|
Taxa with uncertain status
The status of the following taxa of Diapriidae could not be
ascertained and these are incertae sedis.
- Genus Dolichopria Kieffer, 1910
Dolichopria Kieffer, 1910c:99. Type species Dolichopria gracilis Kieffer, 1910c
Type depository Unknown.
Valid subordinate Taxa
D. gracilis Kieffer, 1910 and D.indica Sharma, 1979 (Cora and Johnson, 2013).
The holotype could not be traced and the generic concept of Dolichopria is not clear as the original description in Kieffer 1910c is scanty. Characters separating this genus from Trichopria are not distinct.
Dolichopria indica Sharma
Dolichopria indica Sharma, 1979: 21. Type depository unknown.
Sharma (1979) described the female of D. indica, as having 14-segmented antenna and in the accompanying illustrations, antennae are not clavate and forewings have venation reaching one-third and stigmal vein shorter than marginal. Many characters resemble that of Trichopria, except for the number of antennal segments in female and presence of a spine on vertex. The status of this species remains uncertain.
A female diapriid with 14-segmented antenna and a wing venation similar to genus Diapria Latreille can be quite unusual (personal communication, David Notton). A possibility that this might well be an aberrant species of Trichopria cannot be overruled (personal communication, Masner).
- Genus Cyathopria Kieffer, 1909
Cyathopria Kieffer, 1909: 383. Type species: Cyathopria rufiventris Kieffer. Type depository unknown.
Valid subordinate Taxa known
C. rufiventris Kieffer and C. dalhousieana Sharma, 1979 (Cora and Johnson, 2013).
The type specimen remains untraced and the generic concept is unclear. From Kieffer's scanty original description, the possibility is that it might be an aberrant species of Trichopria (personal communication, Masner).
Cyathopria dalhousieana Sharma
Cyathopria dalhousieana Sharma, 1979: 19. Type depository unknown.
Based on the description and illustration indicating a tubular basal vein by Sharma 1979, this species can be a Basalys sp. But ambiguity still exists since the illustration shows 12-segmented antenna, while as per the description, antennae have 13-segments, as in Spilomicrus. Further the incision on the anterior margin of T2 is unusual of Basalys or Spilomicrus. Hence the status of the species is uncertain.
- Genus Aulacopria Kieffer
Aulacopria Kieffer, 1904: 54.Type species Aulacopria formicarum. Type depository Unknown.
Valid subordinate Taxa known
A. formicarum and Aulacopria ahlaensis Sharma 1979 (Cora and Johnson, 2013).
The generic concept is not clear from the scanty original description in Kieffer,1904.
Aulacopria ahlaensis Sharma
Aulacopria ahlaensis Sharma, 1979: 17. Type depository not known.
It is possible that this might be an Idiotypa Förster (personal communication Masner), a genus not yet known from India. Though notauli are present in this group as in Idiotypa, male Idiotypa has 13-segmented antenna and has a notch on anterior margin of T2, whereas in A. ahlaensis, male antenna is 14-segmented and anterior T2 lacks a notch as per the description and illustration by Sharma (1979). Hence the status of this species is uncertain.
- Genus Megaplastopria Ashmead
Megaplastopria Ashmead, 1903: 31. Type Species: Megaplastopria brasiliensis Ashmead, 1903.
Xyalopria Kieffer, 1907: 300. Synonymized by Masner and Garcia 2002.
The genus Xyalopria is currently not valid, being a junior synonym of Megaplastopria Ashmead, 1903. Kieffer's species of Xyalopria other than the type species are congeneric with Megaplastopria which is strictly a Neotropical genus. Ashmead's name has priority over Kieffer's Xyalopria (cf. Masner & Garcia 2002). The type species of Xyalopria is actually a Trichopria and hence the new generic synonymy.
Most Megaplastopria spp. have a distinct spine on occiput or at least sharp occipital carina (flange), A1 has sharp apical points and longitudinal carinae, male A3-A14 have scattered (i.e. not whorled) long hairs all over. The female antennae lack an abrupt clava, but remain gradually enlarged towards tip, A12 is remarkably enlarged, as long as or longer than A10 and A11 combined.
Megaplastopria agraensis (Sharma)
Xyalopria agraensis Sharma, 1979: 82-83. Type depository unknown.
Status of Megaplastopria agraensis (Sharma, 1979)
As per the illustration and description of Megaplastopria agraensis (Sharma), A12 of female antenna is only slightly longer than A11, whereas in Megaplastopria, A12 is as long as or longer than combined length of A10 and A1. Sharma (1979) makes no mention regarding the presence of a distinct spine on occiput or at least a sharp occipital carina, a generic character of Megaplastopria. A strongly projecting antennal shelf and an elongate petiole, typical of Megaplastopria are also lacking in M. agraensis. Hence it is assumed that Megaplastopria agraensis could most probably be an extreme variant of Trichopria or Basalys only. It is hence concluded that Megaplastopria is not represented in India.
|