Brachymeria amenocles (Walker, 1846)

Delvare, Gérard & Huchet, Jean-Bernard, 2017, Brachymeria mochica, a new Neotropical species of Chalcididae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) discovered on the archaeological site of Huacas de Moche, Peru with a review of related species, Zootaxa 4290 (1), pp. 43-60 : 56-57

Brachymeria amenocles (Walker, 1846) stat. rev.

Chalcis Amenocles Walker 1846b: 84 . Original deScription ♀. Sierra Leone . Lectotype by BoUček 1972: 241 bUt type locality erroneoUSly qUoted aS Hong-Kong by thiS aUthor.

Brachymeria amenocles (Walker) : ThompSon 1955: 195 (earlieSt knoWn USe of combination vide NoyeS 2016).

= Chalcis varipes Walker 1871: 48 . Original deScription ♀. SoUth Africa . Syn. rev.

= Brachymeria Beccarii MaSi 1929: 142 – 144. Original deScription ♀. Kenya. Syn. rev.

Type material. Chalcis Amenocles. Lectotype, a ♀ on a minutien pin, designated by Bouček (1972), this designation being validated here ( Fig. 32 ) (BMNH, Hym. type 5.440).

Chalcis varipes . Lectotype, a ♀ on a minutien pin, the designation of which by Bouček (1971) is also validated ( Fig. 31 ) (BMNH, Hym. type 5.441).

Brachymeria Beccarii. Holotype ♀, by monotypy ( Fig. 39 ) (MCSN).

Other material. IVORY COAST. Bouaké, Malaise trap in rice field, 28.i.1978, P. Cochereau leg. (1 ♀ CIRAD). GUINEA . Koliegbé, 01.iii.1992, J.-F. Vayssières leg. (13 ♀ CIRAD).

Diagnosis. Mainly as B. podagrica but separated from it by its flagellum being clearly fusiform and having long erect setae ( Fig. 25 ); the mesonotum having much sparser puncturation with numerous interspaces being broader than the points ( Fig. 26 ); the metafemur having much sparser punctulation, basally the femur having the interspaces between the piliferous points much larger than their own diameter ( Fig. 28 ); and the gaster being lanceolate and relatively longer, at least 2× as long as broad ( Fig. 27 ).

Hosts and Biology. In Namibia and Zimbabwe, B. amenocles [as B. varipes or B. podagrica ] develops at the expense of Sarcophaga inzi Curran, 1834 , infesting corpses of Triaenostreptus heros Porat, 1872 [quoted as Spirostreptus triodus (Attems, 1909) ] (Diplopoda, Spirostreptidae ) (Curthbertson 1932 & 1938; Kirk-Spriggs 1999). The female oviposits below the cuticle of the third instar larvae before these move within the ground for pupation. Brachymery amenocles may also parasitize the larvae of Glossina morsitans Westwood, 1851 (Glossinidae) following the same behavioural pattern (Curthbertson 1932).

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 39. 29, type SerieS of Brachymeria Fonscolombei DUfoUr (MNHN). 30 – 39, labelS of primary typeS. 30, Brachymeria Fonscolombei. 31, Chalcis varipes Walker. 32, Chalcis amenocles Walker. 33, Chalcis capensis Cameron. 34, Chalcis transvaalensis Cameron. 35, Chalcis ferox Kieffer. 36, Chalcis ferox Var. Kieffer. 37, Chalcis neglecta MaSi. 38, Brachymeria Fonscolombei Var. gananensis MaSi. 39, Brachymeria Beccarii MaSi.

FIGURES 21 – 28. 21 ‒ 24, Brachymeria podagric a, ♀. 21, antenna exclUding Scape. 22, meSoSoma in dorSal VieW. 23, metaSoma in dorSal VieW. 24, metafemUr. 25 ‒ 28, Brachymeria amenocles, ♀. 25, antenna exclUding Scape. 26, meSoSoma in dorSal VieW. 27, metaSoma in dorSal VieW. 28, metafemUr.