Trissoscelio nigriceps Kieffer

Talamas, Elijah J., Awad, Jessica, Tortorici, Francesco & Johnson, Norman F., 2024, Platygastroidea in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History: taxonomic updates and a photographic catalog of type specimens, Insecta Mundi 2024 (30), pp. 1-16 : 11

Trissoscelio nigriceps Kieffer revised status

Trissoscelio nigriceps Kieffer, 1917: 52–53 (original description, keyed) Kieffer, 1926: 419 (description, keyed); Kelner-Pillault, 1958: 152 (type information); Baltazar, 1966: 181 (cataloged, type information, distribution).

Opisthacantha nigriceps (Kieffer) : Masner, 1976: 47 (generic transfer, type information, description); Johnson, 1992: 448 (cataloged, type information).

Material examined. Holotype male ( MNHN 0080 ), Mount Makiling (Maquiling), Laguna Prov., Philippines, coll. Baker ( MNHN). ( CNC494888 , ♀; OSUC 174174 ♂), Philippines, Camarines, Sur. Panicuason, Naga (Luzon); 10-15.ii.1991; D. M. General, YPT ( CNCI).

Comments. The original description of T. nigriceps ( Kieffer 1917) was based on specimen that Kieffer reported as a female, leading us to initially conclude that specimen MNHN 0080 could not be the holotype. Kieffer (1926) indicated that the specimen used in the description of T. nigriceps from 1917 was a male. This, and matching label data, indicate that Kieffer’s initial report of the holotype as a female was an error. The holotype specimen of T. nigriceps ( Figs 4–6 ) has what appears to be mild fungal growth, as do Kieffer’s other Trissoscelio types. We compared material from the type locality, Luzon, Philippines, directly to the holotype with the goal of photographing conspecific specimens so that the morphology of this important species can be more clearly seen. These images are provided in Figs 7–12 . Additional images of these specimens can be retrieved via the links in Table 2.

Figures

Figures 4–6. Trissoscelio nigriceps, holotype male (MNHN 0080). 4) Head, anterior view. 5) Head and mesosoma, lateral view. 6) Head, mesosoma, metasoma, dorsal view.

Figures 7–9. Trissoscelio nigriceps, male (CNC494888), fresh specimen collected from the type locality. 7) Head, mesosoma, metasoma, ventrolateral view. 8) Head, mesosoma, metasoma, dorsal view. 9) Head, mesosoma, metasoma, lateral view.

Figures 10–12. Trissoscelio nigriceps, female, fresh specimen collected from the type locality.10) Head, mesosoma, metasoma with extruded ovipositor system, dorsal view. 11) Head, anterolateral view. 12) Head, ventrolateral view.