Pneumagathis Sharkey

Sharkey, Michael J. & Chapman, Eric G., 2015, The Nearctic genera of Agathidinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with a phylogenetic analysis, illustrated generic key, and the description of three new genera, Zootaxa 4000 (1), pp. 49-72 : 62-63

Pneumagathis Sharkey NEW GENUS

( Fig. 5 )

Type species. Pneumagathis spiracularis (Muesebeck) NEW COMBINATION. Original combination = Bassus spiracularis Muesebeck (1927) .

Diagnosis. Propodeal spiracle elongate ( Fig. 5 ); first median tergite mostly smooth with two longitudinal carinae; frons not margined by carinae; tarsal claws simple with a large basal lobe. The only other agathidines with elongate propodeal spiracles belong to the Disophrini and these have cleft claws.

Description. Head. Lateral carina on frons (as in members of Alabagrus ) absent; interantennal space with a raised triangular prominence; gena not extended ventroposteriorly into sharp prominence; gena lacking sharp angle posterad eye; mandible dorsoventrally flattened; labial palpus with 4 segments, third segment reduced, less than ½ length of apical segment. Mesosoma . Propleuron weakly convex ventrally and lacking a sharp bump; notauli impressed, with or without pits or crenulae; posteroscutellar depression absent but sculpture usually present in this area; propodeum areolate rugose, usually with pair of longitudinal carinae and a transverse carina that define distinct areolae; propodeal spiracle large and elongate, more than twice as long as wide; sclerite between hind coxal cavities and metasomal foramen narrow but complete, its ventral margin situated ventral to dorsal margin of hind coxal cavities. Legs. Fore tibia lacking dull pegs; mid and hind tibia with blunt apical or preapical pegs; all tarsal claws with basal lobe. Wings. Fore wing RS+M vein mostly absent; second submarginal cell triangular and petiolate; fore wing 3RSb straight and strong throughout; hind wing r and r-m cross veins absent; hind wing vein CUb tubular as a short stub, or lacking tubular stub, with a long pigmented non-tubular extension; wings strongly infuscated. Metasoma. First median tergite longer than wide apically, with or without weak rugose sculpture and always with pair of longitudinal carinae; second and third median tergites smooth; second tergite with a strong curved transverse depression; ovipositor about as long as metasoma, slightly thickened preapically.

Diversity and Distribution. There are two described species, Pneumagathis spiracularis (Muesebeck) and P. brooksi (Sharkey) new combination (original combination = Bassus brooksi Sharkey (in Janzen et al. 1998)) and perhaps a few more undescribed species. The genus is widespread and rather common over most of the contiguous states of the US, south through the dryer regions of Costa Rica.

Biology. Parasitoids of skippers ( Hesperiidae ), P. spiracularis has 4 published hosts Cogia outis , Gesta gesta , Erynnis zarucco , Systasea pulverulenta ( Marsh et al. 1979) and Pneumagathis brooksi new combination parasitizes 24 known species of pyrgine hesperids ( Janzen et al. 1998). Janzen et al. (1998) discuss other aspects of the life-history of P. brooksi .

Etymology. From the Greek agathis , meaning “ball of thread”, and the Greek pneuma, meaning “breath”. The latter word is a reference to the elongate propodeal spiracle ( Fig. 5 D). The gender is feminine.

Molecular data. H1172 (COI: ATRMK483-11); H1173 (COI: ATRMK488-11)

Figures

FIGURE 5. Pneumagathis spiracularis. a. lateral habitus. b. dorsal habitus. c. wings, arrow shows nebulous Cub vein. d. lateral metapleuron and propodeum, arrows show propodeal spiracle. e. propodeum and first metasomal median tergite (T 1), arrows show propodeal spiracle, and longitudinal carina on T 1.