Prosaspicera spinosa Ros-Farré, 2006

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 51-52

Prosaspicera spinosa Ros-Farré n. sp.

( Figs 6h, 19a, 20a & 37a)

Type material: (2 ♂ & 11 ♀). HOLOTYPE female ( CNCI), 12/ VI /1969, Chis, San Cristobal de las Casas, 7089’ BVP. ( MEXICO) . PARATYPES (2 ♂ & 10 ♀): MEXICO : 1♀ ( CNCI), 24/ V /1969, same data of the holotype, Malaise Trap.; 2 ♀ ( UB), 24/ V /1969, Chis, idem ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 12-7 VI /1969, Chis, idem ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 14/ VI /1969, Chis, idem ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 23/ V /1969, Chis, idem ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 1-12/VII/1969, Chis, idem ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 9- VI-1969, Chis, idem , 7000ft, W. R. M. Mason leg. ; 1 ♀ ( UB), 27/VII/1964, Navios, 26 mi. E. El Salto, Dgo., 8000’, L. A. Kelton. leg. ; 1 ♂ ( UB), 17/ V /1969, Chiapas, 9400’, 12mi NE San Cristobal , MT, Tzontehuitz, B. V. Peterson leg.; GUATEMALA : 1 ♀ ( UB), 10/VII/ 1987, Huechuetenango, 2500m., 20 km NE Todos los Santos, Cuchumatan Sharkey leg.; EL SALVADOR : 1 ♂ ( USNM), 7-9/ V /1958, Monte Cristo O. L. Cartwright leg.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera spinosa is similar to P. brevispinosa , both having a short scutellar spine ( Fig. 19) and scutum finely coriaceous. The marginal pubescence of wing is absent in P. brevispinosa and present in P. spinosa , and in P. brevispinosa the vertex is incised while in P. spinosa it is not incised. The females of P. spinosa have a large hypopygium ( Fig. 37a).

Description. Length. Females 2.5–3.5 mm.; males 2.7–3.0 mm.

Coloration. Entirely black except for hypopygium, tibia and tarsi that are dark brown.

Head. Frons coriaceous, with small carinae. Frontal carinae present. Lateral frontal carinae conspicuous, but little effaced dorsally, area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina angled behind dorsal 1/3 of eye. Gena expanded, slightly coriaceous with weak transverse carinae and scattered setae. Vertex little incised, smooth and shining centrally, weakly coriaceous laterally, posterior part somewhat shining and coriaceous, with one longitudinal carina on each side of median vertical groove, which is smooth. Ocelli prominent. Occiput coriaceous somewhat shining, without transverse carinae.

Antenna. FEMALE. Filiform. Antennal formula: 8(4.5): 3(4): 9(3): 8(3): 9(3): 9(3): 8(3): 7.5(3.5): 6.5(3.5): 6.5(3.5): 6(3.5): 6(3.5): 14(3.2). MALE. Filiform. Antennal formula: 8(6): 4(4.5): 12(4.9): 11.5(4.9): 12(4.9): 11.5(5): 11(4.9): 10(4.9): 10(4.9): 10(4.9): 10(4.9): 9(4.9): 9(4.5): 14.5(4).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum finely alutaceous, with weak piliferous points, sparsely pubescent. Subpronotal plate coriaceous, pubescent laterally and glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum with scattered setae and finely coriaceous. Antero-admedian lines prominent, reaching between 1/3 and 1/2 length of mesoscutum, confluent. Median ridge prominent, not divided before median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli very wide, smooth and shining. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth and shining. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, smooth, continuing to anterior end of notauli. Mesopleura smooth, sometimes with weak sculpture on anterior 1/3. Scutellum 1.05 to 1.25 times length of scutum. Scutellar foveae rounded, rather shallow, smooth, without posterior margin; interfoveal line and lateral carinae weakly continuing towards last 1/4 of spine. Scutellar disc and spine with small furrow on each side. Scutellar disc in lateral view in same plane as basis of scutellar spine, which is slightly sloping towards apex and almost reaches basal vein of wing.

Wings. Forewing membrane hyaline. Radial cell 2.00 to 2.35 times longer than wide, 2.30 to 2.60 in males. Marginal pubescence starting on ventral half and sparse, almost absent in males. R1 long. Rs clearly curved apically.

Derivatio nominis. Refers to the hypopygium that is longer and stronger than in all the other known Prosaspicera species.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Northern Neotropical. Known from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador.