Platyplectrus marenjeensis, Yefremova & Copeland, 2023

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 : 365

7. Platyplectrus marenjeensis, Yefremova & Copeland sp. nov.

Figs 27–30

Diagnosis. Pronotum without carina. Occiput without carina ( Fig. 24 ). Scutellum finely reticulate. POL 1.16× as long as OOL. Six long setae between on ocellar triangle and two shorter ones near occiput. Antenna.F1 2.3× as long as pedicel and 1.28× as long as F2, F4 1.7× as long as wide. Petiole transverse. Gaster 2.0–2.2× as long as wide. Body orange-yellow. Face yellow. All coxae yellow.

Description. Female. Body size 1.8–1.9 mm.

Colour: Body mostly orange-yellow, head yellow including clypeus, eyes grey, ocelli light yellow; scape and pedicel yellow, funicle yellow except F4 brownish and clava brownish, propodeum, mesothorax and gaster orange-yellow, legs yellow; fore and mid coxa, trochanter and trochantellus whitish.

Head: Malar sulcus absent. Mandibles, small plates lacking teeth but with setae. Numerous setae present between lateral ocelli. Occipital carina present. Eyes with short sporadically distributed setae ( Fig30 ). POL 1.6× as long as OOL. Antennae inserted above the lower margin level of eyes. Scape 3.5× as long as wide, pedicel 1.5×as long as wide, with 1 pair of long, brown setae. Flagellomeres 1 – 4. F1 1.27× as long as F2, F2= F3, and F3 1.6× as long as F4 ( Figs27 , 30 ). Clava 3-segmented 2.0× as long as wide and 1.3× as long as F4.

Mesosoma. Pronotum smooth without carina. Mesoscutum smooth, scutellum finely reticulate. Propodeum smooth with narrow median carina, callus with 5 setae in row. Fore wing 2.9× as long as wide. SMV with 4 long setae. Speculum small, closed along pterostigma. SMV (40): MV (70): PMV (27): STV (19). Costal cell covered by numerous setae, 19 setae in marginal row ( Fig. 28 ). Hind wing rounded apically. Hind tibiae with two spurs; TS1 2.3× as long as 1 st tarsomere and 1.9× as long as TS2. Petiole short, transverse.

Gaster 2.0–2.2× as long as wide.

Male. Unknown.

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. * Kenya.

Etymology. The species is named after the type location, Marenje forest.

Holotype. ♀, Coast Prov., Marenje forest , 76 m, 4.52814º S, 39.24028º E, Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 22 Aug–5 Sep 2014, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64322, ( NMK). Condition of holotype excellent, abdomen on card,

Paratypes: 2 ♀, Coast Prov., Marenje forest , 76 m, 4.52814º S, 39.24028º E, Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 22 Aug–5 Sep 2014, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64323 ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, same data except 19 Sep–3 Oct 2014, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) .

Figures

FIGURES 24–29. 24–26. P. kiambuensis Type. Female. 24. Labels on pin. 25. Lateral habitus. 26. Dorsal habitus. 27–29. P. marenjeensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 27. Lateral habitus. 28. Dorsal habitus. 29. Gaster.

FIGURES 30–37. 30. P. marenjeensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 30. Head+antennae, frontal. 31–34. P. meruensis Delucchi. Kenya specimen. Female. 31. Lateral habitus. Male. 32. Lateral habitus. 33. Dorsal habitus. 34. Head+antennae, frontal. 35–37. P. mrimaensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 35. Lateral habitus. 36. Dorsal habitus. 37. Head+antennae, frontal.