Dicroscelio Kieffer

Yoder, Matthew J., Valerio, Alejandro A., Masner, Lubomír & Johnson, Norman F., 2009, Identity and synonymy of Dicroscelio Kieffer and description of Axea, a new genus from tropical Africa and Asia (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae), Zootaxa 2003, pp. 1-45 : 4-7

Dicroscelio Kieffer

Figures 1–16; Morphbank15 Dicroscelio Kieffer, 1913b: 16 . Type: Dicroscelio flavipes Kieffer , by monotypy and original designation. Holotype in MNHN. Original concept: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 02AEA286-482D-44F5-9D30-39F85A6DA848; current concept: urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:471

Anteromorpha Dodd, 1913: 131 , 145. Type: Anteromorpha australica Dodd , by original designation. Original concept: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B72A3D97-DB2D-438E-AAE3-6622F8AEB4DC. New synonymy. Syntype in SAMA. Current concept: urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:445

Govinda Nixon, 1933: 292 , 465. Type: Govinda mila Nixon , by original designation. Original concept: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:30ED1364-809C-43B1-9CDC-AB666E40E2FE.

Synonymized with Anteromorpha by Kozlov (1971). New synonymy. Current concept: urn:lsid:biosci.ohiostate.edu:osuc_concepts:8311

Aegyptoscelio Priesner, 1951: 133 . Type: Aegyptoscelio frequens Priesner , by monotypy and original designation. Original concept: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:21A8BE31-55A8-4914-97D2-881CA2B640F8. Synonymized with Govinda Nixon by Sundholm (1970). New synonymy. Current concept: urn:lsid:biosci.ohiostate.edu:osuc_concepts:8312

Afroscelio Risbec, 1956: 827 . Type: Afroscelio poussi Risbec , by monotypy. Original concept: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2540228A-FD51-4C6E-A42B-99B1D4BE52A8. Synonymized with Aegyptoscelio Priesner by Masner (1958). New synonymy. Current concept: urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:8313

The precocious and talented teenager Alan P. Dodd proposed the name Anteromorpha in 1913 for a species from Australia, A. australica Dodd (Figs. 1–3). Nixon (1933) described Govinda (Figs. 4–6) for a group of three species from Africa. Priesner (1951) and Risbec (1956), apparently in ignorance of the work of both Dodd and Nixon, proposed the genera Aegyptoscelio (Figs. 7–9) and Afroscelio (Figs. 10–12) respectively, both from Africa.

The consensus of taxonomic opinion quickly settled on the conclusion that the names of Nixon, Priesner, and Risbec should all be considered to be synonyms of Anteromorpha (Masner 1958, Sundholm 1970, Kozlov 1971, Masner 1976). In large part, this opinion was based on a few, widely distributed and common species. These are characterized by a very wide oral cavity, extremely short malar space, long and bidentate mandibles, and hairy eyes.

The name Dicroscelio was introduced by Kieffer (1913b) for a single female specimen, D. flavipes , from Kenya (Figs. 13–16). Kieffer repeated his description in 1926, but subsequently the taxon was not substantively treated until Masner (1976: 14). Masner discussed Dicroscelio as a putative member of the tribe Scelionini, but the use of the name was conjectural, as he was unable to study the type specimen of D. flavipes . The taxonomic concept presented in that paper was based upon numerous specimens in the collection of the Canadian National Collection of Insects, and its association with the tribe Scelionini was based on the reduction of vein R in the hind wing, the enlarged seventh female antennomere, and 3-2 palpal formula.

http://www.tdwg.org

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226921 FIGURES 1–6. 16 Figs. 1–3, Anteromorpha australica Dodd , lectotype male. 1, Lateral habitus; 2, Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 3, Head, anterior view. Figs. 4–6, Govinda mila Nixon , holotype male. 4, Lateral habitus; 5, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 6, Head, anterior view. Scale bars in millimeters.

After studying the type specimen, we propose that Dicroscelio flavipes belongs to the current concept of the genus Anteromorpha . This species is rather atypical in that the body is generally shorter and more robust, but it agrees in the structure of the metanotum, wing venation, and mandibles. There is a delicate problem of priority between the two names. The paper containing Dodd’s original description has the note that it was read before the Royal Society of South Australia on August 14, 1913. There is a short note preceding Kieffer’s paper, reporting on the results of the voyage of C.A. Alluaud and R. Jeannel, stating that the paper was

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226888 published on 15 August, 1913. We conclude that it is very likely that Kieffer’s work was published shortly before Dodd’s, and, therefore, the name Dicroscelio has priority over Anteromorpha . In the 95 years since, the name Anteromorpha has been used in only 25 other taxonomic papers; because the host is unknown, it is not a subject in the literature of applied entomology. Thus, we do not believe that there is sufficient justification to argue for conservation of the name Anteromorpha .

FIGURES 7–12. 17 Figs. 7–9, Aegyptoscelio frequens Priesner , holotype female. 7, Lateral habitus; 8, Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 9, Head, anterior view. Figs. 10–12, Afroscelio poussi Risbec , lectotype female. 10, Lateral habitus; 11, Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 12, Head, anterior view. Scale bars in millimeters.

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226895 Two short notes concerning types follow. Galloway (1976) reported that the female holotype of Anteromorpha australica could not be located, but he did report the presence of a male allotype. However, in the original description, Dodd (1913) stated: “ TYPE. — I.1383, South Australian Museum. A male, tagmounted, plus a slide bearing male and female antennae, head, and forewings.” Thus, Dodd included more than one specimen in the type series and no single holotype exists. In the interest of stability of nomenclature, we designate the tagmounted male (Figs. 1–3) as the lectotype. Similarly, Risbec (1956) described Afroscelio poussi from a syntype series. In the interest of stability of nomenclature, we designate the specimen illustrated in Figs. 10–12 and bearing the identifier OSUC 207808 as the lectotype.

Dicroscelio is one of the more commonly collected genera of Scelioninae . It is found throughout the world, and seems to be most diverse in the Afrotropical and Oriental regions. The number of described species is rather modest. They are listed below and all except D. flavipes are new combinations in Dicroscelio . Over 80 species of Dicroscelio are estimated to exist.

FIGURES 13–16. 18 Dicroscelio flavipes Kieffer , holotype female. 13, Lateral habitus; 14, Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 15, Head and mesosoma, lateral view; 16, Head, anterior view. Scale bars in millimeters.