Abstract
The genus Platyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Scelioninae) is a widespread group in the Old World, found from West Africa to northern Queensland, Australia. The species concepts are revised and a key to world species is presented. The genus is comprised of 6 species, including 2 known species which are redescribed: Platyscelio africanus Risbec (Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zimbabwe); and Platyscelio pulchricornis Kieffer (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam). Five species-group names are considered to be junior synonyms of Platyscelio pulchricornis: Platyscelio abnormis Crawford syn. n., Platyscelio dunensis Mukerjee syn. n., Platyscelio mirabilis Dodd syn. n., Platyscelio punctatus Kieffer syn. n., and Platyscelio wilcoxi Fullaway. The following species are hypothesized and described as new taxa: Platyscelio arcuatus Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Western Australia); Platyscelio mysterium Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa); Platyscelio mzantsi Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (South Africa); and Platyscelio striga Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Western Australia).
Highlights
Species of Platyscelio (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae) are morphologically unique among the known Scelioninae by a number of characters, most distinctively the extremely flat body, the broad hypostomal bridge, and the absence of a netrion
Sharkey (2007) has subsequently combined the families Scelionidae and Platygastridae under the single name Platygastridae, but he did not address the status of their respective subfamilies or tribes
Masner (1976) noted that the genus is distant from other Scelioninae due to its lack of a netrion, the greatly reduced palpi, and the expansion of the female antennal scape into a flat, almost triangular piece armed laterally with a sharp spine
Summary
Species of Platyscelio (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae) are morphologically unique among the known Scelioninae by a number of characters, most distinctively the extremely flat body, the broad hypostomal bridge, and the absence of a netrion. Sculpture on T1 longitudinally striate, interstices with coriaceous microsculpture (Fig. 18); postmarginal vein absent (Fig. 16); notaulus with mesal margin arched, lateral margin straight (Fig. 15); legs beyond coxae yellow (Figs 13, 14); female outer lateral apex of scape sharply pointed (Fig. 17) It may be distinguished by the complete posterior scutellar sulcus, and the sculpture on the margin of the propodeum is longitudinally striate laterally and rugulose posteriorly.
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