Masonbeckia brunneigaster n. sp.
MALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 2.9 mm.
Colour: brown, mouthparts and legs (except hind tarsus and tibia in distal 0.7) slightly paler brown;
wings infumate.
Structural features: antenna with 28 flagellomeres; flagellomeres not laterally compressed,
flagellomere 6 as wide as high; flagellomere 6 with perpendicular setae ventrally at apex and at mid-length (cf.
Fig. 5); maxillary palpi with 4 segments; labial palpi with 3 segments; basal area of mandible sculptured; ratio
of vein 2Rs:3Rs of fore wing 2.0; 2Rs+M present; presence of spiracle of metasomal segment 7 unknown due
to folding on metasomal terga of the sole specimen known.
REMARKS. Female unknown.
ETYMOLOGY. Brunneigaster means brown belly in Latin and refers to the brown metasoma of this species.
TYPE MATERIAL.
Holotype:
W.R.M. Mason, (CNC).
Masonbeckia compressicornis n. sp.
(Figs 4, 5, 6, 12, 15, 17, 18, 23, 34, 43)
FEMALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 2.4 to 3.8 mm.
Colour: yellow and brown; from almost entirely yellow except for brown flagellomeres, hind tarsus,
and apical 0.7 of hind tibia, to mostly brown as follows: flagellomeres, mesosoma dorsally and metasoma
dorsally, hind tarsus and tibia in distal 0.7; wings infumate.
Structural features: antenna with 21 to 27 flagellomeres; flagellomeres laterally compressed,
flagellomere 6 1.4 X higher than wide; flagellomere 6 with perpendicular setae ventrally at apex and at midlength (Fig. 5); maxillary palpi with 4 segments; labial palpi with 3 segments; basal area of mandible sculptured
(Fig. 12); ratio of vein 2Rs:3Rs of fore wing 1.2 to 1.6 (Fig. 34); 2Rs+M present; spiracle of metasomal
segment 7 absent.
MALE DESCRIPTION. Essentially as in female.
ETYMOLOGY. Compressicornis means compressed horns in Latin and refers to the laterally compressed
antennae of this species.
Host Data. One specimen from Costa Rica collected by Dan Janzen has some biological data as follows: Host
plant, Cydista heterophylla, Bignoniaceae. Host insect, sawfly. Dan Janzen sent us the following note
regarding the biology of the parasite, "larvae (of host) eating young leaves, 3 larvae (of host) spun tight brown
cocoons between leaves about 8 June, 1 parasite eclosed 14 July 1984 and I killed the other 2 cocoons by
accident (parasite was mistaken at that time for another sawfly); determination of sawfly must await further
rearing." David Smith (expert on Symphyta from the U.S.D.A. in Washington) suggested (personal
communication) that the host is probably an argid sawfly but that a confident identification at the family level is
not possible with the limited information.
TYPE MATERIAL.
April, 1972, (CNC).
Paratypes: ARGENTINA: Tucumán, Villa Nogués, Jan. 1, 1966, H. & M. Townes, (AEI). BRAZIL:
1974, M. Alvarenga, (AEI). Guanaba
CNC). Minas Gerais:
holotype except collector, J. Lima, (AEI)
-500 m, Nov. 1968, Fritz Plaumann, (CNC). COSTA RICA:
Rosa Park, ex.
cocoon of sawfly, host plant Cydista heterophyla, July 14, 1984, D.H. Janzen, (INBio). ECUADOR:
Pinchincha: Rio palanque Res. Station, July 1Grande N.P., cloud forest, maxinet, 1,100 m, A
May 728.IV.1981, H.K. Townes, (AEI).
Masonbeckia flavofemorata n. sp.
(Figs 33, 42)
FEMALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 2.5 to 3.6 mm.
Colour: body yellow; flagellomeres brown; scape and pedicel from yellow to pale brown; head brown
dorsally at least between ocelli; mid and hind tarsi brown; hind tibia partly brown; metasoma posteriad segment
1 yellow to brown; wings infumate.
Structural features: antenna with 24 to 25 flagellomeres; flagellomeres not laterally compressed,
flagellomere 6 as wide as high; flagellomere 6 without perpendicular setae ventrally; maxillary palpi with 6
segments; labial palpi with 4 segments; basal area of mandible not sculptured; ratio of vein 2Rs:3Rs of fore
wing 2.6; 2Rs+M present (Fig. 33); spiracle of metasomal segment 7 present.
MALE DESCRIPTION. Essentially as in female, though somewhat more melanic.
REMARKS. Differs from M. townesi in that the latter is more melanic and larger, with relatively thicker hind
femora.
ETYMOLOGY. Flavofemorata, is Latin meaning yellow femora and refers to the colour of the hind femora of
the species, one of the key diagnostic characters.
TYPE MATERIAL.
-31, 1976, S. &
J. Peck, (CNC).
-30, 1975. Peck, (CNC).
Masonbeckia hansoni n.sp.
FEMALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 2.4 - 3.4 mm.
Colour: body yellow and brown, brown as follows: head except mouthparts, body of mesosoma, hind
tibia distally and hind tarsus, metasomal tergum 3 medially and most of terga 4-7; wings infumate.
Structural features: antenna with 26-28 flagellomeres; flagellomeres not laterally compressed,
flagellomere 6 0.78 X as high as wide; flagellomere 6 with perpendicular setae ventrally at apex; maxillary
palpi with 4 segments; labial palpi with 3 segments; basal area of mandible sculptured (cf. Fig. 12); ratio of vein
2Rs:3Rs of fore wing 1.7-1.8; 2Rs+M present; spiracle of metasomal segment 7 present.
MALE DESCRIPTION. Essentially as in female.
ETYMOLOGY. The species is named after the collector of the type specimen.
TYPE MATERIAL.
Holotype:
-20, 1988, P. Hanson, (CNC).
-20, 1988, P. Hanson,
(TAMU).
ill (CNC).
Masonbeckia pauxipalpus n. sp.
FEMALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 3.8 mm.
Colour: brown; mouthparts and legs yellow except hind tarsus and tibia in distal 0.7 brown; wings
infumate.
Structural features: antenna with 29 flagellomeres; flagellomeres weakly compressed laterally,
flagellomere 6 1.12 X higher than wide; flagellomere 6 with perpendicular setae ventrally at apex and at midlength (cf. Fig. 5); maxillary palpi with 4 segments; labial palpi with 3 segments; basal area of mandible
sculptured (cf. Fig.12); ratio of vein 2Rs:3Rs of fore wing 2.5; 2Rs+M present; spiracle of metasomal segment
7 present.
REMARKS. Male unknown.
ETYMOLOGY. Pauxipalpus means few palpi and refers to the reduced number of maxillary and labial
palpomeres of this species.
TYPE MATERIAL.
Holotype:
W.R.M. Mason, (CNC).
Masonbeckia townesi n. sp.
MALE DESCRIPTION.
Length: 4 to 4.1 mm.
Colour: body yellow and brown, brown as follows: antenna, ocellar triangle, mesosoma (sometimes);
pronotum (sometimes) mesopleuron in part, metapleuron (sometimes) most or all of mesoscutum, all legs
(sometimes); base of anterior femur in one specimen, entire mid leg (sometimes) or restricted to base of mid
femur, mid coxa in one specimen, part of mid tibia in one specimen, mid tarsus; hind leg in one specimen
completely brown, in the other partly yellow on coxa, femur and tibia and median tergites of metasomal
segments 4-7.
Structural features: antenna with 28 to 29 flagellomeres; flagellomeres not laterally compressed;
flagellomere 6 as wide as high; flagellomere 6 without perpendicular setae ventrally; maxillary palpi with 6
segments; labial palpi with 4 segments; basal area of mandible not sculptured; ratio of vein 2Rs:3Rs of fore
wing 2.6; 2Rs+M absent; spiracle of metasomal segment 7 present.
REMARKS. Masonbeckia townesi differs from M. flavofemorata in that the former is lacking fore wing vein
2Rs+M, it is also more melanic and larger, with relatively thicker hind femora. Female unknown.
ETYMOLOGY. Named after the late Ichneumonologist and co-collector of the type series, Henry Townes.
TYPE MATERIAL
-29,
1987, (CNC).
Tucumán, Jan. 5 and Jan. 18, 1966, H. & M. Townes, (AEI).