Preseucoela pallidipes (Ashmead) Buffington, 2004

Buffington, Matthew L., 2004, The description of Preseucoela Buffington, new genus, with notes on the status of Nearctic species of Agrostocynips Diaz (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae), Zootaxa 408 (1), pp. 1-11 : 7-8

Preseucoela pallidipes (Ashmead) , n. comb.

(Fig. 6)

Chrestosema pallidipes Ashmead 1894: 68–69 . n. comb.

Eucoila sancti­marci Kieffer 1908: 59 . syn. nov.

Eucoila transversa Kieffer 1908: 59 . syn. nov.

Pseudeucoila (Heptamerocera) transversa (Kieffer) Weld 1952: 239 .

Description. As in description of genus except as follows: Pronotum: Pronotal struts present, well developed, 2–3 per side. Mesoscutum: Mesoscutal keel absent. Scutellum: Scutellar plate hardly raised above scutellar disk (Fig 6, arrow); often, the plate is nearly flush with the scutellar disk. Differs from P. imallshookupis by lacking a mesoscutal keel; differs from P. heratyi by possessing a scutellar plate not well elevated above the scutellar disk (cf. Figs. 5 and 6).

Distribution. Central and South America; the Caribbean; Southern North America.

Material examined. Holotype female: WEST INDIES. St. Vincent, H.H. Smith, 210. USNM holotype #2337. The holotype is in good condition; the locality data label is followed by the USNM holotype label (red paper), followed by the original determination label in Ashmead’s hand (white paper), followed by my determination label (white paper).

Additional material: BOLIVIA. Chuquisaca, 24.XII.1984, Peña (1 female). COSTA RICA. Cartago, Turrialba, Grounds of IICA, 30.V.1976, M. Wasbauer, MT, 5P­8A (1 female); Guanacaste, Santa Rosa Park, dry hill, 23 May 1977 (1 female); Guanacaste, Santa Rosa Park, riparian, 26 Aug 1977 (1 female); Guanacaste, Santa Rosa Park, riparian, 29 Oct 1977 (1 female); Puntarenas Prov., Golfito, Jiménez Estacion El Tigre, Area Administrative, 34 m, 10 Sep–12 Oct 2001, J. Azofeifa, MT, L_S_277800_529600 #65133 (1 female); Puntarenas Prov., Los Alturas, 1600m, 8°57’N 82°49’W, 13.VI.1998, B. Brown, MT (1 female). ECUADOR. Napo Province, Huahua Sumaco, km 44 on Hollin­Loreto Rd, various dates between 15.XII.1989 and 23.XII.1989, MT, M. & J. Wasbauer coll. (with some collections also made with H. Real) (25 females); Napo Province, Huahua Sumaco, km 45 on Hollin­Loreto Rd, various dates between 14.XII.1989 and 18.XII.1989, MT, M. & J. Wasbauer coll. (with some collections also made with H. Real) (12 females); Mitad del Mundo (San Antionio), 10km N of Quito, 14.III.1973, M. Deyrup (1 female). EL SALVADOR. Santa Tecla, 900–950m, August 1975, N.L.H. Krauss (1 female). GUATEMALA. Antigua, 1500–1600 m, July 1980, N.H.L. Krauss (1 female). HONDURAS. Belmopen, July 1975. N.L.H. Kraus (1 female); Fco. Marazan, San Antonio de Oriente Uyuka, 4 Jun 1990 rcol. R. Cave (1 female); Fco. Marazan, San Antonio de Oriente Playa, 21 Nov. 1992.02, rcol. Cordero, second label: Phaseolus vulgaris cosecha, third label: ex: larva de Asphondylia websteri (1 female); Fco. Marazan, San Juan de Flores, Cantarranas, 24.I.1992.10, rcol. W. Melara, second label: Phaseolus vulgaris , third label: Ex: larva de: Melanagromyza o Asphondylia (1 female); Olancho, Juticalpa, Km NE Teg., El Rincon, 14.I.1986.3, Recl R. Fisher (1 female with unidentified host remains); Olancho, Juticalpa, Candeleros, 14.I.1986.3, rcol. R. Fisher, second label: Phaseolus vulgare R9 (1 female with unidentified host remains). MEXICO. Tamaulipas, Gomez Farias, Estacion Los Cedros, 23°03’00’’N 99°09’03’’W, 540m, III.2002, MT, A. Cordoba­ Torres (1 female). NICARAGUA. San Marcos, Coll. Baker (2 females); Chinandega, Coll. Baker (1 female). Note: no holotype or lectotype has been designated for Eucoila transversa Kieffer ; these three specimens were included in Kieffer’s original description. After examining all three specimens, I consider these specimens to represent the syntypic series of Eucoila transversa Kieffer ; all syntypes are at the CAS (#10614). San Marcos, Coll. Baker (1 female); this is the holotype (by monotypy) for Eucoila sancti­marci Kieffer ; holotype at the CAS (#10602). PANAMA. Chiriqui, 2km W Cerro Punta, 1700m, 19.V–8.VI.1977, Peck & Howden (1 female); Chiriqui, Volcan, July 1981, N.L.H. Krauss (2 females). UNITED STATES. Arizona, Cochise Co., Chiricahua Mts., 5400ft, Hidden Terrace, 4.5km SW Portal, 16–20.IX.1982, M.A. Crazier (1 female). WEST INDIES. Dominica, St. Paul Parish, Springfield, ATRC, 11.VI. 1994, JB Woolley 94/032 (1 female); Dominica, St. Paul Parish, Springfield, ATRC, MT 27.V–12.VI.1994, JB Woolley, 94/017 (1 female); Dominica, Roseau, 0–100m, August 1979, N.L.H. Krauss (1 female); St. Kitts, Basseterre, 0–200m, July 1979, N.L.H. Krauss (1 female); St. Kitts, Basseterre, 0–50m, July 1979, N.L.H. Krauss (1 female). VENEZUELA. Quibor Jimenez, Lara, 8.VII.1979, R.W. Brooks, A.A. Grigarick, J. McLaughlin & R. O. Schuster, coll. (1 female) .

Biology: I have examined 2 female specimens of P. pallidipes reared from unidentified dipterous puparia collected from Phaseolus vulgaris L. (specimens provided by R. Cave). I have examined an additional specimen (1 female) with a data label recording the host as Asphondylia websteri Felt (Cecidomyiidae) on Phaseolus vulgaris L. (specimens provided by R. Cave; host determination unknown; host remains lacking). Eucoilinae have only been recorded from species of cyclorrhaphous Diptera ( Ronquist 1999; Buffington 2002), so it is likely the reference to this specimen having been reared from Asphondylia websteri is erroneous. Lastly I have examined a single specimen (1 female) of P. pallidipes with a rearing record label indicating the host was ‘ Melanagromyza or Asphondylia ’(label written in Spanish; host remains lacking). Though the accuracy of host identification is unknown, the phylogenetic position of Preseucoela within the agromyzid parasitic Zaeucoila Group (sensu Fontal­Cazalla et al. 2002) lineage (Buffington, unpublished data), suggests the more likely host would be Melanagromyza Hendel.