Platyplectrus obscuratus ( Ferrière, 1941 )

Yefremova, Zoya A. & Copeland, Robert S., 2023, African Platyplectrus Ferrière (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Kenya, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5360 (3), pp. 355-384 : 373-375

14. Platyplectrus obscuratus ( Ferrière, 1941)

Figs 55–58

Euplectromorpha obscurata Ferrière, 1941: 28 .

Female and male, Africa, Nyasaland, Namiwawa & Uganda (BMNH, examined).

Platyplectrus obscuratus ( Ferrière, 1941) ; Narendran, 2011: 321.

Diagnosis. Pronotum large, without carina. Occipital carina present. Scutellum with wide, lateral and posterior foveate grooves ( Fig. 58 ), POL 1.7× as long as OOL. Vertex with numerous setae. Female. Antenna. F1 2.0× as long as pedicel and 1.4× as long as F2, F4 1.2× as long as wide. Petiole slightly longer than wide. Body mostly black.

Male. Antenna. F1 1.4× as long as F2, F4 1.2× as long as wide.

Redescription. Female. Body size 1.8–2.1 mm.

Colour ( Figs 55–57 ): Thorax black, head dark brown including clypeus, eyes light grey, ocelli light yellow; scape and pedicel light yellow, funicle dark yellow, gaster yellow, brownish on Gt 4–6. Fore and mid legs yellow, hind coxae black, hind femur yellow with apical half brown.

Head: Malar sulcus present. Mandibles membranous. Eyes asetose. POL 1.7× as long as OOL. Occipital carina well developed. Antennae inserted above the level of the lower margin the eyes. Scape 4.2× as long as wide. Pedicel 1.6× as long as wide. Flagellomeres 1 – 4. F1 1.4× as long as F2, F2=F3, F3 1.16× as long as F4. Clava 3-segmented 2.4× as long as wide and 1.8× as long as F4 ( Fig. 57 ).

Mesosoma: Pronotum without carina. Mesoscutum strongly reticulate. Scutellum rugulose in middle with strongly foveate lateral and posterior grooves ( Fig. 58 ), axillae and propodeum strongly reticulate. Propodeum with strong median carina, callus with four long setae in marginal row and four in first row. Fore wing 2.5× as long as wide. SMV with 5 long setae. Speculum small along 1/5 MV. SMV (23): MV (35): PMV (17): STV (9). Costal cell with numerous short setae in three rows. Hind wing rounded apically. Hind tibiae with two spurs; TS1 1.25× as long as 1 sttarsomere and 1.6× as long as TS2. Petiole as long as wide.

Gaster 2.4× as long as wide.

Host. Larvae of Lymantriidae (Lepidoptera) ( Ferrière, 1941) and Archips occidentalis (Walsingham) ( Lepidoptera : Tortricidae ) ( Narendran, 2011).

Distribution. Uganda, South Africa; * Kenya, * Cameroon, * Congo.

Material examined. Kenya, 1 ♀, Rift Valley Prov., Matthews Range , 1459 m, 0.97984° N, 37.34599° E, Malaise trap, riverine forest, near Wamba, 17–31 May 2016, R. Copeland ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, Rift Valley Prov., Saiwa swamp Nat. Park , nr. campsite, 1882 m, 1.09417° N, 35.11833° E, Malaise trap, next to permanent upland swamp, 12–26 Feb 2006, R. Copeland ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, Eastern Prov., Endau Mtn , base of, 513 m, 1.30026° S, 38.52805° E, Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 18 May–1 Jun 2018, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♀, Kaimosa Mission 27 mi. NE. Kisumu, xi-29-57,1650 m, E.S. Ross & R.E. Leech collectors ( UCRC) ; 1 ♀ [7852–56], Rift Valley Prov., Chorlim, base of Mt. Elgon , 1893 m, 1.02903° N, 34.84699° E, Malaise trap in Acacia riverine woodland, 28 Jun –12 Jul, 2019, R. Copeland ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, Rift Valley Prov. Chorlim, base of Mt. Elgon , 1882 m, 1.03149° N, 34.84780° E, Malaise trap in Acacia sp. riverine woodland, 8–22 Apr 2017, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♀, Rift Valley Prov., Marich Pass Field Station , 917 m, 1.53633° N, 35.45800° E, Malaise trap, low canopy riverine forest, 7–21 Aug 2005, R. Copeland ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, Rift Valley Prov., Tsavo West Nat Park, riverine woodland, 464 m, 2.99615º S, 38.45988º E, Malaise trap, bank of Tsavo river , nr. Nat. Pk. Gate, 9–23 Sep 2008, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♀, Nyanza Prov., Ungoye , ICIPE field station, 0.61528º S, 34.09114º E, 1157 m, Malaise trap inside seasonally swampy forest, 29 May–12 Jun 2017, R. Copeland ( NMK) ; Republic of Cameroon. 1 ♀, Cameroons Mt.; Buea Slope , 4500–4600 m, V 13–17.49. B. Malkin ( UCRC) ; Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville). 1 ♀, 1 ♁, Pool Abio, Lesio–Loun , Park , 3.61º S, 15.31.26º E, 26.viii. 2008, Braet, MT. ( UCRC) .

Figures

FIGURES 54–61. 54. P. nyanzaensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 54. Head+antennae, frontal. 55–58. P. obscuratus Ferrière. Female. 55. Lateral habitus. 56. Dorsal habitus. 57. Head+antennae, frontal. 58. Scutellum, close-up of scutellum showing foveate grooves (arrows). 59–61. P. ornatus Ferrière. 59. Lateral habitus. 60. Dorsal habitus. 61. Dorsal mesothorax (not to scale).