Nipponopius Fischer, 1963

Zhou, Tong, Achterberg, Cornelis van & Guo, Zi-Sheng, 2017, The genus Nipponopius Fischer (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Opiinae) new for China, with description of a new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 57, pp. 123-134 : 123

Nipponopius Fischer, 1963 Figures 1-16 , 17-20 , 21-30 , 31-41

Nipponopius Fischer, 1963: 283, 1972b: 481; Tobias, 1998: 563. Type species (by monotypy): Nipponopius incisus Fischer, 1963 [examined].

Diagnosis.

Hind tibia with basal carinula (Fig. 41 ); mandible triangular with two subequal teeth and hardly twisted, without or a weak ventral carina (Figs 10 , 26 , 36 ); apex of antenna with distinct spine (Figs 16 , 30 , 40 ); mesopleuron with one groove (= precoxal sulcus) and sternaulus absent (Figs 5 , 22 , 32 ); postpectal carina absent; vein CU1b of fore wing as long as vein 3-CU1 (Fig. 1 ) or somewhat shorter (Figs 17 , 31 ); first subdiscal cell of fore wing distinctly widened apically; vein m-cu of fore wing converging to vein 1-M posteriorly and vein 1-M curved (Figs 1 , 17 , 31 ); vein 1-SR+M distinctly sinuate; hind coxa submedially angularly produced ventrally (Figs 5 , 9 , 19 , 20 ); second-fourth tarsal segments of ♀ very robust (Figs 8 , 17 , 25 ), but less of ♂ (Figs 18 , 35 ); telotarsi and arolium enlarged (Figs 8 , 15 , 17 , 18 ); dorsope rather small, removed from lateral margin of first tergite (Figs 7 , 23 , 34 ); hypopygium of ♀ large, strongly sclerotized parts deeply incised (Figs 13 , 14 , 25 ), basally punctate, laterally and apico-medially with membranous parts.

Notes.

According to Wharton (1997) Nipponopius Fischer is a junior synonym of Utetes Foerster, 1863, because of the possession of the hind tibial carinula. We agree with Tobias (2000) that Nipponopius deserves a separate status, not the least because of the presence of a rather small dorsope removed from the lateral margin of the first tergite (Figs 7 , 23 , 34 ), the angularly protruding hind coxa ventrally (Figs 8 , 9 , 19 , 20 ) and the long vein CU1b of fore wing combined with apically widened first subdiscal cell (Fig. 1 ), features absent in Utetes Foerster s.s.

Biology.

Unknown.

Distribution.

East Palaearctic: Japan, Far East Russia, China. Two species.

Key to species of the genus Nipponopius Fischer

1	Anterior tentorial pits rather large (Figs 26 , 36 ); precoxal sulcus remain far removed from anterior margin of mesopleuron (Figs 22 , 32 ) and remainder of mesopleuron smooth antero-dorsally; ovipositor sheath glabrous apically (Fig. 25 ); vein CU1b of fore wing shorter than vein 3-CU1 (Figs 21 , 31 ); first metasomal tergite largely smooth (Figs 23 , 24 , 34 )	N. glabricaudatus sp. n.
-	Anterior tentorial pits small (Fig. 2 ); precoxal sulcus reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron (Fig. 5 ) and mesopleuron partly crenulate antero-dorsally; ovipositor sheath distinctly setose apically (Fig. 5 ); vein CU1b of fore wing as long as vein 3-CU1 (Fig. 1 ); first tergite rather finely punctate-rugose (Fig. 7 )	N. incisus Fischer, 1963

Figures

Figures 1 - 16. Nipponopius incisus Fischer, ♀, holotype. 1 wings 2 head anterior 3 head dorsal 4 antenna 5 habitus lateral 6 mesosoma dorsal 7 first metasomal tergite dorsal 8 hind leg lateral 9 hind coxa lateral 10 mandible and occipital carina latero-ventral 11 fore tibial spur 12 outer hind claw lateral 13 hypopygium lateral 14 hypopygium ventral 15 hind tarsus dorsal 16 apical segments of antenna.

Figures 17 - 20. Nipponopius glabricaudatus sp. n., ♀, holotype, but 18 and 20 of ♂, paratype. 17, 18 habitus lateral 19, 20 hind coxa lateral (arrow pointing to coxal protuberance).

Figures 21 - 30. Nipponopius glabricaudatus sp. n., ♀, holotype. 21 wings 22 mesosoma lateral 23 mesosoma and first metasomal tergite dorsal 24 metasoma dorsal 25 legs and hypopygium antero-ventral 26 head anterior 27 head dorsal 28 head lateral 29 basal antennal segments 30 apical antennal segments.

Figures 31 - 41. Nipponopius glabricaudatus sp. n., ♂, paratype. 31 wings 32 mesosoma and first metasomal tergite lateral 33 id. dorsal 34 metasoma dorsal 35 legs antero-ventral 36 head anterior 37 head dorsal 38 head lateral 39 basal antennal segments 40 apical antennal segments 41 inner side of hind tibia lateral (arrow pointing to carinula).