Calosota Curtis

Gary A. P., Gibson, 2010, Calosota Curtis (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eupelmidae) - review of the New World and European fauna including revision of species from the West Indies and Central and North America, ZooKeys 55, pp. 1-75 : 4-6

Calosota Curtis

Calosota Curtis 1836: folio 596. Type species: Calosota vernalis Curtis, by original designation.

Calosoter Walker 1837: 358. Type species: Calosoter vernalis Walker (= Calosota aestivalis Curtis), by subsequent designation ( Westwood 1839: 72). Designation of Pteromalus eneubulus Walker as type species by Ashmead (1904: 288) incorrect because species not originally included. Synonymy by Gahan and Fagan 1923: 26.

Metacalosoter Masi 1917: 167-168. Type species: Metacalosoter frequens Masi, by monotypy. Synonymy by Gibson 1989: 60.

Calosota (Paracalosota) Masi 1922: 142. Type species: Calosota (Paracalosota) viridis Masi, by monotypy. Synonymy by Bouček 1988: 544.

Calosota (Hylephila) Masi 1927: 330. Type species: Calosota (Hylephila) stenogastra Masi, by monotypy. Synonymy by Bouček 1988: 544. Homonym of Hylephila Bilberg 1820 and Hylephila Rondani 1877, discovered by Ghesquière (1946: 368).

Calosota (Hylephilisca) Ghesquière 1946: 368. Replacement name for Calosota (Hylephila) Masi (1922); synonymy by Bouček 1988: 544.

Calosota (Minaia) Pagliano and Scaramozzino 1990: 5, 128. Nomen nudum, proposed as replacement name for Calosota (Hylephila) Girault 1927, which does not exist.

Recognition.

Gibson (1989) provided a key to differentiate Calosota from the other seven described world genera of Calosotinae . Individuals are differentiated from other New World Calosotinae by the following combination of features: axillae widely separated and with straight rather than incurved inner margins (Figs 71-78); mesoscutum without distinctly V-like convergent notauli, but anterodorsally with one or two sets of subparallel lines consisting of notauli and/or anteroadmedian lines between parapsidal lines (e.g. Fig. 12); scutellum truncate anteriorly and carinate laterally posterior to axilla; prepectus extending to tegula when mesonotum not arched; mesoscutum coriaceous to reticulate (Figs 71-78), but not umbilicate.

Gibson (1989) gave a detailed generic description for Calosota . Characteristic features that are not treated in the following descriptions are: dorsellum reticulate to reticulate-strigose and variably expanded over apex of scutellum depending on whether mesonotum flexed or not; female propodeum with foramen incurved to or almost to anterior margin and with lateral longitudinal furrow or carina delineating median, bowtie-like, plical region (Figs 74, 79), but male propodeum much longer medially and therefore plical region more distinctly longitudinally strigose- or carinate-coriaceous (Figs 72, 77); metapleuron setose; mesotarsus ventrally with row of yellowish to reddish tarsal pegs on either side; metatibia with inconspicuous row of spinelike denticles along dorsal length.

Previously described Neotropical species.

Noyes (2003) listed Calosota eneubulus (Walker, 1838), Calosota cecidobius (Kieffer, 1910), and Calosota silvai ( Brèthes, 1917) as three Neotropical species of Calosota . Calosota chrysideus (Ashmead, 1900) had previously been transferred to Eusandalum Ratzeburg by Gibson (1989: 56).

Calosota eneubulus was described originally in Pteromalus Swederus by Walker (1838: 475) from males collected in Galapagos Islands ( Charles’s Island), and subsequently was transferred by him to Calosoter Walker ( Walker 1846: 52). I examined two male syntypes in the BMNH (one labeled as lectotype by Z. Bouček in 1979) and de termined that they are males of a species of Eupelmus (Eupelmus) Dalman; therefore, I hereby classify the species as Eupelmus (Eupelmus) eneubulus (Walker) comb. n.

Calosota silvai was described originally in Calosoter by Brèthes (1917: 26-27) from an unstated number of females reared from the eggs of Macromphalia dedecora Feisthamel ( Lepidoptera : Lasiocampidae ) in Chile, and was transferred to Calosota by De Santis (1979: 11, 169). Two female syntypes on one card remain in MACN, plus a microscope slide with legs, a fore wing, and an antenna (J. Martinez, personal communication). Based on photographic images provided to me by J. Martinez, including a dorsal and lateral habitus, propodeal structure, fore wing venation and setal pattern, antennal structure, and mesotibial peg and mesotarsal peg pattern, I hereby transfer Calosota silvai to Brasema Cameron as Brasema silvai ( Brèthes) comb. n.

Calosota cecidobius was described originally in Calosoter by Kieffer and Jörgensen (1910: 424) from Argentina and was transferred to Calosota by De Santis (1967: 172). Kieffer at least believed he had both sexes because the structure of the antenna was stated to be alike in both sexes. If so, Calosota cecidobius is very likely a member of Calosotinae because based on the rest of the description there is no indication of strong sexual dimorphism, which characterizes Eupelminae , and no genus of Neanastatinae is suggested by the description. The axillae are described as being separated by about their own width, which could indicate a species of Calosota , though other genera of Calosotinae (see Gibson 1989) and some female Eupelminae also have the axillae noticeably separated (see figs in Gibson 1995). Further, the original description states that the mesotarsus has two rows of short, black, thick spines ventrally. The mesotarsal pegs in Calosota can be somewhat yellowish-brown similar to the color of the tarsus, to reddish distally, but they are not black in distinct contrast to a lighter colored tarsus. Black mesotarsal pegs that contrast distinctly with the tarsus is more indicative of most female Eupelminae . The anal segment of the abdomen is also described as having a transverse row of erect black bristles. Although some female Calosota have quite distinct, longer, dark setae along the curved posterior margin of the syntergum, a transverse row of bristle-like setae is most obvious for females of Brasema that have the syntergal margin slightly emarginate rather than posteriorly curved in dorsal view. Most ambiguous is the statement "Thorax vorn gewölbt, am Mesonotum eingedrückt, Parapsiden furchen fehlen" (Thorax convex in front, impressed/concave at the mesonotum, parapsidal furrows absent). It is possible that Kieffer was referring to the mesoscutum rather than the entire mesonotum being impressed. Females of Calosota often have the mesoscutum quite abruptly, convexly raised behind the pronotum and often low convex or flat to slightly depressed dorsally anterior to a flat or variably convex scutellum (e.g. Fig. 27). The mesoscutum of female Eupelminae is characteristically concave posteromedially behind a convex anteromedial lobe between convex lateral lobes, with the anteromedial lobe being separated from the lateral lobes by variably developed V-like furrows (see figs in Gibson 1995). If Kieffer was in fact describing the mesoscutal structure of a female eupelmine it is likely he would have interpreted these furrows as parapsidal furrows rather than stating that these are absent. Furthermore, even though he described the two small protibial apical spines that are characteristic of both sexes of Eupelm idae ( Gibson 1989) he did not mention mesotibial apical pegs. Mesotibial apical pegs, when present, usually are more obvious than protibial apical spines. They are absent from most Calosota but are possessed by females of the most likely eupelmine genera to have been described from South America, such as Brasema . The overall description of Calosota cecidobius therefore supports it as a member of Calosotinae and mostly likely as a member of Calosota , though I am not completely satisfied with this conclusion because of some aspects of the description. Future rearing of Tetradiplosis sexdentatus Kieffer & Jorgensen ( Diptera : Cecidomyiidae ) galls, the stated host, in Argentina should help resolve the uncertainty because all the coxae were described as whitish in Calosota cecidobius , which is presently unknown for any Calosotinae and is quite unusual for Eupelminae .

Key to species of Calosota Curtis in West Indies and Central and North America

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