Neoidiotypa Osten-Sacken

(Figs. 1‒111)

Idiotypa Loew 1873: 183 (pl. 9, fig. 26: wing) (preocupied Foerster 1856: 122). Type-species: Idiotypa appendiculata Loew (by monotypy). Refs.: Loew 1873: 66 –67 (discussion); Wulp 1898: 387 (citation); Aczél 1950: 39 (catalogue); Steyskal 1968: 6 (catalogue).

Neoidiotypa Osten-Sacken 1878: 187 (nomina nova for Idiotypa Loew). Type-species: Idiotypa appendiculata Loew. Refs.: Williston 1896: 119 (key); 1908: 279 (key); Aldrich 1905: 598 (catalogue); Coquillett 1910: 555, 575 (citation, North America); Hendel 1911a: 184, 389 (key, citation); 1911b: 5, 38–40 (key, redescription); Curran 1934; 1965: 275 (key); Hennig 1938a: 117 (citation); Aczél 1950: 39 (catalogue); Steyskal 1968: 6 (catalogue); Hancock 2010: 876 –878 (fig. 20: wing; key, note).

Diagnosis and comments. Species of Neoidiotypa are easily distinguished from most species of other Richardiinae genera by their large size (10‒13 mm) and vespoid shape. Additionally, the genus is characterized by the following combination of characters: prosternum and metasternum bare; postmetacoxal bridge not completely sclerotized; one pair of scutellar setae; all femora robust with spine-like setae on antero- and posteroventral surfaces; wing usually with 1–2 spurious veins (except N. alamagna sp. nov.) on vein R2+3, or free in cell r1; abdomen long and petiolate; cerci of male H-shaped; cerci of female with two modified, flattened apical setae. Generally, the species of Richardiidae have the syntergite 1+2 with preapical setae arranged in rows, when there is more than one seta (except N. alamagna). However, the species of Neodiotypa have several setae distributed randomly on laterodorsal preapical region of the syntergite 1+2. Additionally, the presence of a flattened apical seta on the cercus of female (Figs. 44, 79, 90) is unique to species of Neoidiotypa and is an autapomorphy of the genus. There are some new species of Cladiscophleps Enderlein from Venezuela, Peru and Argentina (Wendt & Ale-Rocha in preparation) superficially similar to Neoidiotypa by having vespoid shape, wing with anterior half darker than posterior half, abdomen slightly petiolate and tergites with yellow bands at base. However these species and all species of Cladiscophleps are differentiated from the species of Neoidiotypa especially by having the abdomen not strongly petiolate, the syntergite 1+2 with preapical laterodorsal setae arranged in row, the legs densely covered with setulae, and the cerci of female without modified apical seta. Species of Cladiscophleps also have the male cerci Hshaped and the wing generally with two spurious veins on R2+3. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis has showed that these character states represent synapomorphies with Neoidiotypa (Wendt & Ale-Rocha, in preparation).

Redescription. Body length: 10‒13 mm. Head: Wider than high; wider than or as wide as thorax. Eye oval, at least 1.5 times higher than wide. Anterior ocellus inserted on dorsal third of frons. Distance between ocelli variable among species (Figs. 106‒111). In lateral view, ventral third of frons slightly protruded, at least one-fourth width of eye (e.g., Figs. 5, 38, 49, 76); in frontal view, lateral margins of frons parallel (e.g., Figs. 21, 35). Parafacial slightly broad (e.g., Figs. 31, 49). Lunule developed (Fig. 37). Setae generally reduced, developed in N. alamagna . Postcranium, in lateral view, more developed on ventral two-thirds (e.g., Figs. 5, 49, 100). Clypeus slightly developed. Thorax: Scutum slightly longer than wide (e.g., Figs. 41, 61), densely covered with setulae. Scutellum short (e.g., Figs. 41, 61). Prosternum bare (Fig. 23). Katatergite without setulae, densely microtrichose. Metathoracic spiracle with weak and slightly long setae on posterior margin. Metasternum and metapleuron bare. Postmetacoxal bridge not completely sclerotized. Chaetotaxy: scapular seta absent; proepimeral seta weak (strong in N. alamagna); postpronotal seta reduced or absent; notopleural setae 2; postsutural supra-alar seta 1; postalar seta 1; intra-alar seta 1; postsutural dorsocentral seta 1, and scutellar seta 1. Legs: Robust, femora distinctly thicker than tibiae (e.g., Figs. 24‒26). Fore tarsomeres generally thickened, thicker than mid and hind tarsomeres, except in N. alamagna . All femora with spine-like setae on antero- and posteroventral surfaces (Figs. 24‒26). Wing: Without spots, subhyaline (e.g., Fig. 39) to brownish (Fig. 1) on posterior half, and moderate brown (e.g., Fig. 39) to dark brown (Fig. 1) on anterior half. Veins bare. One or two spurious veins present on vein R2+3 (Figs. 39, 62), free in middle of cell r1 (Figs. 51, 77), or spurious vein absent (Fig. 1). Vein R2+3 straight (e.g., Fig. 39). Apices of veins R4+5 and M1 parallel (e.g., Fig. 32). Crossvein r-m on apical fourth of cell dm. Vein A1+CuA2 long, reaching margin of wing but becoming weaker towards margin (Fig. 40). Alula present. Abdomen: Distinctly or slightly petiolate (e.g., Figs. 8, 42, 78) and longer than thorax. Tergites densely covered with setulae. Syntergite 1+2 long, generally 2.0 times longer than tergite 3, narrower than other tergites and with median part slightly thinner than basal and apical portions (e.g., Fig. 52). Sternites without anterior apodemes (Figs. 91–95). Sternite 1 absent. Sternite 2 elongate, about 5.0 times as long as wide (Fig. 91). Sternites 3–4 longer than wide (Figs. 92, 93). Sternites 5 and 6 (in female) wider than long (Figs. 94, 95). Male terminalia: Abdominal spiracles 6 and 7 present and developed (Fig. 65). Tergite 6 densely ciliated (Fig. 65). Cerci slightly sclerotized, developed, H-shaped (Figs. 68, 102). Epandrium wider than long. Lateral surstylus generally slightly longer than medial surstylus; wider on basal half and with rounded sub-basal projection on posterior surface. One prensiseta very strong with pointed apex, on medial preapical margin (Figs. 10, 30, 71, 105). Distiphallus long and flexible, with two sclerotized ribbons connected by membrane; ribbons densely microsetulose (Figs. 31, 42, 67, 70); apex without modified setae (Figs. 18, 29), with plate slightly (Fig. 29) or strongly sclerotized (Fig. 11). Female terminalia: Generally similar among species, apex of cerci varying slightly in shape and width. Cerci with five pairs of apical setae: more basally, 1 ventral and 1 dorsal, long setae; laterally, 2 small preapical setae; and apically, generally 1 modified and flattened apical seta (Figs. 44, 79, 90), except in N. alamagna with pointed and not flattened seta. Two hemispherical spermathecae (Fig. 81).

Species included: Neodiotypa alamagna sp. nov., N. appendiculata (Loew), N. flaviatra sp. nov., N. mexicana sp. nov., N. nigra sp. nov. and N. sticta sp. nov. .

Distribution: Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica.