Spalangiidae revived status, 1977

Burks, Roger, Mitroiu, Mircea-Dan, Fusu, Lucian, Heraty, John M., Jansta, Petr, Heydon, Steve, Papilloud, Natalie Dale-Skey, Peters, Ralph S., Tselikh, Ekaterina V., Woolley, James B., van Noort, Simon, Baur, Hannes, Cruaud, Astrid, Darling, Christopher, Haas, Michael, Hanson, Paul, Krogmann, Lars & Rasplus, Jean-Yves, 2022, From hell's heart I stab at thee! A determined approach towards a monophyletic Pteromalidae and reclassification of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 94, pp. 13-88 : 13

Spalangiidae revived status

Spalangiidae (as Spalangiae, not Latin) Haliday, 1833, revived status. Type genus: Spalangia Latreille, 1805.

Erotolepsiinae Bouček, 1988. Type genus: Erotolepsia Howard, 1894.

Diagnosis.

Antenna usually with 8 flagellomeres, including a 1-segmented clava, with 11 flagellomeres including 3 clavomeres in Eunotopsia Bouček. Clypeus without transverse subapical groove. Labrum exposed, well-sclerotized, subrectangular or semicircular with marginal setae in a row (Fig. 53 ). Mandibles with 2 or 3 teeth, or undivided (in Eunotopsia ). Subforaminal bridge with postgenal bridge or with postgena separated by lower tentorial bridge. Mesoscutellum with frenum indicated at least laterally, and without axillular sulcus. Mesopleural area without an expanded acropleuron; mesepimeron extending over anterior margin of metapleuron. All legs with 5 tarsomeres; protibial spur stout and curved; basitarsal comb longitudinal. Metasoma with syntergum, therefore without epipygium.

Discussion.

There are two distinctive subfamilies in Spalangiidae , Spalangiinae and Erotolepsiinae new placement, both comprised of parasitoids of Diptera . The antennal toruli are placed very low on the head in most species of both subfamilies (Fig. 54 ). In most Erotolepsiinae (except Eunotopsia where they are placed higher), the toruli are just above the very short clypeus, while in Spalangiinae the toruli are placed on lobes that overhang the clypeus and labrum, rendering them difficult to see. This distinctive antennal placement and the prognathous head make members of Spalangiinae easily identifiable. Most Erotolepsiinae (again, not Eunotopsia ) are readily identified by the presence of a long carina that encircles most of the face, extending from near the median ocellus to the top of the clypeus (Fig. 54 ), and have a transverse carina across the anterior part of Gt1 (Fig. 55 ). The enigmatic genus Eunotopsia shares the transverse carina on Gt1 with other Erotolepsiinae and can be identified to subfamily using this feature. Erotolepsiinae strongly resemble Herbertiidae and Micradelinae , which differ in lacking the carinae of the face and Gt1. Herbertiidae further differ in having an oblique basitarsal comb, although the basitarsal comb of Micradelinae is reduced and difficult to evaluate. Eunotidae are also somewhat similar to Erotolepsiinae , but differ in that the mesepimeron does not overlap the anterior margin of the metapleuron, and in lacking the Gt1 sculpture of Erotolepsiinae .

Figures

Figures 49 - 54. 49 Macroglenes varicornis (Haliday) (Pirenidae): antenna 50 Gastrancistrus sp. (Pirenidae, Tridyminae): head frontal view 51 Cecidellis sp. (Pirenidae, Cecidellinae): petiole with lamina 52 Spathopus sp. (Pirenidae, Tridyminae): antenna 53 Spalangia alycia Gibson (Spalangiidae): head anterolateral view 54 Erotolepsia sp. (Spalangiidae, Erotolepsiinae): head frontal view.

Figures 55 - 60. 55 Erotolepsia sp. (Spalangiidae, Erotolepsiinae): mesosoma and base of metasoma dorsal view 56 a, 57 Systasis sp. (Systasidae) 56 a apex of clypeus without subapical groove 57 mesosoma ventral, mesotrochantinal plate and mesofurcal pit 58 Trisecodes africanum Gumovsky (Pirenidae, Trisecodinae): antenna 56 b, 59 Asaphes sp. (Asaphesinae, incertae sedis) 56 b clypeal subapical groove 59 mesosoma ventral 60 Austrosystasis atricorpus Girault (Austrosystasinae, incertae sedis) 60 head frontal view, mesosoma lateral view.