Oxyrrhexis carbonator texana ( Cresson, 1870 )

Khalaim, Andrey I., Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique & Coronado-Blanco, Juana María, 2024, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Polysphincta genus-group, Zootaxa 5458 (2), pp. 151-196 : 171-173

Oxyrrhexis carbonator texana ( Cresson, 1870)

( Figs 35–39 )

Polysphincta texana Cresson 1870: 149 [♀ (ANSP), USA, Texas].

Synonyms: Polysphincta bicarinata Davis, 1898 (name preoccupied by Riley, 1871). Polysphincta vicina Provancher, 1873 ( Dalla Torre 1901: 403).

References. Cresson 1872: 166 [ Polysphincta ; USA (Texas)]. Cushman 1913: 157 [ Polysphincta ; host]. Cresson 1916: 58 [ lectotype ♀ ( ANSP) designated; USA, Texas]. Cushman 1920: 21 [ Polysphincta (Polysphincta) ; remarks on taxonomy; USA (many localities); host]. Townes & Townes 1960: 243 [description; key to 2 subspecies; Canada, USA (many localities); host]. Fritzén & Fjellberg 2014: 137 [ USA (Alaska); host].

Variation. A single female from Mexico corresponds well with description of O. carbonator texana given by Townes & Townes (1960), but differs from the illustration of this species ( Townes & Townes 1960: 591 [Fig. 295, b]) by the median longitudinal carinae of propodeum very short, discernible only as short tubercles anteriorly (distinct in anterior 0.6 of propodeum according to Townes), and lateromedian longitudinal carinae of the first tergite developed only in its basal half (distinct in basal 0.8–0.9 of the tergite according to Townes).

Remarks. The species resembles the Costa Rican Polysphincta gutfreundi Gauld , P. janzeni Gauld and P. naranjae Gauld et al. in having a submetapleural carina complete ( Fig. 37 ), but is distinct in having an almost entirely black mesosoma ( Fig. 37 ). It also differs from the North American P. burgessi Cresson by the hind leg with tibia extensively marked with black and tarsus almost entirely black excepting basitarsus with a narrow white band basally ( Fig. 38 ).

Material examined. MEXICO. Coahuila: 1 ♀ ( UAT) Arteaga, Jame, pine forest, 11.vii.2000, coll. C.A. Covarrubias-Dimas. & S. Hernández-Aguilar.

Distribution. Canada, USA (very widely distributed, including Alaska), Mexico (Coahuila). First record of genus and species from Mexico.

Biology. Reared from Steatoda borealis (Hentz) ( Theridiidae ) in USA ( Cushman 1913; Townes & Townes 1960; Fritzén & Fjellberg 2014).

Figures

FIGURES 35–39. Oxyrrhexis carbonator texana, ♀ (Coahuila): 35—habitus, lateral; 36—head, front; 37—mesosoma, lateral; 38—hind leg, lateral; 39—apex of metasoma with ovipositor, lateral.