Axea zanahary 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 : 41-42

Axea zanahary Valerio & Yoder , n.sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:883E4F43-4717-447F-952C-962488354069 urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:223989 Figures 119–124; Morphbank70

General (Figs. 119, 120): Female body length: 1.9 mm (n=1). Male body length: unknown. Head: Color of female head: black. Mandible color: mostly dark brown to black. Body color of male: unknown. Lateral ocellus position: touching compound eye. 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. 123). Mesosoma (Figs. 121, 122): Color of female mesosoma: black. Dorsal surface of lateral pronotal area adjacent to mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus: with conspicuous crenulations or scrobes. Setae on netrion: absent. Notaulus: indicated by an uninterrupted channel, with slight irregular sculpture along bottom. Metascutellum: projecting, broadly bilobed. Mesopleural depression sculpture: mostly absent, posterior margin with some transverse crenulation and minute punctures. Pilosity bounding anterior margin of posterior mesepimeral area: completely absent, or partially present dorsally. Legs: Coxae color: yellow (as in remainder of leg), or brown to dark brown (contrasting remainder of leg which is yellow). Color of legs beyond coxae: uniformly yellow, without infuscations. Wings: Length of fore wing: surpassing posterior margin of metasoma. Hind wing submarginal vein: tubular from wing base to hamuli. Metasoma: Color of female metasoma: dark brown to nearly black, or yellow to amber or orange yellow. Longitudinal sculpture of T1: carinate, parallel to subparallel, interspersed with fine rugulose sculpture. Female T1 horn: absent, sculpture more or less uniform throughout T1. Anterior strip of T2: nitid. Female T6 width to length ratio: wider than long (striplike). Female T6 carinate basal extension of lateral spine: absent. T6/S6 apical curvature: absent, sclerites more or less linear in lateral view. T6 posterolateral margin: without short spine or carinate expansion absent or apparently so (Fig. 124). S6 shape at tip: broadly rounded to very slightly angular, without obvious lobe.

Diagnosis. This single specimen differs from all others by the uniquely colored metasoma in which the margins are dark in contrast to the yellow more central portion (Figs. 119, 124).

Etymology. Named in reference to the supreme god of the Malagasy pantheon.

Link to Distribution Map. 71

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226881

http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/map-large.html?id=223989 FIGURES 119–124. 72 Axea zanahary , holotype female (CASENT 2133065). 119, dorsal habitus; 120, lateral habitus; 121, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 122, head and mesosoma, lateral view; 123, head, frontal view; 124, apex of metasoma, dorsal view. Scale bars in millimeters.

Material Examined. Holotype female: MADAGASCAR: Toliara Auto. Prov., Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park, 22°50'36"S 44°42'36"E, 770 m, BLF7505, tropical dry forest, 19.8 km (84°) E Sakaraha, 5–9.II.2003, yellow pan trap, Fisher, Griswold, et al., CASENT 2133065 (deposited in CASC). Paratype: MADAGASCAR: 1 female, CASENT 2136033 ( CASC).

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226918