Szelenyisca Masner, 1974: 109

MASNER, LUBOMÍR & GARCÍA R, JOSÉ LUIS, 2002, The Genera Of Diapriinae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) In The New World, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2002 (268), pp. 1-138 : 106-107

Szelenyisca Masner, 1974: 109 .

DIAGNOSIS (♀): Body small (1.7 mm), light brown, predominantly smooth and shining, relatively glabrous, with sparse pilosity and setigerous punctures, foamy structures present; head unusually large, vertex highly topped; anterior margin of antennal shelf medially rounded; A1 dilated into flat racquetshaped segment, A2 inserted in upper twothirds of A1, i.e., apical third of A1 forms broad flat horn above insertion of A2; antenna highly specialized, 11­segmented, short, A2–A11 subequal in length to A1, clava 6­ segmented, massive, nonabrupt, subcompact, A11 larger than A10.

DESCRIPTION (♀): HEAD. Head in dorsal view large, subglobular, transverse, wider than mesosoma ; frons unarmed, with scattered, large punctures; antennal shelf very shallow, unmargined posteriorly, anterior margin medially rounded; temple rounded, broadly receding; head in lateral view large, higher than long, with vertex highly topped; torulus in level of lower orbit; eye relatively short, distinctly higher than long, high oval, anterior and posterior margins almost parallel, ommatidia relatively small and slightly convex; oral carina minute; postgenal cushion small; occipital flange rudimentary; head in frontal view with frons longer than face, with deep punctures at sides; mandible bidentate, upper tooth truncate with minute incision at meson; palpal formula 5–2(!); antenna highly specialized, 11­segmented, short, A2–A11 combined subequal in length to A1, clava 6­segmented, massive, nonabrupt, subcompact, A11 larger than A10; A5–A10 broadly transverse; A1 dilated into flat racquet­shaped segment, A2 inserted in upper two­thirds of A1, i.e., apical third of A1 forms broad flat horn above insertion of A2. MESOSOMA. Mesosoma relatively short and high, pronotum in dorsal view moderately developed, pronotal shoulders not developed, side of pronotum convex, epomium absent, anterior corner of pronotum with abundant foamy structures; propleuron with denser hairs and some foamy structures; mesoscutum wider than long, considerably convex, parapsidal and anterior parallel lines not developed, mesoscutum with row of setigerous punctures in notaular region; anterior scutellar pit very large, rather deep, transversely oval, distinctly larger than axilla, separated from axillar depression by narrow transparent septum, pit subequal in size to scutellar disc; scutellar disc transverse, subrectangular, highly convex, with well developed median keel, with sharp lateral keels; posterior margin of axilla sharp; axillar depression relatively large, deep, with abundant foamy structures and some fine pilosity; mesopleuron moderately convex, median oblique line moderately developed; dorsellum well developed, with three distinct keels; metapleuron coarsely rugose, with only sparse pilosity; propodeum moderately elongate, plical area almost glabrous, median propodeal keel moderately developed but abruptly rising anteriorly into elevated spatuliform process; plica well developed, posterior margin of propodeum moderately con­ cave; forewing relatively broad, with moderately glassy appearance, slightly infuscate, submarginal vein curved, stigmal vein relatively well developed; legs relatively short and stout, hind femur strongly clavate, tibiae moderately clavate, tarsi not compressed. METASOMA. Petiole cylindrical, only slightly longer than wide, with irregular longitudinal keels and scattered pilosity; metasoma past petiole relatively short and broad, shorter than mesosoma, glabrous; syntergite in lateral view glabrous, only slightly convex; terga past syntergite partially retracted, not visible in dorsal view; anterior margin of S2 with semicircular flexed rim; specialized spot not developed.

RECOGNITION AND RELATIONSHIPS: Szelenyisca is easily recognized by the unique structure of A1 and articulation with A2, furthermore by the large and highly topped head. Szelenyisca belongs to the complex of genera around Acanthopria and is considered an apomorphic derivative of the latter. The male is unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: The only known species, S. miricornis Masner , occurs in Brazil and Venezuela ( García, 2000); an undescribed species is known to us from Panama.

BIOLOGY: Host unknown. The unusual size of the head and structure of A1 may indicate a specialized behavior or host association.

Townesella Huggert and Masner Figure 98

Figures

Figs. 98–102. 98, Townesella marjoriae Huggert & Masner, habitus, lateral view; 99, Trichopria sp. habitus, lateral view; 100, Turripria woldai n. sp. habitus, lateral view; 101, Xenismarus sp. habitus, lateral view; 102, Xanthopria sp. habitus, lateral view.