Xanthopimpla melanacantha Krieger, 1914

Pham, Nhi Thi, Broad, Gavin R., Matsumoto, Rikio & Wägele, Wolfgang J., 2011, 3056, Zootaxa 3056, pp. 1-67 : 31-32

Xanthopimpla melanacantha Krieger, 1914

Xanthopimpla melanacantha Krieger, 1914 . Arch. f. Naturgesch. (A) 80 (6): 22. Holotype: ♀, Thailand: Puket (ZMHB).

Xanthopimpla melanacantha oblongata Chao, 1997 Wuyi Sci. J. 13: 54. Holotype: ♀, Malaysia: Pasoh Forest Res. Negri S. (AEIC). New synonym.

Xanthopimpla melanacantha subtriangulata Chao, 1997 Wuyi Sci. J. 13: 54. Holotype: ♀, Malaysia: Pasoh Forest Res. Negri S. (AEIC). New synonym.

Diagnosis. Submetapleural carina entirely absent; propodeum with basal transverse carina absent or weakly present; lateral black mark on mesoscutum joined posteriorly to black mark in front of scutellum; mesopleuron with black spot medially; metaepisternum with two black spots; metasomal tergites with two black spots or with black bands; ovipositor sheath 0.57x hind tibia.

Distribution. Previously recorded from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines ( Yu et al. 2005), this is the first record of X. melanacantha from Vietnam (Fig. 21).

Remarks: Five subspecies of X. melanacantha Krieger are currently recognised: X. melanacantha melanacantha from Thailand and Indonesia, X. melanacantha citripes Townes & Chiu and X. melanacantha coxalis Townes & Chiu from the Philippines, X. melanacantha oblongata Chao and X. melanacantha subtriangulata Chao from Malaysia. The Vietnamese specimens with lateral black marks on the mesoscutum joined posteriorly to black marks in front of the scutellum agree well with either of the two subspecies from Malaysia. However, they differ from the described populations in that the lateral carina of the scutellum does not extend to the apex. We have found that the differences between the subspecies X. melanacantha melanacantha , X. melanacantha oblongata and X. melanacantha subtriangulata are minor and unreliable, given that the Vietnamese population cannot be placed unambiguously to subspecies. We could erect another new subspecies but we prefer instead to synonymise X. melanacantha oblongata and X. melanacantha subtriangulata under X. melanacantha melanacantha (syn. nov.). It is possible that the Philippines populations represent a separate species but that is beyond the scope of this work.

Material examined. Dong Nai, Cat Tien NP, 100 m a.s.l : 1♀ 1♂ ( RMNH), 01–09.x.2005 ; 2♂ ( RMNH), 15−20.V.2007 ; 1♂ ( RMNH), 13−20.V.2007, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries leg. ; 1♂ ( RMNH), 10–30.ix.2007, P. Q. Mai & T. M. Nguyen leg.