath glued on a separate card.

Redescription of the lectotype:

Body 13 mm long. Both antennae deficient distally. Scape sitting on a protuberance, in outer-lateral view 2.2 times as long as broad apically, ventrally a bit longer than dorsally, apically somewhat excised ( Fig. 63 ). Right flagellum with 20 and left flagellum with 30 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 1.5 times as long as broad apically, further 9-10 flagellomeres shortening so that rest of flagellomeres cubic. – Head in dorsal view cubic ( Fig. 64 ), almost 1.7 times as broad (between eyes) as long, eye somewhat protruding and shorter than temple, temple moderately rounded. Eye in lateral view nearly 1.4 times as high as wide, temple somewhat wider than eye and evenly wide beyond eye; face with a lamelliform protuberance ( Fig. 65 , see arrows). Face in frontal view medially with a short transverse and prominent carina, otherwise face rugulose, pair of tentorial pits fairly large and face close above pits somewhat impressed ( Fig. 66 ). Horizontal diameter of oral opening somewhat longer than shortest distance between opening and eye. Third segment of maxillar palp less flattened ( Fig. 67 ). Head polished.

( Fig. 68 ). Middle femur 4 times as long as broad medially. Middle basitarsus slightly longer than tarsomeres 2-3 combined. Claw fairly long and downcurved, with small basal lobe, pectinate ( Fig. 69 ).

Forewing as long as body. Pterostigma ( Fig. 70 ) 3.8 times as long as wide and issuing r proximally from its middle, r shorter than width of pterostigma. Second submarginal cell long and relatively narrow, 3–SR 2.7 times as long as 2–SR; SR1 almost straight, somewhat longer than 3–SR and approaching tip of wing. First discal cell wide, 1–M 1.3 times as long as m–cu, 1–SR–M evenly curved and 1.4 times as long as 1–M ( Fig. 71 ). – Hind wing: marginal cell distally narrowing, i.e. 1–2SR approaching tip of wing ( Fig. 72 , see arrow); cu–a straight.

First tergite ( Fig. 75 ) 1.2 times longer than broad behind, evenly boadening posteriorly, pair of spiracles somewhat protruding, scutum longitudinally uneven. Second tergite less transverse, 1.2 times as broad behind as long laterally, antero-medially with a polished and wide field, otherwise tergite longitudinally striated ( Fig. 75 ). Further tergites polished. Suture between tergites 2-3 bisinuate, deep and crenulated. Ovipositor sheath about one-third longer than body.

Antenna black. Body and legs tetaceous. Second tergite blackish, further tergites lightening brown. Hind tibia blackish brown. Wings blackish fumous, second discal cell basally (just below 2–SR–M) with a whitish macula.

Male and host unknown.

Distribution:

Cameroon.

Taxonomic position:

Plaxopsis pulchricaudis is near to P. bifasciatus (SZÉPLIGETI) ( Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zaire) owing to their lamelliform protuberance on the face, the two species are separated by the features keyed:

1 (2) Eye in dorsal view slightly shorter than temple, temple moderately rounded ( Fig. 64 ). First tergite 1.2 times as long as broad behind; second tergite less transverse, 1.2 times as broad behind as long laterally ( Fig. 75 ). Pterostigma issuing r clearly proximally from its middle, length of r shorter than width of pterostigma; 3–SR 2.7 times as long as 2–SR, SR1 clearly longer than 3–SR and reaching tip of wing ( Fig. 70 ). Marginal cell of hind wing approaching tip of wing ( Fig. 72 ). Third segment of maxillar palp less flattened ( Fig. 67 ). Scape twice as long as broad and less broadening apically ( Fig. 63 ). Pterostigma entirely blackish. ♀: 13 mm ....................................................... .............................. P. pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI, 1913

Mesosoma in lateral view 1.6 times as long as high, together with propodeum polished. Notaulix weakly distinct. Hind femur 4.3 times as long as broad distally

Figures

Figs 63-74: Figs 63-72: Plaxopsis pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI, 1913 (female lectotype). – 63 facial protuberance, scape and pedicel in outer-lateral view. – 64 head in dorsal view. – 65 head in frontal view. – 66 face in lateral view. – 67 third segment of maxillar palp. – 68 hind femur. – 69 claw. – 70 distal part of right fore wing. – 71 first discal cell. – 72 marginal cell of hindwing. – Figs 73-74: Plaxopsis bifasciatus (SZÉPLIGETI, 1905) (female paralectotye). – 73 marginal cell of hindwing. – 74 third segment of maxillar palp.

Figs 75-79: Fig. 75: Plaxopsis pulchricaudis SZÉPLIGETI, 1913 (female lectotype).– 75 tergites 1-2. – Figs 76-79: Plaxopsis bifasciatus (SZÉPLIGETI, 1905) (female paralectotype). – 76 head in dorsal view. – 77 tergites 1-3. – 78 distal part of right forewing. – 79 scape and pedicel in outer-lateral view.

Figs 57-62: Figs 57-59: Mesobracon concolor SZÉPLIGETI, 1906 (female). – 57 distal part of right forewing. – 58 tergites 1-2. – 59 first tergite in lateral view. – Figs 60-62: Mesobracon pulchripennis SZÉPLIGETI, 1902 (female). – 60 distal part of right forewing. – 61 tergites 1-2. – 62 first tergite in lateral view.