Amphibolips, Reinhard, 1865

Cuesta-Porta, Victor, Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Stone, Graham N., Equihua-Martinez, Armando, Estrada-Venegas, Edith & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2023, Revision of the Amphibolips ‘ niger’ group with the description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Cynipini), Zootaxa 5360 (4), pp. 451-486 : 454

Below we present the formal description and re-descriptions of eight species of Amphibolips

belonging to the ‘ niger’ complex, all from the Nearctic A. elatus Kinsey, 1937 , A. gumia Kinsey, 1937 , A. ufo Cuesta-Porta & Pujade-Villar sp. nov., A. jubatus Kinsey, 1937 , A. maturus Kinsey, 1937 , A. nebris Kinsey, 1937 , A. nigra Beutenmüler, 1911 , A. pistrix Kinsey, 1937 . An identification key to species is also provided.

Key to asexual females

1. Antennae with 11-12 flagellomeres ( Fig. 1 ). Metasoma glabrous, except for the sparse pubescence on anterior part of second metasomal tergum, metasomal terga shiny smooth, usually with a conspicuous band of micropunctures in posterior margin ( Fig. 1 )............................................................................. Amphibolips ‘ nassa ’ group

- Antennae with 13-15 flagellomeres ( Fig. 8 ). Metasoma completely pubescent and punctured in lateral view ( Fig. 7 )................................................................................... ( Amphibolips ‘ niger ’ group) 2

2. Mesoscutum rugose, without transversal carinae ( Fig. 55 ); central and lateral propodeal areas shiny smooth with tiny piliferous points ( Fig. 58 )....................................................................................... 3

- Mesoscutum carinated at least on anterior half ( Fig. 3 ), central propodeal area rugose and shiny, lateral propodeal area dull, faintly alutaceous or rugose ( Figs 15 , 32 ).................................................................. 4

3. Mesoscutellar disc coarsely rugose ( Fig. 48 ), propodeal carina present, metapleural carina conspicuous ( Fig. 46 ); central ocellus conspicuously smaller than lateral ocelli ( Fig. 45 )......................................................... nigra

- Mesoscutellar disc alutaceous, propodeal carinae absent ( Fig. 56 ), metapleural carina indistinct; all ocelli subequal ( Fig. 53 )................................................................................................ pistrix

4. Mesoscutum with carinae transversally parallel on anterior half around anterior parallel lines but never forming long carinae, rugose on posterior half, ( Fig. 64 )............................................................... ufo sp. nov.

- Mesoscutum completely carinated, most of the carinae bent towards the posterior margin of mesoscutum ( Figs 29 , 38 )..... 5

5. Mesosoma with variable rufous areas, but the axilla always rufous ( Figs 28–29 ). Posterior half of mesoscutum with faded carinated-rugose sculpture and alutaceous interspaces ( Fig. 29 ), piliferous points visible; median mesoscutal line visible on posterior margin; mesoscutellar disc strongly alutaceous with faint rugae ( Fig. 30 ); antenna with 13 flagellomeres...................................................................................................... maturus

- Mesosoma usually completely black, rarely with chestnut areas ventrally, axilla always black ( Figs 5 , 22 , 39 ). Mesoscutum uniformly strongly carinated-rugose, piliferous points absent ( Figs 3 , 12 , 38 ), median mesoscutal line absent or inconspicuous; mesoscutellar disc coarsely rugose ( Figs 5 , 14 , 39 ); antenna with 14-15 flagellomeres ( Figs 8 , 26 , 40 ).................. 6

6. Lower face, mesopleura, propodeum and legs chestnut ( Figs 35, 37 ), antenna completely rufous-brown ( Fig 40 ); lower face finely coriaceous without carinae.................................................................... nebris

- Head and mesosoma black ( Figs 2–5 , 18–22 ), at least first half of antennae black ( Fig. 8 , 25 ), lower face carinate-rugose ( Figs 2 , 10 , 25 )............................................................................................ 7

7. Notauli distinct on posterior 1/3 of mesoscutum ( Figs 20, 22 ), mesoscutellar foveae rounded, divided by a long strong carina extending the full-length of the foveae ( Fig. 22 )........................................................ jubatus

- Notauli absent or only slightly impressed on posterior margin of mesoscutum ( Figs 3 , 12 ), mesoscutellar foveae transversal, divided by a short thin carina, extending to half of the length of the foveae ( Figs 5 , 14 ).............................. 8

8. Lower face finely rugose with distinct piliferous points ( Fig. 2 ); malar space without striae radiating from clypeus; 2r vein of fore wing strongly projecting into radial cell ( Fig. 6 )..................................................... elatus

- Lower face strongly carinated, without piliferous points ( Fig. 10 ); malar space with striae radiating from clypeus; 2r vein short, slightly projecting into radial cell ( Fig. 17 )............................................................. gumia

Figures

FIGURE 1. Amphibolips murata Weld, 1957, representative of the ‘nassa’ species-group; lateral habitus, extracted from the Smithsonian Institution website (http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/m350fdd1f3-a353-4d6c-98ce-ee807cbe7576), picture taken by Matt Buffington.

FIGURES 8–9. Amphibolips elatus, asexual female. 8, antenna and head in lateral view. 9, fore wing.

FIGURES 2–7. Amphibolips elatus, asexual female. 2, head in frontal view. 3–5 mesosoma: 3, mesosoma in dorsal view; 4, head and mesosoma in lateral view; 5, mesoscutellum in dorsal view. 6, fore wing, radial cell, detail of the 2r vein pointed by a black arrow. 7, metasoma in lateral view.

FIGURES 52–57. Amphibolips pistrix, asexual female. 52–53, head: 52, frontal view; 53, dorsal view. 54, head and mesosoma in lateral view. 55, mesosoma in dorsal view. 56, mesoscutellum in dorsal view. 57, antenna.

FIGURES 58–60. Amphibolips pistrix, asexual female. 58, mesosoma in posterior view, propodeum. 59, metasoma in lateral view. 60, fore wing.

FIGURES 15–17. Amphibolips gumia, asexual female. 15, mesosoma in posterior view. 16, metasoma in lateral view. 17, fore wing.

FIGURES 32–34. Amphibolips maturus, asexual female. 32, mesosoma in posterior view, propodeum. 33, metasoma in lateral view. 34, fore wing.

FIGURES 44–48. Amphibolips nigra, asexual female. 44–45, head: 44, frontal view; 45, dorsal view. 46, mesosoma in lateral view. 47, dorsal view. 48, mesoscutellum. Figures 44 and 47 extracted from the Smithsonian Institution website (http://n2t. net/ark:/65665/3cb7a761c-9006-4da2-8b93-1781664039cd), taken by Matt Buffington.

FIGURES 61–65. Amphibolips ufo sp. nov., asexual female. 61–62, head: 61, frontal view; 62, dorsal view. 63, head and mesosoma in lateral view. 64, mesosoma in dorsal view. 65, mesoscutellum in dorsal view.

FIGURES 26–31. Amphibolips maturus, asexual female. 26–27, head:26, frontal view; 27, dorsal view. 28, head and mesosoma in lateral view. 29, mesosoma in dorsal view. 30, mesoscutellum in dorsal view. 31, antenna.

FIGURES 35–40. Amphibolips nebris, asexual female. 35–36, head: 35, frontal view; 36, dorsal view. 37, head and mesosoma in lateral view. 38, mesosoma in dorsal view. 39, mesoscutellum in dorsal view. 40, antenna.

FIGURES 18–22. Amphibolips jubatus, asexual female. 18–19, head: 18, frontal view; 19, dorsal view. 20–22, mesosoma: 20, dorsal view; 21, head and mesosoma in lateral view; 22, mesoscutellum in dorsal view.

FIGURES 10–14. Amphibolips gumia, asexual female. 10–11, head: 10, frontal view; 11, dorsal view. 12–14, mesosoma: 12, dorsal view; 13, lateral view; 14, mesoscutellum in dorsal view.

FIGURES 23–25. Amphibolips jubatus, asexual female. 23, fore wing. 24, metasoma in lateral view. 25, antenna.