Oxyscelio nemesis Burks

Burks, Roger A., Masner, Lubomir, Johnson, Norman F. & Austin, Andrew D., 2016, Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l.), part III: African fauna, ZooKeys 565, pp. 29-71 : 52-55

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Platygastridae

Oxyscelio nemesis Burks sp. n. Figures 52-57; Morphbank 23

Description.

Female. Body length 4.8 mm (n = 1).

Radicle color: darker than scape. A4: broader than long. A5: broader than long. Upper frons: not hood-like. Frontal depression sculpture: without transverse or oblique carinae below submedian carina. Median longitudinal elevation in frontal depression: absent. Major sculpture of gena anteroventrally: umbilicate-foveate. Major sculpture of gena posteroventrally: rugose; umbilicate-punctate. Microsculpture of gena anteroventrally: absent. Microsculpture of gena posteroventrally: granulate. Hyperoccipital carina: wrinkle-like. Median carina extending posteriorly from hyperoccipital carina: absent. Lateral connection between hyperoccipital and occipital carinae: absent. Area between vertex and occipital carina: umbilicate-foveate; umbilicate-punctate. Occipital carina medially: with nearly flat angular median portion. Lateral corners of occipital carina: sharp and protruding corners present.

Mesoscutum anteriorly: steep. Mesoscutal median carina: absent or incomplete. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: umbilicate-foveate. Major sculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: umbilicate-foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe anteriorly: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutal midlobe posteriorly: granulate. Major sculpture of mesoscutellum: umbilicate-foveate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum medially: granulate. Microsculpture of mesoscutellum laterally: granulate. Number of carinae crossing femoral depression: 4 or more. Mesepimeral sulcus pits: more than 5. Setae along anterior limit of femoral depression: arising from rows of foveae. Metascutellum dorsally: flat or convex. Metascutellar sculpture centrally: rugose. Metascutellar apex: convex or straight. Metapleuron above ventral metapleural area: crossed by carinae; foveate or rugose. Lateral propodeal carinae antero-medially: weakly diverging. Metasomal depression setae: present. Anterior areoles of metasomal depression: absent. Anterior longitudinal carinae in metasomal depression: absent. Postmarginal vein: absent. Fore wing apex: reaching apex of T5. Hind wing vein (Sc+R): not interrupted.

Carinae between T1 midlobe and T1 lateral carina: absent. T1 midlobe: with 4 longitudinal carinae. T1: without anterior bulge. T6: longer than broad. Metasomal apex: rounded. Major sculpture of T6: umbilicate-punctate. Microsculpture of T6: granulate.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes: Hyperoccipital carina wrinkle-like, not connected to occipital carina laterally; median carina between hyperoccipital and occipital carinae absent; occipital carina nearly flat medially. Mesoscutellum with granulate sculpture. Metasomal depression setose, without median carina; lateral propodeal carinae weakly diverging. Hind wing Sc+R vein complete. Female: T6 rounded apically.

Etymology.

Latin noun, genitive case.

Link to distribution map.

[http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=312620]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: NIGERIA: Oyo St., International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, XI– 1987, pan trap, J. S. Noyes, OSUC369379 (deposited in BMNH).

Comments.

Oxyscelio nemesis strongly resembles Oxyscelio io , and they both vaguely resemble Oxyscelio teli . These three species together may form a monophyletic species complex, but such a grouping would currently be difficult to fully distinguish from similar African species. It can be roughly defined by the medially more or less flat occipital carina, but this feature in Oxyscelio io is variable and sometimes not greatly different from that of some excluded African species.

The shape of the head of this species and the carinate margin of the antennal scribe make it superficially similar to the genus Baryconus Förster. The fore wing venation, however, makes it clear that this is an Oxyscelio : it lacks elongate marginal and postmarginal veins, and the stigma vein arises from the upturned apical portion of the submarginal vein.