Campoplegidea vitticollis (Norton)

Species Description:

The following species description of the adult stage (image)is derived directly from Walley, 1940.

"This species and pilosa form a distinct group which may be recognized by the following characters. The facial pubescence is rather dense and evenly parted on either side a vertical line below each antenna; the postpetiole is rather strongly compressed and more or less shagreened; in the male the prodeum is opaque and covered with very dense, short pubsecence. In addition the species are moderate to large in size, the areolet is large and broad and the basal carina of propodeum is short and distinct only at the middle.

In colour vitticollis is easily confused with villosa, presenting somewhat the same variation as that species. The structural characters of th latter, especially the polished basal angles of the propedeum will readily distinguish it. Structurally vitticollis agrees with pilosa from which it can be distinguised as noted in the key. Pilosa is a western species whereas vitticollis is common in the east but also is known from southern British Columbia and the higher altitudes of New Mexico.

Female-Length 11-17mm. Temples broadly rounded, strongly receding; malar space one-fourth to one-third basal width of mandible; junction of occipital and hypostomal carinae distinct from base of madible two-thirds basal width of latter; ocellocular space two-thirds to three-fourths diameter of lateral ocellus; face, including clypeus, slightly longer than broad; front slightly depressed, with a fine, median carina. Mesopleura polished with rather large, dense punctures; speculum with numerous fine rugulae; coxal scrobe distinctly margined; mesoscutum mat, densely, finely punctate; scuttelum rather small and narrow, its densely pilose; propodeum elongate, apex entending to apical one-third of hind coxae; median propodeal sulcus distinct; basal propodeal carina defiend only at middle, sometimes with a short oblique section above and posterior to spiracle; apical carian variable, usally defined on sides of propodeum, occassionally extending obliquely forward on either side of medan sulcus; sculpture of vestiture of propodeum rather dense especially on apical protion; claws with five or sixe strong teeth. Petiole polished, fovea entirely absent; post-petiole distinctly laterally compressed and shagreened, sheath slender.

In this species the head is black with mandible and palpi yellowish with their apices brownish; the antennae are usally balck, but in some specimens the scape is marked with reddish. The tegulae are pale yellow with brownish or blackish apices. Great variation exists in the colour of the thorax, propodeum and legs with respect to the relative amounts of reddish and black present. In the darkest example the entire thorax and propodeum are black; more commonly there are reddish spots on the sides of the propodeum, metapleura, and mesopleura. In the paler specimens these reddish areas become increasingly larger until a condition is reached in which the entire region is reddish; also the pronotum, mesoscutum except a median black stripe and the scutellum are sometimes reddish. In the palest examples the black on the propodeum may be confined to the median sulcus. The darkest examples have the coxae, except a spot at the apex of the anterior, trochanters, middle and hind femora except apex of former, hind tibiae and tarsi, blackish. The hind tibiae bear a conspicuous creamy yellow stripe on their posterior surface. In the specimens with the thorax more extensively reddish the blackish tends to be replaced by reddish on the coxae and femora. The front legs are yellowish with the femora more or less blackish posteriorly and the apical segment of the tarsi brown. The middle legs have the apex of the femora, the tibia and tarsi except the last segment, yellowish, the tibia sometimes with a brownish stripe behind. The wings are tinged with brownish, their apices slightly darker. The abdomen is reddish with the second tergite blackish above except at the apex; sheath blackish.

Male-Differs from the female in having the propodeum opaque and with short, very dense, velvety pubescence. The post-petiole is even more distinctly compressed and more strongly shagreened than in the female. The male exhibits the same range of colour variation as the female."


The following species description of the earlier stages is derived directly from Finlayson, 1975.

"Parasite cocoon about 20 mm long by 10 mm in diameter; medium brown on outside, dark brown inside; loosely-woven, fibrous, outer cocoon consists of about six thin layers; inner cocoon consists of about 15 brittle, mica-like layers. Exit hole almost on tip of cocoon, irregular in shape with fuzzy outline, about 5 mm in diameter.

Cephalic structure of final-instar larva with epistoma extending to anterior tentorial pit; superior mandibular process small, pendulous; pleurostoma short and wide but diffuse laterally; inferior mandibular process with posterior strut about as long as pleuorstoma, anterior strut short and thick at base. Hypostoma enlarged laterally, with slight dorsal elongation at lateral end. Hypostomal spur as wide at base as long, slightly medially directed at distal end. Labial sclerite has V-shaped ventral margin; ventral portion thickened to comprise slightly less than one-half the full length of sclerite; length of sclerite about 1.4 times width; lateral arms narrowed medially; dorsal margin slopes gently to pointed dorsal flange; unsclerotized lateral areas about one-third distance form ventral margin. Prelabial sclerite attached to labial sclerite both dorsally and ventrally; upper arm thicker than stem; stem about 1.3 times longer than each arm. Silk press heavily sclerotized. Maxillary and labial palpi large, each greater in diameter than width of stem of prelabial sclerite. Mandible has long, thin slightly-curved blade that meets small body at about a right-angle. Antennal socket with sclerotized rim; small sclerotized arc adjacent to each socket.

Spiracle has small atrium about 0.007 mm in depth and 0.020 mm wide opening into closing apparatus about 0.021 mm long by 0.022 mm wide. Skin covered densely with minute rounded protuberances and few short setae; areas with many tiny sclerotized bumps present."

This species has been reared from Malacosoma disstria and Phigalia titea(Walley, 1940); another study used Caripeta divisata(Finlayson, 1975). For more general information, return to the Dusona Page.

The specimens collected from John Pickering's Lab were from Malayse traps set-up in the old field and along the edge of the woods at Sam's Farm. For more information, refer to Wayman, 1995.