Polysphincta albipes Cresson, 1880

Khalaim, Andrey I., Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique & Coronado-Blanco, Juana María, 2024, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Polysphincta genus-group, Zootaxa 5458 (2), pp. 151-196 : 174-175

1. Polysphincta albipes Cresson, 1880

( Figs 40–42 , 57–64 )

Polysphincta albipes Cresson 1880: 208 [holotype ♂ (lost), USA, Florida, Rock Ledge, bred from cocoons found on an orange leaf].

Synonym: Polysphincta eboripes Townes & Townes, 1960 ( Carlson 1979: 337).

References. Cresson 1916: 15 [holotype lost]. Cushman 1920: 23 [remarks on type and host]. Townes 1944: 54 [catalogue]. Townes & Townes 1960: 254 [ P. eboripes (description)], 255 [ P. albipes ; reproduction of Cresson’s original description]. Greenbaum 1977 [ USA (Florida)]. Carlson 1979: 337 [catalogue; P. eboripes (syn.); remarks on taxonomy].

Remarks. Three females from Michoacán have hind coxa and all femora orange ( Figs 57 , 62 ) and pronotal mediodorsal projection weaker ( Figs 59 , 64 ) than in typical P. albipes . The specimen from Cheran also has first metasomal tergite very abruptly angled at base ( Fig. 64 , arrow). These specimens have been tentatively identified as P. albipes var. although their taxonomic status is unclear and requires further investigation.

Material examined. MEXICO. Tamaulipas: 1 ♀ ( UAT) Cd. Victoria, Cañón del Novillo , bosque de pinoencino, 800 m, 17.iv.1988, coll. R. Meza V. 1 ♀ ( ZISP) NW of Cd. Victoria, Los Troncones (park), 27.iii.2008, coll. A.I. Khalaim.

Other material. MEXICO. Michoacán: 1 ♀ ( TAMU) 6 mi. N of Cheran , 8.viii.1985, coll. J.B. Woolley & G. Zolnerowicz. 1 ♀ ( UAT) Morelia, Cerro Punhuato, Área de Fresnos , 19º41’924”N, 101º08’272”W, 2111 m, 16.vii.2010, coll. Ana L. Escalante Jiménez. 1 ♀ ( ZISP) Morelia, Cerro Punhuato, Jardín Botánico , 19º41’658”N, 101º08’284”N, 2072 m, 2.vii.2010, coll. Ana L. Escalante Jiménez.

Distribution. East and central USA (Kansas, Pennsylvania to Florida), Mexico (Tamaulipas,? Michoacán). First record from Mexico.

Figures

FIGURES 40–42. Polysphincta albipes, ♀ (Tamaulipas): 40—habitus, lateral; 41—head, front; 42—mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral.

FIGURES 57–61. Polysphincta albipes var., ♀ (Michoacán): 57—habitus, lateral; 58—head, front; 59—mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral; 60—propodeum, dorso-lateral; 61—apex of hind tarsus, lateral.

FIGURES 62–64. Polysphincta albipes var., ♀ (Michoacán): 62—habitus (without wing apices), lateral; 63—head and anterior part of mesosoma, dorsal; 64—mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral.