Platylabini (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae) of the south-eastern United States: new distributional data, taxonomic notes, illustrated keys, and an annotated catalogue of the genera and species

ABSTRACT

A catalogue of the species of Platylabini from the south-eastern United States is presented, with an updated list of the species, a review of their distribution, and the first illustrated key to the genera and species. Cyclolabus gracilicornis gracilicornis (Provancher, 1886) is newly recorded for the province of Nova Scotia (Canada), while eight species are recorded for the first time for the following US states: Amboplisus ornatus (Cresson, 1868) for Georgia; Asthenolabus canadensis (Cresson, 1877) for West Virginia; Linycus exhortator thoracicus (Cresson, 1864) for Virginia, Neolinycus michaelis Heinrich, 1971 for Florida; Platylabus clarus (Cresson, 1867) for Alabama, Virginia and West Virginia; Platylabus opaculus americanus Heinrich, 1962 for North Carolina; Probolus detritus (Brullé, 1846) and Tropicolabus foxi (Davis, 1898) for Florida. Based on newly discovered and already published material, a new subspecies synonym has been recognised: Neolinycus michaelis arkansae Heinrich 1975 is regarded as a junior synonym of Neolinycus michaelis michaelis Heinrich, 1971, and the previous subspecies synonymy that regarded Neolinycus michaelis georgianus Heinrich, 1972 as a junior synonym of the nominate subspecies has been confirmed and explained. The female of Tropicolabus foxi is described for the first time, marking the first record of the species since its original description. Nomenclatural notes and extensive comments for each species are provided, as well as a key to the tribes of Ichneumoninae of North America, and to the genera and species of Platylabini from the south-eastern United States.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0300FCEB-082A-40CF-9EC8-76495590D037

KEYWORDS:

• Taxonomy
• catalogue
• geographical distribution
• new records
• synonym

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Stefan Schmidt and Olga Schmidt (ZSM) for their constant support and availability in providing images and specimens of Ichneumoninae from Heinrich’s collection. We thank Elijah Talamas (FSCA), Istvan Mikó (UNHC), Kaloyan Ivanov (VMNH) and Sandor Kelly (UCFC), for allowing the study of specimens in their respective collections, and for supporting the first author (DDP) over the years (in one way or another). We are indebited to Joseph Moisan-De Serres (LUEC) for sending us the images from Provancher’s collection, and Brandon Claridge (EMUS) for taking the time to image Cyclolabus carolinensis and Platylabus rurbisternatus. DDP is very grateful to Carlos Alberto Martínez Muñoz (Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Finland) for the many and continuous discussions over correct taxonomic practice as well as for insights regarding the Code. A big thanks goes to Jason Weintraub and Greg Cowper (ANSP) for their availability, kindness and support when DDP visited the collection; Daniele Sommaggio (University of Bologna, Italy) for crucial comments on an early draft of the paper; Marco Uliana (Natural History Museum of Venice, Italy) for a thorough review before submission; and Barbara Sharanowski (University of Central Florida, Orlando) for supporting the conception and development of the paper. We also thank Gavin Broad (NHMUK) for thoroughly reviewing the manuscript, providing insights that substantially improved the overall product. DDP is also grateful to Alessandra Pandolfi (University of Central Florida, Orlando) for her constant support over the years and for taking up the challenge of a life among insects. Without all of the above-mentioned scientists, friends and collegues, this paper would have never been completed. Funding support for this project was partially provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award Number: DEB-1916914) granted to Dr Barbara Sharanowski.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.