Cremnops virginiensis (Morrison)

Tucker, Erika M., Chapman, Eric G. & Sharkey, Michael J., 2015, A revision of the New World species of Cremnops Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae), Zootaxa 3916 (1), pp. 1-83 : 72

Cremnops virginiensis (Morrison)

[ Plate 27 , Figs A–I]

Bracon virginiensis Morrison, 1917 . Female.

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished by the carina on the hind trochantellus, wide subpronopes partition, short malar space, asymmetrical hind claw inner teeth, and a few, often weak, sternaulus pits.

Description. Holotype: female. Body length 7 mm (6.5–8 mm).

Head (Figs C & F). Thirty-nine (38–42) flagellomeres. Lateral carina of frons weak, ending immediately anteriad lateral ocellus. Interocellar space not elevated, level with lateral ocelli. Malar space 0.8x (0.7–1.0x) eye height. Apical tooth of mandible not extending past margin of basal lobe.

Mesosoma (Figs D, E & H). Subpronopes adjacent, separated by a partition wider than the longitudinal length of the dorsomedial portion of pronotum. Median mesonotal lobe depressed medially. Notaulus smooth. Scutellar sulcus with 1 longitudinal carina. Hind margin of posterolateral scutal flange not prominent; rather: 90° to obtuse (to lobed). Mesoscutellar trough with (to without) longitudinal carinae laterally. Metanotal trough without extensive longitudinal carinae laterally. Sternaulus with 2 (1–3 usually weak) pits; about 1/ 4x (to 1/ 2x) length of mesopleuron. Discrimen foveolate (to smooth). Medial propodeal areola with 4 (3–5) transverse carinae. Metapleuron rugose on ventral margin.

Hind leg (Fig. I). Femur length about 4x width. Trochantellar carina present. Distal tibia with 2 spines. Inner tooth of inner and outer claws asymmetrical, broad, angled quadrangular-shaped.

Fore wing (Fig. G). Melanic; veins melanic; stigma melanic. 2nd submarginal cell slightly higher than wide (to as high as wide). Hyaline spot in anterior part of 1st submarginal cell and basal part of 2nd discal cell.

Metasoma (Figs A & B). 1st median tergite length about 1.5x apical width, apical width about 2.5x basal width.

Body Color Orange, except black as follows: distal part of hind tibia (sometimes hind tarsus).

Biology. Host —Unknown.

Adults Collected —April to October.

Geographic Range —Maine west to California, Quebec south to Texas and Florida. See map in Appendix II.

Comments. This species is closely related to, and difficult to distinguish from, C. ferrugineus . The most reliable character to separate C. virginiensis from C. ferrugineus is the hind claw inner basal teeth. Cremnops virginiensis has asymmetrical basal teeth, while C. ferrugineus has symmetrical basal teeth. Cremnops virginiensis is also primarily found in the Nearctic region, while C. ferrugineus is generally found in the Neotropical region. Molecular analyses support C. virginiensis and C. ferrugineus as two separate, but closely related species.

Etymology. Presumably named for the state of Virginia, where the holotype was collected.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: female, Falls Church, Virginia, type no. 20484, ( USNM) (H3465). Non- Types: 1 ( CMNH), 4 ( ESSIG), 17 ( MCZ), 11 ( INHS), 5 ( CAS), 13 ( CNC), 1 ( UFUC), 3 ( UCDC), 39 ( FSCA), 54 ( HIC). For holotype and additional images see Appendix VIII.

Figures

PLATE 27. Cremnops virginiensis. A. lateral habitus; B. dorsal habitus; C. lateral head; D. mesopleuron; E. mesoscutum; F. face; G. wings; H. propodeum; I. hind leg.