Formosempria Takeuchi, 1929

Smith, David R., Pratt, Paul D. & Makinson, Jeff, 2014, Studies on the Asian sawflies of Formosempria Takeuchi (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae), with notes on the suitability of F. varipes Takeuchi as a biological control agent for skunk vine, Paederia foetida L. (Rubiaceae) in Florida, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 39, pp. 1-15 : 3

Formosempria Takeuchi

Formosempria Takeuchi 1929: 85. Type species: Formosempria varipes Takeuchi, original designation; Malaise 1961: 247 (diagnosis; key to 3 species); Malaise 1963: 159 (in world key); Togashi 1990: 184 (one species, Taiwan); Abe and Smith 1991: 34 (genus listed); Chou and Naito 1991: 89 (one species, Taiwan); Saini and Deep 1994: 48 (one species, India); Wei and Nie 1998: 28 (placed in Blennocampidae , Belesesinae , Atelozini ); Wei 2001: 678 (one species, Zhejiang, China); Lacourt 2003: 506 (in Allantinae , Atelozini ); Wei et al. 2006: 527 (three species listed from China); Saini et al. 2006: 579 (one species, India); Xiao 2006: 192 (one species listed from China); Taeger et al. 2010: 282 (world catalog, five species listed); Haris 2012: 138 (one species, Vietnam).

Description.

Antenna (Figs 3 , 10 ) hairy, stout and slightly thickened medially; scape longer than broad; pedicel as long as broad, antennomere 3 longer than 4; apical 3 antennomeres each with ventral sensory area. Malar space linear; clypeus (Figs 4 , 8 ) truncate or bluntly protruding anteriorly; each mandible with large subapical tooth; inner margins of eyes slightly converging below (Figs 4 , 8 ); genal carina absent; head from above strongly narrowing behind eyes (Figs 5 , 9 ). Epicnemium absent. Forewing (Fig. 2 ) with 4 cubital cells; hind wing (Fig. 2 ) without cells Rs and M, anal cell with short petiole. Inner fore tibial spur appearing simple but with very slight preapical projection. Tarsal claws (Fig. 11 ) with long inner tooth, nearly as long as outer tooth and lateral to outer tooth, with basal lobe. Pulvilli small on hind tarsomeres 3 and 4. Head and body usually with slight metallic luster.

Remarks.

Species of Formosempria are superficially similar to species of Empria , being similar in size and color and similar wing venation; thus, the reason for the name. Takeuchi (1929) mentioned that they are like Empria , but without a malar space. Formosempria will key to the same couplet as Hemibeleses in Malaise’s 1963 key, but are separated from Hemibeleses which has the pedicel as long or longer than the scape and the 3-toothed hind claws in the male. Males of Formosempria were not known at that time, but the hind claw is similar to the fore- and midclaws, not 3-toothed as in Hemibeleses .

Based on this study, two species of Formosempria are recognized, F. varipes from Taiwan, southeastern China, and Vietnam, and F. shanensis from Myanmar. Formosempria crassicornis Wei and Nie is listed, but the type was not examined and its status cannot be determined. The record of Formosempria from India by Saini and Deep (1994) and Saini (2006) is questionable.

Figures

Figures 3 - 5. Formosempria shanensis, lectotype. 3 Antenna 4 Head, front 5 Head, dorsal.

Figures 10 - 15. Formosempria varipes. 10 Antenna 11 Hind tarsus 12 Ovipositor 13 Female sheath, lateral 14 Male genital capsule, ventral 15 Male penis valve, lateral.

Figures 6 - 9. Formosempria varipes. 6 Lateral 7 Dorsal 8 Head, front 9 Head, dorsal.

Figures 1 - 2. Formosempria shanensis, lectotype. 1 Lateral 2 Dorsal.