Metopius rauschi, Riedel, 2016

Riedel, Matthias, 2016, Contribution to the genus Metopius PANZER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from Africa South of Sahara, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1635-1675 : 1666-1668

Key to the Metopius (Subgenus Metopius ) species from Africa South of Sahara (except Madagascar)

(adapted from BENOIT, 1965 and modified):

Key for ♀♀ (of M. eritreae MORLEY , M rauschi nov.sp., M. rufigaster ssp. zambiense nov.ssp., and M. zuluensis BENOIT unknown):

1 Hind femur less stout, length at least 3.0x height................................................................2

- Hind femur very stout, length at most 2.8x height ..............................................................5

2 Facial sheath wide, as long as wide ( fig. 15 ). Second recurrent vein usually with two bullae. Upper margin of pronotum and mesopleuron with yellow spots ............................... .................................................................................................. M. clathratus BENOIT, 1965

- Facial shield longer than wide (1.1-1.3x) ( figs 16-24 ). Second recurrent vein with one bulla. Pronotum and mesopleuron black, without yellow spots...........................................3

3 Scutellum very short, lateral wing-like extensions not or slightly exceeding the median apical scutellar margin ( fig. 32 ). Face and facial shield completely yellow .......................... ............................................................................................................ M. ethiopicus nov.sp.

- Scutellum longer, lateral wing-like extensions exceeding far behind median apical scutellar margin (as fig. 33 ).................................................................................................4

4 Legs mainly reddish. Frontal orbit and upper margin of facial shield reddish ( fig. 20 ). Subtegular ridge yellowish ................................................................... M. femoralis nov.sp.

- Legs mainly black. Frontal orbit and upper margin of facial shield yellow ( fig. 21 ). Subtegular ridge black.......................................................................... M. palpoides nov.sp.

5 Wings completely brown or blackish, sometimes with violet shine....................................6

- Wings hyaline, usually with ± infuscate apex .....................................................................7

6 Mesosoma completely black, metasoma with small yellowish posterolateral spots on second to third tergites only. First tergite with dorsal carina reaching the apical third.......... .......................................................................................................... M. nigrithorax nov.sp.

- Mesosoma usually with some yellowish spots. Metasoma with extended pale coloration, at least tergites 3 and 4 with wide ivory apical bands. Dorsal carinae of tergite 1 distinct in the basal half, not reaching the apical third ............................................ ............................................................................................... M. lugubris TOSQUINET, 1896

7 Antennae separated by a triangular elevation, interantennal lamella not developed. First tergite with strong and almost complete dorsal carinae. Mesosoma black, metasoma with second to fourth tergites with narrow yellow apical bands. Small species, body length 8-10 mm ............................................................................ M. pusillus BENOIT, 1965

- Antennae separated by a more or less strong lamella, often with a subdistal notch and distal tooth...........................................................................................................................8

8 First to fourth tergites red, fifth to seventh tergites black, sometimes with diffuse reddish or yellowish apical margins ( fig. 10 ). Spiracle of first tergite with strong ventral tooth (as fig. 29) ............................................. M. rufigaster ssp. rufigaster nov.ssp.

- Metasoma black or with diffuse redish suffusion, with pale apical (yellow or ivory) spots or bands, sometimes partly reddish, but not complete tergites red (figs 1-9, 11) ......... ............................................................................................................................................9

9 Epicnemial carina forms an acute angle above sternaulus and is bent towards anterior margin of mesopleuron where it runs parallel to the anterior margin up to subtegular ridge (sometimes carina v obsolete and difficult to see)...................................................10

- Epicnemial carina not extended above the sternaulus and not bent towards anterior margin of mesopleuron......................................................................................................15

10 Upper margin of pronotum yellow oder reddish. Lateral carina of tergite 1 distinctly widened behind spiracle, but narrow apically ...................................................................11

- Upper margin of pronotum black ......................................................................................12

11 Second maxillary palpomere globose, at most 1.2x as long as wide (fig. 39). Face yellow. Mesosoma and metasoma often with diffuse reddish suffusion and with yellow spots ( fig. 7 ). Hind femur reddish, usually with one or two yellow spots ............................. .................................................................................................... M. zuluanus BENOIT, 1965

- Second palpomere club-shaped, almost 2x as long as wide (fig. 40). Face reddish. Mesosoma and metasoma black, with yellow spots ( fig. 8 ). Hind femur completely red, without yellow spots............................................................................ M. zuluanops nov.sp.

12 Hind femur black or brown. Outer spur of hind tibia short, about 0.3-0.35x as long as hind metatarsus. Spiracle of first tergite with a rounded or small tooth-like ventral extension, lateral carina behind spiracle not lamelliform (as fig. 30). Second maxillary palpomere reddish, club-shaped (as fig. 40). Facial shield black or dark reddish-brown with reddish margins, frontal orbit reddish............................................................................ ................................................................................................. M. hilaris TOSQUINET, 1896

- Hind femur reddish. Outer spur of hind tibia longer, at least 0.4x as long as hind metatarsus..........................................................................................................................13

13 Facial shield yellow, with a black spot centrally ..................... M. upembanus BENOIT, 1965

- Facial shield reddish, like the face narrowed ventrally......................................................14

14 Second maxillary palpomere cream-yellow, semi-globose. Metasoma not club-shaped, fifth and sixth tergites not distinctly swollen, black. Mesopleuron with yellow spot. Male unknown.............................................................................. M. zonurus BENOIT, 1965

- Second maxillary palpomere reddish, semi-globose. Metasoma club-shaped, fifth and sixth tergites swollen, reddish. Mesopleuron black ......................... M. rufofrontalis nov.sp.

15 Pronotum and mesopleuron black. Spiracle of first tergite with strong spiniform extension (as fig. 29). Form of second maxillary palpomere variable...............................16

- Pronotum and/or mesopleuron with yellow spots. Spiracle of first tergite variable. Second maxillary palpomere club-shaped, almost 2x as long as wide (fig. 37) ................20

16 Face and facial shield yellow, the later with large central black spot................................17

- Face and facial shield mainly black, only upper margins of facial shield with yellow stripes ................................................................................................................................18

17 Outer spur of hind tibia short, about 0.35x as long as hind metatarsus. Second maxillary palp club-shaped, 2.0x as long as wide (as fig. 37). Hind leg reddish with yellow pattern........................................................................... M. audens TOSQUINET, 1896

- Outer spur of hind tibia longer, usually 0.5x as long as hind metatarsus. Second maxillary palpomere globose, about 1.3x as long as wide (fig. 35). Hind leg mainly black, with yellow pattern. Sometimes mesopleuron with yellow spot ................................. ............................................................................................ M. albipictus TOSQUINET, 1896

18 Mesosoma completely black. Second maxillary palpomere brown. Metasoma clubshaped, fourth to sixth tergite swollen. Legs mainly black. Small, body length 9 mm .......... ................................................................................................ M. nigripalpis BENOIT, 1965

- Subtegular ridge and prescutellar ridge yellowish. Second maxillary palpomere red. Metasoma linear, apical tergites not distinctly swollen.....................................................19

19 Epicnemial carina ends at sternaulus. Legs except coxae red. Larger, body length 15 mm ....................................................................................... M. hilaroides BENOIT, 1965

- Epicnemial carina dorsal to sternaulus forming an angle and running to the anterior border of mesopleuron. Legs mainly black, with yellow pattern........................................... ................................................................................................. M. paludicola BENOIT, 1965

20 Pronotum black .................................................................................................................21

- Upper margin of pronotum with large reddish or yellow spot (figs 41-42). Face and facial shield completely yellow (as fig. 20 ).......................................................................22

21 Temple strongly and linearly narrowed behind eye. Face yellow dorsally, more reddish ventrally. Facial shield with dark central spot. Second recurrent vein with two bullae......... .................................................................................................... M. strenuus BENOIT, 1965

- Temple roundly narrowed behind eye. Face and facial shield completely cream-yellow ( fig. 20 ). Second recurrent vein with one bulla .................................. M. gambiense nov.sp.

22 Outer spur of hind tibia very short, about 0.25-0.3x as long as hind metatarsus. Spiracle of first tergite without distinct extension ventrally (fig. 31). Body black, with yellow pattern ............................................................................... M. latibalteatus CAMERON, 1906

- Outer spur of hind tibia longer, 0.4-0.5x as long as hind metatarsus. Spiracle of first tergite with strong spiniform or hook-shaped extension ventrally (fig. 29). Body black or mainly reddish, with yellow pattern ................................... M. discolor TOSQUINET, 1896

Figures

Figs. 13-18: Face and facial shield of 66: (13) Metopius alboornatus CAMERON; (14) M. brevicornis SEYRIG; (15) M. clathratus BENOIT; (16) M. rauschi nov.sp. HT; (17) M. ethiopicus nov.sp. PT; (18) M. rufigaster ssp. zambiense nov.ssp. HT.

Figs. 19-24: Face and facial shield of ♀♀: (19) Metopius femoralis HT; (20) M. gambiense HT; (21) M. palpoides HT; (22) M. nigrithorax HT; (23) M. rufofrontalis PT; (24) M. rufigaster ssp. rufigaster HT.

Figs. 32-33: Scutellum of: (32) Metopius ethiopicus nov.sp. ♀; (33) M. clathratus BENOIT 6

Figs. 9-12: Metasoma of ♀♀: (9) Metopius. palpoides nov.sp. HT; (10) M. rufigaster ssp. rufigaster nov.sp. HT; (11) M. rufigaster ssp. zambiense nov.ssp. HT; (12) M. rufofrontalis nov.sp.HT.

Figs. 5-8: Metasoma of ♀♀: (5) Metopius femoralis nov.sp. PT; (6) M. nigrithorax HT; (7) M. zuluanus BENOIT; (8) M. zuluanops nov.sp.