Xyalophora tedjoansi van Noort, Buffington & Forshage

van Noort, Simon, Buffington, Matthew L. & Forshage, Mattias, 2014, Review of Afrotropical Figitinae (Figitidae, Cynipoidea, Hymenoptera) with the first records of Neralsia and Lonchidia for the region, ZooKeys 453, pp. 37-69 : 55-57

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Figitidae

Xyalophora tedjoansi van Noort, Buffington & Forshage sp. n. Figures 9, 10

Type material.

HOLOTYPE. Female: COLL. MUS. TERVUREN, Mali: Cinzana, 18-ix-1970, G. Pierrard, Imaged WaspWeb SAMC 2012 (yellow label), Holotype F Xyalophora tedjoansi van Noort, Buffington & Forshage (red label) [point-mounted on white card] (RMCA).

PARATYPE. 1F: COLL. MUS. TERVUREN, Mali: R.C T. - M’Pesoba, 11-vii-1970, G. Pierrard, Imaged WaspWeb, SAMC 2012 (yellow label), Paratype F Xyalophora tedjoansi van Noort, Buffington & Forshage (yellow label) (RMCA).

Distribution.

Mali.

Etymology.

The specific epithet tedjoansi is in the genitive case and is to commemorate the American-cosmopolitan poet Ted Joans (1928-2003), a surrealist, beat, black power and jazz activist who made Mali one of his several homes in the world. The Xyalophora spine may suggest the horn of Joans’ totemic rhino.

Diagnosis.

The large first tergite (petiole) and infuscate forewings surrounding the venation and radial vein meeting wing margin at almost 90 degrees immediately distinguish this species. Head subquadrate, 1.1 × wider than long ( Xyalophora provancheri distinctly wider than long 1.24 ×). Occipital carinae parallel, fine as in Xyalophora provancheri contrasting with the discontinuous rugose carinae of Xyalophora tintini . Antennae clavate as in Xyalophora provancheri . Scutellar spine long, 0.8 × length of the scutellum (excluding spine). Scutellar spine shorter in the other two Afrotropical species (0.5 × length of the scutellum). Petiole (T2) longer than in other two species:1.6 × higher than long in lateral view (3.6 –4× higher than long in other two species). Notauli narrow, 1/3 of the distance separating them at posterior mesoscutal margin; broader in other two species (1/2 of the distance separating them at posterior mesoscutal margin). Marginal cell venation much thicker (except for thin marginal vein) than in the other two species; Rs radial vein meeting wing margin at almost 90 degrees (Rs meets wing margin at acute angle in Xyalophora provancheri and Xyalophora tintini ). Wings infuscate around venation, hyaline in Xyalophora tintini . First tergite (petiole) long (0.6 × as long as high in lateral view; twice as long as nucha in dorsal view).

Description.

FEMALE. Length 1.85 mm. Head, mesosoma black; metasoma dark brown. Antennae brownish-orange, darkening towards terminal three segments. Legs brownish-orange, except for coxae, which are darker. Wings transparent; with irregular infuscation either side of the basalis vein, and in marginal cell.

Head. Head subquadrate, 1.1 × wider than long. Entire head, including eyes, with scattered pubescence, pubescence densest on lower face. Eyes not laterally extended, confluent with outer margin of gena in frontal view. Antenna 13 segmented; F1 slightly shorter than F2; flagellum widening gradually toward apex with final segment (F11) globular. Vertex polished, ocellar fig slightly raised; ocelli normal, their diameter half the distance between lateral and median ocellus (COC); POC:OOC:COC = 20:15:12. Upper face coriaceous, antennal scrobes not delimited. Occiput weakly concave in dorsal view, with numerous sub-parallel, occasionally reticulate, carinae radiating from occiptal carinae and directed medially towards ocelli, but terminating well before lateral ocelli. Lower face rugulose, weakly humped between toruli and clypeal margin, slightly protruding in lateral view. Upper clypeal margin defined by pronounced excavation containing anterior tentorial pits. Clypeus with strong medial hump dorsally, concave ventrally with strong pubescence. Gena rugulose in malar space, coriaceous medially and dorsally.

Mesosoma. With scattered pubescence. Anterior fig of pronotum polished, glabrous dorsally and medially, setose laterally on bridge; fovea closed with narrow lateral bridge; fig dorsally and laterally defined by strong pronotal carina. Lateral surface of pronotum horizontally striate, anterio-medially and ventrally with patch of dense white setae. Mesoscutum polished with lines of strong white setae each side of notauli and along lateral margins of scutum. Notauli almost complete, terminating just before anterior margin of mesoscutum; transversely striate; only slightly widening towards posterior mesoscutal margin (maximum width 0.35 × the minimum distance separating them towards posterior mesoscutal margin); median mesoscutal impression very faint, weakly defined; parascutal impressions defined, sculpturing similar to notauli. Mesoscutum convex and scutellum anteriorly humped in lateral view. Scutellar fovea each with a longitudinal carina. Scutellum strongly areolate-rugose. Scutellar spine elongate, 0.8 × scutellar length (excluding spine). Mesopleural triangle defined without ventral carina, strongly pubescent; posterior half (including speculum) of mesopleuron horizontally striate, anterior half rugulose-punctate; mesopleural carina defined. Metepisternum ventrally excavated with pubescence, medially longitudinally striate. Metepimeron depressed with pubescence. Dorsellum laterally strongly excavated. Lateral propodeal carina present. Lateral propodeal area densely pubescent. Rs+M of forewing weakly defined distally at junction with 2r, but otherwise absent. Basalis vein present. M+Cu1 absent. Marginal cell closed, 1.55 × as long as wide, veins thick, contrasting with thin marginal vein. Radial vein meets wing margin at almost 90 degrees. Margin with fringe of setae. Legs sparsely punctate, pubescent. Metacoxa stongly and densely pubescent. Mesotibial and metatibial outer spur shorter than inner spur. Ratio of first metatibial segment to the remaining 4 segments: 0.77 ×.

Metasoma. Tergites polished. First tergite longitudinally striate, 4.3 × as wide as long in dorsal view; 1.6 × higher than long in lateral view; twice as long as nucha in dorsal view. T4 the largest tergite. Relative dorsal length of T3-8: 75:95:15:15:20:15. Posterior margin of T7 evenly curved. T8 exposed. Ovipositor valves not extending beyond apex of metasoma, concealed within T8. Hypopygium not extending beyond T8.