Anthobosca insularis F. Smith

Kimsey, Lynn S., 2009, Review of the Malagasy Anthobosca, the Bizarre and the Sublime (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Anthoboscinae), Zootaxa 2175, pp. 1-18 : 11-12

Anthobosca insularis F. Smith

Figs. 1 , 9 , 19 , 29 , Map 3

Myzine insularis Smith 1879:178 . Holotype Ƥ; Madagascar (LONDON).

Diagnosis. Anthobosca insularis is the largest bodied species of Anthobosca ; males range from 10–20 mm long and females from 20–30 mm in length. The size, amber wings and lack of whitish markings on the body will immediately distinguish it from all other species in Madagascar or elsewhere.

Male. Body length mm. Head: inner eye margin slightly emarginate; clypeus evenly convex medially, apical truncation broader than interantennal distance, medially indented; flagellomere I 1.4x as long as broad; flagellomere II 1.7x as long as broad; flagellomere XI 2.9–3.0x as long as broad; flagellum without tyloids. Mesosoma: hindleg unmodified. Metasoma: segment 1 longer than broad; segment 1 much broader than long; sternum VIII apical rim thickened, without marginal spines ( Fig. 1 ). Genital capsule ( Figs. 9 , 19 , 29 ): gonocoxa broadest medially and elongate ovoid in dorsal view; aedeagus broadest apically, about 3.7x as broad as long, apical lobes short, broad, narrowly separated; volsella dorsal lobe nearly erect behind dorsal lobe of gonocoxa extending toward paramere, obscured by paramere and gonocoxa in lateral view; paramere basally nearly 3x as long as broad and narrowest subbasally apical lobe 2.2x as long as broad, in ventral view. Punctation: dense, tiny. Vestiture: silvery on head and mesosoma, brown on metasoma. Coloration: body black, except head and sometimes pronotum dark reddish brown, with pale band along inner and outer eye margins, wing membrane dark amber tinted.

Female. Body length 26–28 mm. Same as male except flagellomere I 1.5x as long as broad; flagellomere II as long as broad, flagellomere X 3x as long as broad, body blackish, vestiture black.

Distribution. This species has only been collected in Ranomafana National Park and nearby in Fianarantsoa Prov. (Map 3). However, it must be very abundant throughout the year in these sites; more than 216 specimens were examined, collected in nearly every month. Interestingly only three of these hundreds of specimens were female.

Figures

FIGURES 1, 2. Ventral view of male sternum VIII. 3. Male face. 4. Lateral view of body. Abbreviation: t = tyloid.

FIGURES 5 – 14. Male genital capsule. ventral view. Abbreviations: gc = gonocoxa, pb = paramere base, pa = paramere apical lobe, pv = penis valve, v = volsella.

FIGURES 15 – 25. Male genital capsule, lateral view. Abbreviations: gc = gonocoxa, pb = paramere base, pa = paramere apical lobe, pv = penis valve, v = volsella.

FIGURES 26 – 35. Male genital capsule, dorsal view. Abbreviations: gc = gonocoxa, pb = paramere base, pa = paramere apical lobe, pv = penis valve, v = volsella.