Xenopomphale, HANSSON & LASALLE, 2003

HANSSON, C. & LASALLE, J., 2003, Revision of the Neotropical species of the tribe Euderomphalini (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), Journal of Natural History 37 (6), pp. 697-778 : 741-744

Genus Xenopomphale gen. n.

Type species: X. sulcata sp. n.

Diagnosis

Flagellum with one funicular and three claval segments (figure 88); malar sulcus absent; clypeus not delimited by a groove, just weakly indicated by changes in sculpture; scrobes present and Y-shaped (figure 87); frontal suture incomplete, cut off by the vertexal suture (figure 87); with a fine and complete transverse occipital groove close to occipital margin (figure 89), also with fine grooves laterally below transverse groove (figure 89); eyes bare; lateral margin of side lobes of mesoscutum with a sharp edge, separating dorsal and ventral surfaces; inner margin of axilla delimited from mid lobe of mesoscutum by a deep and wide groove (figure 5), anterior part of axilla delimited from mesoscutum by a fine sulcus; propodeal callus with seven setae; fore wing with a sclerotized basal vein (figure 5); gaster with a thin and ± wrinkled membrane anterodorsally; sixth gastral tergite mainly membranous, with two small plates, each with a spiracle (as in Euderomphale (figure 15)).

Monophyly and relationships

Xenopomphale belongs in the Euderomphale genus group, indicated through: a vertexal suture running between anterior and posterior ocelli; with a fine and complete transverse occipital groove close to occipital margin; axilla situated entirely in front of scuto-scutellar sulcus; scutellum distinctly wider than long; mid lobe of mesoscutum with one pair of setae; submarginal vein with two dorsal setae; with a thin membrane in anterior part of gaster.

Within this group Xenopomphale shares the following character states with Neopomphale : scrobes present, Y-shaped (polarity uncertain); frontal suture present (plesiomorphy), situated just below anterior ocellus (apomorphy); and the following character state with Euderomphale : sixth gastral tergite mainly membranous, with two small plates, each with a spiracle (apomorphy). The following character states are unique to Xenopomphale (within this genus group): eyes bare (apomorphy); occiput with fine grooves laterally below transverse groove (apomorphy); malar sulcus absent (apomorphy); clypeus not delimited by a groove, just weakly indicated by changes in sculpture (reversal); frontal suture incomplete and cut off by the vertexal suture (apomorphy); lateral margin of side lobes of mesoscutum with a sharp edge, separating dorsal and ventral surfaces (apomorphy); inner margin of axilla delimited from mid lobe of mesoscutum through a ± wide groove (apomorphy), anterior part of axilla delimited from mesoscutum through a fine sulcus (plesiomorphy); presence of a sclerotized basal vein (apomorphy).

Description

Flagellum with two small and discoid anelli, one funicular segment and a threesegmented clava. Mandibles with a single tooth at apex. Malar sulcus absent. Clypeus not delimited by a groove, just weakly indicated by changes in sculpture. Scrobes Y-shaped. Frontal suture present but incomplete, cut off by vertexal suture, situated just below anterior ocellus. Vertexal suture complete, reaching from eye to eye and passing through ocellar triangle. Occiput with a fine and complete transverse groove close to occipital margin, also with fine grooves laterally below transverse groove. Eyes bare.

Pronotum reduced and strongly narrowed medially, not visible in dorsal view. Thoracic dorsum flat; notauli absent. Mid lobe of mesoscutum with one pair of setae, situated close to anterior margin; scutellum with one pair of setae situated about halfway between anterior and posterior margins; mesoscutum and scutellum separated by a distinct groove. Lateral margin of side lobes of mesoscutum with a sharp edge, separating dorsal and ventral surfaces. Axillae situated anterior to scutoscutellar sulcus; inner margin of axilla delimited from mid lobe of mesoscutum by a deep and wide groove, anterior part of axilla delimited from mesoscutum by a fine sulcus. Transepimeral sulcus straight. Propodeum smooth and shiny, with a complete median carina, carina widening posteriorly; spiracular sulcus absent; propodeal callus with seven setae. Fore wing with two setae on submarginal vein; costal cell as wide as width of marginal vein; speculum open below; postmarginal vein 0.5× as long as stigmal vein.

Petiole short, transverse. Gaster slightly ovate, with a thin and ± wrinkled membrane anterodorsally; sixth gastral tergite mainly membranous, with two small plates, each with a spiracle.

Distribution Costa Rica.

Etymology

Name Xenopomphale meaning strange (xenos) Pomphale . Gender is regarded as feminine.