Platygaster Latreille, 1809

Awad, Jessica, Krogmann, Lars & Talamas, Elijah, 2023, Taxonomic history and review of the Förster genera of Platygastridae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 875 (1), pp. 1-46 : 25-27

Genus Platygaster Latreille, 1809

Platygaster Latreille, 1809: 31 , 32. Type species Scelio ruficornis Latreille, 1805 by monotypy.

Epimeces Westwood, 1833: 421 . Type species Epimeces ensifer Westwood, 1833 by subsequent designation by Muesebeck & Walkley 1956: 351. Preoccupied by Epimeces Billberg, 1820 .

Polygnotus Förster, 1856: 108 , 115, 166. Type species Platygaster striolatus Nees, 1834 by original designation.

Hypocampsis Förster, 1856: 108 , 115. Type species Hypocampsis hyalinata Thomson, 1859 by subsequent designation by Ashmead 1903: 98.

Isorhombus Förster, 1856: 107 , 113. Type species Isorhombus hyalinipennis Ashmead, 1887 by first subsequent inclusion.

Coelopelta Ashmead, 1893: 289 , 290, pl. 12 fig. 6.

Aneuron Brues, 1910: 49 . Type species Aneuron anormis Brues, 1910 by monotypy and original designation.

Triplatygaster Kieffer, 1913: 178 . Type species Platygaster contorticornis Ratzeburg, 1844 by monotypy.

Misocyclops Kieffer, 1914: 353 , 362. Type species Platygaster ornatus Kieffer, 1914 by monotypy.

Prosactogaster Kieffer, 1914: 352 , 362, pl. 13, fig. 6. Type species Platygaster lineatus Kieffer, 1906 by subsequent designation by Muesebeck & Walkley 1956: 391.

Parepimeces Kieffer, 1926: 760 . Replacement name for Epimeces Westwood, 1833 .

Paracyclops Maneval, 1936a: 56–58 , fig. 8. Type species Paracyclops bettyae Maneval, 1935 , by monotypy and original designation. Preoccupied by Paracyclops Claus, 1893 .

Urocyclops Maneval, 1936b: 142 . Replacement name for Urocyclops Maneval, 1936 .

Pyrgaspis Kozlov, 1967: 715 . Type species Pyrgaspis haloxylonomyiae Kozlov, 1967 by monotypy and original designation.

Anirama Kozlov, 1970: 224 . Type species Platygaster marikovskii Kozlov, 1967 by monotypy and original designation.

Criomica Kozlov, 1975b: 965 . Type species Criomica viktorovi Kozlov, 1975 by monotypy and original designation.

Epimeces Westwood, 1833 – Walker 1835: 243.

Polygnotus Förster, 1856 – Fouts 1920: 67.

Hypocampsis Förster, 1856 – Fouts 1920: 67.

Isorhombus Förster, 1856 – Fouts 1924: 51.

Coelopelta Ashmead, 1893 – Fouts 1920: 67.

Aneuron Brues, 1910 – Fouts 1924: 23.

Triplatygaster Kieffer, 1913 – Szelényi 1938: 100, 101.

Misocyclops Kieffer, 1914 – Masner 1965: 135.

Prosactogaster Kieffer, 1914 – Masner 1965: 135.

Parepimeces Kieffer, 1926 – Masner 1965: 135.

Paracyclops Maneval, 1936 – Maneval 1936b: 142.

Urocyclops Maneval, 1936 – Huggert 1974: 58.

Pyrgaspis Kozlov, 1967 – Talamas & Buffington 2014: 107 , 108.

Anirama Kozlov, 1970 – Talamas & Buffington 2014: 105 .

Criomica Kozlov, 1975 – Talamas & Buffington 2014: 106 , 107.

Remarks

Although Platygaster is not a Förster genus, his concept of the genus has prevailed and was the baseline against which he assigned generic status to lineages with recognizable characters. Förster regarded Platygaster as a large and confusing genus, an assessment that has been shared by many. It appears at the end of his key, being defined by its lack of distinguishing characteristics. No species names are cited, although he did mention the type species of Platygaster , Pl. ruficornis , as an example of Isocybus .

Förster described nine species in Platygaster , six of which remain valid. The types of all nine species are in the NHMW. Vlug (1973) expressed doubt that the specimen labelled as the type of Pl. corvina represented the original because the label and pinning style were not consistent with Förster’s work. It is true that the locality label is missing and that the specimen is pinned on a light-colored piece of pith instead of a dark one. However, it is possible that a label was lost and that the specimen was remounted after Förster’s death. Furthermore, the verdigris on the pin itself suggests that it is of a similar age and chemical composition to the other pins in Förster’s collection. The specimen generally matches Förster’s description, except for minor differences in flagellomere proportions, which are easily explained by viewing angle. We disagree with Vlug (1973) and here assert that the type specimen of Pl. corvina is accurately labelled. This renders Pl. henkvlugi Buhl, 1996 as an objective synonym of Pl. corvina , since they are based on the same type specimen.

Besides Förster’s species, the NHMW includes four Nees species of Platygaster , two of which are original exemplars. The type specimens of all four species are unknown. Platygaster niger Nees, 1834 , Pl. obscurus Nees, 1834 , and Pl. tuberosa Nees, 1834 match the prevailing concept of Platygaster . However, the specimens identified as Pl. spinigera belong to Leptacis and Synopeas (see section on Leptacis ). Additionally, the holotype of Pl. splendidula Ruthe, 1859 is housed in the NHMW.