Paraspicera, Kieffer, 1907

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2011, Revision of the genus Paraspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 2801 (1), pp. 48-56 : 49-50

Redescription of Paraspicera

Paraspicera Kieffer, 1907: 152 . Type-species: Paraspicera bakeri Kieffer, 1907

Head. Densely pubescent in lower half and genae; sparse setae on frons, vertex and occiput. Frons with or without piliferous points, coriaceous, sometimes with weak strigae; frontal lateral carina present ( Fig. 1b ), frontal carina almost undistinguished; ocelli slightly projected; vertex not sharp ( Figs. 1b & 2b ). Posterior area of vertex coriaceous, sometimes with piliferous points ( Fig. 2c ), with some longitudinal carinae interrupted in central area; occiput with some transverse or oblique carinae, coriaceous, occipital carinae only present at sides, absent behind ocelli ( Figs. 1c & 2c ). Genae, in lateral view, widened with a marked margin, slightly curved, coriaceous and with transverse carinae ( Figs. 1d & 2d ).

Antenna. Filiform, 13 antennomeres in female and 14 in male. F1 distinctly modified in male ( Figs. 1c & 2c ).

Mesosoma. Pubescent. Lateral areas of pronotum coriaceous, sometimes with small piliferous points. Pronotal plate conspicuous, alutaceous, dorsal margin concave ( Fig. 1b ). Subpronotal plate almost undistinguished, only marked in basal third ( Fig. 2c ). Scutum coriaceous, sometimes with piliferous points; antero-admedial lines distinctly impressed though they can be very thin, notauli present, complete and narrow with transverse carinae ( Fig. 1a ) sometimes indistinguishable ( Fig. 2a ); mesoscutal sulcus present, narrow, reaching 1/3 of scutum, with transverse carinae conspicuous or weak; median line present or absent; parascutal sulcus present, ending anteriorly next to anterior margin of notauli, much weaker from tegulae to notauli ( Figs. 1d & 2d ). Mesopleuron smooth in dorsal posterior half, basal half with a wide sulcus strongly coriaceous and striate, below this sulcus the sculpture distinct but weaker ( Figs. 1d & 2d ). Scutellum sculptured, 0.85–1.12 length of scutum, with two conspicuous foveae; interfoveal carinae extended to scutellar spine, scutellar spine variable in length but always blunt ( Figs. 1a & 2a ). Propodeum pubescent; propodeal carinae very thick, dorsally parallel, ventrally curved inward.

Forewing. Radial cell open, 1.9–2.5 as long as wide. R1 present, variable in length. Rs long. Rs+M and M absent or visible only by a weak pigmentation. Marginal pubescence reduced or absent; pubescence on wing surface reduced.

Legs. Metatibia with a longitudinal carina on posterior face. Claws simple.

Metasoma. Metasomal petiole short, wider than long, with longitudinal costulae very distinct. Third metasomal segment saddle-shaped and smooth, fourth metasomal segment punctate.

Diagnosis. Paraspicera can be distinguished from the other Aspicerinae , according to Ros-Farré (2007), by the following characters:

- Anacharoides , Pujadella , Omalaspis and Callaspidia the scutellar spine is absent, while it is present in Paraspicera .

- Balna the scutellar spine is reduced to a blunt point, and the scutellum has only one deep central fovea; in Paraspicera the scutellar spine can be short but it is never reduced to a blunt point and the scutellum has two foveae.

- Prosaspicera there is a conspicuous median sulcus beginning at lateral ocelli and ending at occiput, with parallel longitudinal carinae at sides of median sulcus ( Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar 2007), and the compound eyes are surrounded by a strong continuous carina that is the union of the frontal carinae, vertex lateral carinae, occipital carina and facial impression ( Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar 2007); both characters are absent in Paraspicera . Moreover, the scutellar spine in Paraspicera is blunt, thick and wide, whereas in Prosaspicera it is slender, thin and pointed.

- Aspicera the scutellar spine is slender, thin and pointed, rarely very short, but if so the scutum lacks microsculpture, is distinctly carinate transversally and the median sulcus is wide; in Paraspicera the scutellar spine is blunt, thick and wide, the scutum never lacks microsculpture and the median sulcus is always narrow.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Paraspicera bakeri Kieffer: (a) mesosoma in dorsal view, (b) head in anterior view, (c) occiput, and (d) head and mesosoma in lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Paraspicera brandaoi n. sp.: (a) mesosoma in dorsal view, (b) head in anterodorsal view, (c) occiput, and (d) head and mesosoma in lateral view.