Cremnops apicalipennis Berta

Tucker, Erika M., Chapman, Eric G. & Sharkey, Michael J., 2015, A revision of the New World species of Cremnops Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae), Zootaxa 3916 (1), pp. 1-83 : 37-38

Cremnops apicalipennis Berta

[ Plate 1 , Figs A–I]

Cremnops apicalipennis Berta de Fernandez, 1998. Female.

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the presence of a carina on the hind trochantellus, two-toned fore wing (apical half brown and basal half yellow/hyaline), narrow subpronopes partition and yellow scape (90% of specimens).

Description. Holotype: female. Body length 7mm (6–8mm).

Head (Figs C & F). Forty-one (37–41) flagellomeres. Lateral carina of frons weak, ending immediately anteriad lateral ocellus. Interocellar space not elevated, level with lateral ocelli. Malar space slightly shorter than (0.8–1.0x) eye height. Apical tooth of mandible not extending past margin of basal lobe.

Mesosoma (Figs D, E & H). Subpronopes adjacent, separated by a partition narrower than the longitudinal length of the dorsomedial portion of pronotum. Median mesonotal lobe depressed medially. Notaulus smooth. Scutellar sulcus with 1 longitudinal carina. Hind margin of posterolateral scutal flange not prominent; rather: 90° to obtuse (to reduced and blunt). Mesoscutellar trough without longitudinal carinae laterally. Metanotal trough without extensive longitudinal carinae laterally. Sternaulus absent (occasionally 1 very shallow basal pit).

Discrimen smooth. Medial propodeal areola with 3 (2–4) transverse carinae. Metapleuron rugose around the anterior, ventral and posterior margins.

Hind leg (Fig. I). Femur length about 3.5x width. Trochantellar carina present. Distal tibia with 2 (or 3) spines. Claw missing on type specimen, inner tooth of inner and outer claws symmetrical, narrow and angled (to curved), with 4 basal pectines.

Fore wing (Fig. G). Apical half brown, basal half hyaline (to yellow); veins mostly yellow, some melanic; stigma melanic (or basal 1/4 to entirely yellow). 2nd submarginal cell about as high as wide.

Metasoma (Figs A & B). 1st median tergite length about 2x apical width, apical width about 1.5x basal width.

Body Color Yellow-orange, except melanic as follows: hind tarsus (scape yellow in 90% of specimens).

Biology. Host —Unknown.

Adults Collected —May, June, & August.

Geographic Range — Mexico to Honduras. See map in Appendix II.

Comments. While fresh specimens are easy to distinguish because of their distinct wing coloration, older specimens can be more challenging and look similar to C. willinki and C. ferrugineus . This is because the distinctive fore wing coloration appears to fade in older specimens (such as the holotype) and is sometimes not apparent, therefore appearing to be entirely hyaline with yellowish veins. The scape of the holotype also appears to be discolored by age, where fresher specimens have a yellow scape, older specimens often have a melanic scape. Cremnops willinki can be differentiated by the fore wing with a uniform melanic tint, and C. ferrugineus by the wide subpronopes separation (compared to the narrow one of C. apicalipennis ).

Etymology. The species name refers to the melanic coloration of the apical half of the fore wing ( Berta 1998).

Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: female, Guatemala, Amatitlan, VIII-16–1961, ( USNM) (H8910). Non- Types: 3 ( FSCA), 1 ( CAS), 1 ( CNC), 1 ( HIC). For holotype and additional images see Appendix VIII.

Figures

PLATE 1. Cremnops apicalipennis. A. lateral habitus; B. dorsal habitus; C. lateral head with mandible inset; D. mesopleuron; E. mesoscutum; F. face; G. fore wing; H. propodeum; I. hind leg.