Aspicera foveata ( Belizin, 1952 ), 2011

ROS-FARRÉ, P. & PUJADE-VILLAR, J., 2013, <strong> Revision of the genus <em> Aspicera </ em> Dahlbom, 1842 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae) </ strong>, Zootaxa 3606 (1), pp. 1-110 : 28

Aspicera foveata ( Belizin, 1952)

( Fig. 2f )

Heteraspidia foveata Belizin, 1952: 300–301 .

Paraspicera foveata (Belizin) , in Weld, 1961: 279

Aspicera foveata (Belizin) Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar 2011: 55

Diagnosis. A. foveata and A. kerzhneri are the only Aspicera species having scutellar spine nearly absent ( Fig. 2f, g ), represented only by a distal elongation of the circumscutellar carina. According to the figures of Kovalev (1974) both species can be differentiated by the scutellar foveae: in A. foveata ( Fig. 2f ) they are very shallow, at least 1/2 scutellum length and with two longitudinal carinae inside, while in A. kerzhneri ( Fig. 2g ) they are well defined, about 1/3 scutellum length and with three longitudinal carinae inside. The original description of A. foveata ( Belizin, 1952) and A. kerzhneri ( Kovalev, 1974) provide more characters to distinguish this species: in A. foveata the occiput and the lateral surface of propodeum are not carinate, the mesoscutum has some punctuations, while in A. kerzhneri the occiput has longitudinal carinae dorsally and transverse carinae ventrally, the lateral surface of propodeum is carinate transversely and the mesoscutum has transverse carinae.

Type material deposited in the collection of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of URSS, presumably lost (O. Kovalev, pers. com.). According to original description, collected in Turkmenia: Kara-Kala, XI 1931: 1 ♂ by P. Petrischeva. We reproduce the description of Belizin 1952 :

Original description (translated from Russian): ♂. Length 3,2 mm. Black, although mesoscutum being mostly red. Head dull, coriaceous. Frons slightly rugose near ocelli, lateral areas with sharp carinae, which begin between dorsal margin of compound eyes and lateral ocelli and end in front of antennal foramina (lateral frontal carinae). The area between these carinae and the ocelli is transversely wrinkled. From the base of antennae, each carina divides into two carinae which make up a triangle that goes on until 1/2 head length. Occiput with short grey pubescence. Eye smooth. Antennae with 14 antennomeres, smooth, shiny, about 2/3 body length, blackish brown. Antennomere 1 black, antennomere 3 with widely nicked internal margin, and it is slightly longer than antennomere 4. The last antennomere is not wider than the penultimate, but it is 1.5 times longer. Prodorsum (pronotum) smooth, sharply incised, vertex rounded. Propleurae dull. Mesodorsum (scutum) coriaceous, little shiny, with a few smooth grain. Notauli conspicuous. Median carina continuing along mesodorsum between notauli, in the posterior 1/3 it branches of and makes up a triangle. Between the median carina and notauli, from prodorsum to half mesodorsum, there are two lateral carina parallel between them, they do not reach the junction of median carina. Mesopleurone divided in the middle by a wide and deep furrow, being the dorsal half smooth and shiny and the ventral half covered by fine small points. Metapleurae covered with dense grey pubescence. The anterior part of scutellum with two large, elonged and smooth foveae, separated by a narrow and sharp carina ( Fig. 2f ). In the surface of each fovea there are two carinae little prominent that go until posterior margin. The foveae reach slightly more than 1/2 of scutellum length. Five sharp longitudinal carinae go on by the surface of scutellum until vertex (posterior margin). Vertex of scutellum with a blunt point. Tegulae blackish brown. Wing hyaline, they exceed the vertex of abdomen (metasoma). Radial cell open on anterior margin and slightly in the basis, due to subcostal vein does not reach the margin of wing. Cubital vein slightly impressed, areolet only represented by a very short vein. Coxa and trocanter black, shiny, with small points. Other segments of legs red, first segment of hind legs darkish. Femur smooth, shiny, with small points. Tibia and tars dull, with short pubescence. Spur of fore tibia wide, sharply curbed. Abdomen smooth, shiny; first segment wrinkled.

Comments: There are other genera of Figitidae characterized having scutellar spine that include species almost without any trace of spine, like the figitines Neralsia pseudoneralsia Jiménez & Pujade-Villar, 2006 and Xyalophoroides quinquelineata ( Say, 1836) . For this reason, A. foveata can be included in Aspicera .

Figures

FIGURE 2. (a) Occiput of Aspicera belizini, (b) A. buffingtoni, (c) A. uthaensis, (d) metasoma of A. punctifrons, (e) propodeum of A. hartigi, (f) scutellum of A. foveata from Kovalev (1974: 283), (g) A. kerzhneri from Kovalev (1974: 283).