Nixonia, Masner. Thirteen, 1958

Johnson, Norman F. & Masner, Lubomír, 2006, Revision of World Species of the Genus Nixonia Masner (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Scelionidae), American Museum Novitates 3518 (1), pp. 1-32 : 7-8

KEY TO SPECIES OF NIXONIA

1 A2 longer than A3 (fig. 4)…………………2

– A3 longer than A2 (figs. 5, 6)……………5

2. Femora and tibiae yellow (figs. 32, 60); eye height at least 2.5 times IOS (figs. 7, 33, 61)………………………………………3

– Femora and tibiae reddish brown to black (figs. 24, 64); eye height less than 2 times IOS (figs. 25, 65)………………………… 4

3. Medial portion of posterior margin of pronotum, scutellar rim, tegulae, propodeal tooth, margins of T1–T4, tarsi yellow (figs. 32, 34); upper mesepisternum punctate (fig. 32); Namibia …………………… ……………………… N. flavocincta , n.sp.

– Mesosoma, metasoma black without yellow markings, tarsi dark brown (figs. 60, 62); upper mesepisternum longitudinally striate (figs. 60); Namibia ………………… …………………………… N. sicaria , n.sp.

4. Forewings extending at most only to middle of T4 (fig. 24); female metasoma with T2–T4 brick red, mid- and hind femora and tibiae reddish brown; South Africa ………………… N. corrugata , n.sp.

– Forewings longer, extending nearly to posterior margin of T5 (fig. 64); female body and legs entirely black; South Africa. …………………… N. stygica , n.sp.

5. A3 only slightly longer than A2 (fig. 5), length of A3 1.15 times length of A2………………………………………… 6

– A3 significantly longer than A2 (fig. 6), length of A3 1.4–3.1 times length of A2………………………………………… 7

6. Occipital carina not developed (fig. 30); female T6 irregularly carinate; female body and legs entirely black; South Africa …………………… N. elongata , n.sp.

– Occipital carina massive (figs. 3, 54); female T6 longitudinally carinate; female metasomatic segments 2–5 brick red; legs, except coxae, reddish orange; South Africa, Botswana ………… N. pecki , n.sp

7. Maxillary palpomere 4 cylindrical (fig. 8); mandible long, with lower tooth either absent or much shorter than upper (fig. 10), base of mandible with dense tuft of thick setae (figs. 22, 51)…………8

– Maxillary palpomere 4 with strongly expanded lateral lobe, width of palpomere nearly equal to its length (figs. 9, 73); mandible short, bidentate, lower tooth only slightly shorter than upper (fig. 11), base of mandible without dense tuft of thick setae……………………………… 10

8. Mandible unidentate, with no indication of lower tooth (fig. 22); legs orangeyellow; Somalia ……………… N. bini , n.sp.

– Mandible with short, but distinct lower tooth (fig. 10); legs black…………………9

9. Mesoscutum and scutellum with irregular, sharply defined rugulosities, with small setigerous punctures scattered over surface (fig. 50); tegula reddish brown, distinctly lighter in color than mesoscutum; Egypt …………………… N. priesneri , n.sp.

– Mesoscutum and scutellum covered by deep, confluent, large setigerous punctures (fig. 16); tegula black, concolorous with mesoscutum; Angola, Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe …………… …………………………… N. atra Masner

10. Fore- and midtibiae with numerous stout, semierect, dark spines over outer surface (fig. 41); propodeal tooth cordate, longitudinally carinate (fig. 40); scutellum longitudinally striate; female T6 deeply, narrowly emarginate posteromedially (fig. 39); large, 9 mm in length; South Africa ……………… ……………………………… N. gigas , n.sp.

– Fore and midtibiae at most with small, semiapressed spines; propodeal tooth parallel-sided and pointed or ligulate, usually with deep medial depression; scutellum areolate-punctate; female T6 with only shallow emargination posteromedially; moderate in size, 5–7 mm in length……11

11. Eye height distinctly larger than IOS (figs. 12, 43); mesoscutum with scattered punctures and wide interstices with dense mat microsculpture (fig. 44); India, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam ……… ………………………… N. krombeini , n.sp.

– Eye height subequal to or only slightly larger than IOS (figs. 13, 47, 57, 69); mesoscutum with dense large punctures and narrow interstices with shining surface; Africa……………………………… 12

12. IOS 0.9 times eye height (fig. 47); forewing with several streaks of heavy infuscation; body length 7 mm; South Africa …………………… N. lamorali , n.sp.

– IOS equal to eye height (figs. 57, 69) forewing with only moderate streaks of infuscation; body length 5.0– 5.5 mm … 13

13. Mesosoma, antennae, and legs entirely dark brown to black (figs. 68, 70); Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe ………… ………………………… N. watshami , n.sp.

– Pronotum, mesonotum, antennomeres 1– 3, and legs beyond coxae deep orange to reddish brown (figs. 56, 58); Namibia …… ………………………… N. pretiosa Masner