Ipsiura nigriventer Bohart, 1985

Lucena, Daercio A. A., Kimsey, Lynn S. & Almeida, Eduardo A. B., 2016, The Neotropical cuckoo wasp genus Ipsiura Linsenmaier, 1959 (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae): revision of the species occurring in Brazil, Zootaxa 4165 (1), pp. 1-71 : 52-53

Ipsiura nigriventer Bohart, 1985

( Figs 141–146 )

Ipsiura nigriventer Bohart, 1985: 717 . Holotype Ƌ [examined]: MEXICO: Oaxaca, Matias Romero (BME).

Diagnosis. Ipsiura nigriventer most closely resembles I. leucocheila (Mocsáry) and I. leucocheiloides (Ducke) . It can be distinguished from these and other Ipsiura species by the following combination of characters: fore wing with long M distal to discoidal cell (short M in I. leucocheila and I. leucocheiloides ); integument of propodeal foveae dull (polished, shiny in all other Ipsiura species) and the unusual large S2 spots (medium-sized in I. leucocheila and I. leucocheiloides ).

Female description. Body ( Fig. 141 ). Length: 8.1 mm. Coloration: head predominantly green, with dark blue highlights on vertex; F1 greenish brown; mesosoma metallic green, with bluish purple transverse stripes on dorsum of pronotum, mesoscutum with broad purplish blue band; metasoma metallic green, with transverse bluish purple stripes on dorsum of T2 and faintly marked on T1; integument of propodeal surface dull; T3 with dark bluish highlights, narrow lateral whitish spot basolaterally; wing membrane light brown, with brown veins; femora and tibiae green; tarsi brown, meso- and hind basitarsus green. Head: TFC forming an incomplete arc, interrupted medially ( Fig. 142 ); F1 longer than broad, 1.3× as long as F2; scapal basin with silvery pubescence. Mesosoma: fore femur with discrete flattened area on outer surface of distal margin, diameter of distal area subequal to diameter of proximal area; fore wing with long M distal to discoidal cell, ending near distal wing margin, R1 very short ( Fig. 145 ); dorsal surface of pronotum wider than head; lower lateral pronotal surface smooth, sparse punctures anteriorly, without distinct posterior area delimited by transverse ridge; metanotum with deep punctation, appearing faintly cristate; mesopleural lower posterior margin carinate, with distinct tooth-like projections. Metasoma: T3 with four acute distal teeth ( Fig. 143 ), pit row well-developed, indicated by large foveae, prepit swelling very low, sloping gently; S2 spots unusual large, touching medially ( Fig. 144 ). Punctation: fore femur coarsely punctate on outer surface; largest punctures on T1, mesopleuron and metanotum.

Male. Same as female, except for the characteristic shape of S2 spots as shown in Fig. 144 , the broad dark band occupying much of the dorsum of meso- and metasoma, and the femora with plusome long silvery setae.

Variation. Despite the widespread distribution, I. nigriventer is quite morphologically uniform. The most conspicuous variation observed in this species is body length and coloration. The specimens from southeastern USA to Costa Rica are as longer as holotype, and predominantly bluish as holotype. On the other hand, the Brazilian specimens, especially the specimens collected in São Paulo: Luis Antonio (LRRP) and Minas Gerais: Marliéria (UFES) are smaller (about 7.1–7.8 mm) and predominantly green (as seen in Figs 141–143 ).

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. Brazil (AM, MG, MT, PA, SP); Costa Rica (Guanacaste); Mexico (Michoacán, Oaxaca, Yucatán); USA (Texas) ( Fig. 146 ).

Material examined. MEXICO: Oaxaca, 23 mi south Matias Romero , viii.14.1963, F.D. Parker & L.A. Stange / Holotype Ƌ (BME) . MEXICO: Michoacán, 11 mi East Aqatzingan 20.viii.1954 coll. E.G. Linsley, J.W. MacSwain and R.F. Smith / Paratype 1♀ [BME] . Oaxaca, 23 mi south Matias Romero 14.viii.1963 coll. F.D. Parker & L.A. Stange / Paratype 1Ƌ [BME] . USA: Texas, Valley Botan. Garden McAllen Hidal County 26.xi.1981 coll. C. Porter / Paratype 1♀ [BME].

Additional material. BRAZIL: Amazonas, Iranduba, Ramal do Caldeirão 17.xi.2011, 1♀, coll. Somavilla & Azevedo [ INPA] . Mato Grosso, Rio Caraguana iii.1953, 1 ♀, coll. Fritz Plaumann [BME] . Minas Gerais, Marliéria 14.xi.2002, 1♀, coll. J.C.R. Fontenelle [ UFES] . Same data except 24.x.2002, 1♀ [ UFES] , 28.x.2007, 1♀ [UFES]. Pará, Óbidos , 1♀, coll. A. Ducke [ MZUSP] . São Paulo, Luis Antônio , Est. Ecol. Jataí 27.ix.2007, 2♀, coll. N.W. Perioto [ LRRP] . Same data except 24.x.2007, 2♀ [ LRRP] , 12.xi.2008, 1♀ [ LRRP]. COSTA RICA : Guanacaste, Canãs 28.x.1989, 1♀, coll. F.D. Parker [BME].

Comments. The redescription above is based on a female from Brazil: Amazonas, Iranduba.

Figures

FIGURES 141 – 146. Ipsiura nigriventer, ♀. 141. Habitus, lateral view. 142. Head, frontal view. 143. T 3, postero-dorsal view. Scale bar = 1 mm. 144. Spots of S 2, Ƌ (above) and ♀ (below). 145. Fore wing, veins R 1 and M indicated in red. Discoidal and medial cells are indicated by “ D ” and “ M ”, respectively. Setae omitted. Scale bar = 1 mm. 146. Distribution, previous (red circle) and new (green square) records.