Parasaphodes flavipes Mitroiu 2017

(Figs 132–142)

Parasaphes flavipes Ashmead, 1904: 157; syntypes in USNM, examined. Parasaphodes flavipes (Ashmead, 1904), comb. nov.

Diagnosis. Female (male unknown): scape long (Figs 135, 137), reaching lower margin of median ocellus; anterior corners of pronotal collar not carinate (Figs 136, 139); axillae not advanced (Fig. 139); gaster distinctly petiolate, petiole large, quadrate, densely reticulate on dorsal side (Figs 132, 141).

So far, this is the only species of Parasaphodes having a large quadrangular petiole (Fig. 141) and a relatively long scape (Figs 135, 137).

Material examined. Lectotype ♀ (designated here for nomenclatural stability, deposited in USNM) [both antennae broken beyond F5, but rest of the segments from one of the antennae glued beneath the specimen; right side middle leg broken but glued beneath the specimen; distal segments of all tarsi missing; part of the body and wings covered by white mold; on triangular card]. CHINA (TAIWAN): ‘1366’, ‘ Formosa, Koebele’, ‘ Type No. 7187 U.S. N.M.’, ‘ Parasaphes flavipes ♂ ♀ Ash’ [Ashmead’s handwriting], ‘USNMENT00802940’.

Paralectotypes. CHINA (TAIWAN): 2♀ ‘1366’, ‘ Formosa, Koebele’, ‘ Type No. 7187 U.S. N.M.’ (USNM).

Redescription. Female. Body length: 1.7 mm.

Colour. Head and mesosoma black, with slight blue-green metallic reflections (Figs 132, 133). Gaster brownish-black (Fig. 132). Eyes reddish; ocelli orange (Figs 135, 136). Antenna (Figs 137, 138) with scape and pedicel brownish-yellow; flagellum light brown, distally becoming slightly darker. Legs entirely brownish-yellow (Fig. 132). Wings hyaline, tegula and venation brown (Fig. 142). Body pilosity whitish, wing pilosity pale brown (Figs 139, 142).

Sculpture. Head smooth (Figs 135–137). Mesosoma with pronotum and mesoscutum shallowly reticulate to imbricate (Fig. 139); axillae and mesoscutellum smooth (Fig. 139); propodeum with median area mostly smooth except for straight, conspicuously raised median carina, some additional irregular carinulae along the latter, and straight plicae (Fig. 141); prepectus and metapleuron smooth (Fig. 140); mesepimeron mostly coriaceousalutaceous, mesepisternum smooth (Fig. 140). Gaster smooth.

Structure. Head. Clypeal margin subtruncate. Genae buccate, moderately converging towards mouth (Fig. 135). Scape long (Figs 135, 137), reaching lower margin of median ocellus. Head width 2.5× length in dorsal view (55:22) and about 1.4× height in frontal view (55:39). POL subequal to OOL (10.5:10.0). Eye height 1.3× length (24:18) and 2.2× malar space (24:11). Scape length about 0.7× eye height (17:24) and about 2.1× length of pedicel (17:8). Head width 0.55× length of pedicel plus flagellum (55:100). F1 length about 2.4× width (12:5); F7 length about 1.8× width (10.0:5.5); clava length about 3× width (18:6).

Mesosoma. Anterior corners of pronotal collar not carinate (Figs 136, 139). Axillae not advanced (Fig. 139). Mesosoma length 1.4× width (72:52), width about 1.3× height (52:40). Mesoscutum width about 2.5× length (52:21). Mesoscutellum length subequal to width (30:31). Propodeum length half mesoscutellum length (15:30). Dorsellum length 0.2× propodeum length (3:15). Fore wing length 2.3× width (145:62). MV length about 4.6× SV (30.0:6.5); MV about 5.4× PV (30.0:5.5).

Metasoma. Petiole large, quadrate, densely and irregularly reticulated on dorsal side (Fig. 141). Gaster (Fig. 132) short oval in dorsal view, length about 1.3× width (61:48) and shorter than mesosoma; hypopygium not exserted.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. China (Taiwan) (Ashmead 1904).

Biology. According to Ashmead (1904), the specimens were “bred by Mr. A. Koebele” (p. 157); however, no host is given.

Remarks. The type series of P. flavipes consists of six point-mounted specimens, of which two are missing from their points; they are all more or less covered by white mold. A third specimen, having the same information as the paralectotypes, proved to be a Teasienna female (Fig. 143). It has its left antenna and both fore wings missing, the right antenna is broken beyond the second anellus, and the mandibles are not visible. However, it has the posteroventral corner of the pronotum short and rounded, the posterior margin of the gena round, the medial ventral margin of the scape carinate, the antenna inserted below the middle of the face, and the posterior part of the mesoscutellum conspicuously overpassing the base of propodeum, with a small median spine (Fig. 143).

Parasaphodes flavipes is the most unusual species within the genus due to its large rectangular petiole (Fig. 141), the axillae, which are not advanced (Fig. 139), and its longer than usual scape (Fig. 135); all other characters indicate that it is correctly placed in Parasaphodinae. Based on the characters outlined above, P. flavipes may belong to a different genus, but I delay establishing it at least until more and fresh material can be examined.