Ceraphron onesimusi, Salden & Peters, 2023

Salden, Tobias & Peters, Ralph S., 2023, Afrotropical Ceraphronoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) put back on the map with the description of 88 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 884 (1), pp. 1-386 : 262-265

Ceraphron onesimusi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1421EE4D-A34C-4CF7-883E-9FF0B404261A

Fig. 75

Diagnosis

Scape 2.5× as long as pedicel, scape shorter than F1 and F2 combined, F6 2.0× as long as wide, sensillae on flagellomeres slightly shorter or longer than width of flagellomeres; preoccipital carina distinct; anteromedian projection of the metanoto-propodeo-metapecto-mesopectal complex absent; diffuse number of indistinct, basal longitudinal carinae on syntergum. Male genitalia: harpe sickle-shaped in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/gvc index 0.81; dorsomedial margins of harpes not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and virtually parallel to other harpe in approximately basal third, concave in approximately apical two thirds, apex of harpe pointed, oriented distomedially; harpe with at least one lateral seta restricted to apical quarter, lateral seta oriented distoventrally, not distolaterally; distolateral margin of gvc convex, more strongly descending dorsally; genitalia weakly sclerotized with strongest sclerotization at apex of harpe; genital length 1.53× gvc width; gvc width slightly more than gvc length; Weber length 3.00–3.39 × (3.39) genital length.

Etymology

The species is named after Onesimus, whose knowledge of variolation, a precursor of modern vaccination, is usually seen as the origin of this technique in North America. Onesimus was a slave of African origin. Onesimus is a slave name, the birth name is unknown.

Material examined

Holotype

KENYA • ♂; Western Province, Kakamega Forest; 00°19′49.9 N, 34°52′16.1 E; 1580 m a.s.l.; 1 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 15; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036990 .

Paratype

KENYA • 1 ♂; Western Province, Kakamega Forest; 00°21′4.4 N, 34°51′41.1 E; 1602 m a.s.l.; 7 Jun. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 2; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036991 .

Description

Male (N = 2 in morphometric measurements)

BODY LENGTH. 0.67–0.70 mm (0.67 mm).

COLOUR. Head brown, mesosoma light brown, metasoma light brown except anterior third lighter; scape and pedicel transparent-yellowish, flagellum light brown; legs transparent-yellowish; fore wing venation light brown, fore and hind wing disc slightly melanized.

ANTENNA. 11-segmented (ZFMK-HYM-00036991), flagellomeres cylindric; scape 2.5× as long as pedicel, scape shorter than F1 and F2 combined, F1 1.8× as long as wide, F1 1.8× as long as pedicel, F1 1.1 × as long as F2, F1 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F1 shorter than F9 (ZFMK-HYM-00036991), F6 2.0× as long as wide, F6 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F6 1.2× as high as F9 (ZFMK-

HYM-00036991); few small multiporous plates on flagellomeres, sensillae on flagellomeres sickle-shaped and slightly shorter or longer than width of flagellomeres.

HEAD. Head width 1.16–1.27 × (1.27) head height; head width 1.76–1.81 × (1.81) interorbital space; maximum eye diameter 1.38–1.44× (1.38) minimum eye diameter; head height 1.67–1.78 × (1.67) maximum eye diameter. Dorsal margin of occipital carina ventral to dorsal margin of lateral ocellus in lateral view; preoccipital furrow present; preoccipital carina distinct. OOL:POL:LOL 1.00:0.56– 0.61:0.56–0.58 (1.00:0.56:0.56); OOL 2.54–2.77× (2.77) lateral ocellus diameter. White, thick setae on upper face absent; supraclypeal depression present; lateral margin of torulus slightly raised; intertorular carina present; posterolateral processes of gena absent.

MESOSOMA, METASOMA. Mesosoma not compressed laterally. Head width 1.06 × mesosoma width; Weber length 225–244 µm (244 µm). Mesoscutum densely setose, setae curved backwards; median mesoscutal sulcus present; median mesoscutal sulcus adjacent to transscutal articulation; interaxillar sulcus absent (= scutoscutellar sulcus adjacent to transscutal articulation), scutoscutellar sulcus straight; dorsal axillar area setose, setae curved backwards; mesoscutellum sparsely setose, setae curved backwards or straight. Mesoscutum width 1.71–1.76× (1.71) mesoscutellum width; posterior mesoscutal width 1.41– 1.45 × (1.41) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 1.39–1.41× (1.41) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 0.96–1.00× (1.00) posterior mesoscutal width; Weber length 1.24–1.34 × (1.34) mesoscutum width; Weber length 1.57–1.63× (1.63) mesoscutellum length. Anteromedian projection of the metanoto-propodeo-metapecto-mesopectal complex absent; mesometapleural sulcus absent; posterior propodeal projection indistinct in ventrolateral view; posterior mesosomal comb absent. Basal transverse carina of petiole (on syntergum) present; diffuse number of indistinct, basal longitudinal carinae on syntergum; translucent patches on metasoma absent.

FORE WING (ZFMK-HYM-00036991). Length 3.09 × width; stigmal vein more than 3 × as long as pterostigma marginal length.

MALE GENITALIA. Genital length 72–75 µm (72 µm); Weber length 3.00–3.39 × (3.39) genital length; gvc width 47 µm; genital length 1.53 × gvc width; gvc width slightly more than gvc length; gvc width 1.12× distal gvc width. Proximodorsal margin of gvc straight; distodorsal margin of gvc slightly descending proximomedially ( Fig. 75C ); proximoventral margin of gvc concave; distoventral margin of gvc descending proximomedially ( Fig. 75A ); ventral area of gvc convex; dorsal area of gvc slightly convex ( Fig. 75B ); proximolateral margin of gvc ascending ventrally; distolateral margin of gvc convex, more strongly descending dorsally ( Fig. 75B ). Harpe sickle-shaped in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/ gvc index 0.81; lateral articulation site of harpe with gvc not flush ( Fig. 75A, C ); ventral margin of harpe slightly concave, dorsal margin slightly convex ( Fig. 75B ), lateral margin convex, widest point of harpe at lateral articulation site with gvc ( Fig. 75A, C ); dorsomedial margins of harpes not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and virtually parallel to other harpe in approximately basal third, concave in approximately apical two thirds ( Fig. 75C ), apex of harpe pointed, oriented distomedially ( Fig. 75A, C ). Harpe with at least one lateral seta restricted to apical quarter, longest lateral seta less than two thirds as long as harpe, lateral seta oriented distoventrally; harpe with at least two apical setae, longest apical setae less than two thirds as long as harpe, apical setae oriented distomedially and distoventrally; harpe with at least four median setae, longest median setae less than half as long as harpe, median setae oriented distomedially and distoventrally. Aedeagus + gonossiculus more than one third as long as harpe, apex of aedeagus + gonossiculus pointed ( Fig. 75A, C ) and dorsal to apex of harpe. Genitalia weakly sclerotized with strongest sclerotization at apex of harpe.

Female

Unknown.

Variation

Unknown.

Biology

Host unknown, specimens collected from leaf litter.

Distribution

Afrotropical: Kenya.

Remarks

Comparison with similar species

The sickle-shaped harpe of Ceraphron onesimusi sp. nov. resembles that of Cyoceraphron harpe sp. nov., but both species differ distinctly in various other characters and even belong to different genera.

Condition of type material

In the holotype, the head, mesosoma and metasoma are detached. The left antenna and the right F9 are missing (paratype ZFMK-HYM-00036991 was used for some antennal measurements). The wings and the posterior third of the metasoma are missing. The protarsi, left metatibia and metatarsi are missing. In ZFMK-HYM-00036991, the gvc is broken, thus measurements of the genitalia are taken only from the holotype.

Figures

Fig. 75. Holotype of Ceraphron onesimusi sp. nov. (ZFMK-HYM-00036990). A–C. Male genitalia in ventral (A), lateral (B) and dorsal (C) views. D. Habitus in lateral view.