A N N A L E S HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI N A T I O N A L I S H U N G A R I C I

Tomus V I I I . Series nova 1957

The Genera of the Subfamily Monodontomerinae (Hym. Chalcidoidea)

By G. SzELÉNYi, Budapest

I n t r o d u c t i o n

Monodontomerus, tin first genus of the subfamily I intend to deal with in the present paper, was described by W e s t w o o d as early as 1833. The second contribution was made by F ö r s t e r in 1856, who erected three genera viz. Lochites, Crypto pristus and Olyphomerus, Further contributions were made in 1874 by M a y r, describing the genus Holaspis, and in 1885 publishing the description of the genus Plesiostigma.

The Monodontomerinae as a particular subfamily of the Torymidae was established by A s h m e a d in 1904 based on the genera mentioned above, and on Plesiostigmodes and Hemitorymus described by him simultaneously (comprising also Physothorax described by M a y r in 1885. and Websterellus described by A s h m e a d in 1893 ; the latter one, howe­ver, proved to be synonymous with Cryptopristus Forst., the former one belongs, according to our present knowledge, to the subfamily Toryminae, while Hemitorymus has been synonymized by H u b e r. 1927. with T o r y m u s). The same degree of our knowledge was put out by S c h m i e d e k n e c h t in 1909, who followed on the whole A s h m e a d's work, but treat­ing Lochites erroneously as a Torymine genus.

In 1907 published C r a w f o r d a key of the genera of Monodontomerinae accounting tor 12 genera, and describing simultaneously the genera Ditropinotus, Eridontomerus, and the genus Microdontomerus for Torymus anthonomi Crawf. Again the same author issued a second paper in 1914 describing the genera Idiomacromerus, Antistrophoplex and Zaglyptonotus, and presenting a second generic key of already 17 genera. Dimeromicrus and Perissocentrus having been described by him earlier (1910). Both keys of C r a w f o r d included the above mentioned three genera settled erroneously in this subfamily or taken incorrectly for valid genera. The number of the valid Monodontomerine genera in the keys of 1907 and 1914 is therefore 9 and 14, respectively.

Further contributions were made to our knowledge of this subfamily by G i r a u 11, who described in 1913 Amonodontomerus, in 1915 Proplesiostigma and Ditropinotella, and in 1920 Diplesiostigma. In 1914 described G a h a n the genus Liodontomerus. Masi established in 1916 the genus Didactyliocerus and in 1921 Paraholaspis, changing at the same time the generic hame Holaspis Mayr in Pseudolorymus, and shortly after his Paraholaspis in Plastoto-rymus, both generic names having been preoccupied. In 1927 erected H u b e r the Monodon­tomerine genus Platykula for Syntomaspis albohirta Ashm. and B o u c e k described but re­cently his interesting genus Slanecia.

A generic key of the Monodontomerinae was made by R u s c h k a in 1923 comprising the 10 Palaearctic genera only, erecting at the same time his Exopristus and including in this group the genus Lochites too. The revision of the Palaearctic Monodontomerinae made by H o f f m e y e r in 1931 offers no further data on this subject.

In her monograph on the Chalcid flics of the Soviet Union. 1952. N i k o l s k a j a deals with 12 genera treating also ones, which have so far not been recorded from the territory in question, but whose occurrence may be supposed. Her synopsis includes all Palaearctic genera known t i l l then, except Didactyliocerus Masi, recording also the occurrence of Ditro­pinotus Crawf. in Central Asia for the first time. She was also the first author who recorded as early as in 1932 and 1934 the Nearctic species of Liodontomerus from the Palaearctic Region,

but treated in her monograph the genera Lochites Först . and Liodontomerus Gah. once again as distinct ones. These two genera, however, are doubtless identical, and in accordance-wi th this fact the species were listed by M u e s e b e c k & al. in 1951 under the generic name Liodontomerus, the name Lochites being preoccupied. Establishing this synonymy, the changing of the generic name Lochites in Lochitisca by G h e s q u i è r e in 1946 proved to be unnec­essary.

The subfamily Monodontomerinae comprises up to the present 26 genera and 1 subge­nus, Dibaeomerus, erected by E r d ő s in 1954 as a subgenus of Eridontomerus Crawf. In this, paper I publish the description of two new genera :

Lochitimorpha gen. nov.

Head and thorax w i t h velvetlike appearance, very sharply and deeply punctured, dull and covered wi th silvery white scalelike hairs ; antennae w i t h two ring joints, inserted on the lower eye line, strongly clavate club wi th a short tuft of hyaline setae; occipital foramen not margined; thorax some­what flattened above ; propodeum a l i t t le longer than the metanotum, retic­ulate, shining, wi th delicate median carina. No spiracular sulci. Wings sub-hyaline, subcostalis twice the length of the marginális, stigmalis nearly sessile, a l i t t le more than half the length of the marginalis, postmarginalis a l i t t le longer than the stigmalis, about half the length of the marginális ; legs slender, hind femora somewhat thickened wi th the lower margin smooth, the shorter spur of the hind tibiae minute ; abdomen a l i t t le longer than the thorax, flattened above, caudal margin of the first tergite slightly incised; ovipositor exserted, about as long as the hind t ibia .

Closely related wi th Liodontomerus Gah. from which i t may be distinguished by the strikingly different sculpture of the head and thorax, moreover by the scalelike hairs covering these parts of the body. The generotype, L . semiaenea sp. n. shows by its peculiar coloration a very strange appearance, which is remarkably different from those of the species of Liodontomerus known up to now.

Lochimerus gen. nov.

. Head and thorax sharply reticulate, shining ; antennae inserted on the lower eye line, strongly clavate, the proximal funicle joints much reduced, very small and somewhat ringlike, much smaller than the 2—3 last joints of the funicle ; club a l i t t le asymmetrical, much broader and as long as or slightly longer than the whole funicle ; pronotum very short medially, mesoscutum tolerably convex, propodeum without median carina and spiracular sulci, ab­rupt ly declining ; wings hyaline, marginális somewhat thickened, three times as long as the stigmalis, postmarginalis half the length of the marginális , a l i t t l e longer than the stigmalis ; legs slender, lower margin of the hind femora smooth, hind tibiae wi th two apical spurs ; abdomen almost as long as head and thorax united, last sternite sharply off standing ; ovipositor surpassing the length of the abdomen.

Nearest to Liodontomerus Gah. and Slanecia Bck. From the former it may be distinguished by the form of the antennae and especially by the rela­t ively long an tenná i club, from the latter i t differs by the same characteristics, moreover by the form of the abdomen, the first and second abdominal tergites

not being tongue-shaped and not narrowing towards the apex. Generotype : Liodontomerus Balási Szel.

Owing to the fact that since A s h m e a d's work no generic key has been made com­prising the genera orbis terrarum, I think, a such key will not be inappropriate. I endeavoured to compile, on the basis of the literature, the full amount of the genera known t i l l now, it is doubtless, however, that the present paper will constitute a sort of frame-work only. There may be some genera the description of winch escaped my attention owing to the difficulties in acquiring literature, and a synopsis appropriate in every respect could have been made only by the means of a careful examination of the type species of these genera. I hope, however,, that this work may present a modest contribution to our knowledge of this interesting sub­family of the Torymidae. Some of the characteristics used in the key, for example the presence or lack of the carina around the occipital margin as well as that of the median carinae on the propodeum, seem to be hardly reliable as generic differences. In some cases they may be deve-loppcd weakly, especially in male specimens. The validity of some genera is, therefore, to some extent doubtful.

A g e n e r i c k e y o f t h e Monodontomerinae

1 (2) Abdomen petiolate, scutellum wi th a cross-furrow before apex, antennae 12-jointed, wi th one ring, five funicle- and four club-joints ; posterior femora simple, (South Austral ia) : Amonodontomerus Git. 1913

(Type : A. viridis Git .) 2 (1) Abdomen sessile. 3 (6) Pronotum longer than the mesoscutum, scutellum wi th a cross-furrow. 4 (5) Front femora much swollen ; antennae wi th two ring joints (South

America) : Plesiostigmodes Ashm. 1904 (Type : P. brasiliensis Ashm.)

5 (4) Front femora normal, antennae wi th one ring joint , (South America) : Plesiostigma Mayr, 1885

(Type : P. bicolor Mayr) 6 (3) Pronotum generally much shorter than the mesoscutum, if of the

same length, scutellum without a cross-furrow. 7 (8) Front femora much swollen, pronotum by far as long as the meso­

scutum, scutellum without cross furrow, posterior femora wi th small teeth, (NS Wales): Macrodontomerus Git. 1913

(Type : M. unimaculatus Git . ) 8 (7) Front femora slender (at most in male specimens of Liodontomerus

distinctly swollen), pronotum much shorter than the mesoscutum. 9 (12) Antennae wi th three or more ring-joints, that is, the first funicle jo int

or more of the funicle joints remarkably reduced ; occiput immargined. 10 (11) Hind femora thickened, w i th a row of small teeth, the three proximal

funicle joints ringlike, club much shorter than the funicle ; first and second abdominal tergites tongue-shaped, long, narrowing toward the apex, (Europe): Slanecia Bck. 1955

(Type : 5. elongata Bck.) 11 (10) Hind femora slender wi th the lower margin smooth, the four proximal

funicle joints ringlike, club as long as or even longer than the whole funicle ; first and second abdominal tergites not tongue-shaped, trans­verse, not narrowing toward the apex, (Europe) :

Lochimerus gen. nov. (Type : Liodontomerus Balási Szel.)

12 (9) Antennae with at most two distinctly ringlike joints, if the first funicle joint remarkably reduced, the hind femora without teeth and the club much shorter than the funicle.

13 (30) Antennae wi th two ring joints 14 (15) Marginal vein about 7 times as long as the sessile stigmal one ; epister-

num and epimerum not divided, (Europe): Didactyliocerus Masi, 1916 (Type : D. dispar Masi)

15 (14) Marginal vein much shorter, episternum and epimerum clearly divided. 16 (17) Antennae 11-jointed, the club solid, propodeum wi th a pair of median

carinae, (Austral ia): Diplesiostigma Git. 1920 (Type : D. particolor Git.)

17 (16) Antennae 12- or 13-jointed, the club 3-jointed, propodeum wi th at most one single median carina.

18 (19) Antennae 12-jointed, inserted near the clypeus ; propodeum without median carina, (Australia) : Proplesiostigma Git. 1915

(Type : P. unifasciatus Git.) 19 (18) Antennae 13-jointed, inserted above the clypeus. 20 (29) Hind femora without teeth at most slightly incised ventrally or very

slightly serrate. 21 (24) Occipital foramen immargined, lower margin of the hind femora smooth. 22 (23) Head and thorax velvety, very densely and sharply punctured, dull

covered wi th scalelike hairs, Club wi th hyaline process at the t ip , (Europe) : Lochitimorpha gen. nov.)

(Type : L . semiaenea sp. n.) 23 (22) Head and thorax not velvety, its sculpture being a sort of sharp reti­

culation, more or less shining and without scalelike hairs, Club without process at the t ip , (Europe and North America) :

Liodontomerus Gah. 1914 (Type : Lochites papaveris Först.)

24 (21) Occipital foramen margined. 25 (26) Hind femora smooth on the lower margin, spiracular sulci conspicuous,

(North America) : Platykula Hub. 1927 (Type : Syntomaspis alhohirta Ashm.

26 (25) Hind femora excised at apex, spiracular sulci absent. 27 (28) Marginal vein about as long as the submarginal one ; spiracles at

extreme base of propodeum, (Manila, North America and Europe) : Dimeromicrus Crawf. 1910

(Type : D. Ashmeadi Crawf.) 28 (27) Marginal vein much shorter than submarginal one ; spiracles about

their own diameter apart from base of propodeum, (North America) : Idiomacromerus Crawf. 1914

(Type : / . bimaculatipennis Crawf.) 29 (20) Hind femora wi th a row of small, acute teeth at the lower margin,

(Europe) : subg. Dibaeomerus Erd. 1954 (Type : Cryptopristus laticornis Fst.)

30 (13) Antennae with but one ring jo in t . 31 (32) Hind tibial spurs situated before apex about two thirds the length of

the t ibia, very long, scutellum wi th cross-furrow, (Chile) : Perissocentrus Crawf. 1910

(Type : P. chilensis Crawf.)

32 (31) Hind tibial spurs normal, situating on the apex of the tibia. 33 (34) Scutellum wi th a cross-furrow before apex, hind femora wi th one

Gtrong tooth, caudal margin of the first tergite not excised, (all con­tinents) : Monodontomerus Westw. 1833

(Type : M. obscurus Westw.) 34 (33) Scutellum simple. 35 (52) Ventral margin of hind femora wi th a single tooth, or wi th a row of

small teeth, or at least finely serrate. 36 (37) Ventral margin of hind femora finely serrate, without teeth at most

slightly excised at apex ; caudal margin of the abdominal tergites straight (Europe and North America) : Glyphomerus Fürst . 1856

(Type : Monodontomerus stigma F.) 37 (36) Ventral margin of hind femora wi th a row of small teeth or at least

wi th a single tooth. 38 (45) Ventral margin of hind femora wi th a row of small teeth. 39 (42) Propodeum w i t h a pair of median carinae (these carinae in male spe­

cimens very indistinct or wanting !). 40 (41) Occipital foramen not carinated ; joints of antennae loosely put to­

gether (North America, Central Asia) : Ditropinotus Crawf. 1907 (Type : D. aureoviridis Crawf.)

41 (40) Occipital foramen surrounded by a distinct carina , joints of antennae closely f i t t ing. (North America and Europe) :

Eridontomerus Crawf. 1907 (Type : Stictonotus isosomatis Ril .)

42 (39) Propodeum w i t h one median carina or without median carinae. 43 (44) Caudal margin of the first abdominal tergite deeply incised medially ;

propodeum without median carina, (North America) : Antistrophoplex Crawf. 1914

(Type : A. bicoloripes Crawf.) 44 (43) Caudal margin of the first abdominal tergite not incised medially ;

propadeum wi th a median carina and several shorter ones at each side of the median one, (North America) :

Microdontomerus Crawf. 1907 (Type : Torymus anthonomi Crawf.)

45 (38) Hind femora either finely serrate and wi th one large tooth, or w i th one large tooth and a few smaller ones, or wi th only one tooth at the lower margin.

46 (49) Hind femora w i t h one sometimes very indistinct tooth. 47 (48) Occipital foramen not margined, the longer hind tibial spur as long

as the first tarsal joint ; hind femora w i t h a minute tooth ventrally near the apex and excised beyond it (North America) :

Zaglyptonotus Crawf. 1914 (Type : Z. Schwärzt Crawf.)

48 (47) Occipital foramen margined, the longer hind tibial spur much shorter than the first tarsal joint, the lower margin of the hind tibia wi th one, sometimes weekly developed tooth, not excised beyond i t , (Europe) :

Pseudotorymus Masi, 1921 (Type : Torymus mititaris Boh.)

49 (46) Ventral margin of the hind femora wi th one large tooth and either serrate basad or bearing a few small teeth distad of i t .

25 T e r m é s z e t t u d o m á n y i M ú z e u m É v k ö n y v e

50 (51) Hind femora distad of the large tooth wi th 2—4 small teeth ; eyes hairy, wings hyaline, (Europe) : Exopristus Rsch. 1923

(Type : Cryptopristus trigonomerus Masi) 51 (50) Hind femora basad of large tooth serrate, wings wi th stigmal cloud,

(Europe and North America) : Cryptopristus Förs t . 1856

(Type : Torymus caliginosus Walk.) 52 (35) Ventral margin of hind femora smooth, not excised and without teeth. 53 (54) Antennái club 2-jointed, propodeum wi th a line of foveae running

from the spiracles and around caudal margin as well as w i t h a pair of median carinae ; abdomen much compressed, segments wi th straight caudal margin, (Austral ia) : Ditropinotella Git. 1913

(Type : D. compressiventris Git.) 54 (55) Antennái club 3-jointed ; propodeum wi th delicate median carina ;

no spiracular sulci or foveae. (Europe) : Plastotorymus Masi, 1922 (Type : Paraholapsis cothurnatus Masi)

Description of the generotype

Lochitimorpha semiaenea sp. n.

Female. — Head and thorax nearly black wi th very slight coppery green­ish t in t ; cheeks bluish ; an tennái grooves coppery ; clypeus, cheeks partly, ventral side of thorax, lateral sides of praescutum, praesternum, spots below tegulae, tegulae, borders of metapleurae, lateral corners of propodeum, yellow­ish ; legs except hind coxae and abdomen bright yellow ; ovipositor black ; antennae brown ; scape greenish ; t ip of the antennái club yellow.

Head very densely and deeply punctured, dull presenting a sort of velvet­like sculpture, seeing from above transverse ; temples hardly a th i rd the wid th of the eyes ; occipital foramen not margined ; ocelli forming a triangle, the hind ores hardly more apart from each other than from the front ocellus, some­what nearer to eye margin. Front about one and a half times as wide as the eyes, antennái grooves parallel, somewhat shining, a th i rd the wid th of the front, ending just before front ocellus ; cheeks a l i t t le longer than half the length of the eyes, bearing a fine sulcus and slightly shining ; sides of the front and vertex covered wi th silvery-white, scalelike hairs.

Antennae inserted on the lower eye line, remarkably thickened towards the apex ; scape slightly curved, cylindrical ; pedicel as long as the united length of the ring joints and funicle 1 ; two ring joints present, the second one remarkably broader than the first joint , but much smaller than funicle 1 ; funicle joints transverse, gradually widened, club large, a l i t t le longer than the three preceding joints together, distinctly three jointed and bearing a hyaline process at the t ip which seems to be composed of a few hyaline sensoria.

Thorax flattened dorsally, seeing from above about twice as long as broad nearly dull, a l i t t le more coarsely punctured than the head and having the same velvetlike appearance, and covered w i t h silvery-white scalelike hairs especially on the scutellum ; pronotum transverse, short, hind margin concave, abruptly declining anteriorly, in the middle hardly a fourth the length of the

mesoscutum, about half the length of the scapulae laterad. Mesoscutum about as long as wide, parapsidal grooves sharp, joining wi th the axillae, scutellum somewhat longer than wide, flattened ; metanotum forming a short, transverse stripe, dull , densely reticulate ; propodeum about twice as long as the meta­notum, strongly shining, green, sharply but scarcely reticulate, median carina very delicately indicated ; spiracles small, ellypsoidal, about their own dia­meter apart from the base of the propodeum. Wings almost hyaline, subcostalis twice the length of the marginális, stigmalis a l i t t le more than half the length of the marginális, postmarginalis a l i t t le longer than the stigmalis, about half

A : Lochitimorpha semiaenea g. n. sp. n. antenna of the female, B—D: Lochimerus Balási Szel., abdomen, hind leg and antenna of the female.

the length of the marginális ; legs tolerably slender, hind femora a l i t t le thicke­ned, w i t h the lower margin smooth.

Abdomen somewhat longer than the thorax, a l i t t le flattened dorsally, finely coriaceous, strongly shining tergites subequal, caudal margin of the first tergite slightly excised ; ovipositor as long as the hind t ibia. Male unknown.

Length : The holotype was taken at Somlóvásárhely (Somlóhegy) in the Trans-

danubian district of Hungary, on meadows, 14, V I I I . 1937. I t is deposited in the collection of the Hung. Nat. Hist. Museum. In the same collection there are two female and two male specimens of this species taken by B i r ó at Tas-nád 13—14. V I L 1912. Unfortunately, these specimens are nearly without antennae.

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