Heerz Marsh

Zaldivar-Riveron, Alejandro, Martinez, Juan Jose, Ceccarelli, Fadia Sara & Shaw, Scott R., 2012, Five new species of the genera Heerz Marsh, Lissopsius Marsh and Ondigus Braet, Barbalho and van Achterberg (Braconidae, Doryctinae) from the Chamela-Cuixmala biosphere reserve in Jalisco, Mexico, ZooKeys 164, pp. 1-23 : 4-6

Heerz Marsh

Heerz Marsh, 1993: 17; Marsh 2002: 102.

Type species.

Heerz lukenatcha Marsh

Diagnosis.

Heerz distinguishes from other doryctine genera by the following combination of features: (1) frons excavated (Fig. 2D), (2) propodeum with a longitudinal median carina followed by a pentagonal areola (Figs 2C, 3D), (3) second metasomal tergite entirely or partially sculptured, contrasting with third one, which is smooth, polished and with a transverse furrow (Figs 2C, 3D), (4) vein r-m of fore wing present (Fig. 2F), (5) vein M+CU of hind about as long as vein 1M, (6) vein cu-a of hind wing straight or slightly curved apically towards wing apex, (7) male hind wing without pterostigma, and (8) hind coxa with a distinct basoventral tooth. Species of Heerz are very similar in habitus to those of Lissopsius , all having a body mostly smooth and shiny, propodeum with a longitudinal median carina followed by a pentagonal areola, and vein M+CU of hind wing slightly shorter to larger than vein 1M. However, Heerz differs from Lissopsius by having the vein r-m of fore wing present (Fig. 2F) (absent in Lissopsius ), hind coxa with a basoventral tooth (absent in Lissopsius ), and ovipositor distinctly sclerotised apically (uniformly slcerotised in Lissopsius ).

Description.

Small to moderate size, 2.5-7.0 mm; eyes large, moderately to distinctly emarginated opposite antennal sockets; frons concave; occipital carina present, meeting hypostomal carina before mandible; labrum distinctly concave; hypoclypeal depression small and round; clypeus short; malar suture absent; maxillary palpi 5-segmented, labial palpi 4-segmented; head and mesosoma smooth or weakly sculptured; mesoscutum declivous anteriorly; prepectal carinae present; precoxal sulcus smooth; surface of propodeum smooth on anterior half, slightly rugose on posterior half, with a median longitudinal carina followed by a pentagonal areola; metapleural flange present; fore tibia with a row of spines along anterior edge; hind coxa with a distinct basoventral tooth; vein m-cu of fore wing antefurcal to vein 2RS, thus (RS+M)b present; vein 1cu-a postfurcal to vein 1M; vein r-m of fore wing present; second submarginal cell distinctly short; first subdiscal cell of fore wing open at apex; vein M+CU of hind wing slightly shorter to larger than vein 1M; males without pterostigma on hind wing; basal sternal plate (acrosternite) of first metasomal tergite short, 0.2-0.3 times the length of tergum; first and second metasomal tergites scupltured; third metasomal tergite smooth with a transverse furrow; remaining metasomal tergites smooth; ovipositor strongly sclerotised apically; nodes reduced, only one or absent.

Distribution.

Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Remarks.

The two new species of Heerz described below considerably modify the previous concept of the genus. The two previously described species, Heerz lukenatcha and Heerz tooya Marsh, are characterised by their smooth mesosoma, dusky wings and relatively large body size. The Mexican species, on the other hand, have a coriaceous mesoscutum, uniformly hyaline wings and are considerably smaller, especially Heerz ecmahla . Moreover, frons excavation is more conspicuous in the two new species compared to Heerz lukenatcha and Heerz tooya . Despite these morphological differences, our comparisons with type material and our DNA sequence data (see below) led us to include the new species within Heerz .

Key to described species of Heerz (modified from Marsh 1993)