Crassomicrodus nigrithorax Muesebeck, 1927

Figueroa, Jose Isaac, Sharkey, Michael Joseph, Napoles, Jesus Romero, Garcia, Jose Antonio Sanchez, Martinez, Ana Mabel, Lopez-Martinez, Victor & Pineda, Samuel, 2011, Revision of the new world genus Crassomicrodus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae), with an identification key to species, ZooKeys 142, pp. 27-75 : 53-55

Crassomicrodus nigrithorax Muesebeck, 1927 Fig. 11 a–e

Crassomicrodus nigrithorax Muesebeck 1927: 17-18 [Examined].

Holotype female.

Colorado [USA]. Cat. No. 28694 (USNM)

Description female.

Body. Length. 3.95-5.35 mm. Color (Fig. 11e). Integument black except yellowish as follows, three-quarter of the basal area of mandible, tegulae, femora, three-quarter of the basal area of hind tibia, fore and middle tibia, fore and middle tarsomeres, and metasoma; ocelli translucent yellow; eyes silver or blackish; wing veins clear brown; forewing slightly infumate with a hyaline spot on the first submarginal cell that is similar in size to the parastigma. Sometimes hind coxa and trochanters yellowish-orange and/or fore and middle femora, apical area of tibia, and fore and middle tarsomeres blackish, rarely tegula blackish. Head (Fig. 11ab). Transverse in frontal view; face with longitudinal ridge dorsomedially; eye height/width = 1.30-1.35; eye height 0.69 –0.70× inter-ocular distance; area between antennal sockets with a median transverse elevation and two weakly defined lateral tubercles; frons excavated with a central groove almost foveolate, sometimes a pair of microfoveolate groove that diverge towards the ocellar area; posterior surface of antennal sockets smooth; groove between lateral ocelli microfoveolate; median ocellus separated from lateral ocellus by microfoveolate groove; gena bulging; malar space 0.38 –0.47× as long as eye height; clypeus 2.67 –2.91× wider than high; length of ventrolateral margin of clypeus similar to diameter of tentorial pit; antenna with 28-31 flagellomeres; setae at base of mandible slightly longer than setae on rest of body surface. Mesosoma (Fig. 11cde). Pronotum smooth except near of subpronope rugulose; lateral pronotal margins with weakly crenulate groove; notauli impressed; anterolateral edges of scutellum lacking small acute projection, sometimes slightly the projection; scutellar disc convex with sparse setae from 0.14 to 0.15 mm in length; scutellar disc sloped posteriorly and rounded; lateral scutellar depression rugose and foveolate on the margins and microfoveolate centrally; carinae of central metanotal area almost circular shaped; propodeum reticulate rugulose more pronounced on lateral margins, anterolateral areas with abundant setae; subalar lobe separated from mesopleuron by narrow rugulose groove, width distinctly shorter than the subalar lobe; metapleuron reticulate rugulose or punctulate, more pronounced on ventral half. Legs. Inner spur of middle tibia 0.89 –0.95× length of basitarsus; inner spur of hind tibia 0.63 –0.76× length of basitarsus; metabasitarsus 1.15 –1.26× length of tarsomeres III, IV, and V combined; hind tibia 1.92 –2.16× longer than basitarsus; hind femur length 3.23 –3.38× its maximum width. Wings. Forewing length/width = 2.46-2.60; stigma 2.95 –3.08× longer than maximum width; forewing vein R1 0.65 –0.68× as long as vein RS; vein RS sinuate; vein r arising before middle of stigma; second submarginal cell triangular, with petiole 0.03-0.12 mm long; vein M+CU distinctly pigmented throughout; hind wing length/width = 3.45-3.58; hind wing vein 1M 1.83 –1.97× longer than 1r-m; hind wing with 3-4 hamuli. Metasoma. Apical width of petiole (tergum 1) 2.80 –2.82× wider than basal width; minimum width of petiole 0.64 –0.70× apical width; length of ovipositor sheath 0.19-0.22 mm.

Male.

Similar to female.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Mexico and USA.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other Crassomicrodus species by the following combination of characters: area between antennal sockets with a median transverse elevation, head transverse in frontal view, grooves between ocelli microfoveolate, gena bulging, antenna with 28-31 flagellomeres, anterolateral edges of scutellum usually lacking small acute projection, head and mesosoma black, and metasoma yellowish.

Remarks.

This species is near to Crassomicrodus apicipennis , but differs in that Crassomicrodus apicipennis has areas of mesosoma yellowish-orange; anterolateral edges of scutellum has small acute projection; eye height 0.65 –0.68× inter-ocular distance; malar space 0.48 –0.55× as long as eye height; inner spur of middle tibia 0.76 –0.83× length of basitarsus; and scutellar disc convex with sparse setae from 0.16-0.17 mm in length.

Material examined.

Holotype ♀: Colo (USNM). Allotype ♂: Colo (USNM). Homotype ♀: MEXICO, Guerrero: 4 miles S Taxco, 8/VIII/1954, 1463 m., Chillcott J.G. (CNC). Other specimens examined .- MEXICO, Baja California Sur: Las Animas, Sierra Laguna, 1 ♂ 1 ♀12/X/1941, Ross & Bohart (CAS). Guerrero: 17 miles NW San Marcos, 1 ♂13/VII/1966, Wagner P.M. & P.K. Wagner (TAMU). Jalisco: Chamela, PT, 1 ♂ 4-9/VII/1993, Sharkey M.J. (CNC). Morelos: Yautepec, 1 ♀ 23/VII/1963, Parker F.D. & L.A. Stange (HIC). Nayarit: 18 miles NW Ixtlán del Río, 1 ♂25/VII/1966, Wagner P.M. & P.K. Wagner (TAMU). Nuevo Leon: 5 miles S Monterrey, 1 ♂1/VII/1963, Howden H. & A. Howden (CNC). Oaxaca: 27 miles SW Salina Cruz, 3 ♀ 14/VII/1987, Wharton R. (TAMU); 3 miles W Oaxaca, 1 ♂ 21/XI/1972, Dasch B. & C. Dasch (AEIC). Puebla: 11 miles SE Acatlan, 1 ♂10/VII/1952, Gilbert E.E. & C.D. McNeil; 5 miles E Tepexco, 1 ♂24/VIII/1977, 1250 m., Schlinger E.I. (EMEC); 3 miles N Petalcingo, 1 ♀ 2 ♂3/VIII/1963, Parker F.D. & L.A. Stange; Petalcingo, 1 ♀ 3/VIII/1963, Parker F.D. & L.A. Stange (USNM). San Luis Potosí: 6 miles S Ciudad de Valles, 1 ♂21/VII/1954, 61 m., Chillcott J.G. (CNC); Valles, 1 ♂21/VII/1946, Pallister J. & D. Pallister (AMNH). Sinaloa: Cutiacan, 1 ♂11/IX/1970, Bohart G.E. & R.M. Bohart (HIC). Tamaulipas: Est. Carboneros Guemez, 1 ♂8/IX/1988, Loyola J.C. (CIBE-UANL); 44 miles W Tampico, 1 ♀ 22/VIII/1967, Hevel Gary F. (USNM). Tlaxcala: 21 miles W Apizaco, 1 ♀ 20/VIII/1958, Howden H.F. (CNC). Veracruz: 10 miles SW Perote, 1 ♂ 27/VII/1974, Clark-Murria-Ashe & Schaffner (TAMU). USA, Arizona: 13 miles SW Apache, Cochise Co., 1 ♂13 / VIII/1970, Rozen J.G. (AMNH); Santa Cruz Sycamore Cyn. 9 miles W Peña Blanca Lk., 7 ♀ 12 ♂12/VIII/1983, 1250 m., Anderson R. (CNC); Tucson Mountains, 1 ♀ 1 ♂ 16/VIII/1955, Butler G.D. (USNM). California: Big Flat, Coffee Creek, Trinity Co. 1 ♀21/VI/1934, Van Dyke E.C. (CAS); 6 miles W Tragedy Spr., Amador Co., 1 ♀16/VII/1960, Rice R.E.; Donner Pass, 1 ♂ 1/VIII/1948, Townes H.M.G. & D. Townes (HIC); Westgard Pass, Inyo Co., 2 ♀ 16/V/1979, Bohart R.M.; 5 miles E Woodland, Yolo Co., 1 ♀ 10/IX/1970 (UCDC); Yuba, Sierra Co. 1 ♂ 6/VII/1962, Irwin M.E.; Quatal Canyon, NW corner Ventura Co., 1 ♀ 1 ♂ 9/V/1959, Powell J.; Davis, 1 ♂10/V/1960, Parker F.D. (USNM). Colorado: Colo 1 ♀ (HIC); New Mexico: Hatch, 1 ♀ 27/VIII/1974, Townes H. & M. Townes (CNC); Hatch, 1 ♀ 30/VIII/1974, Townes H. & M. Townes (AEIC). Oregon: Cave Jct., 1 ♂ 27/V/1978,Townes H. & M. Townes (AEIC). Utah: Strbry Daniel Pass, 1 ♀ 18/VI/1948, Townes H.M.G. & D. Townes (AEIC).