Ceraphron longisetae, Salden & Peters, 2023

Salden, Tobias & Peters, Ralph S., 2023, Afrotropical Ceraphronoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) put back on the map with the description of 88 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 884 (1), pp. 1-386 : 228-232

Ceraphron longisetae sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C9079ED4-D230-450B-99BC-DB3562357427

Fig. 65

Diagnosis

Weber length 1.11–1.23 × (1.21) mesoscutum width; Weber length 1.36–1.44× (1.44) mesoscutellum length. Male genitalia: harpe triangular in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/gvc index 0.39; dorsomedial margins of harpes slightly converging and not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and diverging distolaterally from base to apex, small indentations in apical half, apex of harpe pointed, oriented distomedially; longest lateral setae more than twice as long as harpe; longest apical setae as long as harpe; genitalia weakly sclerotized with weakest sclerotization at harpe and aedeagus + gonossiculus; gvc width more than three quarters of gvc length; Weber length 3.21–4.16× (4.16) genital length.

Etymology

The species name refers to the long lateral setae of the harpes of the male genitalia.

Material examined

Holotype

KENYA • ♂; Western Province, Kakamega Forest; 00°27′10.6 N, 34°51′48.7 E; 1676 m a.s.l.; 26 Jun. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 4; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036941 .

Paratypes

KENYA – Western Province • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; 19 Jun. 2007; NHMUK; NHMUK-013389016 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK-HYM-00036959 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°18′13.4 N, 34°48′16 E; 1554 m a.s.l.; 20 Jun. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 5; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036960 , ZFMK- HYM-00036961 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°21′7.9 N, 34°52′2.6 E; 1597 m a.s.l.; 9 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 7; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036942 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°37′24.1 N, 34°51′12 E; 1585 m a.s.l.; 16 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 10; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036969 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°23′6.2 N, 34°33′37.8 E; 1602 m a.s.l.; 16 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 11; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; NHMUK; NHMUK-013389017 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036962 , ZFMK-HYM-00036963 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°14′22.9 N, 34°51′21 E; 1594 m a.s.l.; 17 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 12; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; SMNS; SMNS-HYM-T00787 , SMNS-HYM-T00788 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; NMK; NMK ( ZFMK-HYM-00036955 ), NMK ( ZFMK- HYM-00036956 ) • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036943, ZFMK-HYM-00036957 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°14′22.9 N, 34°51′21 E; 1594 m a.s.l.; 24 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 12; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036964 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°12′42.6 N, 34°55′52.3 E; 1615 m a.s.l.; 10 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 20; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036965 , ZFMK-HYM-00036966 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°12′42.6 N, 34°55′52.3 E; 1615 m a.s.l.; 16 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 20; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036967 , ZFMK-HYM-00036970 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°13′15.5 N, 34°53′24.7 E; 1597 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 22; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036968 , ZFMK-HYM-00036971 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°14′6.1 N, 34°52′9.2 E; 1605 m a.s.l.; 28 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 23; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036944 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°13′59.1 N, 34°51′43.7 E; 1614 m a.s.l.; 5 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 24; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036958 .

Description

Male (N = 4 in morphometric measurements)

BODY LENGTH. 0.88–1.25 mm (0.88 mm).

COLOUR. Head dark brown, mesosoma brown, metasoma light brown except anterior third lighter; scape and pedicel yellowish, flagellum light brown, gradually darkening from F1 to F9; legs yellowish except pro- and mesocoxa brown, proximal third of metacoxa brown; fore wing venation light brown, fore and hind wing disc slightly melanized.

ANTENNA. 11-segmented, flagellomeres cylindric; scape 3.6× as long as pedicel, scape longer than F1 and F2 combined, F1 1.9× as long as wide, F1 1.4× as long as pedicel, F1 1.3× as long as F2, F1 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F1 shorter than F9, F6 1.2 × as long as wide, F6 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F6 1.1× as high as F9; numerous small multiporous plates on flagellomeres, sensillae on flagellomeres sickle-shaped and shorter than width of flagellomeres.

HEAD. Head width 1.17–1.32 × (1.19) head height; head width 1.88–2.00 × (1.92) interorbital space; maximum eye diameter 1.04–1.26× (1.04) minimum eye diameter; head height 1.47–1.75 × (1.75) maximum eye diameter. Dorsal margin of occipital carina ventral to dorsal margin of lateral ocellus in lateral view; preoccipital furrow present; preoccipital carina distinct. OOL:POL:LOL 1.00:0.41– 0.63:0.45–0.68 (1.00:0.41:0.45); OOL 1.73–2.77 × (2.44) lateral ocellus diameter. White, thick setae on upper face present; supraclypeal depression present; lateral margin of torulus raised; intertorular carina present; posterolateral processes of gena present.

MESOSOMA, METASOMA. Mesosoma not compressed laterally. Head width 0.98–1.04× (1.04) mesosoma width; Weber length 306–394 µm (325 µm). Mesoscutum densely setose, setae curved backwards; median mesoscutal sulcus present; median mesoscutal sulcus adjacent to transscutal articulation; interaxillar sulcus present (= scutoscutellar sulcus not adjacent to transscutal articulation), scutoscutellar sulcus concave; dorsal axillar area setose, setae curved backwards; mesoscutellum setose, setae curved backwards or straight. Mesoscutum width 1.70–1.96× (1.87) mesoscutellum width; posterior mesoscutal width 1.36–1.43 × (1.43) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 1.33–1.60 × (1.57) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 0.98–1.13 × (1.09) posterior mesoscutal width; Weber length 1.11–1.23× (1.21) mesoscutum width; Weber length 1.36–1.44× (1.44) mesoscutellum length. Anteromedian projection of the metanoto-propodeo-metapecto-mesopectal complex curved in lateral view with blunt, lighter and bifurcated end, extending to end of mesosoma; mesometapleural sulcus absent; posterior propodeal projection straight and light in ventrolateral view; posterior mesosomal comb absent. Basal transverse carina of petiole (on syntergum) present; at least six distinct, basal longitudinal carinae on syntergum; pairs of translucent patches on metasomal syntergum and synsternum.

FORE WING. Length 2.66–2.94 × (2.76) width; stigmal vein longer than 2× pterostigma marginal length.

MALE GENITALIA. Genital length 78–100 µm (78 µm); Weber length 3.21–4.16× (4.16) genital length; gvc width 44–55 µm (44 µm); genital length 1.79–2.14× (1.79) gvc width; gvc width more than three quarters of gvc length; gvc width 1.13 × distal gvc width. Proximodorsal margin of gvc slightly concave; distodorsal margin of gvc descending proximomedially ( Fig. 65C ); proximoventral margin of gvc slightly convex; distoventral margin of gvc descending proximomedially ( Fig. 65A ); ventral area of gvc straight; dorsal area of gvc slightly convex ( Fig. 65B ), slightly indented distomedially; proximolateral margin of gvc slightly ascending and emarginated ventrally; distolateral margin of gvc descending ventrally ( Fig. 65B ). Harpe triangular in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/gvc index 0.39; lateral articulation site of harpe with gvc not flush ( Fig. 65A, C ); ventral margin of harpe straight, dorsal margin convex ( Fig. 65B ), lateral margin convex, widest point of harpe at lateral articulation site with gvc ( Fig. 65A, C ); dorsomedial margins of harpes slightly converging and not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and diverging distolaterally from base to apex, small indentations in apical half ( Fig. 65C ), apex of harpe pointed, oriented distomedially ( Fig. 65A, C ). Harpe with at least two lateral setae restricted to apical third, longest lateral setae more than twice as long as harpe, lateral setae oriented distolaterally and distoventrally; harpe with at least two apical setae, longest apical setae as long as harpe, apical setae oriented distolaterally, distomedially and distoventrally; harpe with at least four median setae, longest median setae less than half as long as harpe, median setae oriented distomedially and distoventrally. Aedeagus + gonossiculus slightly less than as long as harpe, apex of aedeagus + gonossiculus pointed ( Fig. 65A, C ) and as ventral as apex of harpe. Genitalia weakly sclerotized with weakest sclerotization at harpe and aedeagus + gonossiculus.

Female

Unknown.

Variation

The metasoma is uniformly coloured and the posterolateral processes of the gena are indistinct in ZFMK-HYM-00036942.

Biology

Host unknown, specimens collected from leaf litter.

Distribution

Afrotropical: Kenya.

Remarks

Comparison with similar species

See remarks under C. eulbergi sp. nov.

Condition of type material

In the holotype, the right hind wing is detached.

Figures

Fig. 65. Holotype of Ceraphron longisetae sp. nov. (ZFMK-HYM-00036941). A–C. Male genitalia in ventral (A), lateral (B) and dorsal (C) views. D. Habitus in lateral view.