Platyplectrus viridiceps, (Ferriere, 1941)

Zhu, C. D. & Huang, D. W., 2004, A study of Platyplectrus Ferrière (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in mainland China, Journal of Natural History 38 (17), pp. 2183-2209 : 2206-2208

P. viridiceps ( Ferrière, 1941)

( figures 37–48, 67–70)

Euplectromorpha viridiceps Ferrière, 1940: 136 . Lectotype ”, designated and transferred into Platyplectrus by Wijesekara and Schauff, 1994: 33 (BMNH, not examined).

Diagnosis. Head completely metallic green; occiput rounded off; postoccipital carina absent ( figure 27). Pedicel yellow. Mesosoma completely dark. Pronotum rounded into neck, without distinct transverse carina anteriorly ( figure 31). Scutellum with sublateral grooves narrow ( figures 31, 32). Mid lobe of mesoscutum covered with setae all over the dorsum, without longitudinal median carina ( figure 31). Axillae bare. The area lateral to the sublateral grooves smooth. Propodeal median carina at least translucent along margins, thus appearing yellow ( figure 32). Petiole around 2.0 times as long as broad.

Variation. The scutellum of this species varied from being smooth to vaguely reticulate. Specimens from Beijing, Sichuan with hind tibiae and basal tarsal segments pale yellow; those from Fujian, Hubei, Hainan with hind tibiae apically and tarsi completely dark; specimens from Taiwan and Yunnan even with hind femora reddish brown. Determined specimens from Java with flagellum varied from pale yellow to yellowish brown, hind femora reddish brown, tarsi from pale yellow to fuscous.

Description. Head completely metallic green; occiput rounded off; post-occipital carina absent. Scape and pedicel yellow. Flagellum concolorous. Funicle with all segments longer than broad, with F4 samely separated from F3 and clava, and distinctly four-segmented, with segments not becoming shorter and broadened towards clava simultaneously; F1 1.7–4 times as long as broad. Clava medially same breadth as funicle, acute, 1.9–3 times as long as broad.

Mesosoma completely black. Pronotum rounded into neck, without distinct transverse carina anteriorly. Mid lobe of mesoscutum with engraved reticulations, covered with setae all over the dorsum, without longitudinal median carina. Axillae smooth, reticulate, bare. Scutellum without longitudinal median carina, smooth, reticulate, with narrow sublateral grooves united at middle point posteriorly. Reticulations on scutellum vague and engraved all over the dorsum, regularly rounded. Area lateral to sublateral grooves smooth. Dorsellum smooth or with engraved reticulations, without tooth-like structure directing posteriorly. Propodeum completely smooth, with median carina at least translucent along margins, thus appearing yellow, raised into a cup-shape, not raised too much anteriorly into a translucent, elongate and tongue-shaped protuberance, without short carinae attached. Petiole around 2.0 times as long as broad, with longitudinal carinae.

Hind coxae completely dark. Hind femora dark on dorsal margin. Hind tibiae yellow, mostly yellow, with apex (one-fifth to one-sixth) dark, with one spur more than 1.5 times length of the first tarsomere. Hind tarsi with the first segment at least as long as the second, fuscous, or yellow.

Material examined. External material deposited in BMNH: 2„„, 5””, including one paralectotype, M. Java, ex. Artona catoxantha, 1939 (J. v. D. Vecht). Chinese material deposited in IZCAS: 1„, 1”, Beijing, Changlingxiao, 5 September 1985 (Huang Da-Wei); 1”, Fujian , Mali , 5 October 1980 ( Huang Ju-chang ); 2””, Fujian , Fuzhou , Hongtang , 10 April 1983 ( Tang Yu-qing ); 1”, Fujian, Tongmu, 12 April 1982 (Huang Ju-chang); 1”, Fujian , Tongmu , 5 May 1985 ( Huang Ju-chang ); 1„, Fujian , Tongmu , 8 October 1979 ( Huang Ju-chang ); 1”, Fujian, Jianyang, July 1981 (Zhao Jing-wei); 1”, Fujian , 20 October 1979 ( Huang Ju-chang ); 2””, Guangxi , Jinxiu , Shengtang Mts , 28–29 June 2000, 1895 m ( Zhu Chao-dong ); 1”, Guangxi, Shangsi, Naping, Qukun, 11 June 2000, 410 m (Zhu Chao-dong); 1”, Guangxi , Jinxiu , 2 July 2000, 1093 m ( Zhu Chaodong ); 1„, 7””, Guangxi , Dasin , 29 March 1998 ( Zhu Chao-dong ); 1„, 1”, Guangxi , Napo , Dehu Nature Reserve , 4 April 1998, 1440 m ( Zhu Chao-dong ); 1”, Guangxi , Napo , Dehu Nature Reserve , 5 April 1998, 1440 m ( Zhu Chaodong ); 3„„, Guangxi , Napo , Baihe ( Zhu Chao-dong ); 1„, Guangxi, Chonzuo, Nalong, 20 April 1998 (Zhu Chao-dong); 1”, Hubei , Shengnongjia , 18–25 August 1995 ( Li Qing-tian ); 1”, Hainan , Wuzhi Mts , 26 April 1984, 1867 m ( Li Chang-fang ); 1„, Hainan, Jianfeng Mts, 31 March 1984 (Li Chang-fang); 1”, Sichuan , Xiyang , 17 July 1989, 1250 m ( Yang Long-long ); 1”, Yunnan , Dêqên, Tuguancun, 7 August 1984, 2800 m (Li Chang-fang); 1„, Yunnan, Funing, Bo’ai, 13 April 1998, 260 m (Zhu Chao-dong). Chinese material deposited in TARI: 1„, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Tungpu, 18–23 November 1981, 1200 m (Lin T. and Tang W.-S.); 2””, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 7–9 May 1981, 2150 m (Lin K.-S. and Lin S.-C.); 1”, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 15 July 1982, 2150 m (Lin S.-C. and Lin C.-N.); 5””, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 5–9 October 1980, 2150 m (Chen C.-C. and Chien C.-C.); 2””, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 24–26 June 1981, 2150 m (Lin S.-C. and Tang W.-S.); 1„, 1”, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 2–4 June 1980, 2150 m (Chou L.-Y. and Chen C.-C.); 1”, C. Taiwan, Nantou, Meifeng, 26 August 1980, 2150 m (Lin K.-S. and Wang C.-H.). External material deposited in IZCAS: 3„„, Vietnam: Ha Tay, Bavi, Tan Linh, 22 December 2000 (Zhu Chao-dong) .

Distribution. * China: Beijing, Fujian, Hubei, Hainan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan; India; Indonesia; * Vietnam.

Biology. Parasitoid of Artona catoxantha ( Lepidoptera : Zygaenidae ).