Metopius (Ethimetopius) polyptichi BENOIT, 1965

Riedel, Matthias, 2016, Contribution to the genus Metopius PANZER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from Africa South of Sahara, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1635-1675 : 1655-1656

Metopius (Ethimetopius) polyptichi BENOIT, 1965

M a t e r i a l: Mozambique, Manicato pr., 70 km SE Chimoio, 16 23-24.XII.2003, leg. J. Halada (Linz) ; RSA, Mpumalanga, Blyde River Canyon, camp side, W of Mariep´s Kop, 2435´26.0´´S 3049´28.2´´E, 800 m, 16 25.XI.2008, leg. D. Bartsch (Stuttgart) .

D e s c r i p t i o n of 6:

Body length 19 mm, length of front wing 13 mm. Flagellum with 50 segments, all segments distinctly transverse. Mandible with two teeth, the lower one small and turned to the inner side of about 45. Second maxillary palpomere club-like, about 2.2x as long as wide. Facial shield transverse, width 1.1x length. Interantennal process triangular, carina with a small tooth internally, triangular groove in front of anterior ocellus, the groove with small longitudinal carina in the middle. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 2.0x its diameter. Genal carina faint near hypostomal carina.

Mesosoma covered with brownish hairs. Side of pronotum coarsely punctate, with striation ventrally. Mesoscutum coarsely punctate, depressed in front of prescutellar groove, notaulus indistinct. Scutellum transverse, coarsely punctate. Mesopleuron and metapleuron coarsely punctate, sternaulus distinctly impressed almost to hind margin of mesopleuron, with transversal ridges. Lateral carina of central propodeal area distinct in basal 0.3 only, costula present, apical parts of propodeum without distinct carinae. Hind femur length 2.7x height, hind tibia with longitudinal groove on the outer side, apically tooth-like expanded. Outer spur of hind tibia 0.36x as long as hind metatarsus. Areolet very oblique, second intercubitus with one bulla and about 4x longer than first intercubitus. Nervulus almost interstitial, second recurrent vein with two bullae.

Metasoma with transverse first tergite, 1.7x as wide as long, its sides almost parallel, spiracle without tooth-like extension ventrally, dorsal carinae reaching the apical third, slightly divergent. Second and third tergite distinctly transverse (1.9x and 1.6 x resp.), all tergites coarsely punctate.

Color: Completely black, front and hind wings darkened basally and frontally.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Zaire, new for Mozambique and RSA.