Pioscelus
A small genus with less than 10 species described [1].
In 2006, Belokobylskij [2] synonymized the genus Amazondoryctes with Pioscelus. But waiting for additional molecular results to confirm this synonymy, we keep these two genera as valid.
References
- , “Taxapad 2012, Ichneumonoidea 2011. Database on flash-drive.”. www.taxapad.com, Ottawa, Canada., 2012.
- , “Neoheterospilus gen. n., a new genus of the tribe Heterospilini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Doryctinae) with highly modified ovipositor and a worldwide distribution”, Insect systematics & evolution, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 149-178, 2006.
Unknown. One earlier reference indicated a species was reared from cicada eggs, but this needs to be confirmed [1].
References
- , The Doryctinae of Costa Rica (excluding the genus Heterospilus), vol. 70, 1 vol. Gainsville, Fl.: American Entomological Institute, 2002, p. 319.
Small size, 3.0-4.5 mm; head cubicle; occipital carina meeting hypostomal carina; mesoscutum declivous anteriorly; propodeum horizontal, barely declivous apically; first metasomal tergum longer than apical width, often twice as long; second tergum with two converging longitudinal grooves enclosing a rugose or costate median area; basal sternal plate of first metasomal tergum 0.33-0.50 length of tergum, dorsope weak and indistinct; fore tibia with single row of short stout spines along anterior edge; hind coxa without basal tubercle or tooth although slightly angled; fore wing vein r-m present, vein 2RS absent or represented by infuscate line, first subdiscal cell open at apex; hind wing vein M+CU equal to or slightly shorter than vein 1M [1].
Body size 2.5-4.5 mm; head cubicle; occipital carina meeting hypostomal carina; frons slightly excavated; mesoscutum declivous anteriorly; propodeum often horizontal and barely declivous posteriorly; precoxal sulcus usually as long as mesopleuron; fore tibia with single row of short spines along anterior edge; hind coxa without distinct tooth or tubercle at base although smoothly angled; fore wing vein r-m present, vein 2RS absent or represented partially by weakly infuscate line, first subdiscal cell open at apex; hind wing vein M+CU equal to or shorter than vein 1M; first metasomal tergum longer than apical width; second metasomal tergum with either 2 converging median grooves which set off triangular area or 2 parallel carinae; basal sternal plate of first metasomal segment 0.25-0.33 length of tergum, dorsope distinct or weak [2].
References
- , The Doryctinae of Costa Rica (excluding the genus Heterospilus), vol. 70, 1 vol. Gainsville, Fl.: American Entomological Institute, 2002, p. 319.
- , “The Doryctinae (Braconidae) of Costa Rica: genera and species of the tribe Heterospilini”, ZooKeys, vol. 347, pp. 1-474, 2013.
Similar to Amazondoryctes (and synonymyzed with it by Belokobylskij [1] but still in question, see Marsh et al. [2]) but Pioscelus is distinguished by the converging grooves on metasomal tergum rather than parallel short carinae. It is distinguished from Heterospilus by the hind coxa without a basal tubercle and from Amazondoryctes by the presence of two longitudinal converging grooves on the second metasomal tergum [3].
References
- , “Neoheterospilus gen. n., a new genus of the tribe Heterospilini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Doryctinae) with highly modified ovipositor and a worldwide distribution”, Insect systematics & evolution, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 149-178, 2006.
- , “The Doryctinae (Braconidae) of Costa Rica: genera and species of the tribe Heterospilini”, ZooKeys, vol. 347, pp. 1-474, 2013.
- , The Doryctinae of Costa Rica (excluding the genus Heterospilus), vol. 70, 1 vol. Gainsville, Fl.: American Entomological Institute, 2002, p. 319.
Nearctic, Neotropical.