Myrmicolelaps iridius Desjardins, 2007

Desjardins, Christopher A., 2007, Phylogenetics and classification of the world genera of Diparinae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Zootaxa 1647 (1), pp. 1-88 : 64-65

Myrmicolelaps iridius Desjardins , New Species

( Fig. 66 )

Type Information: Holotype female ( SAM): “ Namibia, Waterberg area , Kleinwater Farm, on sand, C. Dickman. Collected April 1992, ex. pitfall trap, voucher specimen for job no. 1992/006. SAM-HYM P008338.” 1 paratype male ( SAM), same data as female except “SAM-HYM P008339.”

Description: Female. 3.5 mm. Color: Dark brown with the following exceptions: Head mostly metallic green with metallic blue in scrobal basin and along posterior eye margin, clypeus gold dorsally to reddish gold ventrally, distal 3/4 of scape brownish yellow, latero-ventral margin of pronotum white, scutellum reddish gold, all coxae, mesepisternum, and mesepimeron brownish green with metallic blue highlights posteriorly, propodeum and petiole mostly metallic greenish-brown, nucha brownish yellow, all tibiae brown, lightening to brownish yellow distally, all tarsi 1-3 brownish yellow, all tarsi 4–5 brown, gastral sternites and ovipositor sheaths brown. Head: Subtriangular-ovate in frontal view, 1.2X as high as wide; eyes sparsely setose, 1.8X as high as wide; head mostly coriaceous-imbricate, genae longitudinally strigose ( Eady 1968); raised, rounded transverse ridge present between lateral ocelli, causing ocelli to face latero-dorsally; ocellocular: postocellar: mid-to-lateral ocellus distance: lateral ocellus diameter about 1.8:4.2:1.7:1; scrobe high, narrow, reaching from torulus to dorsal margin of mid-ocellus (mid-ocellus in scrobe); scrobal basin smooth, scrobal walls smooth to coriaceous; margin of scrobal walls rounded dorsally and strongly carinate ventrally; interantennal carina raised, flattened, reaching 0.3X height of scrobe; toruli separated by 1.5 torulus diameters; scape length 1.3X eye height; ventral surface of scape rounded; scape straight dorsally, bulging and bowed inward ventrally; anellus reduced and partially fused to F1; ratio of scape: pedicel: anellus+F1: F2: F3 about 5.2:1:2:1.8:1.6, F4 5.8X as long as wide to F7 2.8X as long as wide; clava fused, 1-segmented; malar sulcus indistinct, although faint longitudinal depression present; gena rounded posteriorly; clypeus strongly delimited laterally, indistinct dorsally; clypeal margin protruding with 2 strong teeth. Mesosoma: Dorsally coriaceous, except metanotum which is smooth, polished; dorsally with sparse, white setae (slightly more dense on scutellum); ratio of pronotum: scutum: scutellum: propodeum about 3.3:1:1.2:2.7; pronotum about as wide as long (although partially obscured dorsally by mounting); lateral surface of pronotum with deep, rounded, longitudinal depression delimited by carina both dorsally and ventrally; scutum>2X as wide as long (partially obscured dorsally by mounting); posterior scutellar margin smooth; metanotum wide, transverse, vertical band; propodeum antero-medially coriaceous, antero-laterally transversely striate, becoming longitudinally striate posteriorly; plicae absent; postspiracular sulcus wide, shallow, mostly smooth; spiracle 2X its own diameter from metanotum; spiracle facing postero-laterally; prepectus triangular, in same plane as pronotum; acropleuron smooth ventrally to coriaceous medially to diagonally striate antero-laterally; mesepisternum antero-ventrally areolate, postero-dorsally transversely striate, mesepimeron anteriorly areolate-transversely striate, posteriorly smooth, except dorso-posteriorly coriaceous; femoral depression distinct dorsally, less dis- tinct posteriorly, indistinct anteriorly; metapleuron areolate, with large, irregular transverse striae near coxal insertion; metapleuron fused to propodeum anterior to propodeal spiracle; 1 metatibial spur, 1.5X width of metatibia at point of insertion; metabasitarsus about 6.7X as long as wide, about 0.5X length of remaining tarsi; posterior 1/2 of metacoxa transversely striate; pro- and mesocoxa anteriorly with sparse, white setae; meso- and metatibia not spinose; apterous, forewing reduced to membranous lump anteriorly, hindwing apparently absent. Metasoma: 1.4X length of mesosoma; petiole about 2.3X as long as broad, transversely striate ventrally, rough-areolate laterally, imbricate dorsally; ratio of GT1: GT2–6: GT7: ovipositor sheaths about 4.5:3.9:1:1; all tergites dorsally covered in white setae (separated by 0.5–1X setal length), except sparse to absent in anterior 4/5 of GT1 and anterior 2/3 of GT5, and dense on GT6–7 and ovipositor sheaths; ovipositor tip apico-dorsally serrate. Male: Same as female.

Etymology: from irido-, meaning rainbow, from the variety of colors present on the specimen.

Distribution: Namibia.

Hosts: Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 65–70. Lateral habitus views: 65, Dozodipara insularis; 66, Myrmicolelaps iridius 67, M. aurantius; 68, Lelaps noorti; 69, Nosodipara ferrana; 70, Pseudoceraphron regieri.