18. Gonatopus similis Brues, 1906

(Figs 173E, 174 J–L, 176 D)

Gonatopus similis Brues 1906: 107; Guglielmino & Olmi 1997: 220, 221; Olmi 1998c: 62; 2006: 45; Guglielmino & Olmi 2006: 44; 2007: 124; Olmi 2009b: 459; Azevedo et al. 2010: 899; Olmi et al. 2015: 365; Muru et al. 2017: 112.

Pseudogonatopoides mauritianus Williams 1956: 90 (synonymized by Olmi 1984); type locality: Palmyre (Mauritius); Williams 1958: 116, 120; Williams & Mamet 1962: 3; Williams 1974: 11; 1978: 2, 3; 1980: 14; Prinsloo 1983: 6; Ganeshan & Williams 2000: 16, 22; Ganeshan 2001: 15; Guerrieri & Viggiani 2005: 310.

Pseudogonatopus similis (Brues): Olmi 1984: 1234; 1987c: 54.

Description. ♀. Apterous; body length 2.5–2.8 mm. Head yellow-testaceous; antenna brown, except scape and flag- ellomere 8 white or yellow; occasionally flagellomere 8 brown; mesosoma yellow-testaceous; petiole black; metasoma brownish or yellow-testaceous; legs yellow-testaceous. Head (Fig. 174L) excavated. Palpal formula 3/2 or 4/2. Pronotum crossed by strong transverse impression. Mesoscutum without lateral pointed apophyses (Fig. 174J). Metanotum transversely striate, about coplanar to mesoscutellum (Fig. 174K), with sides protruding (Fig. 174J); in holotype lateral protrusions of metanotum rounded (Fig. 174J); in specimen from South Africa, 26°45.58’S 27°48.22’E, lateral protrusions of metanotum pointed. Metapectal-propodeal disc shiny, unsculptured. Mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeal declivity transversely striate. Meso-metapleural suture distinct and complete. Protarsomere 1 slightly longer than 4 (12:11). Enlarged claw (Fig. 176D) with one large subapical tooth and one row of 8–11 lamellae. Protarsomere 5 (Fig. 176D) with two rows of 16–19 lamellae; apex with 9–13 lamellae. Tibial spurs 1/0/1.

♂. Fully winged; body length 1.1 mm. Head brown; antenna testaceous; mesosoma and metasoma brown; legs testaceous and partly darkened. Antenna filiform; antennomeres in following proportions: 3.5:3:4:3:3:3.5:3.5:3:4:6; third antennomere 4 × as long as broad (4:1). Head shiny, granulate, with two smooth areas on sides of lateral ocelli; frontal line absent; occipital carina absent; POL = 5; OL = 2; OOL = 3. Palpal formula 4/2. Mesoscutum shiny, granulate. Notauli complete, posteriorly joint. Mesoscutellum and metanotum shiny, finely punctate, unsculptured among punctures. Metapectal-propodeal disc shiny, dorsally unsculptured, laterally rugose. Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands; distal part of 2r-rs&Rs vein longer than proximal part (10:5). Dorsal process of paramere (Fig. 173E) long and slender. Tibial spurs 1/1/2.

Material examined. Types: ♀ holotype of G. similis: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Algoa Bay, 25.V.1898, Brauns leg. (MCPM); ♀ holotype of P. mauritianus: MAURITIUS: Palmyre, IV.1955, ex nymphs of Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy, J.R. Williams reared (NHMUK). Paratypes of P. mauritianus: same locality label as holotype, 2♀♀ (NHMUK). Other material: GAMBIA: Lower River Division, Upper Baddibu, Farafenni, 1♀ (KJHC). KENYA: Rift Valley Prov., Nguruman, Oloibortoto River irrigation scheme, 01°48’S 36°04’E, 12–16.VI.1999, MT, R. Copeland leg., 1♀ (NMK). LA REUNION: La Reunion, 1♀ (AMNH). LESOTHO: Mamathes, 1♀ (AMNH). MOZAMBIQUE: Gaza Prov., 2 km E of Incomati River bridge, along road EN1 between Macia and Palmeira, 1♀ (AMNH); Maputo Prov., 6 km N of Palmeira, along road EN1 between Maputo and Macia, 1♀ (AMNH). SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Port St. Johns, 1–17.III.1924, R.E. Turner leg., 1♀ (NHMUK); Eastern Cape, about 16 km E Port Elizabeth, S. George’s Strand, 1♀ (AMNH); Free State, Sasolburg, Wonderwater Colliery, 26°45.58’S 27°48.22’E, 1450 m, 23.XI.1999, D-Vac, IS 09b, seeded rehabilitation, east burm, slope, M. Stiller leg., 1♀ (SANC); KwaZulu-Natal, Port Edward, along road from R61 to Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, C. 13.IV.2007, B. 15.IV.2007, M. Olmi reared from adults of Sogatella kolophon (Kirkaldy), 1♀ (MOLC); same locality label, C. 13.IV.2007, B. 17.IV.2007, 1♀ (MOLC); Limpopo: 15 km E Klaserie, Guernsey Farm, 1♀ (CNC); Western Cape, Mossel Bay, 10–12.1938, R.E. Turner leg., 1♀ (NHMUK).

Hosts. Delphacidae (Guglielmino et al. 2013): in La Reunion: Peregrinus maidis Ashmead; in Mauritius: Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy and Numata muiri (Kirkaldy) (= Dicranotropis muiri Kirkaldy); in Mozambique: unidentified Delphacidae; in South Africa: Sogatella kolophon (Kirkaldy) .

Biology. The biology of this species was partly studied in Mauritius by Williams (1956). The pupal stage in Mauritius lasts 18–24 days in March-April.

Natural enemies. In Mauritius this species may be parasitized by Cheiloneurus gonatopodis R. Perkins 1906 (Encyrtidae) (Williams 1956, 1958; Prinsloo 1983; Ganeshan & Williams 2000; Guerrieri & Viggiani 2005).

Distribution. Gambia, Kenya, La Reunion, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa.

Remarks. Gonatopus similis Brues and Pseudogonatopoides mauritianus Williams were considered synonyms by Olmi (1984) after comparison of ♀♀. However, only the study of ♂ specimens from Mauritius can confirm this synonymy.