Conophorisca grisselli Desjardins, 2007

Desjardins, Christopher A., 2007, Phylogenetics and classification of the world genera of Diparinae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Zootaxa 1647 (1), pp. 1-88 : 41-42

Conophorisca grisselli Desjardins , New Species

( Figs. 5–15 , 63 )

Type information: Holotype female ( SAM) “ South Africa, W Cape, Koeberg Nature Reserve, 33°37.62’S 18°24.26’E, 16 May–13 June 1997, S. van Noort, K097-Y08, Yellow Pan trap (cup), Station 8, West Coast Strandveld dominated by Euphorbia and Rhus spp. SAM-HYM-P020912.” Paratypes: ( SAM) 2 females and 1 male , same data as holotype , 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 3–31 Oct 1997, Station 3, KO97-Y93 SAM-HYM-P020931,” 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 3–31 Oct 1997, Station 4, KO97-Y94, SAM- HYM-P020932,” 1 female, same data as holotype except “ 31 Oct–28 Nov 1997, Station 3, KO97-Y111, SAM-HYM-P020936,” 2 females, same data as holotype except “ 20 Mar–17 Apr 1998, Station 3, KO97- Y201, SAM-HYM-P020937,” 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 27 Dec–23 Jan 1998, Station 4 KO97- Y148, SAM-HYM-020938,” 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 27 Dec–23 Jan 1998, Station 7, KO97- Y151, SAM-HYM-P020939,” 1 female and 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 31 Oct–28 Nov 1997, Station 4, KO97-Y112, SAM-HYM-P020941,” 1 female and 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 28 Nov–27 Dec 1997, Station 2, KO97-Y137, SAM-HYM-P020942,” 1 female, same data as holotype except “ 20 Feb–20 Mar 1998, Station 4, KO97-Y184, SAM-HYM-P020943,” 1 female and 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 23 Jan–20 Feb 1998, Station 3, KO97-Y165, SAM-HYM-P020944,” 1 female and 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 27 Dec–23 Jan 1998, KO97-Y147, SAM-HYM-P020961;” ( USNM) 1 female, same data as holotype except “ 28 Nov–27 Dec 1997, Station 4, KO97-Y130, SAM-HYM-P020947,” 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 27 Dec 1997 – 23 Jan 1998, Station 4, KO97-Y148, SAM-HYM-P020938.”

Description: Female. 1.8 mm. Color: Brownish orange with the following exceptions: Vertex dark brown to metallic blue, upper face and gena brow, lower face orangish brown, pro- and metacoxa orangish white, legs orangish yellow, petiole light brown, remaining metasoma brown. Head: Subtriangular-ovate in frontal view, slightly wider than high (1.1:1); eyes bare, 1.4X as high as wide; vertex smooth, remaining head finely coriaceous; ocellocular: postocellar: mid-to-lateral ocellus distance: lateral ocellus diameter about 2.3:5.7:3.3:1; scrobe high, narrow, deep, reaching from torulus to ventral margin of mid-ocellus; scrobal basin transversely striate, scrobal walls coriaceous-striate; interantennal carina strong, reaching 0.4X height of scrobe; toruli separated by about 1 torulus diameter; scape length about equal to eye height; anellus reduced and partially fused to F1, 2–3X as broad as long; ratio of scape: pedicel: anellus+F1: F2: F3 about 5.3:1.3:1:1:1, F4–7 each about 2X as long as wide; clava 1-segmented, all segments fused; malar sulcus absent; clypeus strongly delimited laterally, finely delimited dorsally; clypeal margin symmetrically sinuate. Mesosoma: Dorsally smooth to coriaceous; ratio of pronotum: scutum: scutellum: propodeum about 3.4:1:1:3.1; pronotum about as wide as long; scutum 2.7X as wide as long; posterior scutellar margin smooth; metanotum smooth, polished band; propodeum coriaceous anteriorly to smooth posteriorly; plica absent; postspiracular sulcus wide, shallow, and smooth; spiracle about 3.4X its own diameter from metanotum; spiracle facing postero-laterally; prepectus triangular, in same plane as pronotum; acropleuron mostly smooth, slightly coriaceous, mesepisternum coriaceous, mesepimeron smooth to rough-coriaceous; femoral depression distinct, coriaceous-alveolate; metapleuron coriaceous anteriorly to smooth posteriorly; metapleuron not fused to propodeum, although sulcus weaker anterior to spiracle; meso- and metatibia ventro-distally spinose; one metatibial spur, 0.9X width of metatibia at point of insertion; metabasitarsus about 4.8X as long as wide, about 0.6X length of remaining tarsi; posterior margin of metacoxa faintly transversely striate; metacoxa without setae; apterous, forewing reduced to small membranous area, hindwing apparently absent. Metasoma: 1.2X length of mesosoma; petiole about 1.7X as long as broad, roughly sculptured; ratio of GT1: GT2–6: GT7: ovipositor sheaths about 15:4.7:1:2.3; GT1 dorsally covered with sparse, white setae (separated by 2–3X setal length), GT2–6 latero-ventrally with rows of white setae, GT7, ovipositor sheaths covered in white setae; ovipositor tip smooth and pointed. Male: Same as female.

Etymology: Named for my Ph.D. co-advisor, E. Eric Grissell, whose guidance was invaluable in the completion of the morphological component of my dissertation.

Distribution: South Africa: Western Cape Province.

Hosts: Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Conophorisca grisselli: 5, antenna; 6, clava; 7, head (frontal view); 8, head (ventro-latero-frontal view); 9, mesosoma (dorso-lateral view); 10, mesosoma - pronotum (dorso-lateral view).

FIGURES 11–16. Conophorisca grisselli: 11, mesosoma (lateral view); 12, metasoma (lateral view); 13, cercus. Lelaps sp. A: 14, antenna; 15, clava; 16, clypeus, mct = median clypeal tooth.

FIGURES 59–64. Lateral habitus views: 59, Neapterolelaps viridescens; 60, N. mitteri; 61, Cerodipara sabensis; 62, Chimaerolelaps villosa; 63, Conophorisca littoriticus; 64, C. grisselli.