Gonatopus cornutus (Benoit, 1951) Olmi, 2007

Olmi, Massimo, 2007, New species of Afrotropical Dryinidae (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea), with description of a new genus and a new subfamily, African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 199-232 : 218-220

Gonatopus cornutus (Benoit, 1951) , comb. n.

Figs 21–25

Pseudogonatopus cornutus Benoit, 1951 b: 159 (Type locality: South Africa, Western Cape, Swellendam );

Olmi 1984: 1803.

P. cornutus (Benoit, 1951) was known only on the basis of the male holotype. As the systematics of Dryinidae was mainly based on females, in my revision of world dryinids

(Olmi 1984), I considered this species incertae sedis, because it was not possible to attribute it to a genus, in spite of the association to Pseudogonatopus proposed by Benoit. In 2006 I collected the female and male of this species in South Africa, Western Cape, Cederberg Mts. The discovery of the female permitted the attribution of this species to Gonatopus . The description of the female is presented here, together with an updated description of the male.

Description:

Female.

Apterous; length 2.31 mm. Completely yellow-testaceous, with petiole black and eyes grey.Antennae clavate; antennal segments in following proportions:7:4:6:6:5:5:4:3.5:3.5:6. Head excavated, shiny, smooth, without sculpture; frontal line complete; occipital carina absent; POL = 1; OL = 1; OOL = 5. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented; labial palpi 2-segmented. Pronotum shiny, smooth, without sculpture, crossed by transverse impression. Scutum less than twice as long as broad, without lateral points ( Fig. 21 ). Scutellum shiny, smooth, inclined. Metanotum hollow behind the scutellum ( Fig. 22 ). Metathorax + propodeum shiny, smooth, without sculpture, without track of median longitudinal furrow; posterior surface of propodeum transversely striate. Mesopleura shiny, smooth, without sculpture. Meso-metapleural suture distinct and complete. Fore tarsal segments in following proportions: 7:1.5:2.5:8:14. Enlarged claw ( Fig. 23 ) with small subapical tooth, 1 peg-like hair and 1 hair. Segment 5 of front tarsus ( Fig. 23 ) with inner short proximal serrate region and with 1 row of 14 lamellae; distal apex of segment 5 unusually very long, with group of 4 lamellae. Tibial spurs 1, 0, 1.

Male.

Fully winged; length 1.68–2.00 mm (holotype 2.00 mm). Head black, with mandibles testaceous; antennae brown; mesosoma black; gaster brown-reddish; legs browntestaceous. Antennae hairy, filiform; antennal segments of male from South Africa, Uitkyk Pass , in following proportions: 5:4.5:5.5:5.5:4.5:5:4.5:5:4.5:6.5; antennal segment 3 less than 3 times as long as broad: 5.5:2 (in a male specimen from South Africa, Uitkyk Pass ). Head shiny, hairy, strongly punctate, without sculpture among punctures; frontal line of holotype incomplete, short, visible only in front of anterior ocellus; frontal line of a male specimen from South Africa, Uitkyk Pass, absent; occipital carina absent; in male specimen from South Africa, Uitkyk Pass, POL = 4; OL = 1.3; OOL = 4.5; greatest diameter of posterior ocelli = 2. Vertex of head with two oval smooth and shiny areas situated on sides of posterior ocelli and occupying areas between posterior ocelli and eyes; these areas surrounded anteriorly by very high carina ( Fig. 24 ) and posteriorly by lower carina continuing on temples and behind ocellar triangle ( Fig. 24 ). Temples distinct, crossed by the above sharp carina parallel to posterior margin of eyes. Maxillary palpi 4-segmented; labial palpi 2-segmented. Scutum shiny, strongly punctate, without sculpture among punctures; notauli complete, posteriorly separated; minimum distance between notauli as long as greatest diameter of posterior ocelli (in holotype), or shorter than greatest diameter of posterior ocelli (1.3:2) (in specimen from South Africa, Uitkyk Pass). Scutellum and metanotum shiny, smooth, slightly punctate, without sculpture among punctures. Propodeum dull, slightly reticulate rugose, with areolae small; dorsal surface with median longitudinal furrow; posterior surface without longitudinal or transverse keels. Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands, with only costal cell surrounded by strongly pigmented veins (other basal cells surrounded by less pigmented veins); marginal cell open; stigmal vein regularly curved, with distal part longer than proximal part (approximately 11:4). Dorsal process of parameres (Olmi 1984, fig. 1256; Fig. 25 ) short and slender, with distal apex pointed. Tibial spurs 1, 1, 2 .

Holotype:ơ “ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape, Swellendam, 17.xii.1931 – 18.i.1932, R.E. Turner” (BMNH). Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape, Cederberg Mts., Uitkyk Pass, 7.ii.2006, M. Olmi, 1^(MOLC); same locality label, C – 7.ii.2006, B – 9.ii.2006, E – 10.iii.2006, M. Olmi reared from an adult of Elginus saltus (Naudé) , 1ơ (SAMC); NAMIBIA: 89 km S Keetmanshoop, along Rd B1, C – 1.iii.2006, B – 2.iii.2006, E – 30.iii.2006, reared from a nymph of Aconurella compta (Naudé) , M. Olmi, 1ơ (MOLC); same locality label, C – 1.iii.2006, B – 5.iii.2006, E – 2.iv.2006, reared from a nymph of A. compta, M. Olmi , 1ơ (MOLC); same locality label, C – 1.iii.2006, B – 7.iii.2006, E – 6.iv.2006, reared from a nymph of A. compta, M. Olmi , 1 ơ (NNIC).

Hosts: In Namibia, Aconurella compta (Cicadellidae) ; in South Africa, Elginus saltus (Cicadellidae) .

Comparison: The morphological characters of the female G. cornutus suggest that it belongs to the G. incognitus group. The female of this species is similar to those of G. cuambensis Olmi, 2004 , G. upembanus Olmi, 1984 , and G. martellii Olmi, 2002 , but its segment 5 of fore tarsi has an unusually long distal apex ( Fig. 23 ). In contrast, in the other three species the segment 5 of fore tarsi has a short distal apex (Olmi 1984, fig. 1133; 2002, fig. 2; 2004 a, fig. 3). The male of G. cornutus is easily recognisable in having the high carina in front of the smooth areas situated on the sides of the posterior ocelli ( Fig. 24 ). This character is also present in G. ridens Olmi, 1984 , but the two species can be distinguished by the following differences: in G. ridens , notauli posteriorly joint, or separated, but very near, with minimum distance between notauli less than greatest diameter of posterior ocelli; scutum dull, granulated; in G. cornutus , notauli posteriorly separated; minimum distance between notauli as long as breadth of posterior ocelli; scutum shiny, punctate, without sculpture among punctures.

Figures

Figs 20–23. (20) Gonatopus maritimus sp. n., female holotype, chela, scale bar = 0.04 mm; (21–23) G. cornutus (Benoit), female from Uitkyk Pass: (21) mesosoma in dorsal view, scale bar = 0.26 mm, (22) mesosoma in lateral view, scale bar = 0.37 mm, (23) chela, scale bar = 0.04 mm.

Figs 24–26. (24, 25) Gonatopus cornutus (Benoit), male: (24) from 89 km S Keetmanshoop, head from behind, scale bar = 0.13 mm; (25) from Uitkyk Pass, genitalia, scale bar = 0.04 mm; (26) G. fortis sp. n., female holotype, head in dorsal view, scale bar = 0.22 mm.