Revision of Xyalophora Kieffer and description of Xyalophoroides gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Figitinae)

Abstract

The genus Xyalophora (Giraud, 1860) is revised herein. The revision includes the type species of Xyalophora (Figites clavatus Giraud, 1860), the type material and the original descriptions of all the species of Xyalophora included in the Weld catalogue, and long series of undetermined material. Xyalophora clavata (Giraud, 1860) and X. singularis (Ashmead, 1896) are the only currently recognized species that should be included in Xyalophora. Four new species are described: X. belizini sp. n., X. giraudi sp. n., X. provancheri sp. n. and X. zarazagai sp. n. The type species of Ceraspidia, Ceraspidia japonica Belizin, 1952, corresponds to males of a species within Xyalophora. Thus, Ceraspidia is a new synonymy of Xyalophora, which results in Xyalophora japonica comb. n. Xyalophora impatiens (Say, 1836) and Xyalophora picea (Spinola, 1853) being considered like incertae sedis, as the latter does not belong to the Figitinae but to the Eucoilinae and is probably a species within Acantheucoela Ashmead, 1900. Xyalophora aciculata Benoit, 1956 is transferred to the genus Figites Latreille, 1802: Figites aciculata comb. n. Xyalophora leviventris Kieffer, 1908 is a synonym of Xyalophora quinquelineata (Say, 1836), which is transferred to Xyalophoroides gen. n., a new genus here described. The differences between all the genera of Figitinae with a scutellar spine are discussed and illustrated.

Keywords

• hymenoptera
• figitidae
• xyalophora
• xyalophoroides
• new genus