Itahipeus, HANSSON & LASALLE, 2003

HANSSON, C. & LASALLE, J., 2003, Revision of the Neotropical species of the tribe Euderomphalini (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Journal of Natural History 37 (6), pp. 697-778 : 773-774

Genus Itahipeus gen. n.

Type species: Itahipeus brasilicola sp. n.

Diagnosis

Flagellum in both sexes with three funicular and two claval segments (figures 106–108); mid lobe of mesoscutum with two pairs of setae; scutellum as long as wide, with two pairs of setae, partly overhanging dorsellum but posterior part of dorsellum extending upwards to cover part of posterior scutellum (figure 110); prepectus rectangular, long and narrow (figure 109); submarginal vein with six setae on dorsal surface (figure 9); costal cell with numerous setae on ventral surface (figure 9); first gastral tergite with a basal carina (figure 9); female hypopygium long, 0.8× as long as length of gaster; outer plates of ovipositor enlarged and flattened (as in Entedononecremnus (figure 34)); strongly sclerotized species.

Monophyly and relationships

Itahipeus belongs in the Entedononecremnus group indicated through: frontal, vertexal and occipital sutures absent; eyes bare; posterolateral propodeum extended in a point. The close relationship to Entedononecremnus is indicated through: basal carina on first gastral tergite present; outer plates of ovipositor enlarged and flattened; body strongly sclerotized. However, in Itahipeus the female hypopygium is long (0.8× as long as the length of gaster), a character state very different from the situation in Entedononecremnus where the hypopygium is short (0.4× as long as the length of gaster). Furthermore, Itahipeus possesses two autapomorphies: prepectus rectangular, long and narrow, and posterior part of dorsellum extending upwards to cover part of posterior scutellum. The short hypopygium in Entedononecremnus is a strong apomorphy for that genus and since the monophyletic origin of Itahipeus is demonstrated through two autapomorphies, the generic status of Itahipeus is justified.

There are additional characters in which Itahipeus and Entedononecremnus differ: setation on scutellum ( Itahipeus with two pairs of setae, Entedononecremnus with many scattered setae or with three to seven pairs); setation on dorsal surface of submarginal vein ( Itahipeus with six setae, Entedononecremnus with three to five setae); antenna ( Itahipeus with a two-segmented clava and with three funicular segments, Entedononecremnus with a three-segmented clava and two funicular segments); size of clypeus ( Itahipeus with a large clypeus, Entedononecremnus with a small). However, the polarization of these character states is ambiguous.

Description

Flagellum in both sexes with one small discoid anellus, three funicular segments, F1 distinctly smaller than F2 and F3, and F2 longer than F3, and with two claval segments. Male scape with a distinct ventral groove in apical one-half, groove without visible pores. Eyes bare. Mandibles with two large teeth. Clypeus large and delimited by a smoothly curved groove. Frontal, vertexal and occipital sutures absent. Frons and vertex with strong and large-meshed reticulation.

Pronotum reduced and strongly narrowed medially, not visible in dorsal view. Prepectus rectangular, long and narrow (figure 109), distinctly separated from mesopleuron. Thoracic dorsum with strong and large-meshed reticulation. Mid lobe of mesoscutum and scutellum each with two pairs of setae; notauli absent. Axillae not advanced in front of scuto-scutellar sulcus, separated from mesoscutum by a distinct groove. Scutellum as long as wide, partly overhanging dorsellum, but posterior part of dorsellum extending upwards to cover part of posterior scutellum. Transepimeral sulcus curved. Propodeum with posterolateral part flattened and drawn out in a point; spiracular sulcus absent; propodeal callus with two setae; with a complete median carina and with two complete lateral carinae converging anteriorly; entire propodeal surface reticulate-punctate. Fore wing with six setae on dorsal surface of submarginal vein; submarginal vein smoothly joining the marginal vein; costal cell with numerous setae on ventral surface; speculum open or closed below; postmarginal vein 0.6× as long as stigmal vein.

Petiole not visible, presumably small. First gastral tergite: with a basal carina, and with a median carina reaching halfway on tergite; anteromedian area (behind basal carina) impressed; anterior one-half of tergite with raised, strong and largemeshed reticulation, median two-thirds of posterior one-half of tergite with engraved ± reticulate grooves, sides of posterior one-half of tergite with engraved reticulation. Remaining tergites completely reticulate with raised small-meshed reticulation.