Prosaspicera validispina Kieffer, 1910

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 59-61

Prosaspicera validispina Kieffer, 1910

( Figs 9b & 10b)

Prosaspicera validispina Kieffer, 1910a: 336 .

Type material: ( 1♂). HOLOTYPE: male deposited in ZMB (Berlin, Germany), with the following labels: “13483” (white label), “ CEYLAN, Meitener S.” (yellow label), Aspicera validispina (handwrited, white label), “Type” (red label), “Zool. Mus. Berlin” (yellow label), “ Prosaspicera validispina Kieffer , ♂ Ros-Farré det-1999” (white label).

Additional material (17 ♂ & 22 ♀). TAIWAN: 5 ♀ ( CNCI), 3-V-1983, Wasche , 1150m. H. Townes Fit .; 1 ♂ & 4 ♀ ( UB), 3-V-1983, Wasche, 1150m. H. Townes Fit .; 1 ♂ ( UB), 2-IV-1983, Wasche , 1150m. H. Townes Fit.; FORMOSA : 1 ♂ ( CAS), 9-III-1909, Taipeh Id., J. C. Thompson col. ; 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( DEI), I- 1910 in Taihorin , H. Sauter col. ; 1 ♂ ( DEI), I- 1910 in Anping , H. Sauter col. ; 1 ♂ ( DEI), IV- 1914 in Maruyama , H. Sauter col. ; 1 ♂ ( DEI), 1914 in Chosokei , H. Sauter col. ; INDIA: 1 ♂ ( CNCI), VI-1557, Nilgira Hills , S. India. P. S. Nathan col. ; 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( CNCI), X-1950, Cherangode , Nilgiri Hills, S. India, 3500ft.; P. S.Nathan col. ; 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( UB), X-1950, Cherangode , Nilgiri Hills, S. India, 3500ft., P. S. Nathan col. ; 1 ♀ ( CNCI), XI-1959, Anamalai Hills, Madras St. , S. India, 3500’, P. S. Nathan col. ; 2 ♂ ( CNCI), I-1955, Shevaroy Hills, S. India , 4500m, Yercaud. P. S. Nathan col. ; 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( UB), I-1955, Shevaroy Hills, S. India , 4500m, Yercaud., P. S. Nathan col. ; 1 ♂ & 1 ♀ ( CNCI), II-1955, Shevaroy Hills, S. India , 4500m, Yercaud. P. S. Nathan col. ; 1 ♂ ( MHN), 13-X-1965, Chickbellapus, C.I.E. col. ; CHINA: 1 ♂ ( NHM), 12- VI-1983, 60 Km NW Beijing, Gr. Wall, Boucek col. ; INDONESIA: 1 ♂ ( CNCI), 12/XI/ 1978, Java, Central Prov. , Dieng, 2100m. J. T. Huber col. ; NEPAL: 3 ♀ ( CNCI), 15-IV- 1967, Katmandu, Godavari , 5000m., Can. Nepal. Exped .; 3 ♀ ( UB), 15-IV-1967, Katmandu, Godavari , 5000m. Can. Nepal. Exped .; MALAYSIA: 1 ♀ ( CNCI), 11/ 15-I-1990, Phang, Tana , Rata, 1460m. J. R. Vockeroth col.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera validispina is similar to P. confusa ; they both have lateral surface of pronotum strongly costulate, mesoscutum with conspicuous transverse carinae, the mesopleura coarsely coriaceous on anterior 2/3 and smooth on posterior 1/3 and antenna much longer than the body. Nevertheless, the transverse carinae of the pronotum are straight in P. validispina ( Fig. 10b) and sinuate in P. confusa ( Fig. 10a) and the scutellar foveae have posterior margin in P. confusa ( Fig. 9a), but not in P. validispina ( Fig. 9b). Moreover, P. validispina has the frons coriaceous and sometimes sparsely carinated, mesoscutum coriaceous and with transverse carinae, notauli smooth, parascutal sulcus wide and continuing to anterior end of notauli, scutellar spine long, and marginal pubescence of wing beginning at the end of dorsal margin and rather long. Prosaspicera validispina further differs from all the other Prosaspicera species for having a very long metatibial spine.

Redescription. Length. Females 3.0– 4.1 mm.; males 2.8–3.1 mm.

Coloration. Head black. Mesosoma black, scutellar spine reddish black before apex. Metanotum black with exception of third abdominal tergum, which is dark ambarinus. Scape dark, pedicellum and antennomeres dark brown. Legs medium to dark brown with exception of the distal part of femur and tibia of hind-legs, which are light yellowish brown.

Head. Frons coriaceous, sometimes with few carinae. Lateral frontal carinae prominent, area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina angled behind dorsal 1/3 of eye, weakly angled in females. Gena slightly expanded, with few scattered setae, coriaceous, sometimes with few weak transverse carinae. Vertex greatly incised, finely coriaceous, shining with effaced transverse carinae, posteriorly coriaceous and with one longitudinal carina bounding the median vertical groove, which is smooth. Ocelli conspicuously prominent. Occiput coriaceous, delimited with one incomplete transverse carina.

Antenna. MALE. Filiform, longer than the body. Antennal formula: 4(3.5): 2(2.5): 7(2.2): 8(2.2): 8(2): 8(2): 7.5(2): 7(2.1): 7(2.1): 6.9(2.1): 6.5(2): 6.2(2): 6(2): 8.8(2). FE MALE. Filiform. Antennal formula: 5(4): 2(3): 8(2): 8(2): 8(2): 8(2): 7(2): 6.5(2): 6(2): 5.5(2): 5(2): 5(2): 9(2).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum coriaceous and with conspicuous transverse carinae on upper half, with few carinae ventrally; rather densely pubescent. Subpronotal plate coriaceous, somewhat pubescent laterally, glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum with few scattered setae, coriaceous, with transverse carinae, stronger between notauli. Anteroadmedian lines prominent, reaching between 1/3 and 1/2 length of mesoscutum, parallel; median ridge prominent and divided before median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli wide, narrowing towards anterior end, and smooth in males but coriaceous in females. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth centrally, coriaceous at margins. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, coriaceous, with few scattered setae, continuing to anterior end of notauli. Mesopleura strongly coriaceous, smooth on posterior 1/3. Scutellum 1.27 to 1.60 times length of scutum, 1.55 to 1.65 in females. Scutellar foveae rather big and subquadrate, shallow, smooth and without posterior margin; interfoveal line and lateral carinae prominent and continuing to last 1/3 of spine. Scutellum coriaceous. Scutellar spine coriaceous in anterior part, striated in posterior part, in lateral view, on same plane as scutellar foveae, straight and reaching the R1 of radial cell.

Wings. Wing membrane slightly yellowish. Radial cell 2.00 to 2.25 times longer than wide, 2.15 to 2.30 in females. Marginal pubescence beginning at end of dorsal margin and rather long. R1 very short, almost absent. Rs straight ventrally and little curved dorsally, entirely straight in females.

Biology. According to the label data: Ex. larva of Phthorimaea operculella = Gnorimoschema operculella ( Lepidoptera : Gelechiidae ). Since no figitid species have been reared from a lepidoptera host ( Ronquist, 1999), this is likely a mistake.

Distribution. Oriental. Originaly recorded from Ceilan; also from Taiwan, Formosa, India, China, Indonesia, Nepal and Malaysia in this study.