Prosaspicera similis ( Ashmead, 1887 ), 1951

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 47-49

Prosaspicera similis ( Ashmead, 1887)

( Figs 3c, 25b, 26b, 37c)

Aspicera similis Ashmead, 1887: 156 .

Aspicera albinervis Kieffer, 1910a: 337 .

Prosaspicera similis (Ashmead) Weld, 1951: 596 .

Prosaspicera albinervis (Kieffer) synonymyzed in Weld, 1952: 167.

Type material of Aspicera similis Ashmead : (5 ♂ & 1 ♀). HOLOTYPE female deposited in USNM (nº 23330) collected in Jaksonville (Florida, USA). PARATYPES (5 ♂): 3 ♂ ( USNM) in Tiffon, Ga; 1 ♂ ( USNM) in Washington DC; 1 ♂ ( USNM) label data: Algonquin , III. 9,2,95–134; nº 5537 without locality.

Type material of Aspicera albinervis Kieffer : (1 ♂ & 3 ♀). (Holotype not examined) PARATYPES: 1 ♂ & 2 ♀ ( USNM nº 27157), 17/ 18-IX- 1906 in Fayeteville , Ark. ( USA); 1 ♀ ( USNM nº 23330) in Jaksnville, Florida ( USA).

Additional material (24 ♂ & 28 ♀). USA: 1 ♀ ( CAS), 13-V-1923 Chesaheau beach, Ma .; ♀ ( CNCI), 12/ 24-X-1987, Va, Montgomeri Co, 8km NW Blacksburg, Mt rural 100m .; 1 ♀ ( UB), 7- V / 7-VII-1997, Calvert Co. 7km S Prince Frederick , BRC Hym Team, Mt .; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 5-VII-1929 W. E. Steenburgh col. ; 1 ♀ ( UB), 23-III-1965, Welder Wildlife, Ref. nr. Sinton, Tex. J.G.Chillcott col. ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 6-VII-1957 Wayah Bald , 5400’ Macon Co, N. C., W. R. M. Mason col. ; 2 ♂ ( UB), 22-IV-1987, SC, Pickings Co, Clemson Issageena, Hake Rd. H. Goulet col. ; 2 ♂ ( CNCI), 20-IX/ 20-X-1988, MO, Wayne co. Williamsville, J. T. Becker, col. Mt. ; 2 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( UB), 21-X/ 11-XI-1988, MO, Wayne co. Williamsville, J. T. Becker, col. Mt. ; 2 ♂ ( CNCI), 8/ 31-VIII-1988, MO, 4 Wayne co. Williamsville, J. T. Becker, col. Mt. ; 1 ♀ ( USNM), 13-VII- 1949 in Waco , Texas, Coll on cotton, W. B. Lattimore col. ; 1 ♀ ( USNM), VII- 1923 in Greenwood, Miss , reared from Mesogramma polita, W. R. McConnell col .; 1 ♀ ( USNM), 28-IV- 1965 in Bradley, Ark. , Crimson Clover col. ; 1 ♀ ( USNM), 20-VIII- 1909 in Salisbury N.C., R. A. Vickery col. ; 1 ♂ ( USNM), in Nashville, Tenn, reared from Syrphid puparium, G. G. Ainslie col. ; 1 ♂ ( USNM), 7-VII- 1949 in Waco , Texas, coll on Cotton, Glick col. ; 1 ♂ ( UB), XI-1989, OK, Latimer Co, Red Oak. K. Stephan co, fit .; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 20-IV-1987, N. C., Anson Co, Pee Dee Nat W. Ref., L. Masner col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 17-VIII-1957, Whiteface Cove, Mr. Highlands, N. C., L. A. Kelton col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 3-VI-1957, Whiteside , Highlands, N.C., J. R. Vockeroth col. ; 1♂ ( CNCI), 24-VIII-1957, Whiteside, Highlands, N.C., L. A. Kellton col. ; 1♂ ( CNCI), 17-VII-1957, Whiteside , Highlands, N.C., W. R. Richards col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 20-VIII-1957, Whiteside, Highlands, N.C., C. J.Durden col. , Mt .; 1♂ ( UB), 8- VIII-1957, Great Smoky, Mt., N. P., N.C., Tenn , W. R. M. Mason col. ; 1♂ ( CNCI), 27-VII- 1957, Base of Rabun Bald, Ga. W. R. Richards col. ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 14-V-1957, Pine Mountain Rabun Co., Ga. , 1400’, J. R. Vockeroth col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 12-VII-1957, Pinne Mountain Rabun Co., Ga., 1 Mi N., 3000’, J. G. Chillcott col. ; 2 ♀ ( CNCI), 8-VII-1987, VA. Page Co., Shenandoah nat. park, 1300m., L. Du. Mouchel col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI) , USA, 8- VII-1987, Page Co, Sherandoah Nat Park , Big Meadow, J. T. Huber, SS ; 3 ♀ ( UB), 11/ 12- VII-1987, Clark Co., Athens Oconee Forest Park, J. T. Huber, SS ; 2 ♀ ( UB), 28-V-1957, Great Smoky , Mt., N. P., N.C. Tenn, W. R. M. Mason col. ; 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 10-IV-1959, TEX, Kerrville , W. R. M. Mason col. ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 8-V-1957, Franklin , N.C. 2000’, W. R. M.Mason col. ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 29-V-1957, Cherokee , N.C., 2000’, J. R. Vockeroth col. ; 2 ♂ ( CAS), 19 and 21-IV- 1952 in Greenville , S. C., G. L. Townes col. ; MEXICO: 1♀ ( CNCI), 9-VIII-1954, Iguala, Guerrero, 2400’, J. G. Chillcott col. ; 1 ♀ ( USNM), 9/ 16-I- 1992 in Orizaba , V. C., H. Osborn col.

Other material. 1 ♀ ( USNM), without locality .; 1 ♀ ( CAS), VII-1924 , E. Fallschurch leg. ( Without country) . 1 ♀ ( CAS) 3-X-1914 , F. T. Sheridan leg. ( Without country) ; 1 ♀ ( USNM), in Texas (no more data) ; 1 ♀ ( CAS) Ravinia (South Dakota?, USA) III. 4-IX- 1914 .

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera similis is similar to P. ensifera and P. optivus based on the fact that they have a wide parascutal sulcus, the scutellum in lateral view slopes towards basis of the scutellar spine, the scutellar foveae are conspicuously deep with a conspicuous posterior margin and the vertex incised. The ocelli in P. similis do not have any protuberance behind them, while P. optivus and P. ensifera ( Fig. 6c) have a conspicuous protuberance behind ocelli. Moreover in P. similis the frons is coriaceous, with weak frontal carinae, occipital carina conspicuously angled behind the dorsal 1/3 of eye, gena greatly wide and coriaceous, occiput coriaceous and usually without transverse carinae, lateral surface of pronotum coriaceous ( Fig. 24a), scutellar disc coriaceous with one or two weak oblique carinae ( Fig. 23a) and marginal pubescence of wing beginning on lateroventral margin.

Redescription. Length. Females 2.2–2.7 mm.; males 1.9–2.5 mm.

Coloration. Head and mesosoma reddish black, few specimens are all black. Antenna and legs light brown. Metanotum reddish black, light brown in anterior part.

Head. Frons coriaceous with weak frontal carinae. Lateral frontal carinae strong, area

between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina strongly angled behind dorsal 1/3 of eye. Gena expanded, coriaceous and with few scattered setae. Vertex incised, coriaceous laterally, weakly coriaceous with one or two weak carinae centrally, in posterior part coriaceous and transversely striated and with one longitudinal carina on each side of median vertical groove, which is smooth. Ocelli prominent. Occiput coriaceous and transversely striated, usually without transverse carinae, but sometimes with one short conspicuous transverse carina.

Antenna. FEMALE. Filiform. Antennal formula: 3.5(2): 1.5(1.5): 4(1.2): 4.5(1.1): 4.4(1.1): 4.4(1.2): 4(1.3): 3.9(1.5): 3.9(1.5): 3.5(1.6): 3(1.6): 3(1.6): 6.2(1.5). MALE. Filiform. F1 little modified. Antennal formula: 3.6(2.5): 2(1.8): 4.9(1.6): 6.2(1.8): 6(1.8): 6(1.8): 6(1.8): 6(1.8): 6(1.8): 5(1.8): 4.8(1.6): 6(1.6): 4.1(1.5): 6.9(1.5).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum coriaceous, densely pubescent. Subpronotal plate coriaceous and pubescent laterally, weakly coriaceous and glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum with scattered setae, coriaceous and punctuated, sometimes weak transverse carinae between notauli. Antero-admedian lines prominent, reaching 1/3 length of mesoscutum and almost parallel or slightly confluent; median ridge prominent in anterior part, weakly prominent in posterior part and not divided before median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli narrow, coriaceous and with very weak transverse carinae inside. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth or weakly alutaceous. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow slightly prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, smooth, with few scattered setae and continuing to anteiror end of notauli. Mesopleura weakly coriaceous on anterior 1/3. Scutellum 1.45 to 1.52 times length of scutum, 1.29 to 1.41 in males. Scutellar foveae rounded, deep, smooth with posterior limit, interfoveal line and lateral carinae weakly prominent, going on to first 1/4 of the spine. Spine longitudinally striated and almost smooth near apex. Scutellar disc coriaceous with one or two weak oblique carinae, in lateral view, slightly sloping from end of foveae to basis of spine, which is almost straight and extends to basal vein of wing.

Wings. Forewing membrane hyaline. Radial cell 1.80 to 2.15 times longer than wide, 2.11 to 2.40 in male. Marginal pubescence beginning on latero-dorsal margin. R1 rather long, Rs straight.

Biology. Reared from Mesogramma polita (Syrphidae) according to a label data.

Distribution. Nearctic. Originally recorded from USA; also from Mexico in this study.