Sceliotrachelus braunsi Review of Afrotropical sceliotracheline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae) van Noort, Simon Lahey, Zachary Talamas, Elijah J. Austin, Andrew D. Masner, Lubomir Polaszek, Andrew Johnson, Norman F. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 2021 2021-12-23 87 115 222 4V4QK E4A67981-5F61-5D70-936C-5C8A1E225BB6 Brues Brues 1908 Insecta Platygastridae Sceliotrachelus CoL Animalia Sceliotrachelus braunsi Hymenoptera 0 115 Arthropoda species braunsi   Figs 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 49   Sceliotrachelus braunsiBrues, 1908: 13 (original description); Kieffer 1926: 606 (description); Masner 1964: 9 (description); Masner 1965: 302 (type information); Kozlov 1972: 134 (keyed); Masner and Huggert 1989: 113, 115, 154, 182, 197 (catalogued, illustrated); Vlug 1995: 75 (catalogued, type information).  Material examined.    Holotype: South Africa• ♂; Eastern Cape, Algoa Bay, Cape Colony; 10 November 1896; H. Brauns;  Sceliotrachelus braunsi Brues(MCZ). Photographsof holotypeexamined (Fig. 29).   Figure 29.  Sceliotrachelus braunsi holotypemale (MCZ) (MCZ-ENT00030989) Ahabitus, lateral view Bhabitus, dorsal view Chead, anterior view Dhead, mesosoma, lateral view Ehind wing, ventral view (inset: data labels) Ffore wing, dorsal view. Photos are President and Fellows of Harvard College, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.    Paratype: South Africa• ♂; same data as holotype (MCZ).   Figure 30.  Sceliotrachelus braunsifemale (SAMC) A, C, E, F(SAM-HYM-P030896) B, D(SAM-HYM-P030897) Ahabitus, lateral view Bhabitus, dorsal view Cpropodeum, T1-2, lateral view Dpropodeum, T1-2, dorsal view Ehead, anterior view Fantenna dorsolateral view.  Additional material examined.   South Africa• ♀;  Eastern Cape: 1♀;  1♂  Schilpad Laagte Farm, (  14.7 km229°SW Kirkwood); 33°31.104'S, 25°22.353'E; 9-16 Feb 2001; HG Robertsonand R Tourle; Pitfall; VB01-A2T-P02; Valley Bushveld(goat trashed) [ Sundays Thicket]; SAM-HYM-P030896 (SAMC)• 3♀♀; 1♂  Blauwe Krans Farm, (  12.8 km216°SW Kirkwood); 33°30.747'S, 25°24.644'E; 9-16 Feb 2001; HG Robertsonand R Tourle; Pitfall; VB01-A3T-P03; Valley Bushveld(goat trashed) [ Sundays Noorsveld]; SAM-HYM-P030894 (SAMC; OSUC)• 2♀♀; idem except for VB01-A3T-P06; SAM-HYM-P030897 (SAMC)• 1♀;  Blauwe Krans Farm, (  12.8 km216°SW Kirkwood); 33°30.747'S, 25°24.644'E; 9-16 Feb 2001; HG Robertsonand R Tourle; Pitfall; VB01-A3N-P06; Valley Bushveld(non-trashed) [ Sundays Noorsveld]; SAM-HYM-P030898 (SAMC)• 1♀;  Februarie Farm, (  40.2 km267°W Kirkwood); 33°33.124'S, 25°03.043'E; 10-17 Feb 2001; HG Robertsonand R Tourle; Pitfall, VB01-R1T-P01; Valley Bushveld(goat trashed) [ Sundays Thicket]; SAM-HYM-P030899 (SAMC)• 1♀; idem except for VB01-R1T-P08; SAM-HYM-P030900 (SAMC)• 1♀;  Februarie Farm, (  39.9 km268°W Kirkwood); 33°32.813'S, 25°03.091'E; 10-17 Feb 2001; HG Robertsonand R Tourle; PitfallVB01-R2N-P04; Valley Bushveld(non-trashed) [ Sundays Thicket]; SAM-HYM-P030895 (SAMC)• 1♂; idem except for VB01-R2N-P05; SAM-HYM-P030901 (SAMC)• 1♀;  30 km S. Steytlerville, Baviaanskloof Mtns., Wolwerkrall Farm; 33°33.88'S, 24°20.95'E; 17.XI.1999; M.E. Irwinet al.; MT across dry creek; SA-08; [ Gamtoos Thicket] (CNCI).  Description.  Femalebody length: 2 mm; male body length: 2 mm. Colourof head and mesosoma black; metasoma light brown with lateral tergites below lateral keel orange-brown; scape, pedicel, flagellar segments in female, legs orange-brown; flagellar segments in male black; foamy structures white; wings with dark brown and white patches.   Figure 31.  Sceliotrachelus braunsifemale (SAMC) A, E, F(SAM-HYM-P030896) B-D(SAM-HYM-P030894a) Afore wings, dorsal view Bfore wing, medial region detail Cfore wing, dorsal view Dfore wing, setae detail Ehind wing ventral view Fdata labels.  Head1.15 xwider than long, strongly narrowing towards toruli and clypeus; eye height equal to inter-ocular distance; malar space 0.6 xeye length; antennal length ratios (female): scape 13, pedicel 3, funicle 5, clava 10; male antennae filiform: scape 13, pedicel 3, flagellum 30; LOL:OOL:POL (2.5:5.5:5.5); occipital carina present, without occipital pit with numerous long white setae.  Mesoscutum.Sculpture of mesosoma smooth, polished; ronotum transverse, strongly delta-shaped with strong medial longitudinal sulcus anteriorly with numerous long white setae; shoulders pointed, strongly humped in lateral view; mesoscutum very short, 3 xwider than long; medial length approximately equivalent to pronotum and scutellum; admedian depressions short, deep grooves, extending posteriorly beyond anterior apex of notauli; notauli align with grooves on either side of the narrow mesoscutellar disc; axillar carinae expanded into thick ridge; axillae strongly and broadly excavated; posterior margin of scutellum strongly raised in lateral view; propodeum with foamy structures extending to T1; mesopleuron polished, dorsally with three incomplete transverse ridges; extremely longitudinally compressed, 5 xhigher than long; mesopleural carina moderately strong; foamy structures present posteriorly on metapleuron, concealing metapleural carina, metapleuron ventrally with dense patch of white setae; fore wing narrow, 3 xlonger than wide, brachypterous, reaching just beyond posterior margin of T2; submarginal vein of fore wing absent; wing microtrichia strong, needle-like; hind wing with a strong, thickened marginal vein.   Figure 32.  Sceliotrachelus braunsimale (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P030894b) Ahabitus, dorsal view Bhabitus, lateral view Chead, mesosoma, dorsolateral view Dhead, mesosoma, dorsal view Ehead, mesosoma, dorsolateral view Fhead, anterolateral view.   Figure 33.  Sceliotrachelus braunsimale (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P030894b) Amesoscutum, propodeum, metasoma dorsoposterior view Bhead, antennae, anterolateral view Chead, mesosoma, ventral view Dhead, mesosoma, ventrolateral view.   Metasoma.T1 transverse in dorsal view with dense row of setae on posterior margin overlapping T2; T2 large, as long as wide, 0.7 xmetasomal length, with anterior transverse furrow c. equivalent to length of T1, centrally situated, encompassing two-thirds of anterior tergite width; T2 anteriomedially polished grading into posterior micro-reticulate area, bounded anterolaterally by more strigate area.   Figure 34.  Sceliotrachelus braunsifemale (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P030898) Ahabitus, lateral view Bhabitus, dorsal view Chead, mesosoma, dorsolateral view Dhead, mesosoma, dorsoposterior view Ehabitus, ventral view Fforeleg.  Maleas in female, except for antennal configuration: eight funicular segments, first as long as second and third combined; second to seventh subequal in length, 2 xlonger than wide; ultimate segment longer than penultimate segment.  Diagnosis. The shape and colour pattern of the fore wings immediately distinguish this species from the other two species, which either have a much more brachypterous or normal fore wing shape. The hind wing costal margin has a thick band of black sclerotization that runs nearly the entire length of the wing, which is absent in the other two species. Strong genal and pronotal rugae are present, absent in the other two species. The mesosoma is the most longitudinally compressed of the three species with the pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum all extremely transverse and of equal length. Strong white setae are present on the occiput and pronotum. The mesoscutum is posteriorly strongly raised in lateral view; mesoscutum compressed, narrow 2.5 xwider than long, without raised carinae; pronotal shoulders taper to point; wings slightly shortened, extending just beyond posterior margin of second tergite, 3 xlonger than wide.   Figure 35.  Sceliotrachelus braunsifemale (CNCI) Ahabitus, lateral view (inset: data labels) Bhabitus, dorsal view Chead, mesosoma, dorsal view Dhead, mesosoma, lateral view Ehead, anterior view Fhabitus, anteroventral view.  Etymology. Named by Brues after the collector of the two type specimens, Dr Hans Heinrich Justus Carl Ernst Brauns, a medical doctor who practiced in Willomore in the Eastern Cape. The Brauns collection of Apocrita Hymenopterawas purchased by the Transvaal Museum (now Ditsong Museums of South Africa) for £1500 ( Kock and Krueger1972; Anonymous 2020; Biodiversity Explorer 2020). The Brauns collection includes over 10,600 species represented by about 70,000 specimens and approximately 900 types ( Ditsong Museums of South Africa 2018). However, a number of the types could not be found in the collections held at Ditsong, (Audrey Ndaba, Collections Manager, pers. comm. 2018) and their precise whereabouts is of concern.   Figure 36.  Sceliotrachelus braunsifemale SEM photos (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P030894c) Aocciput, posterior view Bocciput, pronotum, lateral view Cmesosoma, dorsal view Dmesosoma, posterodorsal view Epropodeum, T1, lateral view FT1, dorso-lateral view Gfore tibial spur and basal tarsal comb, axial view Hhind tibial spurs.  Distribution and habitat association  (Fig. 50).This species is currently only known from the Eastern Cape Province where the species is associated with three vegetation types that are endemic to the province. The following vegetation distributional summaries were extracted verbatim from Mucina and Rutherford (2006): Gamtoos Thicket (coastal basin of the Gamtoos River Valley, south of the Baviaanskloof Mountains and along some smaller river valleys such as that of the Kromme River; also found north of the Baviaanskloof Mountains in more xeric conditions on some low ridges south and southeast of Steytlerville; altitude 0-700 m). Sundays Noorsveld (mostly north of the Klein Winterhoek Mountains, centred around Waterford and the Darlington Dam and a smaller area from Jansenville westwards; also some patches south of this mountain range west of Kirkwood in the Sundays River Valley; altitude 100-600 m). Sundays Thicket (from the surrounds of Uitenhage and the northern edge of Port Elizabeth into the lower Sundays River Valley to east of Colchester and northwards to the base of the Zuurberg Mountains and stretching westwards north of the Groot Winterhoek Mountains to roughly the Kleinpoort longitude; also an extensive area north of the Klein Winterhoek Mountains including much of the Jansenville District and parts of the far-southern Pearston District and far-western Somerset East District; altitude 0-800 m).   Figure 50.Distribution of  Sceliotrachelusspecies. Blue circle:  Sceliotrachelus braunsi; red circle:  Sceliotrachelus karooensis; white circle:  Sceliotrachelus midgleyi. Biome map generated from Rutherford et al. (2006). The current distribution is likely to be an artefact of under-sampling and the species is expected to be more widespread in the Eastern Cape (Fig. 50).  Comments. The female specimen (Fig. 35) in CNCI has most of the long setae that are normally present on the head and mesosoma missing. These have clearly been dislodged, probably as part of a cleaning process. The specimen is unusually clean for a  Sceliotrachelus, specimens of which usually have some degree of a covering of exudate, presumably as a result of their association with the leaf litter habitat or host association. The basal remnants of the setal insertions are evident on close examination of the pronotum and occiput, and all other characters support the determination of this specimen as  S. braunsi. 1896-11-10 H. Brauns, Brues, Photographs South Africa Colony Algoa Bay Eastern Cape Holotype 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 H. Brauns & Brues & Photographs South Africa South Africa Algoa Bay Eastern Cape Paratype 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 South Africa South Africa 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 South Africa Eastern Cape 1 1 Eastern Cape 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 South Africa true Eastern Cape 1 1 Eastern Cape 2001-02-09 2001-02-16 2001-02-09 Pitfall Robertson, Tourle, Sundays Thicket South Africa -33.5184 Valley Bushveld 1 25.372551 Schilpad Laagte Farm 1 2001-02-09 2001-02-16 2001-02-09 Pitfall Robertson, Tourle, Sundays Noorsveld South Africa -33.51245 Valley Bushveld 1 25.410734 Blauwe Krans Farm 1 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 Robertson & Tourle & Sundays Noorsveld South Africa -33.51245 Valley Bushveld 1 25.410734 Blauwe Krans Farm 1 2001-02-09 2001-02-16 2001-02-09 Pitfall Robertson, Tourle, Sundays Noorsveld South Africa -33.51245 Valley Bushveld 1 25.410734 Blauwe Krans Farm 1 2001-02-10 2001-02-17 2001-02-10 Pitfall Robertson, Tourle, Sundays Thicket South Africa -33.552067 Valley Bushveld 1 25.050716 Februarie Farm 1 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 Robertson & Tourle & Sundays Thicket South Africa -33.552067 Valley Bushveld 1 25.050716 Februarie Farm 1 2001-02-10 2001-02-17 2001-02-10 Pitfall Robertson, Tourle, Sundays Thicket South Africa -33.546883 Valley Bushveld 1 25.051517 Februarie Farm 1 2021-01-01 2021-12-31 2021-01-01 Robertson & Tourle & Sundays Thicket South Africa -33.546883 Valley Bushveld 1 25.051517 Februarie Farm 1 1999-11-17 S. Steytlerville, Irwin, Gamtoos Thicket South Africa -33.564667 Wolwerkrall Farm 11 24.349167 Baviaanskloof Mtns. 1