Plutofoenus edwardsi Turner, 1927

(Figs. 3a, 3c, 6e, 6i, 7e, 9b, 11c–d, 12b, 13d, 14b–c, 15)

Plutofoenus edwardsi Turner, 1927: 556 –557 (description); Hedicke, 1939: 42 (catalog); De Santis, 1967: 95 (catalog). Gasteruption edwardsi: Crosskey, 1962: 383 (Fig. 5, fore wing), 397–398 (Plutofoenus synonymized under Gasteruption).

Holotype. Female examined. Type locality: ARGENTINA: Mendoza: Potrerillos, P. & M. Edwards, 6.I.1927 (BMNH). Labels: (1) Type H.T. (2) B.M. TYPE HYM 3.a 145 (3) Plutofoenus edwardsi Turn. Type (4) Potrerillos 6.1.1927 (5) Argentina: Mendoza Prov. P.& M. Edwards B.M. 1927–63.

Other specimens examined. Four females. ARGENTINA: Jujuy: Volcán, 2000m, II.1927, (no collector specified), 2 Ƥ (AEIC); Volcán, 2000m, II.1927, (no collector specified), 2 Ƥ (one missing metasoma beyond segment 3) (IMLA).

Diagnosis. Differs from P. paraguayensis by the longer ovipositor sheath (Fig. 3c) (2.2 times longer than metasoma in P. e d w a rd s i, and 1.5 times in P. paraguayensis). Differs from P. c h a e t u r u s by the shorter ovipositor sheath (Fig. 3c) (3.0 times longer than metasoma in P. chaeturus), by the head wider than long (Fig. 11 c) (as wide as long in P. chaeturus), and by the pronotum with shallow rugae (Fig. 13 d) (with deep rugae in P. c h a e t u r u s).

Redescription. Female. Length: 16.5 mm (15.1–18.3 mm) (n=3, 2 specimens from AEIC, 1 from IMLA); ovipositor sheath length 1.37 (1.34–1.38)X body length.

Head. Black, rugulose to imbricate, wider than long (Fig. 11 c); head length 1.35 (1.33–1.37)X eye length; eye length 6.16 (5.77–6.33)X malar space; distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin 1.55 (1.45–1.60)X distance between posterior ocelli; 1st flagellomere 0.94 (0.81–1.05)X as long as scape, 1.96 (1.83–2.00)X as long as pedicel, 0.81 (0.67–0.93)X as long as 2nd flagellomere; mandible medial tooth developed; clypeus lighter than remaining frons; clypeus and face with fine longitudinal striae; frontal carina well developed between antennae; posterior ocellus inserted at level of upper eye margin (Fig. 11 c); occipital carina relatively narrow dorsally and wide laterally.

Mesosoma. Mesonotum black, with edges red brown, remaining portions of mesosoma red brown, with some portions black; fore and middle legs with coxa and trochanter black or red brown, femur and tibia red brown, tibia with a white longitudinal stripe, tarsus red brown, with basal tarsomeres lighter and apical tarsomeres gradually darker; hind leg dark brown to red brown; mesosoma (excluding propleuron) 1.57 (1.47–1.68)X as long as high; propleuron 1.11 (1.02–1.15)X longer than its largest wide, 0.75 (0.73–0.76)X pronotum length; metacoxa 2.11 (1.87–2.35)X as long as wide; metatibia 4.38 (4.12–4.55)X as long as wide, 1.37 (1.33–1.40)X as long as femur, 3.43 (3.15–3.68)X as long as 1st tarsomere; propleuron rugulose dorsally and imbricate, with sparse punctations laterally; pronotal process distinct (Fig. 13 d); pronotum ventral lobe rugose, dorsal and lateral lobes rugulose, area between lobes with a crenulate ridge; mesoscutum estriate rugose (Fig. 12 b); mesoscutellum rugulose; mesepisternum rugose; mesepimeron with irregular striae; metapleuron micro areolate dorsally, ventral margin near middle coxa rugulose, remaining portion areolate rugose; propodeum areolate (Figs. 14 b-c); fore wing vein r–m nebulous (Fig. 3a); hind wing with vein 2M+Cu pigmented; 4–6 hamuli (5/4: 25%, 5/5: 50%, 6/5: 25%).

Metasoma. Dark brown, imbricate, 2.60 (2.54–2.72)X as long as mesosoma; ovipositor sheath dark brown basally and subapically, remaining portions yellow brown, 2.23 (2.17–2.29)X as long as metasoma (Fig. 3c).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Argentina (Jujuy, Mendoza) (Fig. 15).

Comments. Plutofoenus edwardsi has been recorded in mid-Andean altitudes, although the records are too few to allow further interpretations.