Archaeocercoides Simutnik, 2022

Simutnik, Serguei A., Perkovsky, Evgeny E., Khomych, Mykola R. & Vasilenko, Dmitry V., 2022, Two new genera of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) with reduced ovipositor sheaths, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 89, pp. 47-60 : 47

Genus Archaeocercoides Simutnik gen. nov.

Type species.

Archaeocercoides puchkovi Simutnik, sp. nov.

Species composition.

Type species only.

Etymology.

The new genus resembles the extinct genus Archaeocercus Simutnik, 2018 by its extremely apical position of the cerci (Fig. 3B-D , and figs 5, 6 in Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018a). The genus name is a masculine noun.

Diagnosis.

Habitus not ‘encyrtiform’, body not compact, slightly elongated and flattened; minimum distance between eyes almost 0.5 × head width; frontovertex broader than long, ocelli in strongly obtuse triangle, posterior ocelli elliptical in dorsal view; all 6 funicular segments transverse, first funicular segment ring-like; clava only slightly shorter than funicle, about 2.2 × as long as broad; mesoscutum and scutellum flat, notaular lines absent; scutellum as long as broad, flat, and as long as mesoscutum; marginal vein more than three times as long as broad, shorter than postmarginal one; covering setae (sensu Sharkov 1985) along basal margin of linea calva present, poorly-developed, but much longer than in Archaeocercus (Fig. 3A : cs and fig. 6 in Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018a); filum spinosum absent; parastigma not widened, only slightly wider than previous part of submarginal vein; strigil poorly developed; cerci located extremely close to gastral apex (Fig. 3B-D ); apex of hypopygium reaching way past apex of gaster (Fig. 3B-D ), lateral margins of hypopygium with row of short setae (Fig. 3C ); ovipositor sheaths very small (supposedly, their rudiments are visible in Fig. 3C, D : v3?); protruding part of ovipositor stylet upwardly bent, approximately as long as mesotarsus (Fig. 3B-D ). However, the ovipositor, partly, is in the "laying or ovipositing position". Therefore, when it was not in the ovipositing position, it would be mostly retracted and enclosed within the hypopygium and not really truly exserted. The hypopygium may also slightly not reach to the apex of the gaster.

Remarks.

The new genus is very similar to Archaeocercus Simutnik, 2018, but differs by the OOL being equal to the posterior ocellar diameter, the posterior ocelli are relatively larger and elliptical in dorsal view; the clava is more narrow and elongated; the parastigma is not expanded ( Archaeocercus with distinct parastigma, see figs 1, 2, 6 in Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018a); notauli are absent; the scutellum is longer, as broad as long, not shorter than the mesoscutum; the inner angles of the axillae are wider; the covering setae along linea calva are short but distinctly present; and by its long ovipositor stylet (in the "ovipositing position")(see figs 1-6 in Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018a). Trjapitzion Simutnik, 2018 clearly differs from the new genus in a high interantennal prominence, strongly expanded parastigma, strongly widened scape and mandible, and in very short legs, especially tarsi (figs 2, 3, 6 in Simutnik and Perkovsky 2018b).

Figures

Figure 3. A. puchkovi, gen. et sp. nov., holotype female A wings (cs - covering setae, lc- linea calva, unc - uncus) B body, lateral (v 1 + v 2 - ovipositor stylet) C apex of gaster, lateral (c - cercus, hyp- hypopygium, v 3? - supposedly, ovipositor sheath) D apex of gaster, posterolateral. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, C, D); 0.5 mm (B).