Taxonomic contribution to the Aleiodes melanopterus (Erichson) species-group (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae) from Brazil

Abstract The Aleiodes melanopterus (Erichson, 1848) species-group includes 21 species, of which seven are known from the Neotropical region: Aleiodes flavistigma Shaw, 1993, Aleiodes lucidus (Szépligeti, 1906), Aleiodes melanopterus, Aleiodes mexicanus Cresson, 1869, Aleiodes politiceps (Gahan, 1917), and the new species Aleiodes shaworum sp. n. and Aleiodes vassununga sp. n. Distribution ranges of Aleiodes melanopterus, Aleoides flavistigma and Aleiodes lucidus are extended and the female of Aleiodes lucidus is described. A key to the Neotropical species of this species-group is presented.


Material and methods
A portion of examined specimens, deposited at DCBU (Universidade Federal de São Carlos), comes from several different surveys throughout Brazil. Additional specimens were loaned from several entomological collections in Brazil, deposited temporally at DCBU: Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ), Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP), Coleção Entomológica Padre Jesus S. Moure -Departamento de Zoologia da Universidade Federal do Paraná (DZUP). We examined 194 specimens of the Aleiodes melanopterus species-group, all collected in Brazil.

Results
We identified all previously known South American species among examined material, i.e. Aleiodes flavistigma Shaw, 1993, Aleiodes lucidus (Szépligeti, 1906), Aleiodes melanopterus (Erichson, 1848); plus two new species described bellow: Aleiodes shaworum sp. n. and Aleiodes vassununga sp. n. One of the specimens examined constitutes the first recorded female of A. lucidus, and also the first record of this species from Brazil. The distribution range of A. flavistigma is extended to Minas Gerais State in Brazil; this is the first record of this species outside of Santa Catarina State. Some morphological features of the Brazilian A. melanopterus specimens are described and discussed.
Mesosoma. Entirely smooth; notauli very shallow anteriorly, otherwise absent (Fig. 10); epicnemial carina nearly absent (Fig. 11) Comments. This species was known only from male until the present study. The female is very similar to male, but has a larger body size, and differs in some wing vein proportions and the smoother face. The diagnostic characters of the species (e.g. notauli virtually absent, whole body with smooth sculpturing, reduced epicnemial carina) are present in the female specimen examined.
Colour variation. The examined specimens present distinct colour pattern variation. Propodeum always orange; metasoma black in virtually all specimens (97%); hind coxa black (99% of specimens); mid coxa somewhat lighter than hind; fore coxa bright orange in 97% of the specimens, contrasting with remainder black leg; one of the examined specimens has dark pronotum and propleuron.
Distribution. South America, from Suriname to Northern Argentina (North to South), and from South-eastern Brazil to Eastern Peru (East to West). Not recorded in the East of Andean Cordillera, Central America (Shaw 1993), and Northeast Brazilian region. South American countries with records: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Suriname.
Male. Similar to female but face with some transverse rugositie; body length 11 mm; fore wing length 8.8 mm; flagellum with 63 flagellomeres. Etymology. The name of species refers to locality of collection of material for study. Distribution. Brazil, State of São Paulo.