Scelio aphares Yoder

Yoder, Matthew J., Valerio, Alejandro A., Polaszek, Andrew, Noort, Simon van, Masner, Lubomir & Johnson, Norman F., 2014, Monograph of the Afrotropical species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae), egg parasitoids of acridid grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae), ZooKeys 380, pp. 1-188 : 19-21

Scelio aphares Yoder sp. n. Figures 2, 31-36; Morphbank 23

Description.

Female body length: 3.18-4.21 mm (n=16). Shape of compound eye: not or only slightly bulging. Color pattern of pilosity below anterior ocellus in female: predominantly white throughout. Sculpture of frons in female: reticulate rugulose, sculpture finer, typically without dorsoventral trend. Genal carina in female: absent. Width of gena in lateral view: weakly expanded, posterior margin parallel to posterior margin of eye. Density of genal setae: moderately to highly dense, setae conspicuous. Color of genal setae: white to off-white. Sculpture of base of mandible in female: minutely reticulate. Color of A1 in female: yellow throughout; light to dark brown throughout, or with apex and base slightly lighter, often yellowish. Color of A3 in female: brown. Sculpture of dorsal pronotal nucha in female: predominantly to completely sculptured. Color of pilosity of pronotal shoulder in female: predominantly white to off-white. Sculpture along humeral margin of mesoscutum: well-defined throughout. Color of pilosity of mesonotum in female: predominantly light to dark brown. Transition from lateral to posterior margin of propodeum in dorsal view: forming distinct angle, corner of propodeum well defined. Shape of mesoscutum in lateral view: bulging in anterior third. Pilosity on metapleuron above hind coxa: glabrous or with few scattered setae. Form of fore wing submarginal vein in female: tubular throughout from base to costal margin. Fine pilosity of lateral T1 in female: present. Width of metasoma: very wide, width of S3> 2 times medial length. Distribution of pilosity on T2-T5 in female: more or less evenly distributed throughout. Sculpture of T3 in female: longitudinally striate throughout; longitudinally striate laterally with prominent reticulate to rugulose elements medially. Overall sculpture of S3: with dense, fine longitudinal carinae. Sculpture of medial S3 in female: present throughout; with broadly obliterated or with distinct smooth patch.

Diagnosis.

Similar to other Afrotropical ernstii-group species without a genal carina. Most similar to Scelio copelandi but differing from this species by slightly more compact reticulations of the mesonotum (compare Figs 36 and 65), and the slightly more reticulate sculpture of the face (trending to dorsoventrally striate in Scelio copelandi ).

Etymology.

The epithet is used as a noun in apposition derived from the Greek word for unclad or naked, in reference to the confusingly plain and relatively unremarkable species.

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-large.html?id=244947

Material examined.

Holotype, female: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Prov., 30km W Trichardtsdal, Down’s forest, 1350 m, 30.XII.1985, sweeping, M. Sanborne, OSUC 212250 (deposited in CNCI). Paratypes: (16 females) CAMEROON: 1 female, OSUC 211215 (CNCI). KENYA: 1 female, OSUC 234699 (CNCI). NIGERIA: 1 female, OSUC 213266 (CNCI). SOUTH AFRICA: 10 females, OSUC 211213, 211267, 211386, 212251, 212364, 212440, 213117 (CNCI); OSUC 244034 (FMNH); OSUC 212365 (OSUC); OSUC 213439 (SANC). TANZANIA: 2 females, OSUC 250963 (CNCI); OSUC 212970 (OSUC). UGANDA: 1 female, OSUC 244071 (USNM).

Comments.

As presently defined this species is quite variable. Given the available material we have elected to take a conservative approach and treat these specimens as a single species. As noted for Scelio copelandi this may ultimately require the inclusion of that species as well. Four morphotypes were initially identified: 1) individuals (OSUC 212970, 250963, 211215, 213266) with a bright yellow scape and very slightly larger reticulations on the mesoscutum, from Tanzania, Cameroons, Nigeria and South Africa; 2) a single individual (OSUC 211267) with fine, somewhat more dense and confused sculpture of the frons, and confused reticulate sculpture on T1; 3) four individuals (OSUC 212250, 244034, 212364, 212365) with the scape brown and metasoma broader (South Africa); and 4) a series of individuals (OSUC 211386, 213439, 213117, 211213, 212440) similar to series 3 but with the metasoma narrower. Two additional specimens similar to series 1 but with somewhat more compact sculpture of the mesoscutum are also included (OSUC 244071, 234699). Most specimens can be broadly divided into 2 groups (yellow or brown scape). However, series 2 is somewhat intermediate in this state with the middle of the scape brown, and the base and apex somewhat lighter. The shape of the head varies from somewhat vertically elongate (series 1) to more rounded (specimens of series 4). All specimens observed have brown pilosity on the medial head and mesonotum.