Xiphentedon neserorum, Gumovsky, 2023

Gumovsky, Alex, 2023, Revision of Xiphentedon Risbec, 1957 and Colpixys Waterston, 1916 (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with descriptions of new species from the Afrotropics, European Journal of Taxonomy 905, pp. 1-83 : 31-34

Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3875B0ED-6EF7-4F70-81C5-44F13AAC9F9D

Figs 15–16

Diagnosis

As for the group and also: scape pale, pedicel and flagellum dark; head dorsally nearly 3.0× as wide as long; interantennal space without a process; gena moderately bulging; fore tibia with two pale stripes, mid and hind tibiae darkened similarly, both not more than on basal half ( Fig. 15A–B ); axillular projection bidentate, situated on a short ‘neck’ ( Fig. 16C ); median propodeal strip broad and smooth ( Fig. 1D ).

Female

Pedicel plus flagellum about 2.0× as long as scape; funicular segments with short peduncles; gaster about 3.2× as long as wide, syntergum 3.6× as long as wide ( Fig. 16D ); costal cell with three setae on ventral margin; WIP with broad violet field along apical margin, followed by narrow yellow and violet fields ( Fig. 15B ).

Male

Metasomal petiole slightly longer than broad, with calliform anterior collar.

Etymology

This species is named in honour of the collectors, Stefan and Ottilie Neser. The species epithet is a Latin noun in the genitive case plural, not changing with the gender of the genus.

Type material examined

Holotype

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; “South Africa, Transvaal” [now in Limpopo Province], NE of Penge, Sekororo Kloof ; 24°25′ S, 30°27′ E; “ex leaf roll of curculionid on Syzigium cordatum ; AcSN 1431”; 2 Apr. 1988; S. and O. Neser leg.; SANC.

Paratypes

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • 7 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ (pinned); same collection data as for holotype; SANC • 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (pinned); same collection data as for holotype; NHMUK • 10 ♀♀, 6 ♂♂ (gelatin capsule; 1 ♀ was used for SEM and slide mounting); same collection data as for holotype; SANC .

Description

Female

Length 3.3–3.5 mm. Body dark with gaster bluish and coxae green, face bronze-gold; trochanters pale to transparent, femora pale brown, more intensely dark dorsally, fore tibia with two pale stripes; mid and hind tibiae darkened similarly, both not more than on basal half; fore tarsi brownish, mid and hind tarsi pale, except for darker pretarsi; antennal scape pale brown with small dark area apically, pedicel and flagellum dark; wings hyaline, venation pale; metasoma brown with green-violet tint, OMA dark, traced mainly by sculpture.

Head in dorsal view about 2.8–3.0× as wide as long. Ocelli moderate in size, MDO: OOL: OCL in ratio 5: 6: 2, POL 3.6× OOL. Occipital margin traced as a sharp carina raised laterally into very small peaks.

Head in frontal view about 2.5× as wide as high. Smooth area above frontal sutures reaching at most half distance between cross point of frontal sutures and level of their junction with eye orbits. Eye height and interocular distance in ratio 43: 40. Eye densely pubescent along its posterior margin, eye height about 3.0× malar space. Surface between traceable scrobal depressions weakly raised. Width of oral fossa 1.8–1.9 × malar space. Antenna inserted at a distance slightly longer than major diameter of torulus above level of ventral eye margin.

Scape about 5.0 × as long as wide, 0.7× eye height, with ventral margin slightly flattened; combined length of pedicel and flagellum 0.8× width of head; pedicel 1.7× as long as wide, nearly 0.8× F1, which is slightly longer than F2, and both slightly less than 2.0 × as long as wide, F3 1.6 × as long as wide, clava 2.2–2.3 × as long as wide, with short terminal spine.

Mesosoma nearly 1.6× as long as wide. Pronotal collar not carinate; mesoscutum 1.5–1.6 × as broad as long, mesoscutellum slightly longer than broad, slightly longer than mesoscutum. Axillula bearing bidentate projection sitting on a ‘neck’.

Propodeum with smooth trapeziform median strip delimited by two nearly straight carinae; submedian areas smooth and shiny. Spiracular elevation of propodeum nearly flat, with very short tubercle posteriad. Lateral propodeal sulcus complete. Supracoxal flange of moderate width. Spur of hind tibia as long as width of tibia.

Fore wing about 2.0 × as long as wide. CC with three setae moved from ventral margin of SC, about 6.5× as long as wide, SC with two setae on dorsal margin; MV about 1.3× CC, PMV as long as STV. Speculum open below. Apical marginal fringe slightly shorter than width of PR in its widest part.

Metasomal petiole transverse, reduced to a narrow band. Gaster 3.2–3.4 × as long as wide, syntergum elongate, about 3.5× as long as wide, almost ¼ of length of gaster.

Male Differs from female as follows: face, propodeum, and coxae blue, scape 3.7–3.8×, pedicel 1.7–1.8 ×,

F1 3.0–3.5×, F2 and F3 about 1.5–1.6×, clava 2.5–3.5 × (depending upon flattening as a result of drying) as long as wide. Metasomal petiole pyriform, slightly longer than broad, without a distinct collar.

Biology

The type series was reared from a curculionid (? brentid) leaf roll on Syzigium cordatum (umdoni: isi-Zulu).

Distribution

RSA.

Remarks

Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov. is similar to X. kayovei , but differs as described above for the latter species.

Figures

Fig. 15. Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov., paratypes (RSA; SANC). A–B. ♀, habitus. C–D. ♂, habitus.

Fig. 16. Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov., ♀ (RSA; NHMUK). A. Head in latero-dorsal view. B. Head in frontal view. C. Axillula. D. Meso- and metasoma.

Fig. 1. Propodeum. A. Entedon sylvestris Szelényi, 1981, ♀ (used for SEM). B. Entedon crassiscapus Erdös, 1944, ♀ (used for SEM). C. Entedon magnificus (Girault & Dodd, 1913), ♀ (SANC). D. Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov., ♀ (used for SEM). E. Pediobius ropalidiae (Risbec, 1958), ♀ (paratype, MRAC). F. Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972, ♀ (paratype, NHMUK). Abbreviations: lc = lateral channel on sides of median carina; lp = lateral plica; ls = lateral sulcus of propodeum; mc = median carina; mf = median furrow; msc = metascutellum; mstr = median strip; smc = submedian carinae; spt = spiracular tubercle on propodeum.