Review of the Bobekia-group (Braconidae, Alysiinae, Alysiini), with description of a new genus and a new subgenus.

Abstract The world genera of the Bobekia-group of Alysiini (Braconidae: Alysiinae) are reviewed and keyed. A new genus (Neodiastagen. nov.) is proposed for Phasmidiasta ecuadorensis Fischer, 2006, from Ecuador. One new subgenus (Parabobekoidessubg. nov.; type species Separatatus (Parabobekoides) yinshanisp. nov. from NW China) is described and illustrated. Neosymphanes Belokobylskij, 1998 is a new synonym of Bobekia Niezabitowski, 1910 (syn. nov.).

Distribution. China (Hubei, Shaanxi). Etymology. "Para" is Greek for "beside, near, by" and the generic name Bobekoides, because it is similar to this genus.
Key to species of subgenus Parabobekoides nov.  Chen & Wu, 1994, because it has an obtuse clypeus as in the type species of Separatatus. In Bobekoides, the clypeus is acute and triangular (Fig. 43).
In 2017 a series of a similar species was collected at Luonan (Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, NW China) in which males have the venation modified (Figs 17,20) in comparison to females. The venation is also modified in the male of the type species of Hovalysia Granger, 1949, known only from the Afrotropical region, of which the female is unknown. Wharton (2002) reported the occurrence of Hovalysia in China (Taiwan), but the lack of females did not allow for a proper inclusion in the key by Zhu et al. (2017), and it was left out pending the availability female specimens. Fischer (1999) described Hovalysia cruciata from South Africa based on one female specimen, but he did not indicate the shape of the ovipositor. The series from Luonan include females with normal (= slender) veins 3-SR and 2-M, vein 2-SR about as long as vein 3-SR, with a modified upper valve of the ovipositor, and vein r 0.6× width of pterostigma (Fig. 5). The males have the basal part of vein 1-R1 wider than in females, veins 3-SR and 2-M widened, vein 2-SR distinctly shorter than vein 3-SR, and vein r about 0.7× as wide as the pterostigma (Fig. 20). Inclusion in Hovalysia is a possibility, but is problematic because the Chinese specimens have the first mandibular tooth wide, lobe-shaped, and strongly protuberant both dorsally and apically (rectangular, not protruding apically and hardly so dorsally in Hovalysia); the males have a different pattern of widened veins (e.g., veins 1-SR, 1-M, and r are widened in Hovalysia and slender in Chinese males); and vein CU1b of the fore wing is shorter than vein 3-CU1 (as long as vein 3-CU1 in Hovalysia). Diagnosis. Antenna of ♀ with 31-33 segments and 1.3-1.4× longer than fore wing; face smooth laterally and remainder largely superficially rugulose (Figs 12,18,24); mesoscutum yellowish brown; vein r of fore wing 0.3 × as long as vein 3-SR and 0.5-0.6 (♀) -0.7 (♂) × width of pterostigma (Figs 1,5,17,20); striae of second tergite largely longitudinal or nearly so (Figs 9, 21); setose part of ovipositor sheath approx. 0.7× as long as fore wing and nearly twice as long as hind tibia (Fig. 1).
Mesosoma: Length of mesosoma 1.5× its height; mesoscutum with lateral carina in front of tegulum distinct (Fig. 7); pronotal sides smooth except for oblique carina anteriorly; epicnemial area widely depressed and partly crenulate (Fig. 7); precoxal sulcus very wide, oblique, coarsely crenulate, up to anterior depression but absent posteriorly (except short depression above middle coxa; Fig. 7); remainder of mesopleuron smooth and largely glabrous; pleural sulcus narrowly crenulate; episternal scrobe medium-sized  and oblique; metapleuron largely smooth but with some coarse carinae posteriorly, with long setae and rather small pit anteriorly; pronope medium-sized compared to length of pronotum and nearly round (Fig. 8); notauli crenulate and wide, but only anteriorly impressed on disc; medio-posterior depression of mesoscutum long and deep, finely crenulate and up to level of notauli (Fig. 8); mesoscutum strongly shiny and smooth, with some setae anteriorly and posteriorly of notauli; scutellar sulcus deep and wide, with 5 carinae and 3× wider than its maximum length; scutellum rather convex and smooth, sparsely setose ( Fig. 8; metanotum hardly protruding medio-posteriorly and only anterior half with median carina; medio-longitudinal carina of propodeum medium-sized, connected to (partly double) curved carina and areola incomplete, only posteriorly with pair of curved carinae and laterally crenulate, remainder largely smooth (Figs 8,9).

Variation:
The wing venation of males show distinct sexual dimorphism (Figs 17, 20), the pterostigma is enlarged and apically distinctly differentiated from the strongly widened basal part of vein 1-R1. Additionally, veins 3-SR, 2-M, and SR1 of fore wing are widened. The body length of females is 2.5-3.0 mm and, of males, 2.6-2.8 mm; the length of the fore wing of females is 2.8-3.0 mm and, of males, 2.7-3.0 mm; the antennal segments of females is 31(1), 33(1) and, of males, 29(1), 31(2), 32(1), and 33(1); the antenna is 1.3-1.5× as long as the fore wing. The setose part of the ovipositor sheath is 0.61-0.63× as long as the fore wing. The mesosternum is brownish yellow or largely dark brown, and up to basal third of the antenna may be brownish yellow or brown.
Etymology. Named after the father of one of the co-authors (RNZ) in recognition of his support for many years.

Notes.
A small genus with species from the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions of which the type species and only named Palaearctic species has been reared from Agromyzidae (Yu et al. 2016). One of us (CvA) has seen Afrotropical specimens (RMNH) reared from mining Muscidae (Atherigona sp.). Unfortunately, host specimens were not retained and no additional data exists on how the specimens were reared. As indicated by van Achterberg (1998), the genus Symphanes Foerster, 1863, is morphologically heterogeneous and does not belong to the Bobekia-group. Also, Bobekia is a separate genus from Symphanes. Symphanes is excluded because of the absence of a distinct dorsope in the first metasomal tergite (distinctly developed in Bobekia), tarsal claws angulate (evenly curved in Bobekia), first subdiscal cell of fore wing narrowly open (closed in Bobekia), and third antennal segment slightly longer than fourth segment (slightly shorter in Bobekia). Neosymphanes is a junior synonym of Bobekia because they share the same type species, Bobekia montana Niezabitowski, 1910, which was synonymized with Alysia striolata Thomson, 1895by Fischer (1974. The differences between the types of B. montana and A. striolata are minimal: the ovipositor sheath is more retracted in A. striolata and vein 3-CU1 of the fore wing is distinctly longer than CU1b in B. montana (Fig. 36) and about equal in A. striolata.

Notes.
A rather small Palaearctic and Oriental genus, of which the biology is unknown. Wharton (2002) included it in his generic key for Australia, suggesting its occurrence in the Australasian region. Hylcalosia species show several apomorphic character states  within the Bobekia-group, as expressed by the shape of the clypeus, mandible (especially in the type species; Fig. 74), and metasoma (more or less carapace-like; Fig. 78). Identification keys to species were given by Zhu et al. (2018) and Yao et al. (2019).
Distribution. Neotropical (one species). Notes. The biology of the only known specimen (the male holotype from Ecuador) is unknown. The types species does not fit in Phasmidiasta because the precoxal sulcus is present and coarsely crenulate (absent in Phasmidiasta), the face is medially not protruding (distinctly protruding in Phasmidiasta), vein SR1 of the fore wing about as long as vein 3-SR (about 4× as long in Phasmidiasta), vein M+CU of the hind wing is distinctly shorter than vein 1-M (longer than vein 1-M in Phasmidiasta), mandible without oblique carina connected to third tooth (present in Phasmidiasta), and the pterostigma is parallel-sided to narrowly elliptical (moderately widely elliptical to triangular in Phasmidiasta).
Etymology. Name derived from a combination of "neo" (Greek for "new") and the generic name Phasmidiasta, because it occurs in the Neotropical region and was formerly included in Phasmidiasta. Gender: feminine.
Mesosoma: Length of mesosoma 1.6× its height; mesoscutum with lateral carina in front of tegulae distinct and crenulate; pronotal sides shiny and smooth but oblique groove crenulate anteriorly and sparsely crenulate posteriorly; epicnemial area depressed anteriorly and partly crenulate (Fig. 81); precoxal sulcus very wide, oblique, coarsely crenulate, but posterior 0.3 absent (except short depression above middle coxa; Fig. 81); remainder of mesopleuron smooth and largely glabrous except ventrally; pleural sulcus finely crenulate; episternal scrobe medium-sized and oblique; metapleuron largely smooth but with some rugae medially, with some long setae and deep pit anteriorly; mesosternal sulcus finely crenulate; pronope medium-sized (compared to length of pronotum in dorsal view), deep and nearly round (Fig. 88); notauli distinctly crenulate and wide, but posteriorly narrow and nearly smooth; medio-posterior depression of mesoscutum long and deep, smooth and up to level of notauli (Fig. 82); mesoscutum strongly shiny and smooth, largely glabrous; scutellar sulcus deep and wide, with one carina, narrowed medially and 2.4× wider than its maximum length; scutellar disc weakly convex (but posteriorly rather bulging), largely glabrous and smooth (Fig. 81); metanotum hardly protruding and only anterior half with median carina; medio-longitudinal carina of propodeum coarse and only on anterior face of propodeum, connected to complete parallel-sided areola, posterior face smooth between carinae and dorsally crenulate-rugose except smooth anterior area (Figs 81-83).
Colour: Black or blackish brown; mandible, palpi, clypeus and second tergite laterally pale yellowish; legs (but hind tibia and all tarsi infuscate or dark brown), tegulae and basal half of metasoma ventrally brownish yellow; apical half of metasoma dark brown ventrally; face yellowish brown; propleuron posteriorly, orbita and temple reddish brown; pterostigma, second and third tergites dark brown and most veins brown; wing membrane subhyaline.

Notes.
A small genus of Afrotropical and Oriental species with unknown biology. The four species can be identified with the key by Yao et al. (2018b). Morphologically similar to Bobekoides and Hylcalosia, as shown by the shape of the mandible and clypeus, the genus differs mainly by the parallel-sided and more or less elongated pterostigma (in Asian spp. less than in African spp.).