Cratocentrus decoratus (Klug, 1834)

(Figs 27‒31)

Chalcis decorata Klug, 1834: iv, figure plate 37, fig. 8. Original description. Saudi Arabia [Arabia deserta]. Phasganophora decorata: Sichel, 1866: 368 –369.

Cerachalcis decorata: Masi, 1944: 133 –135.

= Cerachalcis fastuosa spp. aurata Masi, 1944: 125 . Steffan, 1957: 239. Cratocentrus decoratus: Steffan, 1957: 239 .

Type material. Chalcis decorata . Lectotype, here designated, a pinned ♀ labelled ' decorata Klug * Arab Ehr. [manuscript] / Arab Wüste Ehrenberg S. / type [red label] / Acanthochalcis decorata Klug Type ♀ Dr. Enderlein / 13416 / GBIF-ChalclSD ID: ChalD0659' (fig. 63) (BMN). Cerachalcis fastuosa ssp. aurata . Paratypes (2♀) (BMNH).

Other material. DJIBOUTI: Obock (1 ♀) (MNHN) .

Comment. A few specimens identified as such by Steffan (MNHN) and Bouček (NMP) do not belong to C. decoratus but to a closely related, undescribed species. They will be dealt with in forthcoming paper devoted to the Afrotropical fauna.

Diagnosis. Setation golden on frons, mesoscutum, GT5, GT6 and syntergum, silvery on posterior slope of propodeum and spiracular areola of propodeum (Figs 27, 29‒31). Antenna reddish (Fig. 28). Frons with dense adpressed setation masking the integument together with sparse suberect setae ventrally. Teeth on vertex sharp. Pronotal carina well expanded, only narrowly broken mesally (Fig. 29). Dorsum of pronotum with 3 transverse rows of large areolae mesally having their anterior margins raised into crests (Fig. 29). Mesoscutal fasciae well expanded. Mid lobe of mesoscutum with large areolae posteriorly. GT5 and GT6 with well expanded and well delimited fasciae (Figs 30, 31). Ovipositor sheaths relatively short, only 2.15× as long as the carinate dorsal edge of syntergum (Fig. 31).

Recognition. Cratrocentrus decoratus can be separated from the other Palaearctic species by the golden setation on the mesoscutum, GT5 and GT6 (Figs 27, 29, 30, 31), the presence of sharp teeth on the vertex (Fig. 28) and the well expanded pronotal carina (Fig. 29). It differs from a few closely related Afrotropical species either by the dense and golden adpressed setation on the frons (Fig. 28) and/or the short ovipositor sheaths (Fig. 31). It also differs from some other Afrotropical Cratocentrus by the presence of dense adpressed setation along the notauli (Fig. 29) and the coarse and regular areolation on the mesoscutum (Fig. 29).

Distribution. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Djibouti. The female from Sudan quoted by Steffan (1959: 313) belongs to a different species as it is certainly also the case for that from Cape Verde Islands.

Host (s). Unknown. The type of C. fastuosa ssp. aurata was reared from a branch of a fig tree. It is notable that Mateu (1972) who reared so many insect specimens from branches of Acacia raddiana Savi in Sahara never reared this species.