Muhaka icipe Buffington & Copeland, 2015

Buffington, M. L. & Copeland, R. S., 2015, Muhaka icipe, an enigmatic new genus and species of Kleidotomini (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae) from an East African coastal forest, Journal of Natural History 49 (43), pp. 2597-2607 : 2602-2604

Muhaka icipe Buffington & Copeland , new species.

Diagnosis

As in diagnosis of the genus.

Description

As in description of genus with: Head. Nearly glabrous with a few scattered setae on inner orbits of compound eyes, frons, kemnina (torular sculpture) and ankos (central depression on vertex); ocellar hair patches absent ( Figure 2D ). Genal carina absent, but blunt ridge present, glabrous. Longitudinal striae present along vertex, very weakly setose ( Figure 2A ). Lateral mandibular fold present along basal half of each mandible, containing a single, stout seta ( Figure 2B ).

Pronotum. Lateral aspect of pronotum smooth, gentle striae present posterior to lateral margin of pronotal plate, as well as ventral to pronotal trough ( Figure 2C ).

Mesoscutum. Glabrous and smooth except for pair of sparse setal lines along the length of the mesoscutum (in position of notauli) ( Figure 3A ).

Mesopectus. Upper and lower part of mesopleuron completely smooth, with a few gentle striae anteriorly; glabrous ( Figure 2C ).

Scutellum. Rim of plate miniscule, translucent; two setae located anteriorly ( Figures 2A and 3A ); dorsal surface of scutellum bifurcate posteriorly, margined both laterally and posteriorly (sct, Figure 2A ). Lateral bars slightly wider than long; ventral lobe present, smooth; auricle lightly setose ( Figure 2C ). Scutellar fovea elliptical, interior surface smooth ( Figure 3A ).

Metapectal–propodeal complex. Entire metapectus glabrous except for one to three long setae dorsally. Anteroventral cavity ellipsoidal, setose. Propodeum lightly covered in appressed setae ( Figure 2C ). Lateral propodeal carinae semi-parallel, slightly divergent, bowed at junction with auxiliary propodeal carinae; auxiliary propodeal carinae indistinct. Nucha heavily setose, deeply crenulate.

Wings. R 1 incomplete along anterior margin of wing; marginal cell elongate; trace veins absent, M vein represented by setal line extending to apical margin of wing. Apical fringe medium length, longer along posterior margin.

Metasoma. Hairy ring incomplete dorsally ( Figures 2C and 3A ). Distinct longitudinal striae present posterior to hairy ring ( Figure 3A ). Micropunctures absent on syntergum, sparsely present on remaining terga.

Etymology

icipe in honour of ICIPE, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology; it is a noun in apposition. ICIPE has been, and continues to be, a leader of entomological research in Africa.

Biology

Unknown. This species was collected in a 6 m Malaise trap set inside Muhaka Forest ( Figure 3D ).

Material examined

Holotype, male. KENYA, Coast Prov. , Muhaka Forest , 52 m, 4.32530°S, 39.52345°E, 6 m Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 30 May–19 June 2013, R.

Copeland. USNMENT 01022113. Deposited in NMKE. Paratypes , males: same data as holotype. USNMENT 01022107. Deposited in USNM ; KENYA, Coast Prov. , Muhaka Forest , 52 m, 4.32530°S, 39.52345°E, 6 m Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 27–30 May 2013, R. Copeland. USNMENT 00917892. Deposited in SAMC .

Figures

Figure 2. Scanning electron micrographs of Muhaka icipe Buffington and Copeland, n. gen., n. sp. (holotype specimen). (A) Head and mesosoma, dorsal view; (B) head, anteroventral view; (C) head and mesosoma, dorsolateral view; (D) head and pronotum, anterolateral view. Abbreviations: ank, ankos; kem, kemnina; sct, bifurcate posterior margin of scutellum.

Figure 3. Habitus and habitat images of Muhaka icipe Buffington and Copeland, n. gen., n. sp. (A) Dorsal habitus, with inset of scutellar and propodeal morphology; (B) lateral habitus (holotype specimen); (C) fore wing, bright-field illumination; (D) Muhaka Forest 6 m Malaise trap.