Paridris Kieffer of the New World (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)

Abstract Paridris in the New World is revised (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Fifteen species are described, of which 13 are new. Paridris aenea (Ashmead)(Mexico (Tamaulipas) and West Indies south to Bolivia and southern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro state)), Paridris armata Talamas, sp. n. (Venezuela), Paridris convexa Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica, Panama), Paridris dnophos Talamas, sp. n. (Mexico (Vera Cruz) south to Bolivia and central Brazil (Goiás)), Paridris gongylos Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina), Paridris gorn Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Ohio south to Alabama, Georgia), Paridris invicta Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Brazil: São Paulo), Paridris isabelicae Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Cuba, Dominican Republic), Paridris lemete Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Puerto Rico), Paridris minor Talamas, sp. n. (Cuba), Paridris nayakorum Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica), Paridris pallipes (Ashmead)(southeastern Canada, United States south to Costa Rica, also Brazil (São Paulo), Paridris psydrax Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, United States, Venezuela), Paridris saurotos Talamas, sp. n. (Jamaica), Paridris soucouyant Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela). Paridris brevipennis Fouts, Paridris laeviceps (Ashmead), and Paridris nigricornis (Fouts) are treated as junior synonyms of Paridris pallipes; Paridris opaca is transferred to Probaryconus. Lectotypes are designated for Idris aenea Ashmead and Caloteleia aenea Ashmead.


Introduction
J.J. Kieffer described the genus Paridris in 1908 to accommodate misinterpretations of Foerster's (1856) genus Idris. He transferred three species to the new name: Idris laeviceps Ashmead, I. aenea Ashmead and I. nigricornis Brues, with I. laeviceps selected as the type species of the new genus. One additional species, P. brevipennis Fouts, recorded as an egg parasitoid of the cricket Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burmeister (Masner and Muesebeck 1968), was described in 1920, and Masner (1976 transferred P. opaca (Kieffer) and P. pallipes (Ashmead) into the genus from Paranteris and Thoron, respectively.
Despite the fact that the genus was originally based on species of the Western Hemisphere, subsequent taxonomy of the genus was almost exclusively based on Old World species. Taxonomic circumscription of Paridris has required assessment on a world scale because of its polytypic morphology, which is perhaps most apparent among the New World species. Of the 13 new species described in this paper, 7 are morphologically close to P. pallipes, whereas the majority of the world species bear little obvious relation to the type species of the genus. The key to separate Paridris from Probaryconus and Anteris (Talamas et al. 2011) included specimens from the New World because it is here that Paridris resembles these genera most. Here we expand our study of New World Paridris to the species level as part of an ongoing treatment of the genus worldwide.
The gender of the name Paridris has been a point of confusion in previous literature, some of it of our own creation. Kieffer (1908) used the adjectival epithet "aenea" when transferring Idris aenea at the time he erected Paridris, thus indicating that the gender of Paridris is feminine. Masner (1976), Galloway and Austin (1984), Mani and Sharma (1982), Kononova and Petrov (2000), Lê (2000), Kononova and Kozlov (2008), Rajmohana andBijoy (2011), andTalamas et al. (2011) treated Paridris as masculine. According to Article 30.1.4.2 of the Code, generic names must be treated as feminine names if they are treated as feminine in combination with an adjectival species-group name at the time they are established. We now treat the gender of Paridris accordingly and extend our thanks to David Notton (BMNH) for his detailed analysis of the matter and bringing it to our attention while reviewing our manuscript. Species epithets previously treated as masculine are as follows: P. bispinosa (Masner), P. fera Talamas, P. gloria Kononova, P. pachmarhica (Sharma), P. parvoculata Galloway, P. rugulosa Talamas, P. spinosa Rajmohana, P. stena Kononova & Petrov, and P. verrucosa Talamas. This work is conducted as part of the Platygastroidea Planetary Biodiversity Inventory and represents a step toward a species-level revision of the Scelionini sensu lato. The contributions of the authors are as follows: E.J. Talamas: collection of specimens, character definition, species concept development, imaging, key Morphological terms used in this revision were matched to the Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology (HAO, Yoder et al. 2010) (Appendix 1). Identifiers (URIs) in the format http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/HAO_XXXXXXX represent anatomical concepts in HAO version http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/hao/2011-05-18/hao.owl. They are provided to enable readers to confirm their understanding of the anatomical structures being referenced. To find out more about a given structure, including, images, references, and other metadata, use the identifier as a web-link, or use the HAO:XXXXXXX (note colon replaces underscore) as a search term at http://glossary.hymao.org.
The description of surface sculpture is presented in two formats. Areas of the exoskeleton in which the sculptural elements are inseparable are described simply as "sculpture". For areas in which the sculptural elements vary independently, sculpture is divided into three categories: punctation: round depressions associated with setae; macrosculpture: raised or sunken patterns of texture that are oriented linearly or radially with respect to punctation or the axes of the body; microsculpture: unoriented, very fine wrinkles or pustulations that occur on, in, or between elements of macrosculpture and punctation.
Information management: The locality data reported for primary types are not a literal transcription of the labels: some abbreviations are expanded; additional data from the collectors are also included. The holotypes should be unambiguously identifiable by means of the unique identifier or the red holotype label. The numbers prefixed with "OSUC " and "CASENT " are unique identifiers for the individual specimens (note the blank space after the acronyms). Details on the data associated with these specimens may be accessed at the following link, purl.oclc.org/NET/hymenoptera/ hol, and entering the identifier in the form. This monograph also features simultaneous publication and distribution of taxonomic and occurrence records through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) using DarwinCore Archives. All new species have been prospectively registered with Zoobank (Polaszek et al. 2005) and other taxonomic names have been retrospectively registered therein. All names are also registered in the Hymenoptera Name Server (hns.osu.edu). Life sciences identifiers, lsids, may be resolved at the URLs specified in the footnotes or at lsid.tdwg.org.
Cybertools: The species descriptions are generated by a database application, vS-ysLab (purl.oclc.org/NET/hymenoptera/vSysLab), designed to facilitate the generation of taxon by character data matrices, to integrate these with the existing taxonomic and specimen-level database, and to export the data both as text and as input files for other applications. The output is in the format of "Character: Character state(s)." Polymorphic characters are indicated by semicolon-separated character states.
Imaging: Images were produced using Combine ZP and AutoMontage extendedfocus software. The individual images are archived at the image database at The Ohio State University (purl.oclc.org/NET/hymenoptera/specimage) and with MorphBank (www.morphbank.net). The latter also contains collections of images organized by plate.
Species concept: For the purpose of this revision, species are defined as taxa diagnosable by putative autapomorphies or a unique combination of fixed character states.
Comments. The large geographical distribution of P. aenea is accompanied by morphological variation, some of which is correlated with particular regions. Specimens from Cuba and Jamaica have smaller eyes (and consequently a larger OOL) and a pronounced transverse carina on T2 that protrudes laterally, making the anterior width of T2 distinctly greater than the posterior width of T1. Typically, the genal striae do not extend above the midpoint of the eye and are concentrated in the posterior half of the gena. Specimens from Tobago, and some from mainland South America, have elongate genal striae that extend to the vertex, or even around the eye, becoming dorsally continuous with the malar striae. Finally, three female specimens, OSUC 181316, 181345, 334201, have a minute horn on T1. They are otherwise consistent with our concept of P. aenea, and we consider them to be variants within this species. Talamas  Color of metasoma: brown. Macrosculpture of T1: longitudinally strigose. Interstitial sculpture of T1: smooth. Macrosculpture of T2 in male: weakly longitudinally striate throughout. Microsculpture on T2: absent. Setal patch of lateral T2: present throughout lateral surface of tergite. Posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2: weakly convex. Carina along posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2 in male: absent. Microsculpture on T3: absent. Macrosculpture of T3 medially in male: weakly longitudinally striate. Macrosculpture of T3 laterally in male: weakly longitudinally striate. Microsculpture on T4: absent. Macrosculpture of T4 in male: absent. Setation of S1: absent. Form of S2 felt field: longitudinal row or patch of setigerous punctures. Macrosculpture of S2 medially: absent. Macrosculpture of S3: absent.

Paridris armata
Wing development: macropterous. Basal vein in hind wing: spectral. Setation of hind wing: uniform throughout. Length of postmarginalis: less than half of length of stigmalis. RS+M in fore wing: nebulous.
Diagnosis. Paridris armata is not acutely similar to any of the other Paridris species in the New World. The bispinose shape of the metascutellum and very narrow clypeus unambiguously separate it from the other species treated here.
Etymology. The adjectival Latin epithet "armata" is given to this species for the shape and relatively large size of the metascutellum.

Paridris convexa
Diagnosis. Paridris convexa is most similar to P. saurotos and P. isabelicae. Males and females of P. convexa may be separated from these two species by the presence of reticulate microfissures through the head. In P. saurotos and P. isabelicae this microsculpture is limited to patches on the temple, between the median and lateral ocelli, and directly posterior to the lateral ocellus.  Diagnosis. Paridris dnophos may be strikingly similar to P. nayakorum in coloration and shape of the body. Females may easily be separated by having only 1 basiconic sensillum on A8, versus 2 in P. nayakorum; by the absence of striation on T1; and the linear form of the posterior notaulus. The presence of an externally visible metascutellum serves well to separate P. dnophos in most cases, but this character should not be used alone given that a few specimens of have a large horn on T1 and reduced metascutellum. Etymology. The Greek epithet "dnophos" means "darkness" and is given to this species for the color of its body. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.
Comments. Morphological variation within P. dnophos occurs primarily in color and density of setation and punctation on the head and mesosoma. The antennae, legs, T1, and anterior T2 range from black to yellow; the head, mesosoma and remainder of the metasoma vary from black to brown. The setation of the head and dorsal mesosoma varies from white to golden yellow and may be extremely sparse to dense. The density of punctation and setation of the lateral pronotum are similarly variable. Talamas   Diagnosis. Paridris gongylos is closest morphologically with P. pallipes with which it shares the presence of very fine reticulate fissures throughout the dorsal head and mesosoma. The males, from which this species is known, have a crenulate occipital rim that distinguishes them from males of P. pallipes.

Paridris gongylos
Etymology. The Greek word gongylos, meaning "rounded", is given to this species for the shape of its head and the curves of its metasoma. The epithet is treated as a noun in apposition.
Link Diagnosis. Paridris gorn is most similar to P. soucouyant, particularly in the bispinose shape of the metascutellum and punctate-rugose sculpture of the head. These two species may be separated by the sculpture of T4-T5: punctate-rugose in P. soucouyant, smooth in P. gorn. Additionally, females of P. gorn have a horn on T1 that is either smooth or has shallow punctures along its longitudinal midline. In P. soucouyant a carina is present along the dorsal crest of the horn.
Etymology. This species is named after a reptilian alien race from the original Star Trek television series for the similar appearance of their compound eyes. The epithet is treated as a noun in apposition.
Link to distribution map. 28 Material examined. Holotype, female: UNITED STATES: OH, Franklin Co., vegetation / along railroad tracks, Columbus, 39°59'21"N, 82°59'41"W, 11.VI-13. VI.2011, yellow pan trap, E. Talamas  Diagnosis. The form of the lateral propodeal area in P. invicta is unique among the New World species of Paridris. In members of the P. pallipes species group the plica is absent and thus there is no distinction between the plical area and lateral propodeal area. In other New World species the plica is well developed and the lateral propodeal area is contiguous with the prespiracular propodeal area. In P. invicta, the plica is distinct, and separates the plical area from the lateral propodeal area, and the lateral propodeal area is not contiguous with the prespiracular propodeal area; by this character alone it may be separated. In addition, the enlarged femora and dense, elongate setation of the head and mesosoma serve well to identify this species.
Diagnosis. Paridris lemete is very similar to P. aenea. The additional basiconic sensillum present on A8 provides a straightforward character to separate the females of these species. Males of P. lemete are best separated from P. aenea by the smooth sculpture of the ventral mesopleuron.
Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the Spanish phrase "le mete," slang in Puerto Rico for "it is awesome", which we which we consider to be appropriate for this species. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.

Paridris minor
Diagnosis. Paridris minor shares with P. convexa, P. gongylos, and P. laeviceps the presence of reticulate microsculpture throughout the head. The females differ from P. convexa most notably by the shape of T6 which is not constricted in its apical half and from the females of P. laeviceps by the complete notaulus. Males of P. minor may be separated from these speces by the combination of the complete notaulus, a non-crenulate occipital rim and antennomeres 6-11 that are less than 3 times as long as wide.
Etymology. This species is named for its diminutive size. The Latin epithet "minor" is treated as a noun in apposition.

Paridris nayakorum
Diagnosis. Paridris nayakorum is most similar to P. dnophos, and may be separated easily by the presence of two basiconic sensilla on A8, the ovoid and abbreviate form of the notaulus, and the absence of longitudinal striae on T1. The large horn of T1 in P. nayakorum obscures the metascutellum in all specimens examined in this revision and is useful for separating it from most species of Paridris.
Etymology. Paridris nayakorum is named to commemorate the marriage of Dr. David A. Nayak (USA) and Alicia Rae Sim (USA), two friends of the first author.

Paridris pallipes
Comments. Paridris pallipes exhibits remarkably little morphological variation for the large size of its geographical distribution. One specimen from Costa Rica, OSUC 265167, fits neatly into our concept of P. pallipes with the exception that it has a posteriorly directed spine on T1. Consequently, this specimen is determined only as Paridris until more specimens are available to assess if this is a morphological variation within P. pallipes, or if it should be treated as a separate species. The females of this species have macropterous and brachypterous forms. The lone specimen record of P. pallipes from Brazil (OSUC 323902) is worthy of mention because of its distance from any other specimen records, and may indicate that this species has been introduced to Brazil by humans. Talamas  Wing development: macropterous. Basal vein in hind wing: spectral. Setation of hind wing: reduced anad of submarginal vein. Length of postmarginalis: approximately half of length of stigmalis. RS+M in fore wing: spectral.

Paridris psydrax
Diagnosis. Paridris psydrax is a distinct species that is superficially similar to P. pallipes and P. gongylos in the dense microsculpture of the head and mesosoma. Females of P. psydrax may be identified by the large horn that obscures the metascutellum and the presence of a carina that posteriorly borders the transverse sulcus of T2. Males are best identified by the spherical shape of the antennal flagellomeres, the transverse carina on T2, and the presence of microsculpture on the head and mesosoma.
Etymology. The Greek epithet psydrax, meaning "blister", is given to the species for the pustulate microsculpture of the head and mesosoma. The name is treated as a noun in apposition.
Color of metasoma: yellow; reddish brown; yellowish brown. Macrosculpture of T1: longitudinally striate. Interstitial sculpture of T1: smooth. Adornment of horn on T1 in female: posteriorly projecting spine. Macrosculpture of T2 in female: longitudinally and sparsely striate, medial striae not reaching posterior margin. Macrosculpture of T2 in male: longitudinally and sparsely striate, medial striae not reaching posterior margin. Microsculpture on T2: absent. Setal patch of lateral T2: present in thin line along lateral edge. Carina along posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2 in male: absent. Carina along posterior margin of transverse sulcus on T2 in female: absent. Microsculpture on T3: absent. Macrosculpture of T3 medially in female: absent. Macrosculpture of T3 laterally in female: weakly longitudinally striate; present as 1 or 2 strigae along junction of dorsal and lateral surfaces. Macrosculpture of T3 medially in male: absent. Macrosculpture of T3 laterally in male: weakly longitudinally striate; present as 1 or 2 strigae along junction of dorsal and lateral surfaces; absent. Microsculpture on T4: absent. Macrosculpture of T4 medially in female: absent. Macrosculpture of T4 laterally in female: absent. Macrosculpture of T4 in male: absent.