Aximopsis lanceolepis Gates

Gates, M. W., Metz, M. A. & Schauff, M. E., 2006, The circumscription of the generic concept of Aximopsis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eurytomidae) with the description of seven new species, Zootaxa 1273, pp. 9-54 : 43-44

Aximopsis lanceolepis Gates , n. sp.

( Figs. 3 , 57 , 68 )

Etymology

lancea (Latin, noun, feminine) = spear + lepis (Greek, noun, feminine) = scale; “the one with lanceolate, scalelike setae a noun in apposition describing the dense setation of the thorax.

Diagnosis and identification

Aximopsis lanceolepis is unique among the other species by have a dense covering of distinctly lanceolate, scalelike setae on the lower head including the gena, lower face, supraclypeal area, and interantennal projection ( Fig. 57 ). Other species have setae that is mostly filiform or, at most, only slightly flattened.

Female. Length 3.0 mm. Prepectus with a shallow weakly striate concavity in middle. Gaster with effaced reticulation occurring dorsally on some segments; Gt1 with striate sculpturing anteromedially and expanding posterolaterally into “Y” shape. Antenna dark brown, scape at extreme base and pedicel dark yellow. Legs brown, except extreme apices of fore­ and midfemora, apices of tibiae, and tarsomeres pale yellow, pretarsus brown.

Head ( Fig. 57 ). 1.2X wider than high; subequal to width of pronotum; HTE:msp 2.38. Preorbital carina produced into a horn at vertex. POL 3.6X longer than OOL. Width of oral fossa 0.38X width of head. Scape 5.4X longer than broad. Antennal segment ratios 20:4:1:9:8:8:7:7:14. Clava 2.3X longer than broad.

Mesosoma. Dorsal pronotum 2.9X wider than long, with paired pronotal processes. Mesoscutum 2X broader than long. Length and width of scutellum subequal. Dorsellum disc composed of a central ovoid structure with lateral arms broadening laterally into paddle­shapes. Propodeum central depression formed from a reduction of interstices, large foveum present dorsally, lateral ridges expanded and umbilicate. Postmarginal vein subequal in length to stigma, ratio of mv:pmv 0.87.

Metasoma ( Fig. 3 ). Petiole length and width subequal; dorsal lateral carinae higher and thickened in mediolateral plane in middle; ventral surface with weak medial and lateral carinae.

Male. Unknown

Type material

Holotype Ψ ( USNM ENTO 00480018) ( USNM); Bolivia: Santa Cruz: La Guardia, v.5 ­13.1962, G.B. Vogt, Vogt coll. #62­345, reared from Pachyschelus ( Coleoptera : Buprestidae ) ex Annona .

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 9. 2. Axima zabriskiei, female gaster, lateral. 3. Aximopsis lanceolepis, female gaster, lateral. 4. Ax. zabriskiei female, forewing. 5. Aximopsis female, forewing. 6. Aplatoides diabolus, female head, lateral. 7 – 8. Ax. zabriskiei, female: 7. ventrolateral prepectus, 8. prepectus, lateral. 9. A. vogti, female, ventrolateral prepectus.

FIGURES 52 – 59. 52. A. vogti, female, mesosoma, dorsal. 53. A. vogti, male, antennae. 54. A. vogti, male, metasoma, lateral. 55. A. hespenheidei, female, propodeum, dorsal. 56. A. hippolytis, female, pronotum, anterior. 56. A. vogti, female, metasoma, lateral. 57. A. lanceolepis, female, head, anterior. 58. A. pythmenis, female, head, dorsolateral. 59. A. anubis, prepectus, lateral.

FIGURES 68 – 69. 68. A. pythmenis, gena, lateral. 69. A. pythmenis, propodeum, dorsolateral.