Trichrysis inops ( Gribodo, 1884 )

Rosa, Paolo, Aswathi, Pokkattu Gopi, Wiśniowski, Bogdan & Bijoy, Chenthamarakshan, 2022, Preliminary revision of the Indian cuckoo wasp genera Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876 and Chrysidea Bischoff, 1910, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae), European Journal of Taxonomy 852, pp. 117-143 : 124-126

Trichrysis inops ( Gribodo, 1884)

Figs 2 , 7A

Chrysis inops Gribodo, 1884: 318 .

Diagnosis

The inops group includes relatively small species (5.0–6.0 mm) with body largely covered by golden to red markings and stripes; TFC and lateral pronotal carina faint; apical margin of T3 with five pointed teeth; black spots on S2 small, oblique and largely separated medially. The following redescription is based on the Indian specimens.

Redescription

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length (5.0–6.0 mm).

HEAD. Vertex with double punctation, with small punctures on ocelli area; brow with contiguous punctures ( Fig. 2C ). Scapal basin deep and transversally ridged, micropunctate between ridges, covered with silvery, short, decumbent setae; TFC faint; malar space finely punctulate, about 1.0 × MOD; genal carina strong and complete, from temple to mandible insertion ( Fig. 2B ); anterior margin of clypeus slightly arched medially, with narrow brownish rim. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.5:0.9:0.7; F1 l/w = 3.7 (width taken basally); OOL = 1.6 × MOD; POL = 2.0 × MOD; MS = 1.0 × MOD.

MESOSOMA. Pronotal groove relatively shallow, triangular, almost extending to posterior margin of pronotum; sublateral carina faint ( Fig. 2A–B ); lateral pronotal margins, seen in dorsal view, distinctly concave medially; punctures on pronotum large and deep on anterior margin, sparser medially and posteriorly with shallow dots on interspaces; mesoscutum with large and denser punctures at base of median lobe, antero-medially with larger, micropunctate interspaces; notauli basally with deep fovea, followed by aligned and round foveate punctures, distinctly decreasing in diameter towards anterior margin; parapsidal lines barely visible; scutellum with spaced punctures, anteriorly shallow, with anteromedian area widely impunctate; scutellar-metanotal suture wide, with deep median fovea on metanotal anterior margin; metanotum micropunctate anteriorly, with large, deep punctures; posterior propodeal projections acute, slightly divergent; mesopleuron with deep, dense punctures; episternal sulcus partially visible; scrobal sulcus large and polished; wings unmodified, hyaline with brownish nervures.

METASOMA. Metasoma with large, round punctures and polished interspaces ( Fig. 2E ); punctures not distinctly geminate as in other species of the genus; T2 without median carina ( Fig. 2D ); T3 pre-pit bulge slightly convex; medially with longitudinal keel extending to median tooth; pit row distinct, with large, deep pits, partially confluent; post pit row densely micropunctate ( Fig. 2D ). Apex of T3 with five sharp teeth ( Fig. 2E ); interval between lateral teeth wider than interval between median tooth and first pair of lateral teeth; S2 black spots small, elliptic, distinctly separated medially ( Fig. 2F ).

COLOURATION. Body metallic green to blue ( Fig. 2A–B ), with golden to red stripes and markings on head, median lobe of mesoscutum, mesoscutellum laterally, metanotum and propodeum; with two golden to red posterolateral stripes on T1 and T2; greenish to golden ventrally. Scape, pedicel and base of F1 metallic green, rest of flagellum black. Tegula fully metallic blue. Legs metallic green; meso- and meta-basitarsus light brown to yellowish; other tarsi light brown.

Male

Not available for this study.

Material examined

Holotype ETHIOPIA • ♀; “ Scioa IX-XI, Let Marfià, Antinori 1879”; “ Chrysis Marefiensis ♀ Grib.” [handwritten by Gribodo]; “Typus; inops Gribodo ; Museo Civico di Genova”; “Lectotypus Chrysis inops ♀ Gribodo RM Bohart det.”; “Holotypus ♀ Chrysis inops Gribodo, 1884 ”; MSNG.

Lectotype: Lectotype of Chrysis natalica Mocsáry, 1913 SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Natal, Howic; “ natalica Mocs. typ. det. Mocsáry”; “Lectotypus Chrysis natalica Mocsáry R.M. Bohart ”; “id nr. 135515 HNHM Hym.coll.”; HNHM.

Other material INDIA • 1 ♀; Tamil Nadu, Vilupparam, Auroville, Disclipline village ; 12°0.7′ N, 79°47.97′ E; 1 Sep.– 31 Oct. 2019; local collector leg.; NHME • 1 ♀; same locality data as for preceding; 1 Jan.–26.Feb. 2020 • 1 ♀; Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai, Mt Arunalchal ; 11–19 Jul. 2019; NHME • 1 ♀; Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai town ; 11–18 Aug. 2019; NHME • 1 ♀; Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai, Mt Arunalchal ; 12°14′ N, 79°03′ E; alt. 760 m; 1–3 Jun. 2018; NHME • 2 ♀♀; same locality data as for preceding; 30 Nov.–2 Dec. 2018; NHME • 1 ♀; Tamil Nadu, Tiruvannamalai, Mt Arunalchal ; 12°14′ N, 79°03′ E; alt. 500 m; 2 Oct.–8 Nov. 2019; NHME • 1 ♀; same locality data as for preceding; 20–26 Jan. 2020; NHME .

Distribution

India (Tamil Nadu); Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Togo ( Madl & Rosa 2012).

Differential diagnosis

The specimens recorded are very similar to Trichrysis natalica ( Mocsáry, 1913) . This taxon, together with all the other species included in the inops group, was synonymised with T. inops by Kimsey & Bohart (1991) in the genus Praestochrysis Linsenmaier, 1959. Linsenmaier (1997) and Rosa et al. (2016) have already discussed the affinities of the members of this species group with Trichrysis rather than Praestochrysis.

After examination of almost all the types included in this species group and copious material, we consider the inops species group to be a rich group of species, mostly distributed in the Afrotropical region. Together with other experienced colleagues (e.g., Marek Halada ( Czech Republic) and Maurizio Pavesi ( Italy)) we think that several taxa placed in synonymy with inops by Kimsey & Bohart (1991) are valid species (pers. comm.). However, the revalidation of these taxa will be performed in a future article focused on African Trichrysis . In the present article, we maintain the classification proposed by Kimsey & Bohart (1991) and identify this Indian species as T. inops . Another two species, T. scioensis ( Gribodo, 1879) and T. baratzensis Strumia, 2009 , may be included in this group, although they show some differences having only three teeth and two distinct angulate convexities in the intervals between the median and lateral teeth, instead of five pointed teeth, and the shape of the S2 black spots clearly larger and rounded. Trichrysis inops is separated from the other pentadentate Indian species, T. imperiosa and T. lusca , by faint TFC and lateral pronotal carina, and by small dimensions (5.0 to 6.0 mm instead of 6.5 to 10 mm) and slender body (vs stocky). It is separated from other Indian Trichrysis by faint TFC (vs TFC raised), small and separate black spots on S2 (vs larger and medially united); five distinct apical teeth on the margin of T3 (vs three distinct teeth or three teeth with two angulate convexities in the intervals between medium and lateral teeth).

The occurrence of T. inops in India may be the result of an accidental introduction through commerce, because all known records are so far limited to Sub-Saharan Africa. The species could have adapted to the Indian climate and to a native host, but more research is needed looking for its hosts and nests.

Figures

Fig. 2. Trichrysis inops (Gribodo, 1884), ♀, (NHME), Tamil Nadu. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Metasoma, postero-lateral view. E. Metasoma, dorsal view. F. Metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Fig. 7. Species of Trichrysis Lichtenstein, 1876, shape of black spots on S2. A. T. inops (Gribodo, 1884). B. T. imperiosa (Smith, 1874). C. T. lusca (Fabricius, 1804). D. T. poseidonia sp. nov. E. T. lanka (Bingham, 1903). F. T. hexapholis Bohart, 1988 (modified from Bohart 1988). G. T. scioensis (Gribodo, 1879). H. T. tonkinensis (Mocsáry, 1914). I. T. triacantha (Mocsáry, 1889). J. T. excisifrons (Mocsáry, 1912).