Bacuma darfurensis sp. nov. Quicke & Butcher

(Fig 1)

Material examined. HOLOTYPE female SUDAN, “W. DARFUR: N. Jebel Murra. Kurra. 5600ft, 4.vii.1932. M. Steele. ” (BMNH).

Description (female). Length of body 12 mm, of antenna 8 mm, of fore wing 8.5 mm, and of ovipositor (exserted part) 30 mm.

Head. Antenna broken but with at least 48 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 1.1 and 1.2 × longer than 2nd and 3rd flagellomeres respectively, the latter as long as wide. Width of head: width of face: height of eye = 2.0: 1.0: 1.8. Inter-tentorial distance: tentorio-ocular distance = 1.3: 1.0. Frons deeply impressed postero-medial to antennal sockets, depression bordered antero-laterally by distinct carina running posteriorly from antennal socket. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli: transverse diameter of posterior ocellus: shortest distance between posterior ocellus and eye 1.5: 1.0: 2.0. Length of eye in dorsal view 2.0 × length of head behind eye.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.65 × longer than high. Scutellar sulcus narrow and punctate. Propodeum largely smooth, weakly areolate-rugose near posterior border with metapleuron; lunule smooth.

Wings. Fore wing. Lengths of veins r-rs: 3 RSa: 3RSb = 4.8: 2.8: 1.0. Lengths of veins 2RS: 3 RSa: rs-m = 1.7: 2.4: 1.0. Vein (RS+M)a weakly curved posteriorly shortly after arising from a short, thick vein 1RS. Vein 2CUa quite sharply angled posteriorly. Base of hind wing with large glabrous area distal to vein cu-a.

Legs. Lengths of fore femur: fore tibia: fore tarsus = 1.2: 1.0: 1.5. Lengths of hind femur: hind tibia: hind tarsus = 1.0: 1.1: 1.1.

Metasoma. Second metasomal tergite with mid-basal triangular area smooth, 2.5 x wider basally than medially long; midlongitudinal carina narrow and largely confused with surrounding coarse sculpture; as long as maximally wide. Median length of 3rd tergite 0.8 x 2nd tergite. 3rd and 4th tergites with coarse sculpture interrupted medially by rather smooth, weakly longitudinally striate line.

Colour. Head orange-red, marked pale yellow on lateral part of frons and below eye, with depressed part of frond, stemmaticum and a narrow mid-longitudinal line on occiput black. Mesosoma dark orange-red except pronotum and propleuron blackish (possibly partly post-mortem discolouration), and a pale yellow spot on mesepisternum. Legs orange-red. Metasoma dark orange-red with sternites black; hypopygium dark orange-red laterally, piceous ventrally. Wings largely dark smokey grey with dark brown venation; fore wing with transverse clear band below basal half of pterostigma, sub-basal cell hyaline, pterostigma with yellow basal third.

Males unknown.

Etymology. Named after the type locality where many interesting braconids and other insects were collected by M. Steele.