Vadumasonium Kammerer, 2006

Achterberg, Cornelis van & Broad, Gavin R., 2013, Revision of the genus Vadumasonium Kammerer (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 33, pp. 91-98 : 92-94

Genus Vadumasonium Kammerer, 2006 Figs 1-16

Vadum Mason, 1987: 325-327 (not Strusz 1982). Type species (by original designation): Vadum volatum Mason, 1987 [examined].

Vadumasonium Kammerer, 2006: 269 (replacement name for primary homonym).

Diagnosis.

Third antennal segment 0.8-0.9 times as long as fourth segment ( Fig. 11 ); subapical antennal segments of female slender ( Figs 3, 10 ); face short, strongly transverse (2.7-4.0 times wider than high; Fig. 5 ); ventral margin of clypeus medially with one small acute tooth ( Fig. 5 ) or truncately protruding ( Fig. 16 ); third maxillary palp segment and second labial segment distinctly widened ( Fig. 13 ); labial palp with 4 segments; mandible with transverse basal groove ( Fig. 5 ); medio-ventral sulcus of propleuron strongly widened anteriorly (occupying nearly entire propleuron anteri orly) and reticulate; pronotum truncate medio-anteriorly; postpectal carina absent; hind wing with 3 distal hamuli; second submarginal cell of fore wing anteriorly narrowed and marginal cell of hind wing parallel-sided apically ( Fig. 1 ); vein m-cu of fore wing antefurcal; first subdiscal cell of fore wing closed; vein 1-SR of fore wing absent and vein r distinctly longer than wide; vein cu-a of fore wing antefurcal, interstitial or narrowly postfurcal; vein 2A of fore wing slightly developed, short, area basal of vein largely glabrous ( Fig. 8 ) and vein a absent ( Fig. 1 ); tarsal claws simple ( Fig. 12 ); first tergite parallel-sided or nearly so and dorsal carinae straight basally ( Figs 4, 9 ); second tergite smooth or basally with some obsolescent sculpture.

Distribution.

Holarctic (two species).

Notes.

The genus Vadumasonium Kammerer belongs to a group of diospiline genera with vein 3-SR of fore wing shorter than vein 2-M ( Fig. 1 ), resulting in an anteriorly narrowed (or trapezoidal) second submarginal cell; tarsal claws simple, without lobe or lamella ( Fig. 12 ); dorsal carinae of first tergite strong in basal half of tergite and comparatively far from border of tergite ( Figs 4, 9 ); hind wing with 3-5 distal hamuli; third antennal segment shorter than fourth segment ( Fig. 11 ) or slightly longer. The genera can be separated as follows:

1	Medio-ventral sulcus of propleuron strongly widened anteriorly (occupying nearly entire propleuron anteriorly) and reticulate; mandible with transverse basal groove ( Fig. 5 ); third antennal segment about 0.9 times as long as fourth segment ( Fig. 11 ); ventral margin of clypeus with one small acute tooth ( Fig. 5 ) or truncate protrusion ( Fig. 16 ); third maxillary palp segment and second labial segment distinctly widened ( Fig. 13 ); first tergite parallel-sided or nearly so ( Figs 4, 9 ); hind wing with 3 distal hamuli; labial palp with 4 segments; subapical antennal segments of female slender ( Figs 3, 10 ); Holarctic region	Vadumasonium Kammerer, 2006
-	Medio-ventral sulcus of propleuron at most moderately widened, parallel (occupying at most half of propleuron anteriorly) and crenulate; mandible without transverse basal groove; third antennal segment variable, if shorter than fourth segment ( Taphaeus ) then clypeus truncate ventrally; third maxillary palp segment and second labial segment weakly widened; first tergite more or less widened apically; hind wing with 5 distal hamuli; labial palp with 3 segments; subapical antennal segments of female more or less moniliform	2
2	Third antennal segment slightly shorter than fourth segment; frons without median carina and slightly concave; vein r of fore wing hardly longer than wide; scutellum indistinctly micro-crenulate medio-posteriorly; first tergite contracted behind spiracles (cf. Fig. 4 ) and dorsal carinae curved basally; Holarctic and Australian regions	Taphaeus Wesmael, 1835
-	Third antennal segment slightly longer than fourth segment; frons with irregular medio-longitudinal crest and distinctly concave; vein r of fore wing distinctly longer than wide; scutellum with distinctly crenulate area medio-posteriorly; first tergite not contracted behind spiracles and dorsal carina straight basally; Palaearctic and possibly Afrotropical and Australian regions	Aspicolpus Wesmael, 1838

Similar genera outside the Diospilini ( Hellenius Tobias, 1982, in the Blacini ) or the Brachistinae ( Plesiotypus van Achterberg, 1992, in the Microtypinae ) can be separated as they have vein 1-SR of the fore wing present, the ventral margin of the clypeus truncate or slightly convex and the precoxal sulcus absent or narrowly developed. In addition, Hellenius has the dorsal carinae of the first tergite curved basally and Plesiotypus has the pronotum concave medio-anteriorly and the face about 1.5 times wider than high medially.

Key to species of the genus Vadumasonium Kammerer

1	Length of ovipositor sheath about 1.6 times as long as fore wing; clypeus obtusely protruding medio-ventrally ( Fig. 16 ); mesosoma brownish-yellow (except for largely dark brown prothorax and propodeum); length of first metasomal tergite about 3.5 times its apical width ( Fig. 9 ); face without separate triangular area medially; frons smooth; malar suture largely absent; hind coxa largely smooth dorsally; antenna with 30-34 segments; Nearctic	Vadumasonium volatum (Mason, 1987)
-	Length of ovipositor sheath 1.2-1.3 times as long as fore wing ( Figs 1, 14 ); clypeus with small acute tooth medio-ventrally ( Fig. 5 ); mesosoma black or dark brown; length of first tergite about twice its apical width ( Fig. 4 ); face with separate triangular area medially ( Fig. 5 ); frons largely coriaceous ( Figs 5, 6 ); malar suture present, except dorsal third ( Fig. 5 ); hind coxa largely rugose dorsally ( Fig. 7 ); antenna with 27-30 segments; Europe	Vadumasonium vardyorum sp. n.

Figures

Figures 1 - 16. Vadumasonium vardyorum sp. n., ♀, holotype, but 9 and 16 of holotype of Vadumasonium volatum (Mason), ♀. 1 wings 2 mesosoma dorsal 3 apex of antenna 4 first-third metasomal tergites dorsal 5 head frontal 6 head dorsal 7 hind leg lateral 8 detail of fore wing postero-basally 9 first tergite dorsal 10 antenna 11 base of antenna 12 inner hind claw 13 habitus lateral 14 ovipositor 15 apex of ovipositor lateral 16 clypeus frontal. 1, 7, 10, 13, 14: scale-line (= 1.0 x); 2, 4 - 7: 1.7 x; 3: 2.5 x; 8, 9, 16: 2.0 x; 11, 12, 15: 5.0 x.