Allophrys scitula Khalaim

Khalaim, A. I., 2013, Discovery of the South African fauna of Allophrys Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersicochinae), Zootaxa 3701 (3), pp. 329-343 : 339

Allophrys scitula Khalaim , sp. nov.

Figs 29–32 .

Comparison. Differs from other Afrotropical species of the genus by the small clypeus ( Fig. 32 ), very slender flagellum ( Fig. 30 ), and long ovipositor ( Fig. 29 ). It is also characterized by the finely granulate and dull vertex ( Fig. 31 ) and very slender first tergite ( Fig. 29 ).

Description. Female. Body length 2.9 mm. Fore wing length 2.15 mm.

Mandible with upper tooth distinctly longer than lower tooth. Clypeus small, 2.6–2.8× as broad as long ( Fig. 32 ), smooth ventrally and finely granulate dorsally, sparsely punctate. Malar space 1.0–1.2× as long as basal width of mandible. Flagellum of antenna very slender, second flagellomere 4.0–4.5× and subapical flagellomeres 1.4– 1.7× as long as broad ( Fig. 30 ). Face, frons and vertex without distinct punctures, granulate, dull. Temple usually smooth anteriorly (near eye) and finely granulate posteriorly (along occipital carina). Occipital carina mediodorsally absent.

Mesosoma granulate, mostly impunctate, dull to weakly shining; mesopleuron dorsally almost smooth and indistinctly punctate. Foveate groove short, rather strongly oblique (as in Fig. 6 ). Propodeum with basal longitudinal carinae usually indistinct; basal area, if present, more or less widened anteriorly, about half as long as apical area. Apical area flat or weakly impressed along midline.

Fore wing with second recurrent vein posteriorly distinct. Brachial cell posteriorly closed. Hind wing with nervellus slanted about 45° from horizontal. Legs slender; hind femur 4.5× as long as broad.

First tergite 5.3× as long as posteriorly broad, very slender, its upper margin in lateral view more or less straight in basal 0.8 and weakly rounded posteriorly ( Fig. 29 ). Second tergite about 3.0× as long as anteriorly broad. Ovipositor sheath 1.5–2.0× as long as first tergite.

Head black; lower half of clypeus, palpi and mandible (teeth reddish black) yellowish brown to yellow-brown. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow-brown to dark brown, flagellum entirely brown to brownish black, or sometimes pale basally ( Fig. 30 ). Mesosoma and first metasomal segment black. Tegula dark brown. Pterostigma brown. Legs brownish yellow; mid (sometimes also fore) coxa brown, hind coxa dark brown to brownish black, hind femur and tibia often brownish. Metasoma behind first tergite brown to dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Small specimens sometimes have the vertex almost smooth, weakly shining.

Etymology. From the Latin scitulus (neat, elegant).

Material examined. Holotype female (SAMC), South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Louwsberg, Sanyati Farm, S 27°34′, E 31°17.9′, 1090 m, Malaise trap, 1–24.III.2006, coll. M. Mostovski.

Paratypes. South Africa. Kwazulu-Natal: 1 ♀ (ZSM) same data as holotype, but 19–31.VIII.2005. 1 ♀ (BMNH) Pietermaritzburg, Cumberland National Park, S 29°30.8′, E 30°30.3′, Malaise trap, 11.IV–8.V.2004, coll. M. Mostovski. 7 ♀ (1 ♀ BMNH, 3 ♀ SAMC, 3 ♀ ZISP) Royal Natal National Reserve, Gudu Forest, S 28°40.9′, E 28°55.78′, 1680–1730 m, Malaise trap, 13.XII.2005 – 28.I.2006, coll. M. Mostovski. 1 ♀ (ZISP) same data, but 18.XI.2006 – 27.II.2007. 1 ♀ (ZISP) Royal Natal National Reserve, Mahai Camp, S 28°41.27′, E 28°56.66′, 1450 m, yellow pan trap, 24.XI–6.XII.2005, coll. M. Mostovski. 7 ♀ (1 ♀ BMNH, 2 ♀ SAMC, 3 ♀ ZISP, 1 ♀ ZSM) Cathedral Peak National Reserve, Rainbow Gorge, S 28°57.60′, E 29°13.61′, 1480 m, Malaise trap, 14.XII.2005 – 29.I.2006, coll. M. Mostovski.

Distribution. South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal).

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 32. Allophrys scitula sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 29 — habitus, lateral; 30 — head with antenna, lateral; 31 — head and mesoscutum, dorsal; 32 — head, antero-ventral.

FIGURES 1 – 6. Allophrys astafurovae sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 1 — head and mesoscutum, dorso-lateral; 2 — head, frontal; 3 — mesosoma, ventro-lateral. Allophrys granulata sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 4 — head and mesoscutum, dorso-lateral; 5 — mandible, ventro-lateral; 6 — mesosoma, ventro-lateral.