Chrysis nila Bingham, 1903

Rosa, Paolo, Aswathi, Pokkattu Gopi & Bijoy, Chenthamarakshan, 2021, An annotated and illustrated checklist of the Indian cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), Zootaxa 4929 (1), pp. 1-100 : 49

Chrysis nila Bingham, 1903

( Figs 45 A–45D)

Chrysis nila Bingham, 1903: 441 . Holotype ♂; India: Gujarat: Deesa (435 (key), 441 (descr.)) (NHMUK) (examined).

Chrysis (Holochrysis) nila: Bischoff 1913: 40 (cat., India).

Chrysis nila: Kimsey & Bohart 1991: 443 (cat., India: Deesa).

Material examined. 1 ♂, Type, Deesa 12.01, Col. C.G. Nurse Collection. 1920-72, Chrysis neela [!] ♂ Bingham Type, Chrysis nila (Bingh) , B.M. Type Hym. 13.71, BMNH(E) #970902 ( NHMUK) .

Distribution. India (Gujarat).

Remarks. Chrysis nila Bingham was not included in any species group by Kimsey & Bohart (1991). We here place it in the newly established Chrysis nila species group, together with Ch. variipes Mocsáry, 1911 . The nila group includes species of small dimensions (3.5–4.5 mm), face micropunctate medially; transverse frontal carina faint; malar spaces 1.0–1.5 × MOD; subantennal space 1.0 × MOD; forewing second radial cell open, with radial sector vein (Second radial cross & Radial sector) ending far from anterior wing margin; tergum III edentate, broadly rounded. Kimsey & Bohart (1991) placed Chrysis variipes doubtfully in the millenaris group, nevertheless members of the nila group can be recognized by the modified forewing venation, with second radial cell widely open, and sterna brown, apparently without visible black spots on the sternum II (wing venation unmodified and black spots large, almost medially connected in the millenaris group).

Figures

FIGURE 45. Chrysis nila Bingham, 1903, holotype, male. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Metasoma, dorsal view. Scale bars 1.0 mm. (© The Trustees of the NHMUK)