Neochrysis glabriceps ( Ducke, 1903 )

Rosa, Paolo & Brothers, Denis J., 2025, Nomenclatural and taxonomic updates on the Brazilian cuckoo-wasp catalogue (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae), Zootaxa 5642 (6), pp. 501-541 : 529

Neochrysis glabriceps ( Ducke, 1903) stat. resurr.

( Fig. 17A, B )

Chrysis glabriceps Ducke 1903: 227 . Holotype ♀; Brazil: Pará, Obidos (type depository unknown). Synonym of Neochrysis inseriata ( Mocsáry, 1902) according to Kimsey & Bohart (1991: 515).

Neochrysis glabriceps ( Ducke, 1903) : present paper: stat. resurr.

Material examined. 1♀: Obidos 21.11.1907 Ducke / Chrysis ♀ typ. ! glabriceps Ducke <handwritten by Ducke> / Museum Paris Brésil A. Ducke 1908 / TYPE <printed in red> ( MNHN); 1♀ [not ♂]: Obidos 21.11.1907 Ducke / Brazil Estado do Pará / Chrysis ♂ glabriceps Ducke <handwritten by Ducke> / ex Coll. Gribodo Brasile Pará A. Ducke ( MSNG); 17 additional specimens from Pará sent to Gribodo ( MSNG); 1♂: Obidos 7.1.1905 Ducke / Chrysis glabriceps ♂ Ducke det. A. Ducke 1905 ( NMBE).

Kimsey & Bohart (1991: 515) listed the type depository of Chrysis glabriceps as MNHN.They also synonymized Chrysis glabriceps Ducke with Neochrysis inseriata ( Mocsáry, 1902) stating that their conclusion was based on the study of type specimens (1991: 514). However, the specimen deposited at MNHN and labelled as type by Ducke does not belong to the type series, as it was collected on 21 November 1907 ( Fig. 17A ), whereas the holotype was collected on 1 March 1900. Specimens labelled as “types” by Ducke not belonging to the type series are common in European museums ( Rosa et al. 2020) and likely signify “autotypes” or “ homotypes ” referring to specimens designated by the author after the original description as identical to the holotype.

Furthermore, two additional specimens identified as Chr. glabriceps by Ducke in his material housed in NMBE and MSNG likely belong to another species distinguishable by the different form of the black spots of the second sternum. Since Ducke identified as Chr. glabriceps specimens of two similar yet distinct species, we recognise Neochrysis inseriata ( Mocsáry, 1902) and Neochrysis glabriceps ( Ducke, 1903) stat. resurr. as valid species, with the latter resurrected, pending a revision of its true type.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Neochrysis glabriceps (Ducke, 1903). A. Voucher ♀ at MNHN. B. ♂ at MSNG.