Ooderella botswanae, Gibson, Gary A. P., 2017

Gibson, Gary A. P., 2017, Revision of world Ooderella Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), with description of the first males for the genus, Zootaxa 4289 (1), pp. 1-74 : 57-58

Ooderella botswanae n. sp.

Figs 156–164

Type material. Holotype ♀ (USNM). “ BOTSWANA: Serowe | Farmer’s Brigade | February 1989 | malaise trap | Per Forchhammer / HOLOTYPE | Ooderella | botswanae | Gibson” . Holotype point-mounted by right acropleuron; entire; uncontorted.

Paratypes (3♀). Botswana . Same data as holotype (1♀ USNM, CNC Photo 2016-92). Serowe , II.1990, P. Forchhammer, malaise trap (1♀ CASC). Kenya. Rift Valley Prov., Nguruman , nr Sampu River, 753m, 1.90103°S 36.04804°E, Malaise trap nr base of Nguruman escarpment, 18.VIII–1.IX.2007, R. Copland (1♀ NMK).

Etymology. Based on the type-locality country.

Description. FEMALE (habitus: Fig. 158 ). Length = 2.6–[3.2] mm. Head ( Figs 156, 157 ) variably extensively green to reddish-violaceous, though usually more extensively to mostly green, and with yellowish ocellocular mark ( Fig. 157 ) and variably distinct, sometimes yellowish mediolongitudinal groove or sulcus within scrobal depression dorsally or between anterior ocellus and scrobal depression ( Fig. 156 ); in lateral view ( Fig. 158 ) comparatively highly convex with frontovertex quite abruptly angled relative to much longer face so broadest dorsally, and only slightly higher than long; in frontal view ( Fig. 156 ) almost 1.3× as wide as high; in dorsal view ( Fig. 157 ) about 1.3× as wide as long with interocular distance about 0.3× head width, and with OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 9: 17: 12: 6. Frontovertex entirely coriaceous-alutaceous to slightly imbricate-reticulate; uniformly setose with brownish setae. Scrobal depression ( Fig. 156 ) Π-shaped, higher than wide, with lateral margin directed dorsally from torulus such that with distinct though slender parascrobal region, and dorsal margin separated from anterior ocellus by about 2× ocellar diameter. Scrobal depression, scrobes and parascrobal region similarly meshlike reticulate to reticulate-rugulose, and only slightly more strongly sculptured than more reticulate-imbricate interantennal prominence. Interantennal prominence with sides inclined so as to be mediolongitudinally angular above level of about middle of toruli, and below about dorsal margin of toruli with comparatively inconspicuous pale to brownish setae as well as on lower face and parascrobal region. Mandible ( Fig. 160 ) bidentate with acute ventroapical tooth and broadly incurved dorsoapical margin. Labial and maxillary palps brown. Antenna ( Fig. 159 ) with scape yellow but pedicel and flagellum brown without distinct greenish luster; length of flagellum + pedicel about 1.8× head width; scape with ventral margin only slightly sinuous compared to straight dorsal margin so only slightly broader basally; length[width] of scape: pedicel: funiculars: clava = 64[11]: 25[9]: 8[7], 29[8], 31[9], 32[10], 24[12], 20[13], 16[15], 14[15]: 38[17].

Mesosoma ( Figs 161–163 ) dark brown to brownish-yellow except for dark region anterior to spiracle on pronotum, but usually with at least slight metallic lusters on posteriorly smoother part of mesoscutum and acropleuron under some angles of light. Legs ( Fig. 158 ) similar in color to mesosoma except mesotibia basally variably distinctly lighter and at least basal tarsomeres of mesotarsus and sometimes pro- and metatrochantelli paler, more whitish. Pronotum in dorsal view ( Figs 157, 161 ) with collar transverse-quadrangular, about 1.5× as wide as long, though with lateral margins diverging at least slightly anteriorly and sometimes anterior margin slightly sinuate such that anterolateral corners acutely angled, with dorsal surface flat to slightly inclined on either side of deep mediolongitudinal groove, and both collar and neck similarly inconspicuously setose. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 161 ) flat anteriorly and lateral lobes carinately angled within about posterior quarter; meshlike reticulate except smooth and shiny or only very obscurely meshlike coriaceous posteriorly in region between carinately angled lateral lobes; with comparatively dense region of posteriorly directed, slender-lanceolate white setae anteromedially between level of spiracles, less conspicuous, shorter, more hair-like, posteriorly directed white setae medially, and more conspicuous region of anteriorly directed slender-lanceolate white setae posteromedially in region between carinately angled lateral lobes ( Fig. 161 ). Scutellar-axillar complex ( Fig. 162 ) about 1.6× as long as basal width with hairlike setae somewhat darker brown or of similar color as cuticle; axillae reticulate and of similar size as scutellum (almost as long as scutellum excluding frenum and anterior width similar to greatest width of scutellum); scutellum longitudinally reticulate-strigose, elongate teardrop-shaped, about 3.8× as long as greatest width, with distinctly differentiated, smooth and shiny frenal area. Tegula with variably dark, uniformly distributed setae. Fore wing ( Fig. 162 ) extending to base of gaster, about 2.2× as long as maximum width, flat, lightly brownish-infuscate with brownish setae basally and hyaline with very slightly lanceolate white setae over about apical two-thirds except for dorsally bare costal cell and similarly wide bare region along leading margin of wing beyond submarginal vein; submarginal vein extending about 0.75× length of wing, straight, and distinctly separated from broadly rounded apical margin. Mesopleurosternum ( Fig. 163 ) with acropleuron bare but mesopectus uniformly setose with white setae; acropleuron mostly longitudinally striate-strigose, more finely medially and ventrally than dorsally, except variably distinctly meshlike anteroventrally and anterodorsally. Metacoxa ( Fig. 163 ) comparatively sparsely setose with white hairlike setae dorsally and with somewhat shorter, denser, slender-lanceolate white setae in basally widened region ventrolaterally, but bare longitudinally over outer surface. Propodeum ( Fig. 162 ) with carinate posterior margin broadly Π-like incurved to quite deeply, medially emarginate anterior margin so as to be transversely lunate and somewhat concave because foramen curved up; at most obscurely coriaceous, shiny, and bare except for a couple of white setae anterior to spiracle and line of white setae posterior to spiracle near base of gaster.

Gaster ( Figs 158, 164 ) brown except subbasally with paler, more whitish-hyaline region laterally on Gt1, syntergal flange apically somewhat paler and more translucent, and exerted part of ovipositor sheaths similarly pale; distinctly meshlike coriaceous with pre-syntergal tergites beyond Gt2 densely setose with multiple rows of setae of similar color as tergites; syntergum ( Fig. 164 ) only about as long as wide and shorter than penultimate tergite, with at least a couple of rows of setae differentiating apically bare, posteriorly rounded syntergal flange from convexly inclined, bare basal region; ovipositor sheaths extending only slightly beyond syntergal flange.

Distribution (Map 2D). Botswana, Kenya.

Remarks. Females of O. botswanae and O. capensis are very similar except for the key features given.

Figures

FIGURES 156 – 164. Ooderella botswanae n. sp. ♀. 156, head, frontal (2016 - 92). 157 – 160, holotype: 157, head and pronotum, dorsal; 158, lateral habitus; 159, antenna; 160, mandibles. 161, pronotum and mesoscutum (2016 - 92). 162 – 164, holotype: 162, scutellar-axillar complex to propodeum plus wings; 163, mesosoma, lateral; 164, gaster [insert: syntergum], dorsal.