Epsilogaster Whitfield and Mason
Creators: name: Pitz, Kevin M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2004
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Braconidae
Epsilogaster

description: Key to described species of Epsilogaster Whitfield and Mason
1 Head and mesosoma black to dark brown..................................................................... 2
­ Head and mesosoma fulvous, sometimes shaded with brownish infuscation............... 5
2 Transverse carinae of propodeum not complete, interrupted by median areola; median areola with transverse carinae across it, but not contiguous with transverse carinae outside areola; antenna with 23 flagellomeres; first metasomal tergite about 1.5 times as long as maximum anterior width, with medial portions flattened or barely raised......... ......................................................................................... E. bicolor Whitfield & Mason
­ At least 1 transverse carina of propodeum complete through median areola; first metasomal tergite about 2 times as long as maximum width, if shorter, then second metasomal tergum with well defined E­shape structure; medial portion variable; antennal flagellomere number variable ....................................................................................... 3
3 First metasomal tergite with medial portion raised in lateral view; antenna with 22 flagellomeres; propodeum with one clearly defined transverse carinae ......................... ...................................................................................... E. palenque Whitfield & Mason
­ First metasomal tergite not raised medially in lateral view, number of antennal flagellomeres variable; propodeum with more than one clearly defined transverse carina ....................................................................................................................................... 4
4 Metapleuron usually without rugulose sculpturing over most of its length; if rugulose sculpturing present on metapleuron, then it is present only over distal third; mesopleuron smooth except for sternaulus multifoveate and subalar depression with scattered striate sculpturing; antenna with 22 to 24 flagellomeres; propodeum with few transversal carinae present ............................................. E. williami Figueroa, López & Valerio
­ Metapleuron with prominent carinae and spaced rugulose sculpturing over most of its surface; mesopleuron essentially nitid except for sternaulus with large scrobiculate sculpturing that reaches and fuses with scrobiculate sculpturing from posterior and dorsal margins of mesopleuron; antenna with more than 24 flagellomeres; propodeum with transversal carina throughout ............................... E. antoniae Valerio & Whitfield
5 Longitudinal carina of first median metasomal tergite strong to at least midlength of tergum (Figure 1 A); sometimes very near lateral edge of tergite posteriorly ............... 6
­ Longitudinal carina of first median metasomal tergite weak or so laterally placed as to
be difficult to discern..................................................................................................... 8 6 Middle arm of E­shaped sclerotization of second tergite ending abruptly at or before midlength of tergite ....................................................................................................... 7 ­ Middle arm of E­shaped sclerotization of second tergite ending posterior to midlength of tergite (Figure 1 B) ................................................................... E. fullertoni Pitz n. sp.
7 Surface of posterior half of first tergite smooth; ovipositor sheaths strongly darkened relative to metasoma .................................................... E. dureno Whitfield and Mason
­ Surface of nearly entire length of first metasomal tergite coarsely sculptured; ovipositor sheaths weakly, if at all, darkened ................................ E. tico Whitfield and Mason
8 First metasomal tergite about 1.5 times long as maximal width..................................... ............................................................................... E. braziliensis Whitfield and Mason
­ First metasomal tergite more than 2.0 times long as maximal width............................ 9
9 Wings not infuscate; propodeum with one transverse carina in anterior third that does not pass through the elongate areola ........................... E. panama Whitfield and Mason
­ Wings infuscate; propodeum with a series of transverse carinae, some of which pass through the elongate areola ........................................ E. faviolae Valerio and Whitfield
description: Published as part of Pitz, Kevin M., 2004, Epsilogaster fullertoni, a new species of Epsilogaster Whitfield and Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Mendesellinae) from Florida, USA, pp. 1-7 in Zootaxa 716 on pages 2-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.158299