Alloxysta pleuralis ( Cameron, 1879 )

Ferrer-Suay, Mar, Selfa, Jesús, Notton, David G. & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2013, Revision of the types of species of Alloxysta described by Cameron and Fergusson (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Charipinae) and deposited in the Natural History Museum (London), including a key to the fauna of Great Britain, European Journal of Taxonomy 53, pp. 1-27 : 16-18

Alloxysta pleuralis ( Cameron, 1879)

Fig. 6

Allotria pleuralis Cameron, 1879: 113 .

Allotria (Allotria) pleuralis − Dalla Torre & Kieffer 1902: 40.

Charips (Charips) pleuralis − Dalla Torre & Kieffer 1910: 279.

Alloxysta pleuralis − Andrews 1978: 88.

Material examined

Lectotype

♀, designated by Quinlan (1974: 8), with the following labels: “8”, “Cameron 96-76” (in front), “pleuralis” (behind, handwritten), “ Lectotype ” (round label with blue margins), “ Lectotype ♀ Allotria pleuralis Cameron det. J. Quinlan, 1973”, “B.M. Type Hym. 7.122”, “ Alloxysta pleuralis ( Cameron, 1879) ♀, M. Ferrer-Suay det. 2012” (white label).

Paralectotype

♀, with the following labels: “Cameron 96-76”, “ Paralectotype ” (round label with blue margins), “ pleuralis det. N.D.M. Fergusson, 1984”, “ Alloxysta pleuralis ( Cameron, 1879) ♀, M. Ferrer-Suay det. 2012” (white label).

Additional material

1 ♂, with the following labels: “ ♂ ”, “Oosterbeek, Netherlands, 11-8-1964, leg. Y. Noorlander”, “aphid mummy on cultivated Cotoneaster Pendula ”, “ Alloxysta pleuralis (Cameron) det. H.H. Evenhuis 1979”.

Redescription

COLORATION. Head dark yellow, mesosoma yellowish brown and metasoma dark brown. Scape, pedicel and F1-F3 dark yellow; F4-F12 brown. Legs and veins dark yellow.

HEAD. Transversely ovate, smooth and shiny, wider than high in front view. With setae below and between toruli and a few setae above toruli. With few or without setae on vertex and with many setae on face. Transfacial line 1.1 x height of compound eye. Malar space 0.5 x height of compound eye.

ANTENNA. Female: 13-segmented, filiform. All antennomeres covered with sparse setae. F1 and F2 thinner and smoother than remaining flagellomeres; F3-F11 club-shaped, with rhinaria. Pedicel 2.1 x as long as wide; F1 2.5 x as long as wide; F2 2.6 x as long as wide; F3 2.5 x as long as wide; F4 2.4 x as long as wide. F1 subequal to pedicel; F1 1.2 x as long as F2; F3 1.2 x as long as F2; F4 1.1 x as long as F3; F4-F11 subequal in length, width and shape ( Fig. 6D ). Male: 14-segmented, filiform. All antennomeres covered with sparse setae. F1-F12 club-shaped, with rhinaria. F1-F3 slightly curved. Pedicel 1.7 x as long as wide; F1 2.0 x as long as wide; F2 2.3 x as long as wide; F3 1.9 x as long as wide; F4 2.0 x as long as wide. F1 1.3 x as long as pedicel; F1-F12 subequal in length, width and shape ( Fig. 6C ).

MESOSOMA. Pronotum covered with sparse setae, with two thick, clearly visible carinae ( Fig. 6B ). Mesoscutum smooth and shiny, round in dorsal view, with scattered setae. Scutellum smooth and shiny, with few scattered setae, abundant on apex of scutellum. Height of mesopleural triangle along anterior margin 1.3 x height of mesopleuron. Propodeum covered by setae, with two well defined carinae reaching the base independently, thick and with curved sides ( Fig. 6E ).

FORE WING. Longer than body, 1.4 x as long as mesosoma and metasoma together ( Fig. 6A ). Covered with dense pubescence; marginal setae present. Partially open radial cell, 2.1 x as long as wide. R1 short and curved; Rs long and also curved ( Fig. 6A ).

METASOMA. Anterior part with an incomplete ring of setae, glabrous at centre, wider laterally. Metasoma smooth and shiny, T3 and T4 clearly distinguished.

Remarks

Alloxysta pleuralis is represented in BMNH by three specimens (females). However, in Cameron’s original description five specimens were mentioned. The two other specimens were not found by Quinlan (1974: 9). Of the three remaining specimens, one was designated the lectotype and the other two were considered as paralectotypes by Quinlan (1974: 8). Alloxysta pleuralis is easily distinguished from other Alloxysta species by its combinations of features, especially the shape of the propodeal plate, which is unique for this species.

Figures

Fig. 6. Alloxysta pleuralis (Cameron, 1879). A. Fore wing. B. Pronotum (arrows indicate pronotal carinae). C. Antenna, ♂. D. Antenna, ♀. E. Propodeum.