Pristiphora chalybeata Benson

Smith, David R., 2011, Nematinae (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) of Thailand, with notes on some other southeastern Asian nematines, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 22, pp. 1-27 : 15

Pristiphora chalybeata Benson Figs 28, 29

Pristiphora chalybeata Benson 1963: 23, Figs 6, 11

Description.

Female. Described by Benson (1963).

Male. Length, 5.0 mm. Black with narrow posterior margins of abdominal segments white; legs with coxae black, trochanters white, femora black except extreme apex and base of fore- and midfemora white, tibiae white except apical half of hind tibia black, fore- and midtarsi white with apical 3 tarsomeres black, hind tarsus black with small white spot at base of hind basitarsomere. Wings lightly, uniformly infuscated; veins and stigma black.

Head and body shiny, covered with short white pubescence; head and thorax with widely spaced minute punctures. Antennal length about 2.2 × head width, flagellum without thick interspersed spines. Mandible in lateral view swollen at base, with slender bladelike apex. Malar space nearly linear, about one-fourth width of front ocellus. Lower interocular distance about 1.3 × eye height. Distance between eye and hind ocellus about 0.9 × distance between hind ocelli. Postocellar area about 2.2 × broader than long. Tarsal claws with long inner tooth, slightly shorter than outer tooth. Hind basitarsomere 0.8 × length of following tarsomeres combined; inner hind tibial spur about 0.2 × length of basitarsomere. Genitalia in Figs 28, 29 ; penis valve slender with strong transverse spine; gonodcardo narrow.

Specimen examined.

THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon NP, Kew Maepan Trail, 8°33.162'N, 98°28.810'E, 2200 m, Malaise trap, 29.xii.2006-5.i.2007, Y. Areeluck leg., T1893 (1 ♂).

Discussion.

Wei (1998: fig. 5) illustrated the apex of the penis valve of Moricella rufonota . The specimen examined has a transverse spine very much like Pristiphora chalybeata ; however, the penis valve ( Fig. 29 ) is identical to that illustrated by Benson (1963: fig. 6) for Pristiphora chalybeata , though in the slide mount of the valve, it appears at a slightly different angle. I have not seen this type of spine in specimens or descriptions of other Pristiphora species.

It is possible Benson (1963) made the wrong association of the male with the female holotype of Pristiphora chalybeata . The female Benson described is a typical Pristiphora , with characteristic mandibles, wing venation, and lancet ( Benson 1963, Figs 3 , 11 ). The females of Moricella have an evenly tapering left mandible, crossvein 2r is present in the forewing, and the lancets have numerous annular spines and a strong spurette above the anterior portion of each serrula (as in Fig. 10 ). The male, described here, appears to belong to Pristiphora because of the more slender, less evenly tapering left mandible and absence of 2r in the forewing; however, it shares with Moricella the transverse spine of the penis valve, very narrow gonocardo, and absence of strong interspersed setae on the flagellum. It is possible this is actually the male of Moricella rueaensis , but inasmuch as this was associated with Pristiphora chalybeata by Benson (1963), I retain this placement until sexes can be associated with certainty.

Figures

Figures 26 - 33. Male genitalia. Genital capsule ventral view; penis valve lateral view 26 Genital capsule, Pristiphora borneensis 27 Penis valve, Pristiphora borneensis 28 Genital capsule, Pristiphora chalybeata 29 Penis valve, Pristiphora chalybeata 30 Genital capsule, Pristiphora annetna 31 Penis valve, Pristiphora annetna 32 Genital capsule, Pristiphora ettera 33 Penis valve, Pristiphora ettera.

Figures 1 - 3. Trichiocampus pruni 1 Dorsolateral view; left line points to basal anal cell; right line to position of M joining Sc + R 2 Sheath and ovipositor 3 Lancet.

Figures 11 - 13. Nematus soidaoi, holotype 11 Lateral view 12 Head, front view 13 Sheath and lancet.

Figures 8 - 10. Moricella rueaensis, holotype 8 Lateral view 9 Dorsal view; left line points to position of M joining Sc + R, right line points to vein 2 r 10 Lancet.