Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom, 1845

Rosa, Paolo, Wei, Na-Sen & Xu, Zai-Fu, 2016, The inaequalis species-group (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae, Chrysis) in China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4193 (2), pp. 373-380 : 375-376

Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom, 1845

( Fig. 1 A–1F)

Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom, 1845: 8 . Neotype, ♂, designated by Rosa & Vårdal 2015: 124 : Switzerland, Roveredo (NMLS) (examined).

Chrysis (Tetrachrysis) inaequalis: Tsuneki 1947: 56 ( China: Beijing) ; Tsuneki 1948: 126 ( China: Shanxi: Kiutauyüan, Hengshuichen, Hengshuichen-Henglingkuan), 128 (Beijing distr., Shanxi); Tsuneki 1953: 59 (Manchuria: Kaiyüan, Lushan).

Chrysis (Pentachrysis) inaequalis: Linsenmaier 1959: 165 (North China, Manchuria); Linsenmaier 1997b: 126 ( China, Manchuria).

Chrysis inaequalis: Banaszak 1980: 28 (China, Manchuria); Rosa et al. 2014: 52 (China: Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Shanxi).

Material examined. CHINA: 1♀, Hebei, Xiaowutaishan National Nature Reserve , 20–23.VIII.2005, leg. Jingxian Liu & Li-qiong Weng ( SCAU) ; 1♀, Guizhou, Mayanghe National Nature Reserve , 2.X.2007, leg. Cui-hong Xie ( SCAU) ; 1♀, Beijing, Russian Mission , 5.IX.1906, leg. Y. Vasiliev ( ZIN) ; 1♀, Alashan (Inner Mongolia), Dinyuan-in , 5–6.VI.1908, leg. P. Kozlov ( ZIN) .

Diagnosis. Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom is easily recognisable by the following characteristics: mesopleuron bidentate ( Fig. 1 D), apex of T3 with four sharp teeth ( Fig. 1 F), metasoma with deep and round punctures ( Fig. 1 E), pre-pit row area transversely bulged ( Figs 1 E, 1F).

Description. Body length 6.0–10.0 mm.

Head. Scapal basin striated with or without distinct small punctures within striae and laterally setose in females ( Fig. 1 B), more setose in males. TFC distinctly sharp and arched in females, medially straight in males. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:2.2–2.4:1.2:1.0 (females), 1.0:2.5–2.7:1.4:1.0 (males); OOL = 1.7 MOD (females) 2.0 MOD (males); POL = 2.0 MOD; MS = 1.4 MOD; subantennal space 0.7–0.8 MOD. Genal carina sharply developed from temple to mandible.

Mesosoma . Pronotum short, about 0.66–0.7 × as long as mesoscutellum ( Fig. 1 C); pronotal groove wide and extended almost to posterior margin or 3/4 length of pronotum; lateral margins depressed medially. Pronotum and mesoscutum with coarse punctuation; notauli complete, becoming wider and deeper posteriorly, with foveae partially fused; mesoscutellum with similar punctuation to mesoscutum; metanotum with larger punctures. Lower mesopleuron with two pointed teeth ventrally, well visible in lateral view at 35°–45°; episternal sulcus with large scrobiculate punctures; scrobal sulcus with large foveate punctures ( Fig. 1 D).

Metasoma. Metasoma with coarse and even punctuation, with tiny punctures among main punctures; T3 transversely bulging before pit row; pit row well developed with deep and large pits; T2 and T3 with sharp carina; apex of T3 with four sharp teeth ( Fig. 1 A); T3 baso-laterally with convexity; S2 black spots vanishing, sometimes as blue shadows.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma metallic blue, with darkened blue area medially on mesoscutum; usually in male with green or greenish reflections contrasting with blue area medially on mesoscutum; T1–T3 golden to metallic red; in male variable, from flame red to green or bluish-green. Scape, P, F1 and F2 metallic blue to green, rest of flagellum black. Tegula metallic blue. Sternites metallic blue.

Distribution. Both Palaearctic and Oriental parts of China (Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Guizhou). Trans-Palaearctic, from Europe to Siberia ( Linsenmaier 1959; Kimsey & Bohart 1991; Tarbinsky 2002b; Kurzenko & Lelej 2007; Rosa et al. 2014).

Remarks. We provide a general description based on more specimens from West to East Palaearctic region to facilitate species identification. C. inaequalis is a very common species, well known and documented in literature; morphological descriptions have already been published in several languages, but not in English (e.g. Berland & Bernard 1938, Balthasar 1954; Linsenmaier 1959, 1997b; Mingo 1994; Tarbinsky 2002; Rosa 2006); images of specimens, male genitalia and other morphological details have been already published ( Linsenmaier 1959, 1997b; Kimsey & Bohart 1991; Kunz 1994; Mingo 1994; Tarbinsky 2002b; Rosa 2006). The male colouration is variable. Specimens from Greece to Central Asia show green to bluish metasoma, sometimes greenish on T1 and T2 and gradually flame red towards the apical margin of T3. Nevertheless, some taxa described as colour variations and currently considered as synonym of C. inaequalis (e.g. C. sapphirina Semenov, 1912 ) are supposed to be valid species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom, 1845, ♀ from Hebei. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, frontal view; C. Mesosoma, dorsal view; D. Mesopleuron, lateral view; E. Metasoma, dorsal view; F. T 3, posterior view. Scale bar 1 mm.