Plutofoenus paraguayensis (Schrottky 1906)

(Figs. 3d, 11e–f, 12c, 13e, 15)

Gasteruption paraguayense Schrottky, 1906: 56 –57 (description); Crosskey, 1962: 397 –398 ( Plutofoenus synonymized under Gasteruption).

Plutofoenus paraguayensis: Kieffer, 1911: 177 (transferred from Gasteruption); Kieffer, 1912: 221 –222 (redescription); Hedicke, 1939: 42 (catalog).

Holotype. Missing (Schrottky stated one female). Type locality: PARAGUAY: Villa Encarnazión.

Specimens examined. Six specimens (3 females, 3 males). ARGENTINA: Entre Ríos: Pronunciamiento XII.1963, (no collector specified), 1 Ƥ (CNCI); Santa Fé: Las Garzas, 25km L. Ocampo, 1903, E.R. Wagner, 1 Ƥ (MNHN); Santiago del Estero: Los Tigres, 10.IX.1972, R. Golbach, 2 3 (IMLA); Tucumán: 11km W. Las Cejas, II.1968, L.A. Stange 1 3 (IMLA); Las Cejas, 16–31.X.1967, L.A. Stange; 1 Ƥ (AEIC).

Diagnosis. Differs from both P. chaeturus and P. e d w a rd s i by the shorter ovipositor sheath (Fig. 3d) (1.5 times longer than metasoma), while other species have the ovipositor sheath longer than two times metasomal lengh.

Redescription. Female. Length: 17.0 mm (16.8–17.1 mm) (n=2, specimens from AEIC and CNCI); ovipositor sheath length 0.88 (0.87–0.90)X body length.

Head. Red brown, rugulose to imbricate, wider than long; head length 1.31 (1.27–1.35)X eye length; eye length 7.17 (7.17–7.18)X malar space; distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin 1.53 (1.40–1.67)X distance between posterior ocelli; 1st flagellomere 0.85 (0.75–0.95)X as long as scape, 1.70 (1.50–1.91)X as long as pedicel, 0.70 (0.60–0.81)X as long as 2nd flagellomere; mandible medial tooth developed; clypeus and face with fine longitudinal striae; frontal carina well developed between antennae; posterior ocellus inserted at level of upper eye margin (Fig. 11 e); occipital carina relatively wide dorsally and laterally.

Mesosoma. Predominantly red brown, with mesepimeron black; fore and middle legs with coxa, trochanter, femur and tibia red brown, tibia with a white longitudinal stripe, tarsomeres yellow or yellow brown; hind leg red brown; mesosoma (excluding propleuron) 1.67 (1.60–1.73)X as long as high; propleuron 1.23 (1.20–1.27)X longer than its largest wide, 0.75 (0.71–0.80)X pronotum length; metacoxa 2.02 (1.84–2.19)X as long as wide; metatibia 4.19 (4.14–4.25)X as long as wide, 1.37 (1.36–1.38)X as long as femur, 3.33 (3.26–3.40)X as long as 1st tarsomere; propleuron rugulose dorsally and imbricate, with sparse punctations laterally; pronotal process distinct (Fig. 13 e); pronotum with three lobes rugulose, area between lobes with a crenulate ridge; mesoscutum estriate rugose (Fig. 12 c); mesoscutellum rugulose; mesepisternum striate rugose; mesepimeron with irregular striae; metapleuron micro areolate dorsally, ventral margin near middle coxa rugulose, remaining portion rugose; propodeum striate rugose; fore wing vein r–m nebulous; hind wing with vein 2M+Cu pigmented; 5 hamuli.

Metasoma. Predominantly red brown, with T2 and dorsal portion of T3 black, imbricate, 2.41 (2.35–2.47)X as long as mesosoma; ovipositor sheath dark brown basally and subapically, remaining portions yellow brown, 1.50 (1.49–1.51)X as long as metasoma (Fig. 3d).

Male (1st record). Similar to female, body slightly shorter; 3–5 hamuli (4/3: 33.3%; 4/4: 33.3%; 4/5: 33.3%).

Distribution. Paraguay (holotype data), Argentina (Entre Ríos, Santa Fé, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán) (Fig. 15).

Comments. Part of Schrottky’s insect collection in Paraguay was lost in a fire, corresponding to the material described between 1905 and 1907 (De Santis 1996), and probably included the holotype of P. paraguayensis .

This species is characterized here from its original description (Schrottky 1906), especially by the following characteristics: short propleuron; ovipositor length as long as body length; body similar to P. chaeturus, but with a shorter ovipositor. The female I studied from the MNHN bears an identification label as P. paraguayensis by J.J. Pasteels, with which I agree.