Oxyscelio montanus (Dodd)

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2013, Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), part II: the Australian and southwest Pacific fauna, ZooKeys 331, pp. 1-266 : 128-131

Oxyscelio montanus (Dodd) Figures 193-198; Morphbank65

Sceliomorpha montana Dodd, 1913: 165 (original description); Kieffer 1926: 302, 307 (description, keyed).

Dicroteleia montana (Dodd): Dodd 1914: 107 (generic transfer).

Oxyscelio montanus (Dodd): Dodd 1931: 76 (generic transfer); Galloway 1976: 99 (type information).

Description.

Female. Body length 3.1-4.55 mm (n=20).

Radicle color and shade: same as scape, both yellowish or reddish; darker than scape. Pedicel color: same as scape. A3: shorter than pedicel. A4: broader than long. A5: broader than long.

Ventral clypeal margin: with slightly convex median lobe. Interantennal process: not elongate. Lower frons at dorsal margin of interantennal process: without transverse carina. Transverse curved rugae extending from frontal depression to eye: absent. Median longitudinal carina in frontal depression: absent. Ventral portion of frontal depression: smooth. Dorsal portion of frontal depression: with medially interrupted transverse carinae. Submedian carina: present. Frontal depression dorsally: not hood-like, open dorsally. Upper frons major sculpture: umbilicate foveate; irregularly rugose. Upper frons microsculpture: absent. Hyperoccipital carina: indicated by a set of irregular elevations. Ca rina connecting occipital carina to hyperoccipital carina: absent. Occipital carina: weakly arched dorsally, with rounded lateral corners. Occiput sculpture: irregularly sculptured. Extra carina ventral to occipital carina: present, complete. Gena length: shorter than eye. Major sculpture of gena anteroventrally: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of gena posteroventrally: umbilicate foveate; umbilicate punctate. Microsculpture of gena anteroventrally: absent. Microsculpture of gena posteroventrally: granulate.

Lateral pronotal area sculpture: anteriorly smooth, posterodorsal corner with dense microsculpture, ventral corner with irregular carinae. Posterior border of central pro notal area: directed anteriorly, protruding at corner of epomial carina and transverse pronotal carina. Mesoscutum anteriorly: very steep and tall, descending at a right angle or protruding anteriorly. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Mesoscutal midlobe sculpture at midlength: not different from nearby sculpture. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Median mesoscutal carina: present as a vague, occasionally interrupted elevation. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate; longitudinally rugose. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: absent. Mesoscutellar rim: not expanded. Mesoscutellar rim medially: without notch. Mesofemoral depression: longitudinally striate dorsally, smooth ventrally. Metascutellum shape: slightly emarginate posteriorly, concave but elevated posteriorly. Metascutellar setae: absent. Metascutellum sculpture: with large smooth posterior fovea. Spines along tibiae: absent. Lateral propodeal carinae: broadly separated, but parallel for a short distance anteriorly. Setae in metasomal depression: absent. Anterior sculpture of metasomal depression: absent. Median propodeal carina: absent. Postmarginal vein: absent. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching middle of T5. Coxae color brightness: same color as femora.

T1 horn: absent. Number of longitudinal carinae of T1 midlobe: obscured by other raised sculpture. T1 lateral carina: protruding laterally, visible from ventral view. T2 sculpture: with longitudinal striae or rugae, setiferous puncta present between them. T2 sublateral longitudinal foveae: absent. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. T5 metasomal flanges: present as slightly protruding sharp corners. T6: broader than long. Major sculpture of T6: longitudinally striate; umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of T6: absent. T6 medially: strongly convex, tapering and sloping down to a rounded apex, not separated from apical rim. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 raised peripheral rim: absent. S4 sculpture: longitudinally striate or rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 sculpture: longitudinally striate to rugose, setal pits spanning interspaces. S5 median carina: present. S6 peripheral carina: absent. S6 apex in relation to T6: not exposed to dorsal view. S6 apex: rounded or acuminate.

Male. Body length 3.1-4 mm (n=15). A3: longer than pedicel. A5 tyloid shape: narrow, linear. A6: broader than long. A11: longer than broad; broader than long; as long as broad. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: absent. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: umbilicate foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: umbilicate foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum centrally: absent. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum peripherally: absent. Fore wing apex at rest: reaching apex of T5; exceeding metasomal apex; reaching middle of T6. T1 midlobe longitudinal carinae: 4. T3 metasomal flanges: absent. T4 metasomal flanges: absent. T5 metasomal flanges: absent. T6 metasomal flanges: absent. T7: weakly emarginate; truncate.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes: Frontal depression deep and broad but not parallel-sided, interrupted transverse carinae present dorsally; submedian carina sharp and strong. Hyperoccipital carina indicated by rugae. Occipital carina complete, convex medially. Metascutellum deeply concave, not or hardly emarginate apically, projecting dorsally. Postmarginal vein absent. Coxa not darker than rest of leg. T1 lateral carina expanded laterally. Metasomal flanges absent or with only very tiny sharp posterior corners. Female: A3 longer than pedicel. A4, A5 much broader than long. Mesoscutellum without granulate sculpture. T1 midlobe with 4 longitudinal carinae or with these obscured by raised sculpture. T6 without metasomal flanges, main body of tergum raised and vaguely separated from apical rim. Fore wing long enough to reach middle of T4 or base of T5. Male: Flagellomeres beyond A3 broader than long or only slightly longer than broad. T1 midlobe with 4 longitudinal carinae. Fore wing long enough to reach to or beyond T7. T7 truncate or very weakly emarginate.

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=5029]

Material examined.

Holotype, male, S. montana: AUSTRALIA: QLD, nr. Cairns, slopes of Walshs Pyramid, forest, Gordonvale (Nelson), 2500ft, 2.VI.1913, sweeping, A. P. Dodd, SAMA DB 32-001586 (deposited in SAMA). Other material: AUSTRALIA: 112 females, 16 males, ANIC DB 32-020080, 32-020121, 32-020122, 32-020123, 32-020149, 32-020152, OSUC 359702, OSUC 359703, OSUC 429983, OSUC 429985, OSUC 429986, OSUC 441262, OSUC 441263, OSUC 441264, OSUC 441265, OSUC 441266, OSUC 441267, OSUC 441268, OSUC 441269, OSUC 441270, OSUC 441272, OSUC 441274, OSUC 441275, OSUC 441276, OSUC 441277, OSUC 441278, OSUC 441279, OSUC 441280, OSUC 441281, OSUC 441282, OSUC 441283, OSUC 441284, OSUC 441285, OSUC 441286, OSUC 441287, OSUC 441288, OSUC 441290, OSUC 441291, OSUC 441292, OSUC 441313, OSUC 441314, OSUC 441315, OSUC 441316, OSUC 441317, OSUC 441318, OSUC 441319, OSUC 441320, OSUC 441321, OSUC 441322, OSUC 441323, OSUC 441324, OSUC 441325, OSUC 441326, OSUC 441327, OSUC 441328, OSUC 441329, OSUC 441330, OSUC 441333, OSUC 441334, OSUC 441335, OSUC 441336, OSUC 441337, OSUC 441338, OSUC 441341, OSUC 441342, OSUC 441343, OSUC 441354, OSUC 441357, OSUC 441358, OSUC 441359, OSUC 441360, OSUC 441361, OSUC 441362, OSUC 441363, OSUC 441364 (ANIC); OSUC 445342 (BMNH); OSUC 441339-441340, 441349-441350 (MVMA); OSUC 148364, 429987-429988, 441271, 441351, QM Reg. No. T35148, QM Reg. No. T35150, QM Reg. No. T35152 (QMBA); OSUC 429984, 441353, 441355, 445341, 445343 (UQIC); OSUC 268189, 268191-268193, 268195, 268200-268201, 268203, 268207, 268214-268215 (USNM); OSUC 359696-359701, 441261, 441273, 441289, 441331-441332, 441344-441348, 441352, 441356, 445338-445339, 445344-445345, 453935-453936 (WINC).

Comments.

Dodd (1913) described Oxyscelio montanus from a single male specimen, of which the face is buried in glue. Identification of males in the atricoxa-group is problematic, but female specimens have been assigned to this species through reasoning that they likely had relatively short A4 and A5, and a strong submedian carina. Our concept of Oxyscelio montanus includes variation in radicle color, but intermediates between the two states (having a partially dark radicle) imply that this is a safe conclusion.