Prosaspicera cerasina ( Bréthes, 1909 ), Scutellar

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 26-29

Prosaspicera cerasina ( Bréthes, 1909)

( Figs 33a & 34a)

Euperilampus cerasinus Bréthes, 1909: 56 .

Aspicera bacchicida Borgmeier, 1935: 2 , synonymyzed in Díaz, 1979: 98.

Prosaspicera bacchicida (Borgmeier) Weld, 1952: 167 .

Prosaspicera cerasina (Bréthes) De Santis & Esquivel, 1967: 50 , and De Santis, 1967: 96.

Type material of Euperilampus cerasinus Bréthes : HOLOTYPE female collected in ARGENTINA deposited in MACN (Buenos Aires, Argentina) collected according to Díaz, 1979: 100 in Buenos Aires, II/1906, with the following labels: “ Euperilampus cerasinus Bréthes ” (handwrited, white label), “Museo de la Plata, Holotipo, Prosaspicera cerasina (Bréthes) ” (red label), “ Mus. Arg. Cs. Nat. ” (white label), “ Prosaspicera cerasina (Bréthes) ♀, Ros-Farré det-1999” (white label).

Type material of Aspicera bacchicida Borgmeier : (3 ♂ & 1 ♀). HOLOTYPE male collected in BRAZIL deposited in MZRJ (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ) with the following labels: “ Rio de Janeiro, H. Souza Lopes, 9934” (white label), “prepara… antena” (handwrited, red label), “7856” (white label), “Typus” (red label), Aspicera bacchicida ♂ Borg., det Borgmeier 1934” (white label), “ Holotype ” (red label), “ Prosaspicera cerasina (Bréthes) ♂ Ros-Farré det-1999” (white label) . PARATYPES: 2 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( MZRJ) , same's data type.

Additional material: (1 ♂ & 4 ♀). BRAZIL: 1 ♀ ( UFRRJ), parasite of Baccha , Costa Lima col. ; 1 ♂ ( UB), 15-I- 1941 in Campinas , SP., ex. Baccha sp. , H. L. Parker col. ; 1 ♀ ( NHM) XI- 1961 in Belem. , ex. puparium of Baccharis spicata .; ARGENTINA: 1 ♀ ( MACN), II-1906, Buenos Aires, J. Brethes col. ; 3 ♀ ( MACN), II- 1906 in Buenos Aires, ex Baccha bonariensis, J. Brethes col .; 1 ♀ ( MLP), 28-XI- 1973 in Entre Rios, Sosa col. ; 1 ♀ ( MACN) without locality ; 1 ♀ ( MACN) Lujan , Buenos Aires, H. H. Maristas col. ; 1 ♂ ( MACN) 17-XII-1908 without locality; 1 undetermined sex ( MACN), 1912 in Buenos Aires, A. Zotta col.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera cerasina is similar to P.carinata . because both have long and carinated scutellar spine ( Fig. 33); scutellar fovea shallow, big, smooth and without posterior margin. In P. cerasina the frons has strong longitudinal/transverse carinae or it is carinate-rugose, the occipital carina is weakly angled behind dorsal 1/3 of eye, the vertex is widely incised and the ocelli conspicuously prominent. Parascutal sulcus is weak, coriaceous, densely pubescent, narrow and weak or absent from the tegulae to the anterior end of notauli.

Redescription. Length. Females 3.2–4.0 mm.; male 3.4 mm.

Coloration. Head black. Mesosoma black, light brown, or brown with some darker areas. Legs and antenna ambarinus. Metanotum black.

Head. Frons with strong longitudinal or transverse carinae or carinate-rugose. Lateral frontal carinae strongly prominent, area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina weakly angled behind dorsal 1/3 of eye, rounded in male. Gena not expanded, coriaceous and densely pubescent; shiny, sparsely pubescent, with small transverse carinae in male. Vertex widely incised, coriaceous with few transverse carinae or with carinae going from lateral ocelli to central ocellus, in posterior part weakly coriaceous, with two longitudinal carinae bounding the median vertical groove, which is coriaceous. Ocelli conspicuously prominent. Occiput shining, weakly coriaceous, with three transverse carinae.

Antenna. FEMALE. Subclavate. Antennal formula: 5(3.2): 2(2.8): 6(2.4): 5(2.2): 5(2.2): 5(2.2): 4.5(3): 4.5(3): 4(2.5): 4.2(2.5): 4(2): 4(2): 9(2). MALE. Subclavate. Antennal formula: 6(3): 2(2.5): 6(2.8): 5(2.6): 5(2.5): 5(2.5): 4.8(2.4): 4.5(2.5): 4.5(2.4): 4(2.3): 4(2.2): 4(2.2): 4(2.2): 7(2).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum ranging from granulate to coriaceous, densely pubescent. Subpronotal plate finely coriaceous and pubescent laterally, weakly coriaceous and glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum coriaceous, with short, strong to weak, transverse carinae between notauli, densely pubescent laterally and sparsely pubescent centrally. Antero-admedian lines strongly prominent, reaching between 1/3 and 1/2 the length of mesoscutum and almost parallel in posterior part, slightly convergent in males; median ridge prominent, not divided before median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli smooth or with effaced transverse carinae and wide, wider centrally. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth or weakly sculptured in anterior part. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow little prominent. Parascutal sulcus weak, coriaceous, densely pubescent from basis to tegula; narrow and weak or absent from tegula to anterior end of notauli. Mesopleura slightly coriaceous in anterior part. Scutellum 1.80 to 2.33 times scutum length. Scutellar foveae heart-shaped, big, shallow, smooth and shining, posterior margin usually incomplete; interfoveal line going on along spine, although weakly in posterior half; lateral carina not prominent. Scutellar disc and spine between coriaceous and striated, spine smooth and narrowing abruptly before apex. Base of scutellar spine, in lateral view, in same plane as scutellar foveae, upwards directed after base, apex ventrally directed; spine runs, at least, to end of radial cell of wing.

Wings. Forewing membrane hyaline. Radial cell 1.75 to 1.88 times longer than wide in males and 2.14 to 2.28 in females. Marginal pubescence absent. R1 short; Rs slightly or strongly curved.

Biology. Unknown. Ex. Baccha sp. (Syrphidae) according to Borgmeier (1935) and De Santis (1980); Ex. Nausigaster bonariensis (Syrphidae) according to Díaz (1979); Ex. Criarhina nigriventis ( Syrphidae ) according to Huergo (1909). According to the label data it has also been collected on “puparium of Baccharis spicata ”, since Baccharis is a plant, it is likely the puparium was on Baccharin, but it is unknown what species the puparium belongs to.

Distribution. Neotropical. Known from Argentina and Brazil.

Prosaspicera confusa Ros-Farré n. sp.

( Figs 9a & 10a)

Type material: ( 1 ♂). HOLOTYPE male ( NHM), 26-VIII-1938, Nam Tamai Valley , Alt 3,000 ft. Lat. N. 27º42', Long. E. 97º54'., UPPER BURMA, R. Kaulback col.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera confusa is similar to P. validispina . Antenna longer than the body. Transverse carinae of pronotum straight in P. validispina ( Fig. 10b) and sinuate in P. confusa ( Fig. 10a) and scutellar foveae have posterior margin in P. confusa ( Fig. 9a), but not in P. validispina ( Fig. 9b). Moreover, P. confusa has the frons coriaceous and with coarse frontal carinae, genae coriaceous and with wide spaced transverse carinae, mesoscutum coriaceous and transversely carinated, notauli smooth, parascutal sulcus wide and continuing to anterior end of notauli, scutellar spine long, marginal pubescence rather dense and starting after R1.

Description. Length. Male 3.5 mm; female unknown.

Coloration. Head, mesosoma and metanotum black. Antenna dark. Legs dark brown, pedicellum and antennomeres dark brown.

Head. Frons coriaceous with strong frontal carinae. Lateral frontal carinae prominent, area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina forming a blunt angle behind dorsal 1/3 of eye. Gena expanded, coriaceous, with wide spaced transverse carinae, nearly glabrous. Vertex very much incised, coriaceous, in posterior part with one longitudinal carina on each side of median vertical groove, which is smooth and shining. Ocelli conspicuously prominent. Occiput coriaceous, with one or two transverse carinae.

Antenna. Filiform, longer than body. Antennal formula: 4(3): 1.5(2.5): 7(2.2): 7.8(2): 8(2): 8(2): 7.8(2): 7.5(2): 7(2): 6.8(2): 6(2): 6(2): 6(1.9): 9(1.8).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum coriaceous, with conspicuous transverse and sinuate carinae; sparsely pubescent. Subpronotal plate coriaceous sparsely pubescent laterally, glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum with few scattered setae, coriaceous, transversely carinated. Antero-admedian lines wide and prominent, reaching between 1/3 and 1/2 the length of mesoscutum, parallel in posterior part; median ridge prominent and divided before the median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli wide, smooth and narrowing toward anterior end. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, continuing to anterior end of notauli, glabrous, coriaceous in posterior part, smooth in anterior part. Mesoscutum 1.93 times higher than long. Mesopleura coarsely coriaceous in anterior part. Scutellum 1.68 times length of scutum. Scutellar foveae big, transversely oval, rather deep, with very weak longitudinal carinae and with posterior margin; interfoveal line and lateral carinae prominent and going on along the spine to last 1/4. Scutellum and spine coriaceous. Scutellar spine, in lateral view, in same plane as scutellar foveae, slightly curved and reaching the middle of radial cell of wing.

Wings. Forewing membrane hyaline. Radial cell 2.0 times longer than wide. Marginal pubescence rather dense and starting after R1. R1 rather long; Rs straight, slightly curved near margin of wing.

Derivatio nominis. Because the first time we saw this specimen, we confused it with P.validispina as they are similar.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Oriental. Known only from Myanmar ( Burma).