Anacharoides paragi Benoit

Buffington, Matthew & van Noort, Simon, 2009, A revision of Anacharoides Cameron, 1904 (Hymenoptera, Figitidae) with a description of a new species, ZooKeys 20 (20), pp. 245-274 : 264-265

Anacharoides paragi Benoit

Figs 1C, 3A and 7

Anacharoides paragi Benoit, 1956: 200 ; Quinlan, 1979 (redescribed)

Diagnosis. Most similar to A. quadrus , but distinguished by the number of anteroadmedial signum struts (3 or more in A. quadrus , 2 in A. paragi ), by the relative length F1 of the female antenna (nearly 2 × length of F 2 in A. paragi ; 1.5 × length of F 2 in A. quadrus ), and by the shape and sculpturing of the mesoscutellar fovea (anteriorly rounded and mostly smooth in A. paragi , anteriorly triangular and with more horizontal striae in A. quadrus ). Distinguished from all other Anacharoides by the sculpture of the mesoscutum (shagreened in A. pallida , strigate in A. stygius , rugose in A. nicknacki and A. striaticeps ).

Redescription. Length = 2.50–3.40 mm, n=11; holotype length = 2.50 mm. F1 of female gradually expanded distally; male unknown. Length of F1 of female antenna 1.8–1.9 × F2. Ocellar groove present, simple ridge posterior to central ocellus. Lateral aspect of pronotum porcate antero-dorsally, antero-ventrally; gently carinate antero-medially; remainder of sclerite shagreened. Microsculpture of mesoscutum coriaceous over entire surface. Antero-admedial signum of mesoscutum present with 2–3 antero-admedial signum struts. Inter antero-admedial signum ridges absent. Surface of mesoscutum rugulose-strigate anteriorly, with distinct carinae, posteriorly shagreened. Shape of posterior mesoscutellar fovea triangular to sub-triangular. Mesoscutal keel present along entire length of mesoscutum, punctate. Mesoscutellar fovea entirely smooth, lacking carinae to 1–2 carinae present anteriorly, smooth posteriorly. Mesoscutellum in lateral view with a slight hump. Length of posterior mesoscutellar fovea short, comprising less than 1/5 length of mesoscutum. Lateral aspect of mesoscutum distal of notauli shagreened with strong carinae present on anterior half. Sculpture of notauli crenulate with transverse ridges posteriorly. Anterior margin of scutellar fovea rounded; nearly straight. Shape of notauli distinctly wider at posterior margin than anterior margin.

Distribution (Fig. 7). Sub-Saharan Africa. Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa; from Quinlan (1979): Ghana and Uganda.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE. Holotypus [first label, pink]; Cyn 1–29 [second label]; Musée de Congo, Gandajika, 22.III.1947, P. Henrard, R. Mayné [ Democratic Republic of Congo, third label] ; Anacharoides paragi sp. n. holotype female, 1955, det. P.L.G. Benoit [fourth label, handwritten]. The specimen is in mediocre condition with the head and mesosoma mounted on a minuten and the metasoma mounted below on a card deposited in MRAC .

Additional material. CAMEROON: Nkoemvon, Mal. tr. I–II.1980, Ms. D Jackson (1 female, BMNH) ; Nkoemvon , 13.VII–24.VIII.1980, Ms. D Jackson (1 female, BMNH) ; Nkoemvon , I.1980, D Jackson (1 female, BMNH) ; Nkoemvon , 23.IX– 25.X.1980, D Jackson (1 female, BMNH) . CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Prefecture Sangha-Mbéré, Parc National de Dzanga-Ndoki, Mabéa Bai , 21.4km 53° NE Bayanga, 3°02.01’N, 16°24.57’E, 510m, 6–7.V.2001, S van Noort, Malaise trap , CAR 01-M60, lowland rainforest, marsh clearing, SAM-HYM P0024997 (1 female, SAMC) . DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Massif Ruwenzori riv. Kakalari, affl. Bombi , 1.725m, 12.VI.1954, P. Vanschuytbroeck and H. Synave 8905-08 (1 female, MRAC) ; Shaba Reg Mufuempa , 4.III.1987, attacking larvae of syrphids, R. Hennessey, Sp. H17 CIE A19122 (1 female, BMNH) . KENYA: Western Province, Kakamega Forest , 17–31.VII.2006, Malaise trap, 0°13.66’N, 34°53.12’E, 1630m, in forest, across small stream, behind Rondo Guest House, R. Copeland (1 female, USNM) . NIGERIA: Ile-Ife, W State , X. 1973, J.T. Medler, coll. (2 females, BMNH; identified by J. Quinlan as A. stysius ) ; Ile-Ife, W State , 4.XII.1968, J.T. Medler, coll. (1 female, BMNH) . SIERRA LEONE: Njala , ex syrphid puparium, 2–15.I.1932, E. Hargreaves (1 female, with host remains, BMNH) . SOUTH AFRICA: Pondoland, Port St. John , 1–14.V.1923, R.E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1923-307 (1 female, BMNH; identified by J. Quinlan as A. eurytergis ) .

Biology. A specimen deposited in the BMNH from Sierra Leone (above) has an isolated host puparium mounted alongside the adult wasp. This puparium was identified by F.C. Thompson (Smithsonian Institution) as Paragus sp. ( Syrphidae ). Another specimen listed above from the BMNH is labeled as “attacking syrphids”; this specimen lacks host remains.

Image collection: 465353.

Comments. Based on the morphology of the mesoscutum, this species is most likely closely related to A. quadrus . The number of antero-admedial signum struts is readily visible in all specimens, though the most anterior strut in some specimens of A. paragi is very small and nearly continuous with the admedial signum.