Exallonyx, Kieffer, 1904

Kolyada, Victor A., Mostovski, Mike B. & Brothers, Denis J., 2004, New data on proctotrupid wasp genus Exallonyx Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupidae) from South Africa, with description of a new species and new synonymy, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 237-248 : 240-241

Exallonyx leptocorsa Townes, 1981

Figs 5, 6, 12, 13, 19

Exallonyx leptocorsa Townes, 1981: 287. (Type locality: South Africa)

Exallonyx cingulatus Townes, 1981: 307. (Type locality: South Africa) syn. n.

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1^, Cape Town, Kirstenhof (34º04.14'S: 18º27.09'E), 15–27.v.1994, MT , S. van Noort; 1^, same data except 23– 25.viii.1994 ( SAMC); KwaZulu­Natal: 1^, Hlogoma, 4.9 km 127S Underberg, 4– 10.xii.2001, S. van Noort ( SAMC); 3ơ 2^, Southern Drakensberg, Himeville , 3– 5.iii.2004, YPT, V . Kolyada & M. Mostovski; 1ơ, Southern Drakensberg , Sani Pass (29º37'S: 29º23'E), 4.iii.2004, YPT, V . Kolyada & M. Mostovski; 1ơ, Pietermaritzburg, Hilton (29º32'30.7"S: 30º18'18.4"E), 1131m, 24.xi–9.xii.2003, MT , M. Mostovski; 1^, same data except 17–29.ii.2004; 1ơ, Pietermaritzburg, Hilton, Winterskloof (29º35.27'S: 30º17.91'E), 20–25.xii.2003, MT , C. Conway ( NMSA) .

Diagnosis: Female. Forewing 2.8–3.4 mm long. Gena 0.75 times as long as shortest diameter of eye. Second flagellomere 2.2 times as long as wide, tenth flagellomere 1.6 times as long as wide. Pronotum with interrupted epomia, without setae behind it. Posteroventral corner of pronotum with two pits. Setal strip along dorsal edge of pronotum consists of one or two setae. Propodeal sculpture noticeably rough.All coxae dark. Petiole short, as long as high or shorter, ventral face of petiole with several transverse ridges. Ovipositor sheath short, ca. 0.5 times as long as hind tibia, with distinct longitudinal striation.

Male. Forewing 2.5–3.0 mm long. Gena short, 0.3 times as long as shortest diameter of eye. Clypeus 2.9 times as long as wide. Second flagellomere 3 times as long as wide. Tyloids developed as poorly distinct rounded swellings. Petiole longer than high, its ventral face without transverse ridges. Other characters as in female.

Remarks: A comparison of SEM images of E. cingulatus (only females known) and E. leptocorsa in Townes and Townes (1981) revealed that these species are essentially identical, and like those of our specimens ( Figs 5, 6, 12, 13). The Townes pictures are of the type specimens, so there was no need for us to re­examine the types themselves. Having a good series of specimens of both sexes clearly attributable to E. leptocorsa, the females of which show all the characters in the description of E. cingulatus also, leads us to conclude that a single species is involved. We therefore synonymise E. cingulatus under E. leptocorsa.

The presence of tyloids on the antennomeres ( Townes & Townes 1981), is confirmed for the male of E. leptocorsa. They are present in other species as well (and apparently in all males of Exallonyx ), but they become visible only in preparations when the antennae are cleared and become transparent.

Males of this species differ from E. subteres in having dark middle and hind coxae and from other species in having more conspicuous propodeal reticulation. Females differ from other species in having several well­defined transverse ridges on the petiole basoventrally.

Distribution: South Africa, Kenya. E. leptocorsa was described on the basis of four females and one male from Grahamstown ( Townes & Townes 1981); E. cingulatus was described on the basis of four females from Magoebaskloof (near Tzaneen), Jonkershoek (near Stellenbosch), and Kenton­on­Sea.