Polynema

Polynema (subgenus Doriclytus Foerster, 1847), stat. rev.

(Figs 1–8)

Doriclytus Foerster 1847: 226 –227; Hincks 1950: 175; Kryger 1950: 53 –55; Annecke & Doutt 1961: 25; Graham 1973a: 49. Type species: Doriclytus vitripennis Foerster, 1847, by monotypy. Synonymized under Polynema by Schauff 1984: 52.

Doryclytus: Soyka 1956: 14 –15 (misspelling).

Barypolynema Ogloblin 1946: 282. Type species: Barypolynema reticulatum Ogloblin, 1946, by original designation. Synonymized under Polynema by Schauff 1984: 53. Syn. n.

Notopolynema Ogloblin 1960: 77 (as a subgenus of Barypolynema). Type species: Barypolynema (Notopolynema) pallidiventre Ogloblin, 1960, by original designation. Syn. n.

Restisoma Yoshimoto 1990: 68 –69. Type species: Restisoma howdeni Yoshimoto, 1990, by original designation. Syn. n.

Formicomymar Yoshimoto 1990: 80 –81. Type species: Formicomymar venezuelaensis Yoshimoto, 1990, by original designation. Syn. n.

Diagnosis

Within Polynema, the presence of a pit near each torulus and the prosternum closed anteriorly by the propleura meeting medially distinguishes P. (Doriclytus) from P. (Polynema) and P. (Dorypolynema). The scutellar sensilla are almost always in the middle of scutellum in P. (Doriclytus) and also in the type species of P. (Dorypolynema), but usually (but not always) closer to the anterior margin of scutellum in P. (Polynema).

The genera Himopolynema and Platyfrons Yoshimoto have a pit near each torulus and the prosternum closed by propleura anteriorly, as in P. (Doriclytus). However, both genera have distinctive and more complex arrangement of carinae on the propodeum: in Himopolynema, the two submedian carinae can be either far apart or close to each other, and in Platyfrons, the submedian carinae are H-shaped. At least one of them is possibly a derived offshoot of P. (Doriclytus). The occurrence of indistinct subtorular grooves in some P. (Doriclytus) resemble species of Kalopolynema Ogloblin but the latter do not have the pit beside each torulus and the propleura are not abutting anteriorly, as in P. (Polynema) (Triapitsyn & Berezovskiy 2002).

FEMALE. Head. Face with a pit next to each torulus (Fig. 1) and sometimes with indistinct subantennal grooves or depressions, but usually without.

Antenna. Scape usually smooth on both surfaces, but sometimes with distinct cross striations on inner surface; funicle 6-segmented, with all segments usually notably longer than wide; clava entire, usually with 7, rarely with 8 longitudinal sensilla.

Mesosoma. Pronotum either entire or divided mediolongitudinally; mesoscutum, axilla, scutellum, and metanotum usually smooth, sometimes with more or less conspicuous cellulate sculpture, rarely strongly reticulate; scutellar sensilla usually in middle of scutellum (Fig. 3) and apart from each other, frenal line with or without a row of foveae; propodeum usually smooth, very rarely with transverse wrinkles, and either with a mediolongitudinal carina of various lengths, from complete to very short carina posteriorly or carina entirely absent.

Wings. Marginal vein of forewing with two dorsal macrochaetae; forewing blade either hyaline or variably infumate, more or less uniformly setose beyond venation.

Metasoma. Petiole attached to gastral tergum, longer than wide, usually more or less cylindrical but sometimes dilated anteriorly, rarely dilated along entire length and also flattened (Fig. 5); ovipositor of various lengths, from very short (about half length of gaster and not exserted) to very long (much longer than gaster and markedly exserted beyond its apex).

MALE. Similar to female. Digitus of genitalia without hooks (Fig. 8), rarely with minute, inconspicuous denticles.

Va r i a t i o n

There is a considerable variation among the numerous species that we can place in P. (Doriclytus), as also noted for Polynema s. l. by earlier authors such as Graham (1982).

This applies to forewing proportions, chaetotaxy, and relative length of marginal vein or marginal cilia, pronotum and scutellum proportions, position of scutellar placoid sensilla relative to each other, presence or absence of the row of frenal pits, length of propodeal carina (or its absence in many species), shape and proportions of petiole, ovipositor length (not exserted to exserted to strongly exserted), etc. For instance, the European species of P. (Doriclytus) that we have seen lack the transverse frenal row of foveae whereas frenal pits may either be present or absent among the numerous Neotropical species of this subgenus. The row of frenal foveae is present in all known species of subgenus P. (Dorypolynema) and in most European species of P. (Polynema) but is absent in some.

Discussion

After first studying the holotype of Foerster’s Doriclytus vitripennis one of us (PF) realized it was similar to the Argentinean species of Barypolynema, which are especially diverse in the Neotropical region. The type was examined again (by SVT) together with additional specimens of this and other, similar species. After examining the holotype of the type species of Barypolynema, we conclude that both Barypolynema and Doriclytus belong to the same diverse and speciose taxon, almost worldwide in distribution. Doriclytus vitripennis is just an extremely unusual species within this taxon. Consequently, we consider it best at present to treat Doriclytus as a subgenus within Polynema s. l., until it is possible to examine type material of most described species of Polynema s. l. and sort them to the correct subgenus; then Doriclytus could be elevated to generic rank, with its included species formally transferred from Polynema.

The type species of Notopolynema, Barypolynema (Notopolynema) pallidiventre Ogloblin, has longitudinal wrinkles on the propodeum. We examined the holotype of this species (in Museo de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina) and also one of us (SVT) identified and examined two additional specimens in BMNH (collected by F. Plaumann, 27.ix.1949 and 17.x.1949, in Nova Teutonia, Santa Catarina, Brazil) that belong to P. (Doriclytus) pallidiventre. The propodeal wrinkles are not as prominent as the propodeal carinae in Platyfrons but suggest a link with Platyfrons. Otherwise, these specimens have all the features of P. (Doriclytus).

The type species of Formicomymar, P. (Doriclytus) venezuelaense (Yoshimoto), comb. n., is a typical Neotropical representative of P. (Doriclytus) but is either micropterous or brachypterous, an adaptation to life in windy conditions at high altitudes where the species was collected. SVT examined the type series of this species in CNCI and also identified an additional specimen of P. (Doriclytus) venezuelaense, with the following label data: VENEZUELA: Mérida (Estado), Mérida, Loma Redondo Station, 4045 m, 3–14.iv.1988, A.T. Finnamore, C.E. Baxfield [1 female, CNCI].

The type species of Restisoma, P. (Doriclytus) howdeni (Yoshimoto), comb. n., is another Neotropical representative of P. (Doriclytus). SVT examined its type series (in CNCI) and also numerous specimens (in CNCI and UCRC) of this species from Central America. Together with some other, described (such as P. (Doriclytus) polychromum (Ogloblin)) and several undescribed Neotropical species, it forms a distinctive species group within P. (Doriclytus) with a wide range of reticulation on the mesosomal dorsum.