Xenos bicolor, 2022

Benda, Daniel, Pohl, Hans, Beutel, Rolf & Straka, Jakub, 2022, Two new species of Xenos (Strepsiptera: Xenidae), parasites of social wasps of the genus Mischocyttarus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the New World, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 62 (1), pp. 185-195 : 193

Mischocyttarus (male puparium cephalotheca)

than long, subtriangular, distinctly widening posteriorly, with corners rounded and spiracles not reaching the lateral border. Colouration light reddish-brown. Mouth opening distinctly sclerotized at margin. Mandibles sub-quadrate, with a small sharp tooth at inner corner.

Host. Mischocyttarus flavicans (Fabricius, 1804) (as Clypeopolybia duckei Brèthes, 1923 ) (BඋජඍHൾඌ 1923).

Phylogenetic relationships. Unknown.

Distribution. Bolivia, precise locality not mentioned in original description.

Comments. The genus Clypoxenos was described by BඋජඍHൾඌ (1923). He followed Pierce’s concept that each genus of Xenidae is specialized to one host genus of wasps (Pංൾඋർൾ 1908, 1909, 1911). BඈHൺඋඍ (1941) treated Clypoxenos as a presumptive junior synonym of Xenos but remained somewhat ambivalent of this interpretation (CඈඈK 2019). In contrast KංඇඓൾඅൻൺർH (1971) clearly confirmed the synonymy. The phylogenetic placement of xenids parasitizing Mischocyttarus as a subordinate group of Xenos supports previous hypothesis that Clypoxenos is not a valid genus (Bൾඇൽൺ et al. 2021).

Key to Xenos species parasitizing wasps of the genus