Ismarus rawlinsi, Kim, Chang-Jun, Copeland, Robert S. & Notton, David G., 2018

Kim, Chang-Jun, Copeland, Robert S. & Notton, David G., 2018, The family Ismaridae Thomson (Hymenoptera, Diaprioidea): first record for the Afrotropical region with description of fourteen new species, African Invertebrates 59 (2), pp. 127-163 : 151-154

Ismarus rawlinsi sp. n. Figure 12A− E

Diagnosis.

Metasoma after T2 with only 3 distinct sutures in both sexes is a unique character among Ismarus .

Type material

(5♀♀1♂). Holotype, 1♀, MALAWI: Chitipa District, Jembya Reserve, 18 km South South East of Chisenga, 10°08'S, 33°27'E, 1870 m alt., 5-10.XII.1988, J. Rawlins & S. Thompson leg., CJDAF010106 (deposited in CNCI). Allotype, 1♂, KENYA: Coast Province, Marenje Forest, indigenous forest, 76 m alt., 4.52814°S, 39.24028°E, 12−26.VII.2014 (MT), R. Copeland leg., CJDAF010110 (NMK). Paratypes, KENYA: 1♀, Coast Province, Taita Hills, Mwatate area, 3.48444°S, 38.33251°E, 1011 m alt, (MT) below Bura Bluff, riverine forest, 21. IX– 5.X.2011, R. Copeland leg., CJDAF010109 (ICIPE); 1♀, ditto, 3.48444°S, 38.33251°E, 5-19.X.2011, R. Copeland leg., CJDAF010108 (ICIPE); 1♀, ditto, Ngangao Forest, 3.36100°S, 38.34186°E, 1848 m, alt. (MT) indigenous forest, 2-16.X.2011, R. Copeland leg., CJDAF010107 (ICIPE); 1♀, Eastern Province, Kasaala area, just inside isolated wood-land patch, 733 m alt., 2.07836°S, 38.22517°E, 3−17.V.2016 (MT), R. Copeland leg., CJDAF010102 (KNA).

Description.

Holotype (Female). Head. Head in dorsal view much wider than long (12:7), subequal to width of mesosoma (Fig. 12A, D); POL: 5; LOL: 3; OOL: 5 (Fig. 12A); ocelli large, LOL slightly longer than diameter of lateral ocellus (9:7); vertex behind ocelli nearly flat in lateral view; eye large and without setae; inner orbits, frons and temple with few sparse setae; above antennal sockets, face and cheek with few long setae; antenna slightly shorter than body length (10:13); scape and pedicel with scattered setae; A3-A15 with dense and short setae; antennal segments in following proportions (length:width): 12:3; 6:3; 9:2; 10:2; 6:2; 5:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 8:3 (Fig. 12A).

Mesosoma. Pronotum in dorsal view punctate with whitish long setae; pronotal shoulders angled; upper part of lateral pronotum smooth and concave in the middle, lower part of lateral pronotum punctate; mesoscutum smooth and convex with pairs of long setae in front of scutellar pit; notauli present with 6 very small pits on anterior margin (Fig. 12E); humeral sulcus deep and short, as long as length of tegula; scutellum smooth and slightly convex, posterior rim rounded (Fig. 12E); anterior scutellar pit small and deep, much shorter than remaining scutellar disc, distinctly crenulate at bottom, median keel absent (Fig. 12E); mesopleuron smooth with deep crenulate line along posterior margin; metapleuron rugose and covered with dense whitish long setae.

Wings. Radial cell completely closed, 1.6 × as long as wide and 0.6 × as long as marginal vein (Fig. 12A).

Legs. Fore and mid legs slender; hind tibiae incrassate posteriorly, its maximum width slightly wider than hind femora (11:10).

Metasoma. Petiole short and expanded (9:10), with strong costae dorsally; tergites smooth, with scattered setigerous punctures; base of second tergite with several short costae basally and very short median furrow, subequal to lateral costae; sutures between T2 and T3, T3 and T4 obsolete, remaining sutures deeply impressed.

Colour. Head dark brown except mandibles yellow with reddish tips and antennae yellowish-brown basally gradually darkened towards apex; mesosoma dark brown except tegulae yellow and lower margin of lateral pronotum brown; metasoma brown except petiole dark brown, apical margin of S2 to S6 yellow and T7 and T8 yellowish-brown; legs yellow except hind tibiae and tarsi brown; wings hyaline, covered with brown setae.

Measurements. Head length 0.28 mm, width 0.48 mm; mesosoma length 0.55 mm, width 0.49 mm; metasoma length 0.74 mm; fore wing length 1.48 mm; body length 1.57 mm.

Male (Allotype). Body length 1.56 mm. Similar to female, POL: 7; LOL: 4; OOL: 6; lateral pronotum completely dark brown, metasoma brown except petiole dark brown; median furrow almost absent to extending 0.20 × length of second tergite; radial cell completely closed, 0.6 × as long as length of marginal vein; blade-like carina on A4 percurrent (Fig. 12C); antennal segments in following proportions: 10:3; 5:3; 7:2.5; 7:2.5; 5:2.5; 5:2.5; 4:2.5; 4:2.5; 4:2.5; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 4:3; 7:3 (Fig. 12B).

Variation.

Body length 1.31-2.2 mm in both sexes. Paratypes with median furrow very short, subequal to lateral costae to extending 0.20 × length of second tergite in both sexes; colour of T2 brown to partly yellow.

Distribution.

Kenya, Malawi.

Etymology.

This species is named after John E. Rawlins, one of the collectors of the holotype specimen.