Pseudochalcura Ashmead

Torréns, Javier, 2016, A new species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae) from Argentina with descriptions of alternate sexes of two other species, Zootaxa 4067 (2), pp. 239-245 : 240-241

Key to the species of Pseudochalcura Ashmead (modified from Heraty 1986)

1 Dorsal setae on submarginal vein present; setae of fore wing disc long or short; female first gastral sternite smooth; metatibial spur present.......................................................................................... 2

- Dorsal setae on submarginal vein absent; setae of fore wing disc very short, barely visible; female first gastral sternite strigose, striate or punctate; metatibial spur present or absent.......................................................... 7

2 Metacoxa bare; male antenna 12-segmented with 5 or 6 long basal branches; eyes bare.............................. 3

- Metacoxa with erect lateral setae; male antenna 11-segmented with 3 or 4 short basal branches; eyes bare or setose........ 4

3 Disc of propodeum with fairly dense, long setae; setae of fore wing disc long; wings usually with infuscate spot below stigma.................................................................................. P. americana (Howard)

- Disc of propodeum bare or with few isolated setae; setae of fore wing disc very short in female, longer in male; wings without infuscate markings....................................................................... P. liburna Heraty

4 Digits of labrum long; petiole striate basally; setae of fore wing disc long; genal bridge deeply emarginate; gaster with long appressed setae dorsally; eyes bare (female unknown)......................................... P. excruciata Heraty

- Digits of labrum reduced (see Fig. 32 in Heraty 1986); petiole smooth; setae of fore wing disc very short; genal bridge not or only slightly emarginate (see Fig. 50 in Heraty 1986); gaster with scattered short setae dorsally; eyes setose or bare........5

5 Eyes setose; dorsal mesosomal setae long; mesoscutellum areolate-rugose.................... .. P. nigrocyanea Ashmead

- Eyes bare; dorsal mesosomal setae short; mesoscutellum longitudinally carinate....................................6

6 Mesopleuron and metapleuron areolate-rugose; male antenna with apical two flagellomeres distinctly separated (female unknown)............................................................................ .. P. frustrata Heraty

- Mesopleuron and metapleuron crossed by irregular transverse carinae; male antenna with apical two flagellomeres fused, much longer than broad, and subdivided (clv, Fig. 5 ); female antenna with basal flagellomeres bluntly serrate; branch of F2 0.6 – 0.7× as long as basal length of flagellomeres.............................................. P. c a r i n a ta sp. nov.

7 Metatibial spur present; female antenna lobate or serrate; male antennal branches basally arranged along dorsal midline; head subtriangular, 1.5 – 1.7× as broad as high; mesosoma of males only slightly more elongate than females..................8

- Metatibial spur absent; female antenna ramose basally; male antennal branches arranged alternately on either side of dorsal midline; head strongly transverse, 1.8 – 1.9× as broad as high; mesosoma of males distinctly more elongate than females....12

8 Lateral carina of mesocoxa absent or only barely visible; costal cell of fore wing with row of ventral setae...9

- Lateral carina of mesocoxa distinct; costal cell of fore wing bare...............................................11

9 Metacoxa laterally, and pro- and mesocoxae ventrally with several fine, erect setae; antenna, coxae and basal half of femora black; female antenna 11-segmented (male unknown).............................................. P. atra Heraty

- Coxae bare or at most with a few short setae; antenna, coxae and basal half of femora brown; female antenna 10- or11-segmented.............................................................................................10

10 Female antenna 11-segmented, covered with dense placoid sensilla and few setae; petiole not pinched ventrally and 3.2× as long as wide (male unknown)............................................................. P. septuosa Heraty

- Female antenna usually 10-segmented, rarely 9- or 11-segmented, covered with numerous placoid sensilla and setae; petiole distinctly pinched ventrally and 1.7 – 3.0× as long as wide; male antenna 11-segmented, with 4 basal branches.............................................................................................. .. P. gibbosa Provancher

11 Female antenna 8-segmented, with basal segments strongly serrated, becoming acuminate at tips; male antenna 8-segmented, with last two flagellomeres fused, much longer than broad and subdivided ( Fig. 10 ); metafemur abruptly expanded medially; first gastral sternite of female granular, not striate; wings hyaline................................... P. pauca Heraty

- Female antenna 10-segmented with basal segments not strongly acuminate at tips; male antenna 11-segmented with 4 basal branches, with apical two flagellomeres distinctly separated, and last flagellomere as long as broad; metafemur broadly expanded medially; first gastral sternite of female finely striate; wings infuscate or hyaline........... .. P. chilensis Kieffer

12 Petiole granulate or shagreened dorsally; female antenna with basal flagellomeres strongly ramose, rami more than 4.0× as long as base......................................................................................... 13

- Petiole reticulate; female antenna with basal flagellomeres serrate to ramose, rami not more than 4.0× as long as basal width.................................................................................................... 14

13 Female antenna with F2–F6 pectinate; male antenna 12-segmented with 7 basal branches ( Fig. 13 ); POL/OOL 3.6 – 4.1×; supraclypeal area smooth; Gs1 of female striate; petiole shagreened..................................... P. prolata Heraty

- Female antenna with F2–F8 pectinate; male antenna 12-segmented with 9 basal branches; POL/OOL 2.8×; supraclypeal area

slightly striate; Gs1 of female strigose; petiole granulate.................................. .. P. a l b a Heraty & Heraty 14 Female with basal flagellomeres lobate to serrate, but not ramose; mesosoma uniformly dark brown to black, sculpture prominent dorsally; profile of face linear. Male with antenna 12-segmented, and with 6 long basal branches; mesosoma color as for female, sometimes with faint metallic reflections dorsally; ventral angle of face straight in profile; interstices and walls of areolae on mesosoma dorsum smooth........................................................ .. P. condylus Heraty

- Female with basal flagellomeres lobate or ramose; mesosoma patterned light and dark or completely yellow, sculpture shallow dorsally; face broadly concave below level of toruli. Male with antenna 12-segmented, and with 7 long basal branches; mesosoma uniformly dark, with metallic reflections weak or absent; ventral angle of face concave in profile; sculpture of mesosoma as in female........................................................................ .. P. sculpturata Heraty

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Pseudochalcura carinata sp. nov.: 1, habitus (♀); 2, mesosoma (♀, lateral); 3, head (♀, frontal); 4, antenna (♀, lateral); 5, antenna (♂, lateral); 6, habitus (♂); 7, mesosoma (♂, dorsal); 8, mesosoma (♀, dorsal). ax, axilla; db, dorsal branch; clv, clava; F 2, basal flagellomeres; llm, lateral lobe of mesoscutum; LOL, lateral ocellar line; mlm, midlobe of mesoscutum; msctl, mesoscutellum; OOL, ocular ocellar line; ped, pedicel; POL, posterior ocellar line; scp, scape; scd, scutellar disc.

FIGURES 9 – 16. Pseudochalcura spp. 9 – 11, Pseudochalcura pauca (♂): 9, habitus; 10, antenna (lateral); 11, head (frontal). 12 – 15, P. prolata (♂): 12, head (frontal); 13, antenna (lateral); 14, habitus; 15, mesosoma (dorsal). 16, P. pauca (♂): mesosoma (dorsal).