Olixon toliaraensis Lohrmann & Ohl

Lohrmann, Volker & Ohl, Michael, 2007, The wasp genus Olixon Cameron in Madagascar: first record and description of two new species (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae), Zootaxa 1465, pp. 39-46 : 41-43

Olixon toliaraensis Lohrmann & Ohl sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 –4, 7–8, 10, 12, 14)

Type material. Holotype: Madagascar: Toliara Province, Forêt de Tsinjoriaky, 6.2 km, 84 ° E Tsifota, Elevation: 70m, 6–10 Mar. 2002, 22 ° 48 ' 8 ''S, 43 ° 25 ' 14 ''E, General collecting – spiny forest thicket, Collectors: Fisher & Griswold et al., ( CAS, collection code: BLF 5965, CASENT: 2051700). Paratypes: 2 Ψ, 2 ɗ, same data as holotype, 1 Ψ, same data as holotype, but light trap – spiny forest thicket ( CAS, collection code: BLF 5967, CASENT: 2051701-2051705).

Diagnosis. Females of O. toliaraensis are unique among all Olixon in the combination of the following characters: occipital carina with a lateral indentation ( Figs. 1, 14), vertex with a weak medial impression; tergite I with a premedian, transverse carina, afterwards with a medial, longitudinal raised carina; lamelliform process of propodeum emaginate ( Figs. 10, 12).

Male O. toliaraensis are unique within Olixon in the combination of the following characters: tarsomeres widened (all other known male Olixon have narrowed tarsomeres); vertex with a weak medial impression; tergite I with a premedian, transverse carina, afterwards with a medial, longitudinal raised carina; lamelliform process of propodeum emarginated ( Fig. 10, 12).

Description of male. Body length 4.9 – 5.6 mm.

Head: Maximum width in frontal view 0.82 to 0.85 mm. Vertex with medial impression and with markedly fine, moderately dense setae that arise from very small punctures. Occipital carina with notch behind eye ( Fig. 14). Frons with medial longitudinal groove. Eyes separated from occipital carina by about 0.3 to 0.5 times width of scape. Lateral ocelli present (lacking in one male), midocellus lacking. Gena without malar groove ( Figs. 7, 8). Flagellomere I 2.2 to 2.4 times as long as wide. Flagellomers with small, regularly distributed setae.

Mesosoma: Complete mesosoma covered with regular dense setae. Propodeum with emarginated lamelliform process ( Figs. 10, 12) between two apicolateral teeth.

Wings: Forewing paddle shaped, reaching to middle of tergite II, length 1.1 to 1.2 mm. Hindwing present as very small vestiges.

Legs: Forefemur swollen. Hindfemur 4.25 to 4.7 times as long as high. Tarsomeres widened and with dense setae. Each tarsomere with two lateral bristles. Tarsomere V with long setae.

Metasoma: Complete metasoma covered with regular dense setae. Tergite I with strong premedian transverse and behind median longitudinal carina. Tergite III with stridulatiory organ (more or less) triangular.

Color: Head, mesosoma, metasoma dark brown. Flagellum and legs beyond 1 / 3 of femur brown. Scape and pedicel light brown. Coxa, trochanter and apical 1 / 3 of femur white to yellow.

Description of female. Body length 5.2 – 5.6 mm

Head, mesosoma, metasoma as in ɗ except the following:

Head: Occipital carina with notch behind eye ( Figs. 1, 14). Eyes separated from occipital carina by about 0.5 to 0.6 times width of scape.

Legs: Hindfemur 3.5 to 3.9 as long as high. Tarsomeres more widened than in males, their fourth segment with apicolateral angels, one angle about 1.6–1.7 times as long as the other.

Life history. Nothing is known about the life history of Olixon toliaraensis . Four females and two males have been collected at an altitude of 70 m. Most individuals were caught in general collecting, and one in a light trap.

Etymological note. This species name is based on the collection locality, Toliara Province ( Madagascar).