Xiphentedon forceps, Gumovsky, 2023

Gumovsky, Alex, 2023, Revision of Xiphentedon Risbec, 1957 and Colpixys Waterston, 1916 (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with descriptions of new species from the Afrotropics, European Journal of Taxonomy 905, pp. 1-83 : 68-72

Xiphentedon forceps sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1D9FA7CD-075F-4D5C-8389-F18491055981

Figs 33–34

Diagnosis

As for the group, and also: entire antenna dark ( Fig. 33E ); head about 2.3× as wide as long in dorsal view; interantennal space without a process, gena not bulging ( Figs 33E , 34C ); fore tibiae with two pale stripes, mid and hind legs with tibiae darkened only basally, their first three tarsomeres pale, pretarsi dark ( Fig. 33A, C, F ); axillular projection sessile and bidentate ( Figs 33B , 34D ); median propodeal strip very wide Y-shaped, coriaceous, areas near nucha reticulate ( Figs 33D , 34B ).

Female

Pedicel plus flagellum about 2.0–2.3×as long as scape; flagellum with ovate-elongate segments; gaster 1.2–1.3 × as long as wide, ovate, syntergum transverse ( Fig. 34A ); metasomal petiole short, robust, slightly wider than long (1.2 ×), about ^/5 or ½ of propodeum ( Fig. 33D ); propodeum 1.6× as long as petiole; CC without setae on ventral side; WIP with broad red field along apical margin, followed by narrow blue, green and violet stripes, large red smoothly rounded patch ( Fig. 33G ).

Male ( Fig. 33F )

Antenna with funicular joints elongate, slightly more than 2.0× as long as wide, scape about 4.0× as long as wide.

Etymology

The specific name is associated with a conserved diagnostic character, the forceps-shaped projection on the axillula. The specific epithet is a noun that does not change with a changing generic gender.

Type material examined

Holotype

IVORY COAST • ♀; Lamto; 28 Aug. 1985; J.Y. Rasplus leg.; fauchage [sweeping]; CBGP.

Paratypes

IVORY COAST • 20 ♀♀; same collection data as for holoype; 1 Jun.–15 Nov. 1985; CBGP, MNHN • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; 28 Aug. 1985; CBGP • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; 29 Aug. 1985; MNHN .

BENIN • 1 ♀; Sékou; 13. Nov. 1993; G. Delvare leg.; CIRAD . REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Pretoria, “Tvl, ex twig galls on Plectranthus cylindraceus, SANC Pretoria ”; 10 Nov. 1985; S. Neser leg.; Database No. HYMC02755 ; SANC .

Description

Female

Length 1.6–1.8 mm. Dark green with blue tint at places. Legs: coxa black, mid trochanter pale, fore trochanter brownish, hind trochanter with dark metallic spot, femora dark, fore tibia with two pale stripes, which darken anteriorly; mid and hind tibiae narrowly darkened basally (on about ¼– 1/5); fore tarsi pale brown, first three tarsi of mid and hind legs pale and pretarsi of all legs darkened; entire antenna dark; wings transparent, venation pale brown; OMA dark, but paler (pale brown) than rest of gaster.

Head in dorsal view slightly more than 2.0× as wide as long; ocelli small; POL about 2.2× OOL. Occipital margin carinate, not very sharp. MDO: OOL: OCL in ratio 80:99: 64.5. Eye poorly pubescent.

Head in frontal view about 1.3× as wide as high. Face smooth above frontal sutures: upper border of this smooth area not quite reaching level of posterior ends of frontal sutures. Eye height/interocular distance in ratio 34: 30 or 35: 31; eye height 3.1–3.4× malar space. Surface between toruli poorly elevated. Width of oral fossa 2.2–2.4 × malar space. Distance between lower eye margin and antennal torulus slightly shorter than diameter of torulus. Scape about 5.0× as long as wide, 0.7× eye height; combined length of pedicel plus flagellum slightly more than 0.8× width of head; pedicel 2.0× as long as wide, 0.8–0.9 × F1. F1 and F2 about 2.5×, F3 1.7–1.8× as long as wide, clava 2.6 × as long as wide, with a short terminal spine.

Mesosoma 1.5–1.6 × as long as wide. Pronotal collar not carinate, pronotal shoulders wide, blunt. Prosternum bearing fine complete median groove on ventral surface, with protruding flange, anterior margin of which is bilobed. Mesoscutum about 2.0× as broad as long; mesoscutellum slightly longer than broad, 1.3–1.4× as long as mesoscutum. Axillula with bidentate, forceps-shaped projection.

Propodeum with coriaceous median strip (smooth in smaller specimens), delimited by sharp pliciform borders, which diverge anteriorly and subparallel posteriorly; submedian areas smoothly convex; lateral propodeal sulcus complete.

Spur of hind tibia as long as or slightly longer than width of tibia, spur of fore tibia about as long as width of tibia.

Fore wing about 2.0× as long as wide; CC asetose, 7.0× as long as wide, SC with 2 dorsal setae; MV slightly longer than CC, PMV as long as or slightly longer than STV; speculum broadly open below; apical marginal fringe just slightly longer than width of PR.

Metasomal petiole transverse, conical, its dorsal surface weakly sculptured. Gaster 1.5–1.7× as long as wide.

Male

Similar to female, except: metasomal petiole nearly 2.0 ×, scape 3.0–3.5×, pedicel about 1.5×, F1 (without peduncle) slightly more than 2.0 ×, F2 and F3 about 2.0 ×, clava about 3.0× as long as wide; combined length of pedicel plus flagellum slightly longer than width of head, which is about 2.5× as broad as long in dorsal view.

Biology

Associated with a gall former on Plectranthus cylindraceus in RSA.

Distribution

Ivory Coast, Benin, RSA.

Remarks

This species is distinguishable from X. gerardi sp. nov. in the possession of the narrowly basally darkened mid and hind tibiae (predominantly dark in X. gerardi ).

Figures

Fig. 33. A–B. Xiphentedon forceps sp. nov. A–D, H. ♀, holotype (Ivory Coast; CBGP). E. ♀, paratype (Ivory Coast; CBGP). F. ♂, paratype (Ivory Coast; CBGP). A, C, F. Habitus in lateral (A) and dorsal (C, F) views. B. Mesosoma in lateral view, the axillula is arrowed. D. Propodeum. E. Head in frontal view. G. Wings, WIP.

Fig. 34. Xiphentedon forceps sp. nov., ♀ (SANC, used for SEM). A. Body. B. Mesosoma. C. Head in frontal view. D. Axillula.