Amphibolips Reinhard 1865
Creators: name: Cuesta-Porta, Victor
name: Melika, George
name: Nicholls, James A.
name: Stone, Graham N.
name: Equihua-Martinez, Armando
name: Estrada-Venegas, Edith
name: Pujade-Villar, Juli
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Cynipidae
Amphibolips

description: Below we present the formal description and re-descriptions of eight species of Amphibolips
belonging to the ‘ niger’ complex, all from the Nearctic A. elatus Kinsey, 1937, A. gumia Kinsey, 1937, A. ufo Cuesta-Porta & Pujade-Villar sp. nov., A. jubatus Kinsey, 1937, A. maturus Kinsey, 1937, A. nebris Kinsey, 1937, A. nigra Beutenmüler, 1911, A. pistrix Kinsey, 1937. An identification key to species is also provided.
Key to asexual females
1. Antennae with 11-12 flagellomeres (Fig. 1). Metasoma glabrous, except for the sparse pubescence on anterior part of second metasomal tergum, metasomal terga shiny smooth, usually with a conspicuous band of micropunctures in posterior margin (Fig. 1)............................................................................. Amphibolips ‘ nassa ’ group
- Antennae with 13-15 flagellomeres (Fig. 8). Metasoma completely pubescent and punctured in lateral view (Fig. 7)................................................................................... (Amphibolips ‘ niger ’ group) 2
2. Mesoscutum rugose, without transversal carinae (Fig. 55); central and lateral propodeal areas shiny smooth with tiny piliferous points (Fig. 58)....................................................................................... 3
- Mesoscutum carinated at least on anterior half (Fig. 3), central propodeal area rugose and shiny, lateral propodeal area dull, faintly alutaceous or rugose (Figs 15, 32).................................................................. 4
3. Mesoscutellar disc coarsely rugose (Fig. 48), propodeal carina present, metapleural carina conspicuous (Fig. 46); central ocellus conspicuously smaller than lateral ocelli (Fig. 45)......................................................... nigra
- Mesoscutellar disc alutaceous, propodeal carinae absent (Fig. 56), metapleural carina indistinct; all ocelli subequal (Fig. 53)................................................................................................ pistrix
4. Mesoscutum with carinae transversally parallel on anterior half around anterior parallel lines but never forming long carinae, rugose on posterior half, (Fig. 64)............................................................... ufo sp. nov.
- Mesoscutum completely carinated, most of the carinae bent towards the posterior margin of mesoscutum (Figs 29, 38)..... 5
5. Mesosoma with variable rufous areas, but the axilla always rufous (Figs 28–29). Posterior half of mesoscutum with faded carinated-rugose sculpture and alutaceous interspaces (Fig. 29), piliferous points visible; median mesoscutal line visible on posterior margin; mesoscutellar disc strongly alutaceous with faint rugae (Fig. 30); antenna with 13 flagellomeres...................................................................................................... maturus
- Mesosoma usually completely black, rarely with chestnut areas ventrally, axilla always black (Figs 5, 22, 39). Mesoscutum uniformly strongly carinated-rugose, piliferous points absent (Figs 3, 12, 38), median mesoscutal line absent or inconspicuous; mesoscutellar disc coarsely rugose (Figs 5, 14, 39); antenna with 14-15 flagellomeres (Figs 8, 26, 40).................. 6
6. Lower face, mesopleura, propodeum and legs chestnut (Figs 35, 37), antenna completely rufous-brown (Fig 40); lower face finely coriaceous without carinae.................................................................... nebris
- Head and mesosoma black (Figs 2–5, 18–22), at least first half of antennae black (Fig. 8, 25), lower face carinate-rugose (Figs 2, 10, 25)............................................................................................ 7
7. Notauli distinct on posterior 1/3 of mesoscutum (Figs 20, 22), mesoscutellar foveae rounded, divided by a long strong carina extending the full-length of the foveae (Fig. 22)........................................................ jubatus
- Notauli absent or only slightly impressed on posterior margin of mesoscutum (Figs 3, 12), mesoscutellar foveae transversal, divided by a short thin carina, extending to half of the length of the foveae (Figs 5, 14).............................. 8
8. Lower face finely rugose with distinct piliferous points (Fig. 2); malar space without striae radiating from clypeus; 2r vein of fore wing strongly projecting into radial cell (Fig. 6)..................................................... elatus
- Lower face strongly carinated, without piliferous points (Fig. 10); malar space with striae radiating from clypeus; 2r vein short, slightly projecting into radial cell (Fig. 17)............................................................. gumia
description: Published as part of Cuesta-Porta, Victor, Melika, George, Nicholls, James A., Stone, Graham N., Equihua-Martinez, Armando, Estrada-Venegas, Edith & Pujade-Villar, Juli, 2023, Revision of the Amphibolips ' niger' group with the description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Cynipini), pp. 451-486 in Zootaxa 5360 (4) on page 454, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5360.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10145404