Pediobius kafroteres Gumovsky, 2018

Gumovsky, Alex, 2018, New enigmatic species of the genus Pediobius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) from Afrotropics, with notes on related genera, Zootaxa 4438 (2), pp. 201-236 : 220-222

Pediobius kafroteres Gumovsky , sp. n.

( Fig. 11 )

Diagnosis. Head in dorsal view about 3.5× as broad as long, completely smooth ( Fig. 11D ), medially convex, covered by sparse setae, about 0.3–0.5× as long as flagellar setae, without frontal sutures, but with weakly traced antennal scrobes; lower face notably narrowed: malar space about 0.6× as long as eye height, mouth slightly concealed in frontal view, about 0.6× as long as malar space; antennal toruli situated below level of lower eye margins ( Fig. 11D ); cutting edge of mandible reduced; occipital margin sharp and evidently curved; antennal scape pale but with metallic luster; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum mostly with discernible sculpture ( Fig. 11E ), notauli marked anteriorly by fine lines and conspicuous posteriorly; entire dorsum with setae longer than flagellar setae; mesoscutellum with one pair of setae; propodeum without distinct nucha, its submedian areas as broad as long, submedian carinae weakly diverging posteriorly ( Fig. 11E ); propodeal callus with 2 setae; metatibial spur 1.3× as long as metabasitarsus, which about 1.8× as long as breadth of metatibia; parastigma of submarginal vein with two short setae; forewing speculum open, stigmal vein short sessile, postmarginal vein reduced; fore wing transparent; WIP with wide blue-green field apically and altering red and green strips behind it; metasomal petiole long, 1.6× as long as propodeum, male Gt1 occupying approximately 4/5 length of gaster.

Type material. Holotype ♂, Cameroon, South – West Province, Nyasoso: “ Mt. Koupe , Nyasosso, 6-1-[19] 82 ”, “ leg. S.G. Compton, Sweep, Donated to SAM 1994 ”, SAM-HYM-PO11 733 (deposited in: SAMC) .

Description. Male. Body length about 1.5 mm. Body dark brown, with bright metallic luster on smooth areas ( Fig. 11A–E ): face, propodeum and axillae green, Gt1 bluish; antennal scape pale brown but with metallic luster, rest of antenna darker, legs dark with metallic reflection, except extreme tips; fore wing transparent, first three tarsomeres pale brown, terminal tarsomere dark brown.

Head about 1.5× as broad as mesosoma, 3.5× as broad as long in dorsal view, smooth throughout, with sparse bristles on vertex and a row of setae along eye orbits on face ( Fig. 11D ). Occipital margin with sharp carina. POL about 1.7× OOL. Head in frontal view about 1.3× as broad as high. Eye with short sparse setae; its height 1.6× longer than malar space. Mouth opening somewhat concealed under convex lower face, its breadth about 0.6× malar space; cutting edge of mandible reduced. Upper margins of antennal toruli situated notably below level of lower eye margins ( Fig. 11C ). Combined length of pedicel and flagellum 1.4× as long as maximum head breadth (measured between outer eye margins). Scape about 5.2× as long as broad, and about 0.6× as long as head height; pedicel 1.6× as long as broad. Funicle three-segmented: F1 about 4.4×, F2 and F3 about 3.7–4.0× as long as broad; clava about 5.3× as long as broad (without long terminal spine).

Mesosoma about 1.8× as long as broad. Pronotum short, its collar situated lower than level of mesoscutum, so it is visible in dorsal view as a narrow band, bearing weakly developed transverse carina and small lateral shoulders. Mesoscutum convex in lateral view ( Fig. 11A ), distinctly reticulated, notaular depressions marked only anteriorly as fine sutures, just poorly depressed posteriorly. Transscutal line straight. Mesoscutellum notably convex ( Fig. 11A ), distinctly reticulated throughout, with anterior meshes slightly longer than posterior ones ( Fig. 11E ). Sculpture of axilla distinctly lighter than of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum ( Fig. 11E ), axilla with 1 short seta. Dorsellum in shape of narrow subrectangular bar, with two foveae anterolaterally. Propodeum smooth and shiny, with short anterior grooves on sides of shallow median strip delimited by submedian carinae, which weakly diverging posteriorly and reaching notably elongate posterior end of propodeum ( Fig. 11E ). Submedian areas as broad (measured between lateral plicae) as long (measured from anterior margin of propodeum to its posterior margin), without distinct nucha; propodeal callus with 2 setae. Fore wing nearly 2.0× as long as broad ( Fig. 11A ), with speculum open below (cubital fold with one short seta at underside of wing); subcosta of submarginal vein with two short setae; marginal vein 1.3× longer than narrow costal cell, stigmal vein nearly sessile, short, but nearly 2.0× as long as width of marginal vein in its broadest part, with uncus slightly smaller than stigma; postmarginal vein notably reduced in size. WIP with wide blue-green field apically and altering red and green bands behind it.

Metatibial spur 1.3× as long as breadth of metatibia, about 0.7× as long as metabasitarsus. Metatibia about 1.3× as long as metatarsus, metabasitarsus about 1.8× as long as breadth of metatibia.

Metasomal petiole long, cylindrical, lightly sculptured; about 1.6× as long as propodeum ( Fig. 11B ). Gaster subpentagonal, about 1.5× as long as broad; Gt1 smooth polished, occupying approximately 4/5 of length of gaster.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet emphasizes similarity of the new species with P. afroteres and consists of kafro – (from “Kafraria”, the old name of a part of Africa) and – teres (Latin for “smooth, polished”) referring to the surface of face of the species.

Distribution. Cameroon.

Host. Unknown.

Comparative notes. The species is very similar to P. afroteres . However, it differs from P. afroteres in having darker antennal scape and legs ( Fig. 11A, C, D ), coarser sculpture of dorsum ( Fig. 11E ), notably longer propodeum (its submedian areas are as broad as long, whereas they are about 1.3× as broad as long in P. afroteres ) and long metasomal petiole (1.6× as long as propodeum, whereas it is only about 0.4× as long as propodeum in P. afroteres ) ( Fig. 11A, B, E ).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Pediobius kafroteres. A, habitus (holotyPe male, Cameroon, SAMC): A, habitus; B, ProPodeum and Petiole in lateral vieW; C, head in lateral vieW; D, head in dorso-frontal vieW; E, mesosoma and base of metasoma.