Diaparsis moesta ( Holmgren, 1868 )

Khalaim, Andrey I., 2013, Afrotropical species of Diaparsis Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 127-127 : 145-146

Diaparsis moesta ( Holmgren, 1868)

Figs 38–42

Thersilochus moestus: Holmgren 1868: 419 .

Diaparsis moesta (Holmgren) : Townes & Townes 1973: 167.

Description:

Female.

Body length 3.5 mm, fore wing length 2.6 mm.

Head and mesosoma black (lower half of clypeus and tegula yellowish), entirely (including temple and mesopleuron) densely granulate and impunctate. Head rounded and moderately narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.71× as long as eye width. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellowish, flagellum pale brown basally to blackish medially. Flagellum with more than 12 segments (tips of both antennae absent in holotype), slender basally, probably filiform, flagellomere 2 about 1.8–2.0× as long as broad, mid flagellomeres 1.4–1.5× as long as broad. Malar space slightly shorter than basal width of mandible. Mandible yellow (but teeth reddish), slender, with upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Clypeus almost flat in lateral view, finely and sparsely punctate on very finely granulate background in upper 0.6, more or less smooth in lower 0.4. Notaulus as irregularly rugulose area. Foveate groove of mesopleuron moderately deep, long (extending almost entire length of mesopleuron), S-curved, wider anteriorly and narrow posteriorly, transversely wrinkled. Distance between propodeal spiracle and pleural carina equal to 1.8 diameters of spiracle. Basal keel of propodeum 0.37× as long as apical area. Apical area roundly pointed anteriorly, flat; apical longitudinal carinae reaching transverse carina anteriorly. Fore wing with second recurrent vein postfurcal, intercubitus thick and very short. Metacarp not reaching apex of fore wing. Pterostigma brown. Hind wing with nervellus moderately reclivous, slanted at about 20°. Legs slender and yellow, with hind coxa blackish; hind femur 4.7× as long as broad and 0.88× as long as tibia. Hind tarsus very slender. Tarsal claws not pectinate. Tergite 1 of metasoma black with brownish hue, 3.2× as long as broad posteriorly, with petiole round in cross-section, dorsal surface of postpetiole finely granulate anteriorly; glymma small and indistinct, situated far behind middle of tergite, joining by means of fine groove to ventral part of postpetiole. Metasoma behind tergite 1 dark brown, tergite 1 with narrow yellow band posteriorly. Tergite 2 long and broad anteriorly. Thyridial depression slightly elongate. Ovipositor probably not especially long (apex absent in holotype), weakly upcurved.

Holotype (examined): ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: “Cape B Spei. [= Cape of Good Hope]”, “ Victorin.”, “Type.”, “Typus [red paper]”, “ Thersilochus moestus Hg .... [hand­written label with illegible last word]”, “92 55”, “327 72” ( NHRS).

Note: The holotype is a moderately well preserved specimen with tips of both antennae (flagella contain 6 and 12 segments, respectively), one fore leg, tarsi behind basitarsus of one mid and one hind leg, and apices of ovipositor and sheath absent; mesosoma slightly deformed.

Distribution: South Africa (Western Cape).

Remarks: This is clearly a member of the genus Tersilochus Holmgren, 1859 (subgenus Tersilochus s. str.), where it was originally described, because it has the first metasomal segment with glymma joining by means of a fine groove to the ventral part of the postpetiole, and has a weakly elongate thyridial depression and simple tarsal claws.

Valid name: Tersilochus (Tersilochus) moestus Holmgren, 1859 , comb. n.

Figures

Figs 38–42.Tersilochus moestus Holmgren, ♀ holotype: (38) habitus, lateral view; (39) head, frontal view; (40) head with antenna, dorsal view; (41) propodeum and base of metasoma, dorsolateral view; (42) posterior part of mesosoma, dorsal view.