Opius filiflagellatus Fischer, 1965
Opius filicornis: Fischer 1965: 236 (comparison with O. ingenticornis ); Fischer 1964: 3-12 (key).
Opius filiflagellatus Fischer, 1965: 420, 426 (key, new name); Fischer 1971: 59 (catalog).
Opius (Merotrachys) filiflagellatus: Fischer 1977: 655-656, 673-675 (key, redescription); Fischer 1979: 264-265 (key); Yu et al. 2005, 2012 (electronic catalogs).
This species most closely resembles O. rojam and O. ingenticornis in overall appearance. The color and propodeal sculpture are the same, and O. filiflagellatus similarly has T2+3 distinctly shagreened. However, the setal pattern on the basal flagellomeres would seem to remove O. filiflagellatus from the subgroup of species to which O. rojam and O. ingenticornis belong. The mesoscutum is also not quite as flattened anteriorly and the temples in dorsal view are somewhat weakly receding relative to O. rojam and O. ingenticornis . In existing keys to species of Merotrachys (Fischer 1977, 1979), O. filiflagellatus is distantly removed from O. ingenticornis because of the antefurcal position of fore wing m-cu. This latter character is somewhat unreliable amongst members of the ingenticornis species group given variation we have seen both within series and between wings of single individuals.
Additionally, as in all other members of the ingenticornis species group, this species can be further characterized as follows: Mandible short, broadly triangular, dorsal margin strongly angled ventrally, broadly exposing labrum. Clypeus shaped as a broad crescent, nearly hemispherical, flat to weakly protruding ventrally, ventral margin shallowly concave, rarely appearing truncate. Malar sulcus distinct, complete. Antenna unusually long, approximately twice longer than body; first flagellomere slender, longer than second, with long, narrow plate sensilla. Occipital carina broadly absent dorsally, the gap in dorsal view at least as wide as distance between eyes; carina well developed laterally and ventrally, widely separated from hypostomal carina ventrally. Pronope deep, wide, posterior margin at least weakly overlapping base of mesoscutum, thus obliterating posterior transverse sulcus medially; vertical carina absent on pronotum laterally. Mesoscutum without midpit; notaulus short, curved, pit-like anteriorly, narrowing and evanescent posteriorly. Propodeum with median depression at least anteriorly, never with median longitudinal carina. Mesopleuron without sternaulus, precoxal sulcus unsculptured, absent or very faintly indicated; hind margin of mesopleuron not obviously crenulate on dorsal 0.5. Fore wing 2CUb arising from or near middle of first subdiscal cell. Hind wing with RS distinctly infumate; m-cu absent. T1 with dorsal carinae parallel or nearly so, extending from base to apex; laterope large, deep; dorsope absent.
There are no specimens currently determined for this OTU, or those specimens determined for this OTU are not yet mappable.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DEB 0949027 and associated REU supplement 1213790.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.