Bradepyris Kieffer 1905

Bradepyris Kieffer, 1905

Fig. 1 A–F

Bradepyris Kieffer, 1904–1906: 29, 101.

Pseudomesitius Duchaussoy, 1916: 113–114. Type species: Pseudomesitius validithorax Duchaussoy, 1916 by original designation. Syn. nov.

Triglenus Marshall, 1905: 250, 372. Type species: Triglenus numidus Marshall, 1906 (in Kieffer & Marshall 1904 –1906) by original designation. Syn. nov.

Bradepyris apterus Kieffer, 1906 by original designation.

1. In the original description, the genus was cited and characterized in the key and the type species was designated, but neither the genus nor the type species were described.

2. Kieffer (1905) proposed the genus Bradepyris to accommodate a single species, B. apterus Kieffer, 1905, whose type was an apterous female specimen, with propodeal disc without median carina. Argaman (2003) redefined and redescribed the genus as having the head longer than wide, the propodeal disc without lateral carina, a short forewing, and the mesotibia with distal spines. The lateral carina of the propodeal disc is always present in species of Bradepyris, and the three other characters are found in several other genera within the Mesitiinae. This means, that the cited characters do not suffice to define this genus.

3. Marshall (1905) proposed Triglenus to accommodate T. numidus Marshall, based on a female specimen from Algeria. Argaman (2003) redefined the genus and described it as having the propodeal disc with lateral carina, a fully developed forewing, and the first metatarsomere with distal spines. The two former characters are found in many other genera of the Mesitiinae, and the latter one is found in only one species of Triglenus. This means, that the cited characters cannot be used to define this genus either.

4. Duchaussoy (1916) proposed Pseudomesitius to accommodate P. validithorax Duchaussoy, based on female specimen from Algeria and Morroco. Argaman (2003) redefined the genus and described it as having the head longer than wide, the propodeal disc with lateral carina, a fully developed forewing, and the first metatarsomere with distal spines. The three former characters are found in Bradepyris (see above) and the latter one in Triglenus. Once again, the cited characters cannot be used to define this genus.

Based on these descriptions, it can be concluded that the characters of the three genera are overlapping, with a large intrageneric variability. Therefore, we conclude that they correspond to only one genus, and we consider Pseudomesitius and Triglenus to be junior synonyms of Bradepyris, which is diagnosed below.

Head (Fig. 1A) longer than wide. Pubescent eye. Ocellar elevation present. Pronotal disc (Fig. 1B) without longitudinal sulcus. Mesopleuron with anterior fovea. Propodeum (Fig. 1C) with inner discal carina parallel to median carina, posterior spine absent or hardly distinct. Forewing with nebulous 3C vein. Hind wing with long Sc+R vein; long A vein. Mesotibia (Fig. 1E) usually with distal spines. Metasoma (Fig. 1D) with tergite II coriaceous. Hypopygium (Fig. 1F) unilobate. Genitalia with dorsal arm of paramere longer than ventral arm.

Under this scenario, we were able to find seven species in four other genera of the Mesitiinae (including Triglenus and Pseudomesitius) and, surprisingly, also one species in a genus of the Epyrinae which correspond to the diagnosis above. Hence, the following species are newly referred to Bradepyris:

B. dimorphus (Kieffer, 1911) comb. nov. (from Pseudomesitius)

B. fuscipennis (Kieffer, 1906) comb. nov. (from Triglenus)

B. levis (Móczár, 1986) comb. nov. (from Clytrovorus)

B. numidus (Marshall, 1906) comb. nov. (from Triglenus)

B. pardoi (Móczár, 1984) comb. nov. (from Anaylax)

B. proximus (Kieffer, 1906) comb. nov. (from Rhabdepyris)

B. suarezi (Móczár, 1984) comb. nov. (from Clytrovorus)

B. validithorax (Duchaussoy, 1916) comb. nov. (from Pseudomesitius)

This genus is Palaearctic and confined to the Mediterranean region (Spain, Baleares Islands, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Israel and Jordan).