Mongolia: Arkhangai, 1 ♂, 90 km NE of Tsetserleg, 48°03'N; 102°25'E, 1400 m alt., 27.VII.2005, leg. JH (MHC).

*Mongolia (Arkhangai); Asiatic-European, known from Greece, south of former Yugoslavia (without precise locality) and Turkey (Linsenmaier 1959, 1968).

This is the most eastern record for Chrysis inclinata.

Mongolia: Tuv, 1 ♂, Khangayn Mts, 5 km N of Khunt, 21.VII.2005, leg. P. Tyrner (PTC).

*Mongolia (Tuv); Asiatic-European, known from South-East Europe [not SW], Turkey and Caucasus (Rosa et al. 2019) and eastwards from Tajikistan (described as C. martinella solox Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1954) to Afghanistan (described as C. klapperichi Balthasar, 1957).

The taxonomic treatment is given according to Kimsey & Bohart (1991), who placed several species and subspecies in synonymy of Chrysis martinella. The validity of these taxa is currently under revision.

Figure 1. 

Chrysis inclinata Linsenmaier, female A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C head, frontal view D metasoma, postero-lateral view E metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Mongolia: Khovd, 1 ♂, 20 km SE of Altaj, Elkhon, 26.VII.1970, leg. M. Kozlov (ZIN).

Male (hitherto unknown). Body length 6.7 mm. Head. Transverse frontal carina raised, with two lateral branches encircling the anterior ocellus (Fig. 2A and B); punctation in this area shallow to undefined; F1 as long as F2 and slightly metallic only basally; subantennal spaces elongate, 1.3 × MOD. Mesosoma. Anteromedial pronotal area widely depressed and anteromedian line indistinct (Fig. 2B); pronotum and mesonotum with even punctures, larger on the latter and polished interspaces; notauli as narrow, deep line; posterior propodeal projections narrow, apically acute and slightly divergent; mesopleuron with scrobal sulcus formed by wide, triangular and impunctate area; episternal sulcus deep and fully developed (Fig. 2D); fore wing with radial sector almost reaching wing margin; tarsi light yellow, meso- and meta-basitarsus whitish. Metasoma. Terga with dense punctures and polished interspaces (Fig. 2F); T1 dorsally, T2–T3 apicolaterally greenish to golden-greenish (possibly red in nature), contrasting with dark blue to black anteromedian area; apical margin of T3 blue after pit row; pits of pit row small, deep and rounded; apical margin quadridentate, with short, acute teeth (Fig. 2E); interval between median teeth slightly wider than interval between median and lateral tooth; metasomal longitudinal carina faint; black spots on S2 small, subrectangular, medially largely separated (Fig. 2G); genital capsule similar in structure to other species of the C. scutellaris group.

Figure 2. 

Chrysis mocsaryi Radoszkowski, male A head, frontal view B habitus, dorsal view C genital capsule D habitus, lateral view E metasoma, posterior view F metasoma, postero-lateral view G metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Mongolia (Khovd) (Radoszkowski 1889).

The specimen examined (Fig. 2A–G) belongs to the scutellaris species group and it is here considered as the unknown male of Chrysis mocsaryi, based on the unusual metasomal colouration, similar to that of the female. Examination of more material is anyway needed to confirm this identification.

Mongolia: Dornogovi, 5 ♂♂, 65 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, steppe, 1020 m alt., 2.VIII.2007, leg. MHMK (MHC, PRC); Khovd, 1 ♂, 15 km S of Bulgan, 29.VII.1970, leg. I. Kerzhner (ZIN).

*Mongolia (Dornogovi, Khovd); Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan (Radoszkowski 1877; Mocsáry 1889; du Buysson in André 1896; Kimsey and Bohart 1991).

Chrysis speciosa Radoszkowski, 1877 is a member of the C. maculicornis group and it is recognised by the colour pattern with body fully metallic blue; first and second flagellum short; flagellomeres extensively yellowish and tarsi yellow; metasoma with large, deep and even punctures (Fig. 3E); post pit row area on T3 wide; apical teeth on T3 elongate (Fig. 3D and F), with apex non-metallic brown (Fig. 3E and F); black spots on S2 large and subrectangular (Fig. 3G). Only two species with blue males are known in this group, C. tatianae Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1967 and C. kokomerenica Tarbinsky, 2002, both separated from C. speciosa by flagellomeres fully black.

Figure 3. 

Chrysis speciosa Radoszkowski, male A head, frontal view B habitus, dorsal view C genital capsule D habitus, lateral view E metasoma, posterior view F metasoma, postero-lateral view G metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Several Asiatic species are described in the maculicornis group, most of which are based on females only, with habitus and colouration similar to the common “Chrysis distincta Mocsáry, 1887”: C. contrasta Tarbinsky, 2002; C. fata Tarbinsky, 2002; C. kabulica Balthasar, 1957; C. semenovi Radoszkowski, 1891; C. subdistincta Linsenmaier, 1968; C. zarudniella Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1967. Based on the copious Central Asian specimens deposited at ZIN, we can state that the males of some of these species, closely related to C. disticta, are entirely blue. Nevertheless, the correct attribution of the two sexes to the same species can be considered a challenge at this stage and without direct observation of copula in the field. Moreover, specimens collected in the same collecting event in Mongolia show large variation, although genitalia are rather similar.

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia: Bayankhongor, 130 km S of Bayankhongor, 45°03'N; 100°59'E, 1240 m alt., Orog Nuur, 6–7.VII.2004, on saxaul, leg. JS (ZIN).

Chrysis strakai sp. nov. is characterised by body colour metallic dark blue to violet with green and bluish reflections on metasoma. Face almost flat, with scapal basin, genae and clypeus laterally fully covered with long, appressed and silvery setae; transverse frontal carina faint; pronotum elongate with subparallel sides and deep, irregularly-sized punctures; mesonotum with sparse and polished interspaces; metasoma double punctate; T3 lateral margin deeply emarginated before lateral tooth; median teeth widely separated, with interval between median teeth almost twice as wide as interval between median and lateral tooth. The female is unknown.

Male. Body length 5.4 mm. Head. Vertex and brow with sparse, small punctures (about 0.2 × MOD), with tiny punctures on polished interspaces; brow with confluent punctures, forming radial pattern around anterior ocellus; depressed area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli; transverse frontal carina faint (Fig. 4A); in frontal view, uppermost margin of scapal basin edged, appearing as transverse carina; scapal basin flat densely micropunctate, with deep median line extended from uppermost margin of scapal basin to ¾ of scapal basin; scapal basin, excluding median line, genae and clypeus laterally fully covered with long, appressed and silvery setae; apical margin of clypeus triangular, non-metallic brown; mandible unidentate; genal carina developed from mid-eye to mandibular insertion, F1 as long as F2. OOL 2.5 × MOD; POL 2.0 × MOD; MS 1.1 × MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:1.3:0.9; subantennal space 1.4 × MOD. Mesosoma. Medial pronotal line unusually wide on anterior pronotal margin, as long as half-length of pronotum; pronotum coarsely punctate, with uneven sized punctures, denser and larger than those on mesonotum; interspaces with tiny punctures; mesoscutum with smaller, scattered and shallow punctures with wide interspaces (up to 3 PD); notauli as deep line, larger and triangular at base; lateral areas of mesoscutum with denser to sub-confluent punctures towards tegula; parapsidal signum hardly visible, as thin line amongst punctures; mesoscutellum with punctures similar to those on median area of mesoscutum, smaller and shallow punctate medially, denser laterally; metanotum with large, deep, irregular punctures mixed with smaller punctures, contiguous to confluent along the mesoscutellar-metanotal suture; posterior propodeal projections small, short, slightly divergent with straight posterior margin; posterior margin of metanotum with wide impunctate stripe (Fig. 4F); mesopleuron with scrobal sulcus wide, triangular and impunctate; episternal sulcus deep and fully developed only in the upper part of mesopleuron (Fig. 4D); forewing with radial sector complete, reaching wing margin and second radial cell closed. Metasoma. T1 with double punctation, punctures smaller than those on mesosoma and broadly separated with small punctures on interspaces; T2 dorsally with medium-sized, irregular punctures, deep and contiguous, obliquely engraved, well visible in posterior view (Fig. 4E); T3, with similar punctures; pits of pit row small, shallow and longitudinally elongate (Fig. 4E and F) separated to contiguous; T3 lateral margin deeply emarginated before apical, lateral tooth; apically with four short, pointed, triangular teeth (Fig. 4E and F); median teeth widely separated, with interval between median teeth almost twice as wide as interval between median and lateral tooth (Fig. 4F); metasomal terga without distinct median longitudinal carina; black spots on S2 large, medially separated, yet scarcely visible on the dark coloured sternum (Fig. 4G). Colouration. Body entirely metallic light blue with green reflections all over the body, on face, on bottom of mesosomal punctures, on lateral sides, on legs and sterna. Scape, pedicel and F1 light blue, other flagellomeres black. Wings clear, with brownish veins. Vestiture. Body with relatively short (1.0–1.5 × MOD) and whitish setae laterally.

Figure 4. 

Chrysis strakai sp. nov., male, holotype A head, frontal view B habitus, dorsal view C genital capsule D habitus, lateral view E metasoma, posterior view F metasoma, postero-lateral view G metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Unknown.

The specific epithet strakai (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Jakub Straka (Prague, Czech Republic), who collected this undescribed species and other several new records for Mongolia, published in this article and in Rosa et al. (2020).

Chrysis strakai sp. nov. belongs to the C. ehrenbergi group. It cannot be confused with any other species known in the C. ehrenbergi group so far, based on its colouration, elongate pronotum and shape of T3.

Members of the C. ehrenbergi group usually show a red to golden-red colouration, which may turn into greenish in specimens preserved in collections. For this reason, based on a single specimen, we cannot exclude that the colouration of the holotype is based on a melanic specimen. However, the elongate shape of pronotum, the apical margin of T3 and genital capsule differentiate this species from the other few Central Asian species known so far.

Mongolia (Bayankhongor).

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia: Dornogovi, 65 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, 1020 m alt., 2.VIII.2007, leg. MH (MSNM).

Chrysis woodi sp. nov. is characterised by the unusual colouration of flagellomeres, yellowish to brownish. Other relevant diagnostic characters are shape of the genital capsule, with different shape of gonocoxae before gonostylus; apical teeth on metasomal T3, aligned and almost subequal in length, with lateral ones slightly longer than the median pair; pits of the pit row on T3 deep, large or confluent; black spots on S2 large, medially fused, covering 2/3 of segment length.

Male. Body length 5.4 mm. Head. Scapal basin weakly concave with microridged median stripe, laterally micropunctate and covered with dense, short, silvery setae (Fig. 5A); brow prominent above scapal basin; uppermost area of the scapal basin distinctly polished; transverse frontal carina weak, straight, placed medially between anterior ocellus and uppermost margin of scapal basin; malar space elongate, 2.0 × MOD, shorter than F1; antenna thin and long, F1 5.0 × times as long as narrowest width; ventral side of F2–F3 lobulate (Fig. 5A and B); brow with confluent punctures, forming radial pattern around anterior ocellus; dense punctures on remaining part of vertex and ocellar area, with narrow and polished interspaces. OOL 1.5 × MOD; POL 2.3 × MOD; MS 2.0 × MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.7:1.1:0.8; subantennal space 1.1 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum short, l/w: 3.3; medial pronotal line [= pronotal groove] short and shallow; pronotum with small punctures (PD ~ 0.2–0.3 × MOD) and micropunctate interspaces; median area of mesoscutum with shallow and small punctures (PD ~ 0.2–0.4 × MOD), with wide, polished interspaces (1-3 PD), denser postero-medially; interspaces mostly polished with few shallow dots; lateral areas of mesoscutum with similar punctation; punctures become denser along tegulae; mesoscutellum with slightly larger punctures posteriorly (PD ~ 0.5–0.6 × MOD) and small punctures on polished interspaces; anterolateral corners of scutellum above scutellar wing fossa expanded, subrectangular apically; metanotum with denser punctures; scutellar-metanotal suture deep, formed by longitudinally elongate foveae; posterior propodeal projections slightly divergent and basally concave; mesopleuron with wide scrobal sulcus and weak episternal sulcus, formed by small, aligned punctures in the upper part. Wings hyaline, with brown veins, tip of radial sector ending about 1.0 × MOD from anterior wing margin, leaving radial cell open. Metasoma. T1 with double punctation, with dense, small punctures (PD~ 0.2–0.3 × MOD) and micropunctate interspaces (Fig. 5F); T2–T3 with similar dense punctures, with polished intervals; pit row with deep, large and partially to fully confluent pits; apical margin of T3 with four short, triangular teeth, lateral ones slightly longer and more pointed (Fig. 5E and F); lateral edge of T3 straight; medial longitudinal carina faint; black spots on S2 elongate, covering about 2/3 of sternum length, medially fused, with posterior margin outcurved (Fig. 5G); apical margin of T3 bordered with narrow brownish, non-metallic rim; sterna covered with whitish short setae; genital capsule as in Fig. 5C, differently shaped compared with other species in this species group (Farhad et al. 2019). Colouration. Body entirely metallic green, with golden or rosy reflections on mesosoma and metasoma and blue pits of the pit row on T3; tegulae metallic green; mandibles light brown medially, metallic green at base. Scape, pedicel and large part of F1 metallic green, following flagellomeres yellowish ventrally and brownish dorsally (Fig. 5A, B and D); legs metallic green, tarsi yellowish, becoming darker distally; sterna metallic green.

Figure 5. 

Chrysis woodi sp. nov., male, holotype A head, frontal view B habitus, dorsal view C genital capsule D habitus, lateral view E metasoma, posterior view F metasoma, postero-lateral view G metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Unknown.

The specific epithet woodi (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Thomas J. Wood (Mons, Belgium), for his continuous help in proofreading the manuscripts of our team.

Chrysis woodi sp. nov. belongs to the C. varidens group. Other two western Asian species show green colouration and similar habitus in this subgroup: Chrysis brunneamarginata Farhad, Rosa & Talebi, 2019 (known from Iran) and C. reperta Vinokurov, 2010 (known from Kazakhstan). The first species is easily separable by shape of apical margin of T3, without metallic reflections and by shape of genital capsule (see Farhad et al. 2019). The second is separated by shape of apical margin of T3 with wavy median teeth and shape of black spots on S2 with straight posterior margin (vs. median apical teeth acute and arched posterior margin of black spots).

Chrysis reperta Vinokurov, 2010 was originally described with the name C. repertus and the name is here emended in C. reperta, being repertus a Latin masculine adjective not in accordance with the gender of the genus Chrysis Linnaeus, 1761.

Mongolia (Dornogovi).

Genus Euchroeus Latreille, 1809

Euchroeus Latreille, 1809: 49. Type species: Chrysis purpurata Fabricius, 1775, by monotypy.

Mongolia: Dornod, 2 ♂♂, 20 km W of Choibalsan, 48°01'N; 114°14'E, 800 m alt., 24.VII.2007, leg. MH (MHC); Khentii, 1 ♂, 100 km NE of Ondorkhaan, Kerulen River, 970 m alt., 22.VII.2007, leg. JH (PRC); Sukhbaatar, 1 ♂, 100 km SSW of Baruun-Urt, 1100 m alt., 30.VII.2007, leg. MH (PRC).

The Mongolian population of Euchroeus purpuratus is clearly separated from the western form by different punctation of clypeus, with small punctures and polished interspaces without micropunctation (vs. denser punctures, micropunctate on interspaces); elongate, spiniform process on propleuron and antero-ventrally on mesopleuron; metasoma mostly without darker bands. Future barcoding analysis will clarify the affinities between the western and Mongolian populations. Interestingly, another Mongolian species close to the genus Euchroeus, namely Spinolia spinosa Rosa & Halada in Rosa et al. 2020, shares similar spines on propleuron.

*Mongolia (Dornod, Khentii, Sukhbaatar); West-Palaearctic from Western Europe to Central Asia (Rosa et al. 2019).

Mongolia: Dornod, 1 ♀, 20 km W of Choilbalsan, 800 m alt., 48°01'N; 114°14'E, 24.7.2007, leg. MH (PRC).

Mongolia (*Dornod, Tuv); Russia (Eastern Siberia) (Rosa et al. 2019, 2020).

Holotype: ♀, Mongolia: Zavkhan, 40 km SW of Uliastay, dunes, 18.VII.2005, leg. JH (ZIN). Paratypes: Zavkhan, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, same data and locality of the holotype (PRC); Tuv, 1 ♂, 50 km E of Ulaanbaatar, Tuul River, 22.VI.2003, leg. JH (MHC); 1 ♀, Khangaun Mts., 5 km N of Khunt, 20.VII.2005, leg. JH (MHC); 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂, Khangaun Mts., 30 km S of Khunt, 20.VII.2005, leg. PT (PTC); 1♀, Khangaun Mts., 5 km N of Khunt, 21.VII.2005, leg. PT (PTC); 2 ♀♀, 50 km E of Ulaanbaatar, Tuul River, 22.VI.2003, leg. JH (MHC); Govi-Altai, 4 ♀♀, 70 km E of Altay City, Guulin, 14.VII.2005, leg. JH (MHC); Bayankhongor, 2 ♀♀, 16 km SW of Bayankhongor, 46°13'N; 100°30'E, 2165 m alt., 10.VII.2004, leg. JH (MHC); Uvurkhangai, 1♂, 12 km E of Aravaykheer, 46°22'N; 102°49'E, 1800 m alt., 3.VII.2004, leg. JH (MHC); Zavkhan, 1 ♀, 40 km SW of Uliastay, dunes, 18.VII.2005, leg. PT (PTC).

Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov. is recognised by red body colour, with head and thorax coppery red, darker to violet on vertex, pronotum and mesoscutum; greenish on face and at sides of metasomal segments; metasomal sutures black; metasoma red flame dorsally, black ventrally; metanotum distinctly elongate, trapezoidal; metatibial [= hind tibial] spot short, impressed; male with distinct genital capsule.

Figure 6. 

Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov., female, holotype (A), male, paratype (B), H. cupreum (Dahlbom), female (from Estonia) (C), H. asianum Linsenmaier, female (from Mongolia) (D). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Body length 4.0–6.0 mm (holotype 5.7 mm). Head. Face with sharp ridges converging to mid-scapal basin (Fig. 7B); brow with large subcontiguous punctures, aligned towards anterior ocellus, with wide, polished interspaces; longitudinal mid-line deep, extending from anterior ocellus to clypeus; area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli depressed; ocellar triangle isosceles, with deep post-ocellar line; malar spaces short and impunctate; clypeus apically raised and bordered by thin, linear edge; mandibles bidentate and apically lighter from brownish to yellowish; setae on vertex thick, whitish and long (up to 2.0 × MOD). Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.5:0.9:0.9; OOL = 2.2 × MOD; POL = 1.7 × MOD; MS = 0.4 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with large umbilicate punctures (Fig. 7A and B) and dense minute punctures on interspaces; mesonotum with sparse, shallow punctures, smaller than those on pronotum and not umbilicate, with sparse minute punctures on wide, polished interspaces; mesopleuron with dense punctures and polished mesepimeron; posterior propodeal projections small and acute, divergent; metatibia with impressed black spot covering about half of its length; metatarsomere 2 [= hind tarsal segment 2] shorter than metatarsomere 3; mesosoma and femora and tibiae with long whitish setae. Metasoma. T1–T3 with minute, even, shallow punctures and wide polished interspaces (2–3 x PD); posterior margin of T1–T2 with broad impunctate band (up to 1.0 × MOD); apical margin of T3 bordered by thin brownish rim; S2 with sparse, relatively large and deep punctures bearing long setae (up to 3.0 × MOD), without metallic reflections; metasoma laterally and posteriorly covered by long, thick and whitish setae. Colouration. Head and thorax red to coppery-red, darker to violet on vertex, pronotum and mesoscutum; greenish on face and at sides of metasomal segments; mesosomal sutures black; metasoma red flame dorsally, black ventrally; scape violet, pedicel shining black, flagellomeres black; tegulae non-metallic brown; femora and tibiae dark violet, tibial joints brownish; tarsi 1-2 yellowish, tarsi 3-5 brown; wing membrane slight infuscate. Body colouration more coppery-greenish in prepared (and photographed) specimens.

Figure 7. 

Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov., female, holotype (A–D, F, H) and H. cupreum (Dahlbom), female (from Estonia) (E, G) A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C habitus, lateral view D head and mesosoma, dorsal view F metaleg, right tibia and tarsi H metasoma, ventral view E head and mesosoma, dorsal view G metaleg, right tibia and tarsi. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Male. Body length 5.0–5.5 mm. Similar to female in habitus and sculpture; main differences are: scapal basin with less sharp ridges (Fig. 8H) and with distinct lateral punctures; posterior propodeal projections smaller; genital capsule as in Fig. 8F.

Figure 8. 

Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov., male, paratype (A, B, D, F, H) and H. cupreum (Dahlbom), male (from Russia) (C, E, G, I) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view D metaleg, right tibia and tarsi F genital capsule H head, frontal view C habitus, dorsal view E metaleg, right tibia and tarsi G genital capsule I head, frontal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

The specific epithet erythrosoma derives from the Greek adjective eruthros (red) and the Greek noun sōma (body) and refers to the red body colouration of this species.

We describe Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov. in the H. cupreum species group. Species in this group are separated from those of the H. ardens group by the ridged scapal basin (punctate in H. ardens group), with ridges convergent to mid-face (transverse and parallel in H. femoratum group). In the previous checklist of the Mongolian cuckoo wasps, members of this taxon were identified as H. cupreum (Dahlbom, 1845), with a remark on their unusual colouration. Besides the red body colouration, Hedychridium erythrosoma sp. nov. is separated from H. cupreum by shape of metanotum (see Fig. 7D and H. cupreum Fig. 7E), elongated medially in both sexes and metatibia black spot, shorter and deeply impressed (Fig. 7F) compared with the elongated and shallow pit of H. cupreum (Fig. 7G). Some paratypes lost their bright red colouration, which is partially turned into green. Males can be recognised by differently-shaped metanotum and shape of genital capsule (Fig. 8F), with different digitus and apex of gonocoxae.

Mongolia (Bayankhongor, Dornogovi, Govi-Altai, Tuv, Umnugovi, Uvurkhangai, Zavkhan).

Mongolia: Dornod, 1 ♀, 100 km W of Choibalsan, 820 m alt., 23.VII.2007, leg. M. Halada (PRC); Dornogovi, 2 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, 65 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, 1020 m alt., 2.VIII.2007, leg. MH (PRC/MHC); 1 ♂, 2 km SE Khuvsgol, 5.VIII. 2007, leg. PT (PTC); Tuv, 1 ♂, 50 km N of Ulaanbaatar, E of Mandal, 1180 m alt., 8–13.VIII.2007, leg. MH (MHC).

*Mongolia (Dornod, Dornogovi, Tuv); from Europe to Turkey; Mongolia is the easternmost record for this species.

Figure 9. 

Hedychridium femoratum (Dahlbom), female (A) and male (B–F) (from Mongolia) A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C genital capsule D habitus, dorsal view E habitus, lateral view F metaleg, right tibia and tarsi. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Holotype: ♀, Mongolia: Bayankhongor, 86 km NW of Bayankhongor, 46°50'N; 100°04'E, 2070 m alt., 13–15.VII.2004, leg. JS (MSNM). Paratype: 1 ♀, Govi-Altai, 70 km E of Altay City, Guulin, 14.VII.2005, leg. PT (PTC).

Hedychridium frontale sp. nov. is characterised by wide, polished interspaces on brow; scapal basin finely microridged medially only on lower half, from mid-face to clypeus; clypeal apical margin bordered by a thick brownish rim 3 × MOD long; head concolorous green, with a bluish highlight laterally to clypeus; S2 without metallic spot.

Female. Body length 4.5–5.0 mm (holotype 4.7 mm). Head. Face flat, brow convex above scapal basin (Fig. 10A); brow with small (0.3 × MOD) punctures, with wide, polished interspaces (1-3 × PD); scapal basin finely, transversely microridged in the lower half, close to clypeus; face micropunctate laterally and with short, appressed, whitish setae close to clypeus; longitudinal mid-line complete from frons to clypeus; vertex with small, dense punctures; area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli depressed; ocellar triangle isosceles, without ocellar line; malar spaces micropunctate; clypeus apically bordered by slightly arcuate, elongate (3 × MOD), brown thickening; mandibles bidentate, yet subapical tooth blunt; mouthparts elongate; vertex and sides with short, sparse whitish setae. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.1:0.8:0.7; OOL = 2.0 × MOD; POL = 2.1 × MOD; MS = 1.0 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum narrowed anteriorly and with sharp edge on anterior margin; coarse, irregular, umbilicate punctures of different size, with polished to corrugated interspaces and small punctures on interspaces; mesonotum with wide interspaces, wider on lateral areas; punctures slightly larger at base of mesoscutum and on mesoscutellum, with scattered small punctures; mesopleuron with dense punctures of different size, without polished interspaces; posterior propodeal projections acute, divergent; median area of metapostnotum (median area of postnotum situated between the propodeum and T1) triangular, narrower than in other species of H. ardens group; metatibia flat, with black spot covering almost its full length; metatarsomere 2 slightly longer than metatarsomere 3; pro-, mesopleuron and femora with long whitish setae. Metasoma. T1–T3 with minute, punctures; punctures slightly denser antero-dorsally on T2; large punctures mixed to minute punctures laterally; punctation overall with wide, polished interspaces; apical margin of T3 bordered by a relatively wide hyaline rim (0.25 × MOD); S2 with sparse, minute punctures bearing long setae (up to 3 × MOD), without metallic spot. Colouration. Head metallic green, with bluish reflections close to clypeus; propodeum blue; metasoma golden laterally and red to purplish dorsally; scape, pedicel and flagellum black; tegulae non-metallic brown; femora and tibiae green on outer side, black to dark violet in ventral view; tarsi brownish, darker distally; wing membrane infuscate.

Figure 10. 

Hedychridium frontale sp. nov., female, paratype (A, C, E, F) and H. ardens (Coquebert), female (from Mongolia) (B, D) A head, frontal view C metasoma, postero-lateral view E habitus, dorsal view F habitus, lateral view B head, frontal view D metasoma, postero-lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Male. Unknown.

The specific epithet frontale derives from the Latin adjective frontalis (forehead) and refers to the different sculpture and colouration of this species compared with the common and widespread H. ardens.

We describe Hedychridium frontale sp. nov. in the Hedychridium ardens species group. This species is closely related to Hedychridium ardens (Coquebert, 1801), yet some diagnostic morphological characters clearly separate it. Brow more convex above scapal basin; different sculpture, with wide, polished interspaces (Fig. 10A) [vs. densely punctate in H. ardens (Fig. 10B)]; scapal basin medially, finely microridged only on lower half, from mid-face to clypeus (vs. microridged area longitudinally more expanded); lateral micropunctures from mid- eye to malar space (vs. more extended); clypeal apical margin bordered by a thick brownish rim 3 × MOD long (vs. not longer than 2 × MOD); head concolorous green, with a bluish highlight laterally to clypeus (vs. bicolour with purplish vertex, greenish brow and blue face); mouthparts more elongate; median area of metapostnotum (median area of postnotum situated between the propodeum and T1) smaller (compare Fig. 10C and D); metasomal with sparser punctures (Fig. 10C); S2 without metallic spot (vs. with metallic spot); legs black to dark purple in ventral view (vs. greenish).

Mongolia (Bayankhongor, Govi-Altai).

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia: Dornogovi, 28 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, 2.VIII.2007, leg. MH (ZIN). Paratypes: 6 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, same data and locality of holotype, leg. MH, leg. PT (MHC, PRC, PTC); 1 ♀, 3 ♂♂, 65 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, 1020 m alt., 2.VIII.2007, leg. MH (MHC); Bayankhongor, 1 ♀, 3 ♂♂, 75 km S of Bayankhongor, 45°20'N; 100°48.5'E, 1330 m alt., 8–9.VII.2004, leg. JH, JS (MHC, PRC).

Hedychridium jacobsi sp. nov. is characterised by legs and F1 yellowish, also in the male; F1 elongate (l/w = 3.0 in female, 4.0 in male); sculpture of scapal basin with sharp transverse ridges covering almost all face in frontal view; ridges on scapal basin may produce darkened to black effect on scapal basin when examined at different angles.

Male. Body length 4.0–4.5 mm (holotype 4.1 mm). Head. Face with scapal basin slightly deep; scapal basin with sharp, transverse ridges, almost reaching eye margin (Fig. 11E); laterally with sparse punctures amongst ridges and single row of large punctures between facial ridges and eye margin; longitudinal mid-line incomplete, distinctly visible from upper scapal basin to clypeus; with large, subcontiguous punctures on brow and small punctures on vertex and temples; area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli depressed; ocellar triangle isosceles, without ocellar line; malar spaces micropunctate; clypeus apico-medially bordered by thin, brown rim; mandibles bidentate; mouthparts short, not exceeding the mandibles. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.6:1.0:0.7; OOL = 1.7 × MOD; POL = 2.0 × MOD; MS = 0.6 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with irregular punctures of different size, somewhere contiguous and with polished to corrugated interspaces; mesonotum with small punctures and wide interspaces, somewhere corrugated; punctures slightly larger at base of mesoscutum and distinctly larger at sides of mesoscutellum, medially with scattered punctures; posterior propodeal projections acute, divergent; metatibia with depression on inner side, as long as half of its length and only partially darkened; light brown metatarsomere 2 shorter than metatarsomere 3; pro-, mesopleuron and femora with long whitish setae. Metasoma. T1–T3 with minute, even and dense punctures on all surface; S2 with sparse, minute punctures bearing long setae; with large violet spot, covering about half segment; apical margin of T3 bordered by thin hyaline rim; genital capsule as in Fig. 11B. Colouration. Head and mesosoma metallic green with bronze to violet reflections dorsally; metasoma with rosy to violet reflections (possibly metallic red in nature); scape and pedicel bronze, F1 yellowish (Fig. 11D); F2 brownish; rest of flagellum brown; tegulae non-metallic yellowish; femora joints yellowish, tibiae yellowish with slight greenish reflections on outer side of fore tibia; tarsi yellowish, brownish distally; wing membrane clear, nervures light brown.

Figure 11. 

Hedychridium jacobsi sp. nov., male, holotype (A–E, G); male, paratype (F) A habitus, dorsal view B genital capsule, ventral and dorsal view C habitus, lateral view D right antenna, lateral view E head, frontal view F head, frontal view; G metasoma, postero-lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Body length 3.5–4.0. Similar to male in habitus and body sculpture; F1 slightly shorter than male, yellowish; spot on second metasomal sternum golden.

Paratypes. Males show variability in antennae colour, with F1–F2 pale yellowish; distribution of dark, black area amongst ridges on face (Fig. 11F); punctures on pronotum, more or less spaced with polished interspaces; shape of posterior propodeal processes, more or less spiny rather than triangular.

The specific epithet jacobsi (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Maarten Jacobs (Herentals, Belgium), for his contribution to the study of Chrysididae with superb images taken in nature and for providing some Mongolian specimens from his past naturalistic trips in the country.

We describe Hedychridium jacobsi sp. nov. in the Hedychridium femoratum species group. It is related to H. femoratum and other species in this group for its general habitus, yellowish legs and F1. It is separated from other species of this group by elongate F1 (l/w = 3.0 in female, 4.0 in male) (Fig. 11D); yellowish F1 in male (brown like other flagellomeres in other species); unique sculpture of scapal basin with sharp transverse ridges covering almost all face in frontal view; ridges on scapal basin produce a unique darkened to black effect on scapal basin, when examined at different angles (Fig. 11 E and F).

Mongolia (Bayankhongor, Dornogovi).

Mongolia: Govi-Altai, 1 ♂, 70 km E of Altay city, Guulin, 14.VII.2005, leg. JH (PRC). 1 ♀, same data and locality, leg. PT (PTC).

*Mongolia (Govi-Altai); Russia (Eastern Siberia) (Rosa et al. 2019).

This specimen was previously identified as Hedychridium propodeale Rosa, 2017 (Rosa et al. 2019). After the re-preparation and re-examination of the specimen, the correction of the previous identification was needed.

Figure 12. 

Hedychridium leleji Rosa, females (from Mongolia, A, C–F) and (from Siberia B) A, B habitus, dorsal view C habitus, lateral view D head, frontal view E metasoma, postero-lateral view F metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Holotype: ♀, Mongolia: Uvurkhangai, 159 km of SW Aravaykheer, 45°11'N; 101°26'E, 1250 m alt., 5.VII.2004, leg. JH (MSNM).

Hedychridium spendens sp. nov. is characterised by sparse and shallow body punctures with wide, polished interspaces, which generate a shining effect; legs and F1 yellowish, F1 short (l/w = 2.0); metatibia with small, brownish spot; S2 with wide, bronze spot.

Female. Body length 4.1 mm. Head. Face almost flat; scapal basin slightly incised medially, with longitudinal mid-line extended from anterior ocellus to lower scapal basin; scapal basin finely transversely microridged (Fig. 13B); brow with small, shallow punctures, with wide, polished interspaces; posterior ocelli with lateral area depressed and polished; ocellar triangle isosceles, without ocellar line; malar spaces micropunctate; clypeus apically bordered by thin, brown thickening; mouthparts slightly elongate. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:1.0:0.8; OOL = 1.8 × MOD; POL = 2.6 × MOD; MS = 0.8 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with small, deep punctures and shallow minute punctures on interspaces; mesonotum with scattered, shallow punctures, with few minute punctures on interspaces; mesopleuron with denser, larger punctures and with small punctures on interspaces, rugose anteriorly; posterior propodeal projections acute, divergent; metatibia with relatively small brown spot covering about half of its length; metatarsomere 2 a little shorter than metatarsomere 3; femora with long whitish setae. Metasoma. T1–T2 with minute, shallow punctures; punctures denser antero-dorsally on T1–T2; T3 with denser punctures and rugose interspaces; apical margin of T3 bordered by thin brownish rim, with long (up to 2.0 × MOD), whitish setae laterally and postero-laterally; S2 with sparse punctures bearing long setae, with antero-median coppery spot, covering more than half segment. Colouration. Body entirely shining green with coppery reflections; scape and pedicel coppery, F1 yellowish; F2 brownish (Fig. 13D); rest of flagellum brown; tegulae non-metallic yellowish; femora green on outer side; tibiae darker with opalescent reflections on outer side; tibial joints yellowish; tarsi 1-2 yellowish, tarsi 3-5 brownish; wing membrane clear, nervures light brown.

Figure 13. 

Hedychridium splendens sp. nov., female, holotype A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C habitus, lateral view D right antenna, lateral view E metasoma, postero-lateral view F metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Male. Unknown.

The specific epithet is derived from the Latin splendens (shining), present participle of the verb splendeō, which refers to the shining body of this cuckoo wasp, due to sparse, small and shallow punctures, with wide polished interspaces.

We describe Hedychridium spendens sp. nov. in the H. femoratum species group and it is related to H. jacobsi by its general habitus, F1 and yellowish legs. However, it is separated from the latter by unmodified sculpture of the face, with scapal basin only finely, transversally microridged (vs. sharp transverse ridges covering almost all face); shorter F1, l/w = 2.0 (l/w = 3.0 in female, 4.0 in male); sparse and shallow body punctation with wide, polished interspaces (vs. punctation denser).

Mongolia (Uvurkhangai).

Holotype: ♀, Mongolia, Tuv, 75 km W of Ulaanbaatar, dunes, 2.VIII.2005, leg. JH (ZIN). Paratypes: 3 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, same date and locality as holotype (MHC, PRC); Govi-Altai, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, 70 km E of Altay City, Guulin, 14.VII.2005, leg. JH (MHC); 4 ♀♀, 8 ♂♂, same data and locality, leg. PT (PTC).

Hedychridium striatum sp. nov. is characterised by transversal (on mesoscutum), longitudinal (on mesoscutellum) and oblique (on mesopleuron) wrinkles (more evident in male); propodeal posterior projections divergent and spiniform; legs largely yellowish; metasoma scattered punctures, with wide polished interspaces; S2 extensively metallic.

Female. Body length 4.0–4.5 mm (holotype 4.5 mm). Head. Face nearly flat, with narrow and elongate eyes (Fig. 14B); brow between vertex and scapal basin with contiguous, longitudinally aligned punctures; scapal basin transversally microridged; incomplete longitudinal mid-line extended from anterior ocellus almost to clypeus; at sides, between scapal basin and eye, with small punctures transversally aligned amongst fine wrinkles; vertex with deep punctures and polished interspaces; clypeus elongate, subantennal space about 1.5 × MOD; ocellar triangle isosceles, with deep ocellar line connecting posterior ocelli. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.6:1.0:0.8; OOL = 2.4 × MOD; POL = 1.8 × MOD; MS = 1.0 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with coarse, contiguous punctures; mesoscutum with sparse, shallow punctures amongst transverse wrinkles; mesoscutellum with sparse punctures amongst longitudinal wrinkles; mesopleuron with similar punctures and oblique wrinkles. Posterior propodeal projections divergent and spiniform (Fig. 14A); mid-tibia with small, oval, darkened area; metatibia with large triangular black area as long as half of its length. Metasoma. T1–T3 with sparse, minute and even punctures, equally spaced (2-3 PD), T1 smooth along median line and posteriorly; T3 with narrow brownish rim on posterior margin; S2 with metallic coppery spot (Fig. 14E). Colouration. Body dorsally metallic red-bronze; scape and pedicel greenish, flagellum black; tegulae bronze; femora bronze; tibiae yellowish, outer side slightly bronze to opalescent, tibial joints yellowish; tarsi 1-2 yellowish, tarsi 3-5 dark brown.

Figure 14. 

Hedychridium striatum sp. nov., female, holotype (A–D, F) and male, paratype (E) A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C habitus, lateral view D metasoma, postero-lateral view E genital capsule F metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Male. Body length 3.5–4.0 mm. Similar to female in habitus, colour pattern and unusual sculpture, yet face unmodified, whereas in female, looks narrow and elongate; genital capsule as in Fig. 14E, triangularly shaped, narrowed apically.

The specific epithet striatum derives from the Latin adjective striatus, a, um (striated) and refers to the unusual striated sculpture on mesosoma.

We tentatively describe Hedychridium striatum sp. nov. in the Hedychridium ardens species group; nevertheless, for some diagnostic characters, such as genital capsule and yellowish legs, it can be confused with members of other species group (H. rhodinum and H. femoratum groups); the female shows narrow and elongate eyes as members of the H. planifrons group. This species is anyway easily recognisable from all other Hedychridium species by its unique mesonotal sculpture with punctures amongst transversal wrinkles on mesoscutum, longitudinal wrinkles on mesoscutellum and oblique wrinkles on mesopleuron (more evident in male); propodeal posterior projections divergent and spiniform; legs largely yellowish; metasoma with scattered punctures, with wide polished interspaces.

Mongolia (Govi-Altai, Tuv).

Holotype: ♀, Mongolia, Dornogovi, 28 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, 3.VIII.2007, leg. MH (MSNM).

Hedychridium varvarae sp. nov. is characterised by yellowish F1; uniform fore body green colouration, including propodeum and face; metasoma green to reddish once dehydrated (in nature, presumably red); brow with wide, polished interspaces; pronotum narrowed anteriorly and with sharp edge on anterior margin.

Female. Body length 4.4 mm. Head. Face flat, brow slightly convex above scapal basin (Fig. 15A, and B); brow with large, subcontiguous punctures, with wide, polished interspaces; scapal basin finely transversely microridged; face micropunctate laterally and covered by short, appressed, whitish setae; longitudinal mid-line incomplete, distinctly visible from brow to mid-scapal basin only; area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli depressed; ocellar triangle isosceles, without ocellar line; malar spaces micropunctate; clypeus apically bordered by semi-circular, brown thickening; mandibles bidentate; mouthparts slightly elongate. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:1.0:0.8; OOL = 1.6 × MOD; POL = 2.0 × MOD; MS = 0.8 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum narrowed anteriorly and with sharp edge on anterior margin; coarsely, irregular and uneven-sized punctures, somewhere contiguous to confluent, with polished to corrugated interspaces; mesonotum with wide interspaces, somewhere corrugated; punctures larger at base of mesoscutum and on mesoscutellum, with scattered small punctures; mesopleuron with dense punctures, with small punctures on interspaces; posterior propodeal projections acute, divergent; metatibia flat, with black spot covering large part of its length; metatarsomere 2 as long as metatarsomere 3; pro-, mesopleuron and femora with long whitish setae. Metasoma. T1–T3 with minute, dense punctures; punctures denser antero-dorsally on T1–T2; large punctures mixed to minute punctures laterally; S2 with sparse, minute punctures bearing long setae; with violet spot antero-medially, covering less than half segment (Fig. 15F); apical margin of T3 bordered by thin brownish rim. Colouration. Head and mesosoma entirely metallic green; metasoma with rosy to bronze reflections (possibly metallic red in nature and when rehydrated in alcohol); scape and pedicel bronze, F1 yellowish; F2 brownish; rest of flagellum brown; tegulae non-metallic brown; femora and tibiae green on outer side, tibial joints largely yellowish; tarsi 1-2 yellowish, tarsi 3-5 brownish; wing membrane clear, nervures light brown.

Figure 15. 

Hedychridium varvarae sp. nov., female, holotype A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C habitus, lateral view D right antenna, lateral view E metaleg, right tibia and tarsi, part of metasoma in postero-lateral view F metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Male. Unknown.

The specific epithet varvara (feminine, noun in apposition) is dedicated to Varvara M. Proshchalykina (Vladivostok, Russia), for daily support to her father’s research study.

We describe Hedychridium varvarae sp. nov. in the Hedychridium ardens species group. It is easily separable from all other members of this group by yellowish F1 (black or brown, concolorous with following flagellomeres in the other species) (Fig. 15D); uniform fore body green colouration, including face and propodeum (with contrasting colours at least on face and/or propodeum in other Mongolian species); brow with wide, polished interspaces (usually with dense punctures in other species) (Fig. 15B).

Mongolia (Dornogovi).

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia: Dornogovi, 65 km SE of Chatan-Bulag, steppe, 1020 m alt., 2.VIII.2007, leg. MH (MSNM).

Hedychridium weii sp. nov. is characterised by elongate shape of the black spot on metatibia; dark colouration; flagellum uniformly black, mesonotal punctures sparse; shape of genital capsule.

Male. Body length 4.4 mm. Head. Face almost flat; scapal basin finely transversely microridged; face between scapal basin and eye with large punctures; longitudinal mid-line complete, extended from brow to clypeus; area in front of anterior ocellus and lateral to posterior ocelli with narrow, deep sulcus; brow with large sized punctures, widely separated by polished interspaces (1 PD) (Fig. 16B); ocellar triangle isosceles, with deep ocellar line; malar spaces impunctate; clypeus apically bordered by narrow, brown thickening; mandibles tridentate. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.5:1.0:0.8; OOL = 2.0 × MOD; POL = 1.9 × MOD; MS = 0.3 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with coarsely, irregular, uneven-sized punctures, somewhere transversally contiguous to confluent, with polished and corrugated interspaces; mesonotum with contrasting sculpture, with shallow, small and scattered punctures on the anterior half, with larger, denser and confluent punctures on posterior half; mesoscutellum medially with small, sparse punctures and wide polished interspaces (2-3 × PD), laterally and postero-laterally with denser punctures; mesopleuron with dense and large punctures; posterior propodeal projections triangular, divergent; metatibia with elongate dark brown spot covering 4/5 of its length; metatarsomere 2 slightly shorter than metatarsomere 3; pro-, mesopleuron and femora with long whitish setae (1.0–1.5 × MOD). Metasoma. T1–T3 with relatively dense, small punctures, anyway not as minute as in H. erythrosoma sp. nov.; punctures denser on T1 antero-dorsally; with larger punctures mixed to small punctures laterally; posterior margin of T1–T2 with impunctate, non-metallic black rim, as large as 1.0–1.5 × MOD; S2 without metallic spot, with sparse punctures; S2–S3 with long, whitish setae on posterior margin; apical margin of T3 bordered by thin hyaline rim; genital capsule as in Fig. 16C. Colouration. Fore body predominantly coppery, with greenish reflections and bluish propodeum; metasoma greenish, with bronze reflections and non-metallic posterior margin of T1–T2; T1 posteriorly and T2 antero-medially with a large black spot; scape shiny black; pedicel and flagellomeres dull black; tegulae non-metallic brown; femora and tibiae bronze to non-metallic dark brown on outer side, tibial joints largely yellowish; tarsi 1-3 yellowish, tarsi 4-5 brownish; wing membrane hyaline, somehow darkened medially; nervures light brown.

Figure 16. 

Hedychridium weii sp. nov., male, holotype A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C genital capsule D habitus, lateral view E right antenna, lateral view F metasoma, postero-lateral view G metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Unknown.

The specific epithet weii (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Na-sen “Nelson” Wei (Guanghzou, China), for his contributions to the study of the Chrysididae of Inner Mongolia and China and his kind support to the studies of the first author.

We describe Hedychridium weii sp. nov. in the H. femoratum species group. It is closely related to H. femoratum for its general habitus, yet it is separated by sparser mesonotal punctures, shape of genital capsule (Fig. 16C), elongate shape of the black spot on metatibia (Fig. 16F) and darker mesosoma colouration. It is separated from the other two newly- described species in this species group, H. splendens sp. nov. and H. jacobsi sp. nov., by flagellomeres black, different genital capsule and different shape of black spots on metatibia.

Mongolia (Dornogovi).

Mongolia: Tuv, 1 ♀, 50 km N of Ulaanbataar, river E of Mandal, 1180 m alt., 8–13.VII.2007, leg. MK (PRC).

*Mongolia (Tuv). Holopyga lucida is distributed from Europe to Eastern Siberia (Rosa et al. 2019).

The Mongolian specimen has narrower scapal basin, more arcuate beneath brow compared with European specimens; however, the ratio between head width and inter-ocular distance is almost equal. Moreover, the punctation of the Mongolian specimen is without wide, polished interspaces, whereas European specimens have mesonotal punctures sparser, with shining intervals. We did not observe additional differences and, therefore, we identify this specimen as H. lucida, waiting for the examination of more material.

Mongolia: Tuv, 1 ♀, Khangaun Mts, 5 km N of Khunt, 21.VII.2005, leg. PT (PTC).

Holopyga similis was synonymised by Bischoff (1913) with H. gloriosa var. chrysonota Förster, 1853. Rosa et al. (2020) pointed out that H. chrysonota is a different species and H. similis is the first available name for H. chrysonota sensu Linsenmaier (1959, 1987).

*Mongolia (Tuv). South-east Europe to Caucasus, Turkey and Israel (Rosa et al. 2019).

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia, Zavkhan, 40 km SW of Uliastay, dunes, 18.VII.2005, leg. JH (MSNM). Paratypes: 4 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, Zavkhan, 40 km SW of Uliastay, dunes, 18.VII.2005, leg. JH (MHC); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, same date and locality of holotype (MHC); 4 ♀♀, Arkhangai, 25 km NE of Tsetserleg, 47°38'N; 101°45'E, 23.VII.2004, leg. JH (MHC); 1 ♀, Bulgan, 137 km NE of Aravaykheer, 47°20'N; 103°40.5'E, 1250 m alt., 26.VII.2004, leg. JH (PRC); 2 ♀♀, Dornod, 50 km SW of Choibalsan, 960 m alt., 25.VII.2007, leg. JH (MHC); 1 ♀, 100 km W of Choibalsan, 820 m alt., 23.VII.2007, leg. MH (MHC); 1 ♂, 2 km SE Khuvsgol, 5.VIII. 2007, leg. PT (PTC); 1 ♂, Sukhbaatar, 200 km SSE of Baruun-Urt, Moltsoy Els, 1250 m alt., 27.VII.2007, leg. MH (MHC); 3 ♀♀, 100 km SSW of Baruun-Urt, 1100 m alt., 30.VII.2007, leg. MH (MHC).

Holopyga tyrneri sp. nov. is characterised by metasoma with noticeably scattered punctures, with shallow punctures on terga and relatively dense punctures on S2; head and mesosoma deep blue, with pronotum and mesoscutum flame red; metasoma red flame to golden-red.

Male. Body length 6.0–6.9 mm (holotype 6.9 mm). Head. Brow and vertex with irregularly-sized punctures, with narrow, polished interspaces; punctures on face between scapal basin and eye larger; face shallowly hollowed; scapal basin transversally microridged, polished below brow, glabrous; genae with coarsely, irregular and confluent punctures; mandibles bidentate; ocellar triangle isosceles, with deep ocellar line connecting posterior ocelli. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:2.0:1.2:1.2; OOL = 2.2 × MOD; POL = 2.3 × MOD; MS = 0.5 × MOD. Mesosoma. Pronotum with deep, irregularly-sized punctures mixed with small dots on interspaces; posterior margin with small dots only; mesoscutum with shallow, large punctures (0.5 × up to 1.0 × MOD on basal half), with scattered dots anteriorly on narrow interspaces; punctures dense and subcontiguous basally; mesoscutellum with larger (1.0 × MOD), irregular and dense punctures with narrow, polished interspaces; notauli and parapsidal lines deep, as fine lines; with large antero- and postero-median area polished and with shallow small dots; mesopleuron with dense, large punctures, irregularly confluent along posterior margin; metascutellum with dense large punctures, as large as those on mesoscutellum, with narrower interspaces; propodeal posterior projections small, subparallel, pointing slightly outwards. Legs and wings unmodified compared with similar species. Metasoma. Metasomal terga with even and minute punctures, equally spaced dorsally, 2-3 PD apart (Fig. 17E); with some denser, larger punctures on T1 antero-laterally; apical margin of T3 with narrow brownish rim; S2–S3 with dense punctures (Fig. 17F). Colouration. Head and mesosoma deep blue, with pronotum and mesoscutum flame red; metasoma red flame to golden-red; scape green, pedicel and flagellum black; clypeus non-metallic brown; legs metallic green to blue with brownish tarsi; metasomal sterna black without metallic reflections; forewing hyaline, slightly darkened medially.

Figure 17. 

Holopyga tyrneri sp. nov., male, holotype A habitus, dorsal view B genital capsule, dorsal view C genital capsule, ventral view D habitus, lateral view E head, frontal view F head, dorsal view G metasoma, postero-lateral view H metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Body length 6.0–7.0 mm. Similar to male in habitus and colour pattern and with dimorphic T3, acutely arcuate (Fig. 18E). Flagellum I distinctly longer l/w = 3.5 (l/w 2.5 in male); posterior propodeal projections more divergent and acute; metasoma with more scattered, minute punctures.

Figure 18. 

Holopyga tyrneri sp. nov., female, paratype (A–C, E, F) and H. similis Mocsáry, female from (from Italy) (D) A habitus, dorsal view B head, frontal view C habitus, lateral view D metasoma, postero-lateral view E metasoma, postero-lateral view F metasoma, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

The specific epithet tyrneri (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Pavel Tyrner (Litvínov, Czech Republic), who collected and provided data from Mongolia and for his precious contribution to the knowledge of the European Chrysididae.

Holopyga tyrneri sp. nov. is closely related to Holopyga similis Mocsáry, 1889 [= H. chrysonota sensu Linsenmaier (1959)] for habitus and same colour pattern in both sexes. It can be immediately separated by metasoma with noticeably scattered and shallow punctures (Fig. 18E) compared with H. similis (Fig. 18D) and by different genital capsule. The female also resembles Holopyga chrysonota (Förster, 1853) [= H. ignicollis sensu Linsenmaier (1959)] by colour pattern; however, it can be separated by metasoma with scattered, shallow punctures and by denser punctures on S2 (vs. scattered with only few dots in H. chrysonota). The male of Holopyga chrysonota is differently coloured, with mesosoma green, pronotum and mesoscutum usually lighter.

Mongolia (Arkhangai, Bulgan, Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Zavkhan).

Genus Philoctetes Abeille de Perrin, 1879

Philoctetes Abeille de Perrin, 1879: 27. Type species: Holopyga cicatrix Abeille de Perrin, 1879 [= Philoctetes micans (Klug, 1835)], by subsequent designation of Ashmead 1902: 228.

Holotype: ♂, Mongolia, Tuv, Khangaun Mts, 5 km N of Khunt, 20.VII.2005, leg. JH (MSNM).

Philoctetes boreki sp. nov. is characterised by greenish-blue body colour and metanotal projection, more or less projecting over propodeum; flattened body; shallow punctuation and long, blackish erect setae.

Male. Body length 4.8 mm. Head. Brow, vertex, face between eye and scapal basin with dense, large-sized punctures (0.5–0.7 MOD) (Fig. 19A); with two impunctate areas laterad posterior ocelli; scapal basin asetose, deep and hemicircular (Fig. 19G), with irregular wrinkles following the scapal basin contour; gena with small punctures; genal carina sharp, not bisecting MS; ocellar triangle isosceles, postocellar line indistinct; anterior margin of clypeus straight, thickened, non-metallic brown. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.5:1.1:1.0; OOL = 3.3 × MOD; POL = 2.7 × MOD; MS = 0.6 × MOD; genae, brow and temples with elongate, thick setae (1.5–2.0 × MOD). Mesosoma. Pronotum with sparse, shallow and small punctures, smaller than punctures on head; interspaces polished and wide (up to 3 PD); mesoscutum with small, shallow punctures mostly clumped along notauli and parapsidal lines (Fig. 19A); punctures at base of mesoscutum larger; notauli line deep and narrow; parapsidal line deep and complete; mesoscutellum with dense, large punctures (up to 1 × MOD), antero-medially with polished area; metascutellum longer than mesoscutellum, mucronate, with elongate and triangular lamella apically rounded; mesopleuron with irregular-sized punctures; posterior propodeal projections short and blunt; mesosoma, including femora, with black, elongate and thick setae. Metasoma. T1 antero-medially polished, with scattered dots on posterior margin, laterally with double punctation with larger, deep punctures mixed with small, sparse dots; T2 with small, even and uniformly scattered punctures dorsally; with double punctation laterally, as on T1; T3 with irregular deep and larger punctures and few scattered dots; lateral edge of T3 slightly sinuous medially; apical margin of T3 bordered by non-metallic brown rim; apical notch deep, triangular (Fig. 19E); T3 with long (2.0 MOD), black and thick setae. Colouration. Body deep blue with light blue to green areas on face, metascutellum, mesopleuron and mesosoma laterally; scape green, pedicel and flagellum black; tegulae dark brown; forewing slightly hyaline; meso- and metafemur unusually dark brown; T3 covered with long, erect, thick setae.

Figure 19. 

Philoctetes boreki sp. nov., male, holotype A habitus, dorsal view B genital capsule, ventral view C genital capsule, ventral view, D habitus, dorso-lateral view E metasoma, postero-lateral view F habitus, lateral view G head, frontal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Female. Unknown.

The specific epithet boreki (masculine noun in genitive) is dedicated to Borek Halada (České Budějovice, Czech Republic), son of Marek, for his precious contribution in the organisation of the present article.

Philoctetes boreki sp. nov. is related to a few other high altitude Alpine and Central Asian species. They all share some morphological features, such as flattened body, shallow punctuation and long, blackish erect setae (Rosa et al. 2017b). It shares with the Alpine Philoctetes putoni (du Buysson, 1892) and P. helveticus (Linsenmaier, 1959) greenish-blue body colour and metanotal projection, more or less projecting over propodeum. P. boreki sp. nov. is separated from these species by distribution of black setae, mostly focused on the last visible tergum and different shape of metanotal plate (Rosa et al. 2017b). Central Asian species belonging to this group are P. elongatus (Semenov-Tian-Shanskij & Nikol’skaya, 1954) (from Tajikistan), P. hirsutus (Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1932) (Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan) and P. hirtus (Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1932) (Kyrgyzstan). P. boreki sp. nov. is separated from these Central Asian species by mucronate metascutellum (vs. metanotum conical, without distinct mucronate projection) and by P. hirtus for green-blue body colour (vs. metasoma metallic red). Another Central Asian species, P. lyubae, shares with P. boreki sp. nov. body uniformly coloured, although green to golden-green and elongate metascutellar plate, yet the habitus is normally shaped, not flattened, with short, whitish setae.

Mongolia (Tuv).