Spathius Nees, 1819

Belokobylskij, Sergey A. & Achterberg, Cornelis Van, 2021, Review of the braconid parasitoid subfamily Doryctinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) from the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, European Journal of Taxonomy 765 (1), pp. 1-143 : 37-38

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2021.765.1479
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A526ACE1-6299-4578-967F-1F7543CA64DD
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5559902
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/C731E358-FFF6-FFB6-D558-FD565604FB4E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Spathius Nees, 1819
status

Treatment

Genus Spathius Nees, 1819 View in CoL View at ENA

Type species

Cryptus clavatus Panzer, 1809 (= Ichneumon exarator Linnaeus, 1758 ), by monotypy.

Remarks

Spathius is one of the largest genera of the subfamily Doryctinae , including over 450 described and a vast number of undescribed species ( Zaldívar-Riverón et al. 2018). This genus is widely distributed in the five continents, although most of its species richness is concentrated in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions (with more than 350 described species).

The genus Spathius has not previously been recorded for the Arabian Peninsula, in spite of its intermediate position between the Africa and Oriental Asia – with both being the most species rich continents for the genus.

Distribution

All zoogeographical regions.

Key to Arabian species of the genus Spathius

1. Face with very dense and rather fine aciculate sculpture (like the surface of a CD disk) ( Figs 16B View Fig , 24B View Fig ) .................................................................................................................................................. 2

– Face never with the above type of sculpture, usually rugose-striate or reticulate ( Figs 18G View Fig , 20B View Fig , 22B View Fig ) .................................................................................................................................................. 3

2. Vertex finely transversely striate in median anterior half, smooth laterally and posteriorly ( Fig. 24D View Fig ). Eye glabrous. POL almost equal to Od ( Fig. 24D View Fig ). Antenna long, almost as long as body ( Fig. 24A View Fig ). Praescutellar depression of mesosoma with six–seven complete carinae ( Fig. 24H View Fig ). Nervulus (cu-a) of fore wing distinctly postfurcal ( Fig. 25A View Fig ). Brachial (subdiscal) cell closed apically weakly behind recurrent vein; parallel vein (CU1a) arising almost from anterior third of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally ( Fig. 25A View Fig ). Medio-basal carina of propodeum long, about 1.5 times longer than anterior fork of areola ( Fig. 24J View Fig ). Length of setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia 0.9–1.3 times maximum width of tibia ( Fig. 24G View Fig ). Petiole in lateral view dorsally arched in anterior third ( Fig. 25C View Fig ). Body length 3.6–4.4 mm. – UAE....................... S. subafricanus Belokobylskij sp. nov.

– Vertex entirely smooth ( Fig. 16C View Fig ). Eye with short and sparse pale setae. POL 1.7 times Od ( Fig. 16C View Fig ). Antenna short, 0.7 times as long as body( Fig. 16A View Fig ). Praescutellar depression of mesosoma with only three complete carinae ( Fig. 16G View Fig ). Nervulus (cu-a) of fore wing interstitial or very weakly antefurcal ( Fig. 17A View Fig ). Brachial (subdiscal) cell closed apically distinctly behind recurrent vein; parallel vein (CU1a) arising almost from middle of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally ( Fig. 17A View Fig ). Petiole in lateral view dorsally arched submedially ( Figs 16L View Fig , 17D View Fig ). Medio-basal carina of propodeum short, 0.5 times as long as anterior fork of areola ( Fig. 16G View Fig ). Length of setae on dorsal surface of hind tibia 0.4–0.8 times maximum width of tibia ( Fig. 16J View Fig ). Body length 4.5 mm. – Yemen.................................................................................... S. alkadanus Belokobylskij sp. nov.

3. Metasoma behind petiole with dense small reticulate-areolate sculpture ( Fig. 21C View Fig ). Second to fourth metasomal tergites with separated laterotergites ( Fig. 21D View Fig ). Maxillary palp entirely dark reddish brown ( Fig. 20C View Fig ). Vertex entirely very densely granulate reticulate ( Fig. 20D View Fig ). Body length 3.6– 4.3 mm. – Yemen................................................................................ S. lahji Belokobylskij sp. nov.

– Metasoma behind petiole smooth ( Figs 19B View Fig , 23C View Fig ). Only second metasomal tergite with separated laterotergite ( Figs 19C View Fig , 23D View Fig ). Maxillary palp yellow or yellowish brown ( Figs 18C View Fig , 22D View Fig ). Vertex mainly or entirely smooth ( Figs 18B View Fig , 22C View Fig ) ...................................................................................... 4

4. Hypoclypeal depression large and distinctly transverse, its width about twice distance from depression to eye ( Fig. 22B View Fig ). First (r) and second (3-SR) radial abscissae of fore wing forming almost single line. Parallel vein (CU1a) not interstitial, arising from anterior third of the vein (3-CU1) closed brachial (subdiscal) cell distally ( Fig. 23A View Fig ). Petiole long, its length 2.6–2.9 times posterior width, 1.8–2.0 times length of propodeum ( Fig. 23B–C View Fig ). Ovipositor long, its sheath 1.3–1.6 times longer than metasoma, 1.0–1.1 times as long as fore wing ( Fig. 22A View Fig ). Body length 3.0– 3.4 mm. – Japan, UAE, Yemen........................................................................ S. nixoni Belokobylskij & Maetô, 2009

– Hypoclypeal depression medium-sized and rounded, its width 0.8 times distance from depression to eye ( Fig. 18G View Fig ). First (r) and second (3-SR) radial abscissae of fore wing forming distinctly obtuse angle. Parallel vein (CU1a) interstitial ( Fig. 19A View Fig ). Petiole short, its length 1.85 times posterior width, 1.6 times length of propodeum ( Fig. 19B–C View Fig ). Ovipositor short, its sheath 0.33 times as long as metasoma, 0.2 times as long as fore wing ( Fig. 18A View Fig ). Body length 2.6 mm. – Yemen................. ............................................................................................ S. austroarabicus Belokobylskij sp. nov.