Abstract
Anacharoides Cameron is revised and six species are recognized: A. nicknacki Buffi ngton & van Noort, sp. n., A. pallida Quinlan, A. paragi Benoit, A. quadrus Quinlan, A. striaticeps Cameron and A. stygius Benoit. A key to species is provided. Anacharoides striaticeps was determined to be a variable species, and consequently a number of names have been proposed for this species. Here we clarify the identity of A. striaticeps and provide evidence for the following new synonymies of A. striaticeps: Anacharoides elongaticornis Benoit, syn. n., Anacharoides eurytergis Benoit, syn. n., Anacharoides decellius Quinlan, syn. n., Anacharoides sanitas Quinlan, syn. n., Anacharoides nigra Quinlan, syn. n., Anacharoides arcus Quinlan, syn. n., Anacharoides suspensus Quinlan, syn. n.. Th e holotype of Anacharoides rufa (Kieff er) is lost; examination of a specimen possibly determined by Kieff er from 1913 housed in the Museum is conspecifi c with A. pallida, but no nomenclature action is pursued at this time. Th e syn. n. of A. astrida Quinlan with A. quadrus is also hypothesized. Defi nitive host records for the genus, based on isolated puparia, are reported to be the syrphids Ischiodon Sack and Paragus Latreille. Species of this genus of fi gitid wasp are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, the southern Arabian Peninsula and the Canary Islands. Images of all species contained within this paper are available from http://morphbank.net. An online Lucid interactive key to species of Anacharoides and images are available at http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Figitidae/Aspicerinae/Anacharoides/index.htm.
Highlights
The Aspicerinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are a cosmopolitan group of figitids largely parasitic on Syrphidae (Diptera) (Ronquist 1999; Buffington et al 2007). Weld (1952) included the following genera within Aspicerinae: Anacharoides Cameron, Aspicera Dalhbom, Balna Cameron, Callaspidia Dalhbom, Omalaspis Giraud, Paraspicera Kieffer and Prosaspicera Kieffer
Benoit (1956) and Quinlan (1979) increased the number of described species substantially and broadened our knowledge of the distribution of species within this genus. Species of this genus appear to be restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and southern Arabian Peninsula (Cameron 1904; Weld 1952; Benoit 1956; Quinlan 1979; present study)
Consistent with other species of Anacharoides, A. striaticeps and A. pallida have been collected throughout sub-Saharan Africa; these species differ from their congeners, by their presence in Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen (A. striaticeps) and the Canary Islands (A. pallida)
Summary
The Aspicerinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are a cosmopolitan group of figitids largely parasitic on Syrphidae (Diptera) (Ronquist 1999; Buffington et al 2007). Weld (1952) included the following genera within Aspicerinae: Anacharoides Cameron, Aspicera Dalhbom, Balna Cameron, Callaspidia Dalhbom, Omalaspis Giraud, Paraspicera Kieffer and Prosaspicera Kieffer. Buffington et al (2007) included species of Melanips in Aspicerinae; species in this group are parasitoids of Chamaemyiidae larvae (Ronquist 1999; Buffington et al 2007). Benoit (1956) and Quinlan (1979) increased the number of described species substantially and broadened our knowledge of the distribution of species within this genus. Species of this genus appear to be restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and southern Arabian Peninsula (Cameron 1904; Weld 1952; Benoit 1956; Quinlan 1979; present study)
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