Axea eshu Valerio & Yoder

Yoder, Matthew J., Valerio, Alejandro A., Masner, Lubomír & Johnson, Norman F., 2009, Identity and synonymy of Dicroscelio Kieffer and description of Axea, a new genus from tropical Africa and Asia (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae), Zootaxa 2003, pp. 1-45 : 23

Axea eshu Valerio & Yoder , n.sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0827C1B1-D9C6-4CBC-BAD1-673B2E1AD6EA urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:223462 Figures 53–58; Morphbank38

General (Figs. 53, 54): Male body length: 1.8 mm (n=2). Head: Color of female head: unknown. Mandible color: mostly yellow to amber or orange yellow. Body color of male: dark brown to black. Lateral ocellus position: distant from compound eye (Fig. 58). Pilosity of medial frons between anterior ocellus and apex of torular triangle: absent, a small patch without setae clearly visible. Sculpture of medial glabrous area of frons: present, with horizontal to slightly arcuate striae or, if patch minute, then irregularly rugulose (Fig. 57). Mesosoma (Figs. 55, 56): Color of female mesosoma: unknown. Dorsal surface of lateral pronotal area adjacent to mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus: with uniform microsculpture only. Setae on netrion: absent. Notaulus: indicated by a row of pits. Metascutellum: projecting, more or less truncate, but with a narrow medial notch. Mesopleural depression sculpture: mostly transversely rugulose, larger fovea absent. Pilosity bounding anterior margin of posterior mesepimeral area: present along full length of margin. Legs: Coxae color: yellow (as in remainder of leg). Color of legs beyond coxae: uniformly yellow, without infuscations. Wings: Length of fore wing: surpassing posterior margin of metasoma. Hind wing submarginal vein: absent to spectral everywhere but basal stub that is nebulous to tubular. Metasoma: Color of female metasoma: dark brown to nearly black. Longitudinal sculpture of T1: carinate, parallel to subparallel, interspersed with fine rugulose sculpture. Female T1 horn: unknown. Anterior strip of T2: punctate, punctures nearly the length of strip, puncture borders confluent. Female T6 width to length ratio: unknown. Female T6 carinate basal extension of lateral spine: unknown. T6/S6 apical curvature: unknown. T6 posterolateral margin: unknown. S6 shape at tip: broadly rounded to very slightly angular, without obvious lobe.

Diagnosis. Known only from the male sex, but differing from all other known species of Axea by the large gap between the lateral ocellus and the compound eye (Fig. 58).

Etymology. Named in reference to the trickster god of the Yoruba people of West Africa.

Link to Distribution Map. 39

Material Examined. Holotype male: KENYA: Nairobi Game Park, Nairobi, Nairobi Area, 28.III.1980, D. Levin, pan trap (deposited in CNCI). Paratype: KENYA: 1 male, OSUC 167070 ( CNCI).