Leptacis trilineata, Buhl, 2014

Buhl, Peter Neerup, 2014, New species and new records of Platygastrinae and Sceliotrachelinae from Togo (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), African Invertebrates 55 (1), pp. 68-68 : 90-91

Leptacis trilineata sp. n.

Figs 39–42

Etymology: From Latin tres (three) and linea (lines); in reference to the three distinct lines of setae on mesoscutum.

Diagnosis: A middle-sized species with distinct hyperoccipital carina; female A4 fully 3.0× as long as wide, 1.3× as long as A3 and 1.2× as long as A5; A8–A9 each about 1.3× as long as wide; mesoscutum with three longitudinal rows of setae; fore wing 3.7× as long as wide, with marginal cilia nearly 0.3× width of wing; scutellum with a thin spine as long as propodeum; female metasoma 0.85× as long as rest of body.

Description:

Female.

Body length 1.1 mm. Body unevenly reddish brown, lower half of head yellowish brown, and scutellum lighter brown; A1–A6, mandibles, tegulae and legs including coxae light brownish yellow, A7–A10 dark brown. Head from above ( Fig. 39 ) 1.8× as wide as long, 1.1× as wide as mesosoma, smooth except for faint traces of transverse reticulation on lower half of frons; hyperoccipital carina distinct and complete. OOL slightly shorter than diameter of lateral ocellus. Eyes bare. Head in frontal view 1.1× as wide as high. Antenna ( Fig. 40 ) with A1 shorter than height of head (14:15), 1.4× as long as distance between inner orbits. Mesosoma 1.95× as long as wide, 1.25× as high as wide. Sides of pronotum smooth, each with only about 10 fine setae, most of them along upper margin. Mesoscutum with setae only just inside tegulae and in three distinct, parallel longitudinal rows: two complete ones near imaginary notaulic courses, one along middle but only present in anterior two-thirds; disc smooth, without notauli; hind margin with a very inconspicuous, small prolongation medially, at each side with about six short setae at anterior margin of two small scuto-scutellar grooves which contain more short setae. Mesopleuron smooth. Scutellum ( Fig. 41 ) almost smooth, rather densely setose, with a thin, straight spine reaching end of propodeal carinae. Metapleuron smooth and bare over most of surface, with dense white pilosity along hind margin. Propodeal carinae high, light brown, fused. Fore wing very slightly longer than entire body (about 67:65), 3.7× as long as wide, weakly infuscated, with fine and very dense microtrichia; marginal cilia nearly 0.3× width of wing (5:18). Hind wing 11.4× as long as wide; length of marginal cilia equal to width of wing. Metasoma ( Fig. 42 ) 0.85× as long as head and mesosoma combined, slightly longer than mesosoma (30:29), and about as wide. T1 swollen in most of anterior half, smooth behind, medially bare, with a longitudinal row of setosity on each side. T2 with two distinct tufts of pubescence basally to 0.15 of length. T3–T6 with weak reticulation along hind margin, having some very inconspicuous setae.

Comparison: This species is most similar to L. papei Buhl, 2011 , and it runs to that species in Buhl’s (2011 b) key, but L. papei has A4 fully 4.0× as long as wide, 1.7× as long as A3, mesoscutum evenly setose, mesopleuron with wrinkles in upper third, and fore wing only 3.2× as long as wide and with unusually thick microtrichia.

Holotype: ♀ TOGO: Région des Plateaux, NE of Badou, at creek Okpabè (07°35'19"N 00°07'17"E), 20.iv. 2008, 370 m, creek bank in remains of secondary rainforest, swept, M. von Tschirnhaus.

Figures

Figs 39–42. Leptacis trilineata sp. n., female: (39) head in dorsal view; (40) antenna; (41) scutellum and propodeal carinae in lateral view; (42) metasoma in dorsal view.