Verekia Risbec incertae sedis ( Chalcidoidea)

Verekia Risbec, 1954: 1079 . Type species: Verekia bruchocida Riskbec, 1954 by original monotypy.

Diagnosis

Translation and reinterpretation from Risbec 1954: Body non-metallic. Antennae 7-segmented (2 funicular, 3 claval), inserted at ventral margin of compound eyes. Head a little wider than high, equal in width to the mesosoma; compound eyes densely setose; lateral ocelli close to the margin of compound eyes; mouth fossa wide, mandibles with peg-like projection. Dorsal mesosoma with weak rugose sculpture; mesopleura with parapsidal furrows far from the median line. Metanotum and propodeum short on axis, stigma small, circular. Abdomen halfoval, valves barely protruding. Fore wing densely setose, with short marginal fringe. Reduced radius; marginal vein equal in length to costal cell; postmarginal vein strongly reduced. Fore and hind tibia widened and flattened; mid tibia with 2 long apical spurs.

Male. Unknown.

Comments

Verekia Risbec is a monotypic genus described from two female specimens reared from Bruchidius uberatus Fåhraeus, 1839 (= Bruchus baudoni Caillol, 1908) on a rubber tree (Risbec 1954: fig. 11). It was originally placed in Eunotinae (now Eunotidae), but moved to Aphelinidae due to superficial similarities to Coccophagus and Timberlakiella (Hayat 1983) . From the description and illustrations, we note a combination of morphological character states that call into question placement in Aphelinidae: antenna formula 1,1,2,3, mesoscutum lacking notauli, small and widely separated axillae, mesoscutellum enlarged, mid tibia with 2 apical spurs. Additionally, the asserted host association is unlikely for members of Aphelinidae . We disagree with the placement of Verekia in Aphelinidae, and until the type material can be located at MNHN and examined, render it incertae sedis within Chalcidoidea .