Synopeas Förster, 1856

Awad, Jessica, Krogmann, Lars & Talamas, Elijah, 2023, Taxonomic history and review of the Förster genera of Platygastridae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 875 (1), pp. 1-46 : 34-35

Genus Synopeas Förster, 1856

Figs 20–21

Synopeas Förster, 1856: 108 , 114. Type species Synopeas inerme Thomson, 1859 by first subsequent inclusion.

Ectadius Förster, 1856: 108 , 113. Type species Platygaster craterus Walker, 1835 by monotypy. Junior synonym of Synopeas Förster, 1856 .

Polymecus Förster, 1856: 144 . Unnecessary replacement name for Ectadius Förster, 1856 .

Sactogaster Förster, 1856: 108 , 113, 114. Type species Epimeces ventralis Westwood, 1833 by subsequent designation by Ashmead 1893: 284.

Dolichotrypes Crawford & Bradley, 1911: 124 , 125, pl. 8. Type species Dolichotrypes hopkinsi Crawford & Bradley, 1911 by monotypy and original desgination.

Stosta Kozlov 1975a: 310–313 . Type species Stosta tosticola Kozlov, 1975 , by monotypy and original designation.

Haustagaster Szabó, 1979: 178 , 179; 1981: 285, 286. Type species Haustagaster compressiventris Szabó, 1981 by monotypy.

Ectadius Förster, 1856 – Masner 1965: 140.

Polymecus Förster, 1856 – Masner 1965: 140.

Sactogaster Förster, 1856 – Kozlov 1978: 1200.

Dolichotrypes Crawford & Bradley, 1911 – Masner 1964: 149, 150.

Stosta Kozlov 1975 – Talamas & Buffington 2014: 112 , 113, figs 29–32.

Haustagaster Szabó, 1979 – Buhl 2000: 415–419.

Remarks

Förster’s description of Synopeas is rather minimal, consisting mainly of the mesoscutellum bearing a short wart- or awl-like spine. More recently, Jackson (1969) defined the genus by the fusion of T1 and T2 and the presence of a ventral pronotal pit. Our interpretation of Synopeas includes a highly variable shape of the mesoscutellar spine, from almost non-existent to very prominent ( Awad et al. 2021). The type species of Synopeas is Sy. inerme Thomson, 1859 (Muesebeck & Walkley 1856). Ashmead (1893; 1903) incorrectly listed Sy. prospectus Förster, 1861 and Sy. melampus Förster, 1861 as the type species, respectively.

The type specimens of all three Förster species are in the NHMW. The collection also includes an original exemplar of Platygaster muticus Nees, 1834 , which was transferred to Synopeas by Thomson (1859) based on the description. The lectotype of this species is in OXUM, with only the metasoma and legs remaining, and these body parts were the basis for Graham (1988) considering it to be a species of Platygaster . The original exemplar in NHMW clearly belongs to Synopeas , and is thus of no use in providing additional information about the species. Platygaster muticus is essentially a nomen dubium because it cannot be recognized at the species level based on the remaining parts of the type and the original description, but it clearly does not belong in Synopeas , where it is currently placed, and we here transfer it to Platygaster .

Figures

Fig. 20. Synopeas inerme Thomson, 1859, lectotype, ♀ (MZLU TYPE 2854:1-2). A. Lateral habitus. B. Anterodorsal habitus. C. Dorsal habitus. D. Labels. Images courtesy of Biological Museum, Lund University (MZLU).

Fig. 21. Synopeas prospectum Förster, 1861, lectotype, ♀ (NHMW-HYM#0005306). A. Lateral habitus. B. Anterolateral head. C. Labels.