Revision of Taiwanese and Ryukyuan species of Eleganesia Alencar & Azevedo, 2018 (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae)

Revision of Taiwanese and Ryukyuan species of Pristepyris Kieffer, 1905, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae)

“…The complete articulation between gonostipes and harpe was observed in the group P: Apenesia, Dissomphalus, Epynesia, Pristepyris sensu stricto, Pristocera and Propristocera in our study similar to earlier studies (Alencar et al 2018;Liao et al 2019;Alencar and Azevedo 2020). Contrastingly, the incomplete articulation or complete fusion between gonostipes and harpe was observed in group Q: Austranesia, Eleganesia and Epynesia (Alencar et al 2018;Liao et al 2021). The division between P and Q groups seems to be supported by the antennal micromorphology of the female wasps (Fig.…”

“…Morphological examination, imaging, line-drawing and measurement were performed as in Liao et al (2021): HL, head length, from the anterior margin of the clypeus to the posterior margin of the head in dorsal view; HW, maximum width of head including compound eyes; EL, compound eye length in dorsal view; POL, minimum distance between median margins of posterior ocelli; WOT, maximum distance between lateral margins of posterior ocelli; AOL, minimum distance between antero-inner margin of posterior ocellus and posterolateral margin of anterior ocellus; OOL, minimum distance between anterolateral margin of posterior ocellus and posteromedian margin of compound eye; DAO, transverse diameter of anterior ocellus; LM, length of mesosoma, measured from the anteriormost flange of the pronotum to the posteriormost of the metapectal-propodeal complex; LMT, length of metasoma, measured from the posteriormost of the metapectal-propodeal complex to the apex of the gaster (excluding the sting); LPD, length of the dorsal pronotal area, measured in lateral view from the junction between the pronotal flange and dorsal pronotal area to the posteriormost point of the dorsal pronotal area; WPD, maximum width of the dorsal pronotal area; LP, length of the metapectal-propodeal complex, measured from the junction of the transverse anterior carina and median carina to the posteriormost of the metapectal-propodeal complex; WP, width of the metapectal-propodeal complex, measured along the transverse line passing the anteriormost points of the propodeal spiracles; TL, total body length. Sensilla placodea (antennal plate organs) were taken by a JSM-6510 scanning electron microscope.…”

“…The type material (holotype only) of Pristepyris ryukyuensis lacks its metasoma. The morphological information of the male genitalia, which is indispensable for discriminating similar species, according to the general external morphology (Liao et al 2019(Liao et al , 2021 was unavailable. Therefore, the present study could not provide any evidence to support or reject the discrimination between P. ryukyuensis and P. tainanensis and between P. ryukyuensis and P. zhejiangensis.…”

“…Mesopleuron elongate and imbricate; Taxonomic remarks. Due to the new combination of "Pristepyris minutus" to the genus Elganesia, the "Key to Taiwanese and Ryukyuan species of the genus Eleganesia, based on male morphology" given in Liao et al (2021) is updated and given as Appendix 1.…”

“…Recently, Alencar et al (2018) and Azevedo et al (2018) significantly revised the classification of the subfamily Pristocerinae, by combining conventional morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analysis. The revised classification is the best working hypothesis for further taxonomic and other related studies in specific geographic regions (Liao et al 2019(Liao et al , 2021.…”