Conophorisca Hedqvist

Desjardins, Christopher A., 2007, Phylogenetics and classification of the world genera of Diparinae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Zootaxa 1647 (1), pp. 1-88 : 36-39

Conophorisca Hedqvist

( Figs. 5–15 , 63, 64 )

Conophorisca Hedqvist 1969: 199–201 . Type species: Conophorisca annulata (orig. desig. and by monotypy).

Diagnosis: Conophorisca belongs to a clade with Myrmicolelaps , and this clade can be diagnosed with 2 characters. First, the propodeal foramen is hinge-like, opening both dorsally and ventrally ( Fig. 31 ). All remaining diparines have a propodeal foramen which is circular and open only in 1 plane. Second, the petiole is at least 2X as long as broad and constricted antero-ventrally ( Fig. 12 ). Few diparines have petioles more than 1.5X as long as broad, and all other diparines have a cylindrical petiole ( Fig. 60 ), or in the case of Conodipara , an L-shaped petiole. Within this clade, Conophorisca can be identified by having its toruli located on a shelf, where the upper face is separated from the lower face by a sharp angle of ~90° ( Fig. 8 ), and also by lacking an expanded axillary wing sclerite ( Fig. 10 , see Fig. 30 , aws, for presence of the sclerite).

Discussion: Conophorisca is resolved as monophyletic in only 1 of the phylogenetic analyses (the three species generally form an unresolved polytomy with Myrmicolelaps ). This combined clade is supported by a the presence of a hinge-like propodeal foramen and an antero-ventrally constricted petiole. However, Conopho- risca itself may actually represent a monophyletic lineage. The three characters which would support Conophorisca paraphyly are eye setation, presence/absence of a malar groove, and degree of claval fusion. The difficulty of coding eye setation is discussed in that character’s entry (#12). Regarding the malar groove and claval fusion, it is possible that reduction of the groove and fusion of all claval segments may be associated with a reduction of body size. Conophorisca grisselli is extremely small, and has both of these features, while the larger C. annulata and C. littoriticus have a malar groove and only 2 fused claval segments. On the other hand, the presence of a sharply angled torular shelf supports monophyly of the genus. While the previously mentioned characters are highly homoplastic in the analysis (e.g. setose eyes are independently derived 6 times), the torular shelf in only derived independently in one other taxon, Dozodipara . Therefore, Conophorisca is maintained as a valid genus herein.

Number of Species: 3 described, at least 3 undescribed.

Distribution: South Africa (Western Cape, Eastern Cape).

Hosts: Unknown.

Key to Species: Given below.

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Conophorisca grisselli: 5, antenna; 6, clava; 7, head (frontal view); 8, head (ventro-latero-frontal view); 9, mesosoma (dorso-lateral view); 10, mesosoma - pronotum (dorso-lateral view).

FIGURES 11–16. Conophorisca grisselli: 11, mesosoma (lateral view); 12, metasoma (lateral view); 13, cercus. Lelaps sp. A: 14, antenna; 15, clava; 16, clypeus, mct = median clypeal tooth.

FIGURES 59–64. Lateral habitus views: 59, Neapterolelaps viridescens; 60, N. mitteri; 61, Cerodipara sabensis; 62, Chimaerolelaps villosa; 63, Conophorisca littoriticus; 64, C. grisselli.

FIGURES 29–34. Myrmicolelaps aurantius: 29, scutum + scutellum (dorsal view); 30, scutellum (dorso-lateral view), teg = tegula, aws = axillary wing sclerite; 31, propodeal foramen + metasternum (posterior view); 32, metaleg; 33, metatibial spur; 34, metasoma (lateral view).