Existe Biorhiza Westwood, 1840 (Hymenopter:Cynipidae) en México?

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Mexican species of Biorhiza Westwood are of doubtful generic affiliation after Kinsey described 11 species from Mexico in 1937. Moreover, two of them were transferred to Trigonaspis Hartig (B. nitellina Kinsey, 1937 and B. zinzala Kinsey, 1937) and another one to Cynips Linnaeus (B. socia Kinsey, 1937). The type material of all these species has been examined, detailing the problems to keep considering B. innocens Kinsey, 1937, B. solita Kinsey, 1937, B. stelis Kinsey, 1937, B. tanos Kinsey, 1937, B. tarasco Kinsey, 1937, B. tricosa Kinsey, 1937, B. ulcus Kinsey, 1937 and B. urcea Kinsey, 1937 within Biorhiza or within any other valid genus with malar sulcus. The genus Sphaeroteras Ashmead is re-established to group most of the Biorhiza species described by Kinsey. Only three Mexican species are considered valid in Sphaeroteras: S. solita (Kinsey, 1937) n. comb. (= B. socia Kinsey, 1937 n. syn. = B. stelis Kinsey, 1937 n. syn. = B. tarasco Kinsey, 1937 n. syn. = B. tricosa Kinsey, 1937 n. syn. = B. ulcus Kinsey, 1937 n. syn. = B. urcea Kinsey, 1937 n. syn.), S. tanos (Kinsey, 1937) n. comb. and S. zinzala (Kinsey, 1937) n. comb. The Mexican species Biorhiza innocens and B. nitellina are considered 'incertae sedis', as well as other species in America north of Mexico included in Trigonaspis. The affiliation of the species previously included in Sphaeroteras in America north of Mexico is discussed. Atrusca pulchripennis (Ashmead, 1896) belongs to Sphaeroteras, S. pulchripennis (Ashmead, 1896) n. comb. The most important morphological characters are illustrated. The validity of Trigonaspis in America is commented as well as the possibility that Xanthoteras Ashmead could be a valid genus.