Dinapsis albicoxa Hedqvist 1967

van Noort, Simon, Shaw, Scott Richard & Copeland, Robert S., 2022, Revision of the endemic African genus Dinapsis (Dinapsini, Megalyridae, Hymenoptera) with description of seven new species, ZooKeys 1112, pp. 27-122 : 27

Dinapsis albicoxa Hedqvist 1967

Figs 1 , 3

Material examined.

Holotype. Madagascar • ♀; Mandraka; Feb. 1944; A. Seyrig; MNHN. Note: at some point this specimen was broken and incorrectly repaired with the head glued on backwards (the face is glued to the mesosoma) (see Fig. 3A ).

Additional non-type specimens examined.

Madagascar • 1 ♀; Fianarantsoa Province, 7 km W Ranomafana , -21.263064°, 47.383935°; 1100 m a.s.ls; 22-31 October 1988; W.E. Steiner leg.; Malaise trap in small clearing; montane rain forest; USNM • 1 ♀, Ivondro ; -18.238933, 49.366374; Dec. 1938; A. Seyrig leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀ Ranomafana National Park ; 10 Oct. 2014; 21°14'18.48"S, 47°23'40.50"E; 1138 m a.s.l.; Map Datum: WGS 84; photo only; photographed by Steve Marshall (Fig. 1 ) .

Distribution.

(Fig. 43 ) Madagascar.

Comments.

Dinapsis albicoxa is currently only known from a few localities in southeast Madagascar. The holotype locality (Mandraka) is situated east of Manjakandriana (Antananarivo Province) There is a tiny settlement (-18.905361, 47.920253) 10 km east of Manjakandriana near the Mandraka Catholic church. The Mandraka River runs through this region and there is a Mandraka waterfall in the area. Seyrig may have been referring to the river/waterfall area rather than the precise settlement. Ivondro is located in the Atsimo-Atsinanana region.

Dinapsis albicoxa is a distinctive species that is named for its white hind coxa (Fig. 1 ). The hind coxa is entirely white in the holotype, as well as the specimen examined from Fianarantsoa; however, the specimen from Ivondro has some brown colour basally and is not entirely white. To avoid confusion with any other Dinapsis species that may have white colour on the hind coxa apically, it is important to examine the characteristics of the mesoscutum laterally. Specimens of D. albicoxa have the mesoscutum with a strongly projecting lobe-like carina situated posterolaterally (Fig. 3C ) and darkly banded wings (Fig. 3F ). It should be noted that while the entirely white hind coxa is a useful diagnostic feature for D. albicoxa , there are several unrelated, undescribed species in the Dinapsis oculohirta species group that also have the hind coxa mostly white.

Figures

Figure 1. Dinapsis albicoxa female (Ranomafana National Park, 21 ˚ 14 ' 18.48 " S, 47 ˚ 23 ' 40.50 " E, alt. 1138 m, Madagascar). Photograph copyright Steve Marshall (used with permission).

Figure 3. Dinapsis albicoxa holotype female (MNHN). Note: at some point this specimen was broken and repaired incorrectly, with the face glued to the mesosoma A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C head (lateral view), mesosoma, dorsal view D head, dorsal view, mesosoma lateral view E head, posterior view F wings. Scale bars: 1000 µm (A, D, F); 2000 µm (B); 500 µm (C, E).

Figure 43. Distribution maps of Dinapsis species A country occurrences for the genus Dinapsis B specimen point data of described Dinapsis species plotted on a topographical relief map C Dinapsis species occurring in Madagascar and Mauritius, excluding the D. hirtipes species-group (specimen point data plotted on a topographical relief map) D Madagascan records of Dinapsis species in the D. hirtipes species group (specimen point data plotted on a topographical relief map).