Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902

Aguiar, Alexandre P. & Santos, Bernardo F., 2015, Revision of Melanocryptus Cameron (Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with description of seven new species, American Museum Novitates 2015 (3836), pp. 1-56 : 4-8

Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902

Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902: 370 . Type species: Melanocryptus violaceipennis Cameron, 1902 , by monotypy. Schmiedeknecht, 1908: 13, diagnosis, figure. Viereck, 1914: 91, type species listed. Townes and Townes, 1962: 13, listed. Townes and Townes, 1966: 68, 306, catalog, keyed. Townes, 1970: 299, 490–1, keyed, diagnosis, synonym, figures. Terán, 1980, record from Venezuela. Yu and Horstmann, 1997: 269, catalog. Kumagai and Graf, 2000: 163, faunistic study. Aguiar and Santos, 2010: 262, sampling efficiency. Tedesco and Aguiar, 2013: 86, 89, and Santos and Aguiar, 2013: 225, 229, coded for cladistic analysis.

Melanocryptus Linnavuori, 1982: 20 , 33 [ Hemiptera ]. Homonym resolved by Rider (1998).

Melanocryptus [sic] calandra: Richardson, 2003 . Lapsus calami for Melanocorypha calandra ( Linnaeus, 1766) , a bird.

Lobocryptus Schmiedeknecht, 1904: 414 . Keyed only, no species assigned. Type species: Lobocryptus cyaneus Schmiedeknecht, 1908 , by monotypy. Viereck, 1914: 91, type species listed. Townes and Townes, 1962: 13, listed. Synonymized by Townes and Townes, 1966: 68.

Hoplophorina Szépligeti, 1916: 238 . Type species: Hoplophorina nigra Szépligeti, 1916 , by monotypy. Townes and Townes, 1962: 13, listed. Synonymized by Townes and Townes, 1966: 68.

REDESCRIPTION: Female. Antenna centrolaterally compressed but also expanded dorsoventrally; flagellomeres 1–2 cylindrical, f3 intermediate, f4–10 or more distinctly dilated in dorsal view; apical half of flagellum ventrally with a “felt stripe” composed of short, dense, golden pilosity, starting on f10 (f 9 in M. aurantius ; f 11 in M. dnopheros ) (figs. 4–5); apical 5–7 flagellomeres with weak brownish hue; apical flagellomere at the very tip partially to distinctly compressed or sharpened, bearing about 4–9 specialized, short, stiff setae (fig. 3). Malar space usually about 0.7× basal width of mandible, except around 1.0× in M. cyaneus . Clypeus with one pointy, triangular tooth hanging above anterior inflected margin (figs. 6–7; compare with fig. 8 for non- Melanocryptus ). Supraclypeal area just below level of toruli, medially, with at least a raised line or keel, sometimes developed as stout protuberance (fig. 76, 89–90). Temple in lateral view narrow. Occipital carina complete, dorsally delicate.

Pronotum dorsoposteriorly with distinct angle or fold ( M. cyaneus , M. niger ) (figs. 85–86) or more often sunken from one side to the other, forming a semicircular channel or shaft (all other spp.) (figs. 77–78, 87–88); epomia distinct (figs. 42–47); its posterior margin, below pronotal spiracle, crenulate, from distinct and stout ( M. cyaneus , M. niger ) to delicate ( M. dnopheros ). Epicnemial carina reaching 0.55–1.00× of distance to subalar ridge; sometimes ending at level of pronotal spiracle, distinctly curved and reaching close to posterior margin of pronotum ( M. cyaneus , M. niger ), or more straight or irregular or angled, sometimes shaped as a square bracket ( M. aurantius ) and ending more distant from pronotal margin (other spp.). Hypoepimeron elongate, often narrowing ventroposteriorly. Hind margin of metanotum and anterior margin of propodeum never forming a small angular or toothlike widening on each side at level of postscutellum, at most with wide round projections (fig. 53, M. aurantius ). Postpectal carina laterally distinctly projected, sharp, otherwise absent. Transverse furrow at base of propodeum wide and shallow, densely and distinctly crenulate (figs. 52–60), narrowing laterally to approximately linear beyond level of propodeal spiracles. Foretibia inflated, basally on posterior face with delicate slitlike impression, sometimes associated with small protuberance on anterior face (most distinct in M. cyaneus and M. niger ). Preapical tarsomeres deeply incised, bifid. Mid t5 large, wide, its maximum/minimum width around 1.60–1.75, its length nears the combined length of t2–3.

Forewing (figs. 10–21) at least partially infuscated or spotted; veins 1m-cu and 1M+Rs usually bended at two points, most distinct in M. cyaneus (fig. 16) less distinct in other taxa and veins perfectly continuous in M. tupan and M. violaceipennis (figs. 12, 21); vein 2Cua usually shorter or much shorter than crossvein 2cu-a (except similar length in M. niger , longer in M. cyaneus ). Areolet large, pentagonal, about as long as wide, sides converging anteriorly, posterior veins in “V” (angled). Hind wing (figs. 16, 20–30) vein Cua distinctly longer than crossvein cu-a.

Petiole (figs. 48–50, 81, 96, 114) without basolateral tooth; anteriorly with distinct dorsolateral and ventrolateral carinae, delimiting a shallow glymma; spiracle of first tergite placed approximately at midlength. Ovipositor quite blade shaped (figs. 1–2), about 2.0–3.0× higher than wide, from straight ( M. aurantius , M. cyaneus , M. dnopheros ) (figs. 1, 61A, 75, 97, 101, 111) to slightly curved downward; ventral valve usually with subapical irregularity (e.g., M. delos , M. aurantius ) (figs. 61–63, 66, 68), or regularly decrease in size toward tip (figs. 64–65). Ovipositor sheaths apparently quite soft, in dried specimens always detached from ovipositor and curved or curled (all studied specimens) (fig. 61A).

Male. Males do not have the centrally expanded antennae observed in females, nor the ventrolongitudinal felt stripe; the three basal flagellomeres are regularly shaped, not particularly elongate; a central or subapical white band is usually present (vs. absent on females). The dorsal protuberance on the supraclypeal area is always much more pronounced and conspicuous than on females. Areolet sides sometimes conspicuously convergent, very close anteriorly. T8 longitudinally split, forming two plates, the left one partially overlapping the right plate (fig. 108).

Color. Most species correspond well with the name of the genus in that they are predominantly black or dark brown (figs. 1–2, 70–71, 97, 100–101, 110–111), but M. aurantius is a surprising exception by its head and mesosoma bright orange (fig. 75). The presence of metallic bluish reflections (e.g., figs. 33, 45, 55, 82–86), even if weak (as in figs. 37, 46, 56, 87), in most of the darkened areas, also seems to be characteristic in the genus, and is detectable even in M. aurantius , on its metasoma.

DISTRIBUTION: Central America from northeastern Mexico to southern South America, apparently restricted to humid forest habitats (fig. 139).

RECOGNITION: The redescription above is intended as a full redefinition of Melanocryptus , and is important in both expanding and setting a more precise limit to the genus. This seems relevant because the characteristic look of Melanocryptus might nonetheless be easily deceiving

# Characters and States

0 Pedicel, color pattern: [0] entirely black; [1] ventrally yellowish

1 Flagellum, pilosity: [0] uniform, at most with weak tuft at apex of each flagellomere, not noticeable to naked eye; [1] each flagellomere apex with distinct tuft of hairs, visible to the naked eye

2 White band of antenna, color pattern: [0] entirely white; [1] ventrally darkened

3 Mandible color: [0] basally yellowish; [1] entirely dark brown

4 Clypeus apical margin, color: [0] concolorous with yellowish supraclypeal area; [1] light brown or brown, fusing with yellowish of supraclypeal area; [2] entirely dark brown, contrasting with yellowish of supraclypeal area

5 Gena ventrally, color: [0] pale yellow reaching entire width; [1] dark brown and yellowish in similar proportions

6 Pronotum collar, extension of yellow mark: [0] yellow present dorsally only, not reaching beyond epomia; [1] yellow dorsally and dorsolaterally, reaching beyond epomia; [2] collar entirely yellow, reaching ventroposterior end

7 Propleuron, color pattern: [0] entirely black; [1] posterior half with large yellowish area, or patterned but about 50% yellow; [2] entirely yellowish

8 Forecoxa, color pattern: [0] from about 90% to entirely yellowish; [1] about 15%–50% yellowish; [2] entirely dark brown or black 9 Midcoxa, color pattern: [0] entirely black or dark brown; [1] from 10%–40% yellowish or brownish; [2] entirely yellowish 10 Hind tibia basally, color: [0] black or at most brown; [1] distinctly yellowish or yellow.

11 Hind t2, color pattern: [0] entirely black or at most tip yellowish; [1] mostly or entirely yellowish; [2] basally dark brown, apical 0.3–0.5 yellowish

12 Hind t5, color pattern: [0] entirely darkened; [1] darkened, basally yellowish; [2] yellowish, apically darkened;

[3] entirely yellowish

13 Hind t3 color: [0] entirely yellowish; [1] entirely darkened

14 Notauli, differentiation: [0] faint, barely reaching center of mesonotum; [1] deeply impressed, meeting or almost meeting beyond posteriad level of tegulae

15 Tegula, color: [0] partially yellowish or pale, usually medially or anteriorly; [1] entirely bright yellowish

16 Mesepimeron, color: [0] black (concolorous with mesepisternum); [1] yellowish; [2] black, except dorsal apex yellowish or whitish

17 Scutellum color: [0] yellow spot rounded or anteriorly concave; [1] yellow spot somewhat rectangular, covering nearly entire scutellum; [2] entirely black

18 Forewing around crossvein 1cu-a, infuscation: [0] distinctly nebulous around crossvein; [1] hyaline around crossvein

19 Forewing, position of apical stripe of infuscation: [0] apical, entirely covering wing tip; [1] subapical, not reaching wing tip, which remains hyaline

20 Forewing, extension of apical stripe of infuscation: [0] not reaching areolet; [1] distinctly covering areolet, in part or entirely 21 Pleural carina structure: [0] fragmented or irregular; [1] widely crenulate (produced by several stout straight rugosities meeting carina at 90°); [2] truly crenulate [deep; crenulation mostly unrelated to rugosity]; [3] linear complete, not fragmented

22 T1 and S1 (petiole), color pattern: [0] T1 basally and apically yellowish, S1 entirely yellowish; [1] T1 and S1

nearly entirely black

23 T3 apical yellowish stripe or spot, development: [0] narrow or quite small; [1] wide or large

24 Sternites, color pattern: [0] S2–4 brownish except apical margin yellowish, S5–8 dark brown from side to side on basal 0.2–0.9; [1] S2–3 midlongitudinally whitish, S4–8 entirely whitish in some cryptine taxa which are superficially similar to it. Thus, some extra attention might be needed for a more accurate recognition of the genus. The following features are of good diagnostic value, and helpful as a first approximation for recognizing Melanocryptus: On females, flagellomere apical half ventrally with a “felt” stripe, formed by dense, short pilosity; flagellum centrolaterally compressed but also expanded dorsoventrally; single tooth of clypeus pointy, developed as a projection of the main area of the clypeus, hanging over the anterior inflected margin (figs. 6–7) (must not be confused with an elevation sometimes present on the anterior inflected margin of other Cryptini , as in fig. 8); forewing partially or entirely infuscate, rarely fully hyaline; areolet large, pentagonal, about as long as wide, sides converging anteriorly. Spiracle of first tergite approximately at middle (0.45–0.57). Ovipositor blade shaped, about 2.0– 3.0× higher than wide; sheaths soft, in dried specimens always detached from ovipositor and curved or curled. Body darkened or black; dark tonalities with bluish reflections, even if weak.

RARITY: Specimens of Melanocryptus are uncommon in collections, and therefore might appear to be rare in the field as well. It is however difficult to establish to what extent this is only a sampling artifact. Malaise traps, for example, traditionally preferred for sampling Hymenoptera (e.g., 150 Malaise trap-years in Hanson and Gauld, 1995), will capture mostly males of Melanocryptus ( Aguiar and Santos, 2010) , which are, however, more difficult to recognize to genus level than females. Moericke traps (= yellow pan traps), on the other hand, seem to be more efficient in collecting females of this genus ( Aguiar and Santos, 2010). An apparent exception appears in the work of Kumagai and Graf (2000), which report the capture of 21 females and 29 males of an unidentified Melanocryptus sp. with Malaise traps, but all vouchers of that work were examined in loco (DZUP), and specimens of Melanocryptus were not found.

INTERPRETATION OF MALE SPECIMENS: Melanocryptus hadroglyptus and M. whartoni are at the same time similar and morphologically variable. The main problem is in the intricate variability of M. hadroglyptus males, which hardly seem to represent a unity. If subjectively interpreted, this kind of situation typically results in varied interpretations by different authors. Therefore, a phylogenetic interpretation of the variation was performed, using M. delos , a similar but clearly distinct, and uniform species, as the outgroup. The following character-coding scheme (table 1) was considered, corresponding to all informative external characters observed to vary among the examined specimens. The respective character matrix is presented in table 2.

The single tree recovered with the analysis (fig. 9) makes evident the problematic interpretation of M. hadroglyptus populations, which cannot be split into natural or sound groups representing more than a single species. At the same time, however, there is good support for the separation of this clade (char. states 7:2, 9:2, 15:1, 16:1) from that of M. whartoni (supported by 2:1, 21:1, 24:0, all nonhomoplasious).