Cremnops montrealensis (Morrison)

Tucker, Erika M., Chapman, Eric G. & Sharkey, Michael J., 2015, A revision of the New World species of Cremnops Förster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Agathidinae), Zootaxa 3916 (1), pp. 1-83 : 62-63

Cremnops montrealensis (Morrison)

[ Plate 19 , Figs A–I]

Bracon montrealensis Morrison, 1917 . Female.

Cremnops sharkei Berta de Fernandez, 1998. Female. NEW SYNONYMY.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished by a primarily black head and thorax, non prominent scutal flange, 3–5 pitted sternaulus and two hind tibial spines.

Description. Holotype: female. Body length 7.5 mm (5.5–8 mm).

Head (Figs C & F). Antennae broken on type specimen, 35–41 flagellomeres. Lateral carina of frons weak, ending immediately anteriad lateral ocellus. Interocellar space not elevated, level with lateral ocelli. Malar space 1.0x (0.6–1.1x) eye height. Apical tooth of mandible not extending past margin of basal lobe.

Mesosoma (Figs D, E & H). Subpronopes adjacent, separated by a partition wider than the longitudinal length of the dorsomedial portion of pronotum. Median mesonotal lobe depressed medially. Notaulus foveolate (to smooth). Scutellar sulcus with 1 (1–3) longitudinal carina. Hind margin of posterolateral scutal flange not prominent; rather: 90° to obtuse (to lobed). Mesoscutellar trough with (to without) longitudinal carinae laterally. Metanotal trough with weak longitudinal carinae laterally, or without extensive longitudinal carinae laterally.

Sternaulus with 4 (3–5, or sometimes 2 elongate) pits; about 1/ 2x (1/3–1/ 2x) length of mesopleuron. Discrimen smooth (to foveolate). Medial propodeal areola with (3–6) transverse carinae. Metapleuron rugose on ventral 1/3.

Hind leg (Fig. I). Femur length about 3x width. Trochantellar carina absent. Distal tibia with 2 (or 3) spines. Inner tooth of inner and outer claws asymmetrical, broad, angled quadrangular-shaped.

Fore wing (Fig. G). Melanic; veins melanic; stigma melanic. 2nd submarginal cell about as high as wide (to slightly higher than wide). Hyaline spot in anterior part of 1st submarginal cell and basal part of 2nd discal cell.

Metasoma (Figs A & B). 1st median tergite length about 1.5x apical width, apical width about 2x basal width.

Body Color Black, except orange as follows: metanotum, propodeum, most of metasoma, most of hind leg (to orange patches on head and mesosoma , and black patches on propodeum).

Biology. Host —A number of specimens of C. montrealensis have been reared from Evergestis straminalis Hübner ( Lepidoptera : Crambidae ), the European horse-radish webworm [from label data].

Adults Collected —April to October.

Geographic Range —East of the Rocky Mountains, Quebec and Nova Scotia west to Saskatchewan, south to Honduras. See map in Appendix II.

Comments. This species is similar to C. meablis and C. cameronii , and molecular data indicates that C. montrealensis is sister to C. meabilis . Cremnops montrealensis can be distinguished by a primarily black head and thorax (compared to at least dorsal mesopleuron orange, varying to all orange).

Some specimens exhibit a weak groove on either side of the ocelli (the main defining character of C. sharkei ), but specimens show a gradient from grooved to non-grooved.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: Cremnops montrealensis, Ithica , New York, 23 August 1913, Type no. 20483, ( USNM) (H8918); Cremnops sharkei , Mexico, Chaipas, Malaise trap, 16"58'N, 19"47'W, 12–19.ix. 1978, 560m, J. Rawling ( CNC) (H8928). Non-Types: 16 ( CMNH), 11 ( FSCA), 33 ( CNC), 49 ( MCZ), 12 ( CAS), 4 ( ESSIG), 14 ( INHS), 30 ( MNHN), 26 ( HIC). For holotype and additional images see Appendix VIII.

Figures

PLATE 19. Cremnops montrealensis. A. lateral habitus; B. dorsal habitus; C. lateral head; D. mesopleuron; E. mesoscutum; F. face; G. wings; H. propodeum; I. hind leg.