Nixonia pecki, Johnson & Masner, 2006

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 : 21-22

Nixonia pecki , new species

Figures 2, 3 , 52–55

DESCRIPTION: Holotype female. Length 6.4 mm; head, mesosoma, base of T1, T6 black, apex of T1, T2–T5 dark red; femora, tibiae, tarsi dark red; antenna entirely black; tegula black to dark brown; palpi light brown; wings infuscate throughout, dark gray.

Head (figs. 2, 3, 52–54) moderately transverse in dorsal view, width 1.6 times length; vertex coarsely punctate, with granulate microsculpture; OOL short, lateral ocellus separated from inner orbit by less than one ocellar diameter; POL 1.4 times LOL; occiput coarsely punctate, with granulate microsculpture; occipital carina strongly raised, massive, crenulate; frons (fig. 53) rugulose-punctate, shining, above toruli with dense transverse wrinkles; frons fairly broad, IOS equal to greatest length of eye; toruli separated by distance of approximately one-half diameter of torulus, frons between toruli not projecting, flat; rim of torulus evenly raised; apical margin of clypeus broadly convex; area below eye (in normal position of malar sulcus) with fine granulate microsculpture; cheeks laterad of malar area coarsely punctate, without longitudinal sculpture; mandible short, bidentate, upper tooth only slightly longer than lower, without dense basal tuft of setae; maxillary palpal segment 4 distinctly expand- ed medially, subtriangular; A1 finely reticulate, greatest width beyond apical 0.6 of segment; length of A3 1.1 times length of A2.

Mesosoma (figs. 2, 3, 52, 54) as high as wide, length 1.4 times height in lateral view; pronotal shoulders coarsely punctate; lateral surface of pronotum with fine longitudinal rugulosity; netrion punctate-rugulose, with strong longitudinal sculpture; mesoscutum deeply punctate, with fine reticulate microsculpture; parapsidal lines present; scutellum coarsely punctate, with reticulate microsculpture, without longitudinal sculpture; median propodeal tooth moderately wide, two times as long as wide, pointed apically, longitudinally carinate; upper mesepisternum with strong longitudinal sculpture; fine foveae separating mesepisternum and mesepimeron extending from base of wing to coxal cavity; lower mesepisternum coarsely reticulate-punctate; mesepimeral hook longitudinally keeled; tegula finely punctate; apex of R 1 in forewing almost reaching costal margin; apex of forewing slightly surpassing apex of T4; R in hindwing with tracheate section short, broadly separated from hamuli by distance greater than its length; tibiae with fine, semidecumbent spines on outer surface.

Metasoma (figs. 3, 55) 3.4 times longer than greatest width; T1 distinctly wider than long; terga longitudinally rugose; apical emargination of female T6 moderately large, width greater than depth, female T6 anteromedially with field of granulate microscupture.

DIAGNOSIS: This species may be distinguished from most other species of Nixonia by the massively expanded occipital carina and the red basal metasomatic segments in the female.

ETYMOLOGY: Named in honor of Stewart Peck, collector extraordinaire.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype female: BOTSWANA: Central Dist., Serowe, I.1985, P. Forchhammer, OSUC 146422 , deposited in SANC. Paratypes: BOTSWANA: Central Dist., Serowe, X.1984, P. Forchhammer, 1 female, X.1984, OSUC 146423 . SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng, Van Riebeek Natuurreservaat , 25 ° 52 9 S 28 ° 16 9 E, 5.I.1996, W. J. Pulawski, 2 females, CASENT 2042624, CASENT 2042622. Gauteng, Hartbeeshoek Radio Station , 25 ° 53 9 S 27 ° 41 9 E ,, 45 km WSW Pretoria , 10.I.1996, W. J. Pulawski, 2 females, 1 male, CASENT 2042621, CASENT 2042623, CASENT 2042619. Limpopo, Klaserierivier, Klaserie Nature Reserve, 30.I.1974, W. W. Middlekauff, 1 male, CASENT 2042625. Limpopo, Lapalala Wilderness Reserve , 23.51 ° S 28.17 ° E, 21–23.I.1987, R. B. Kimsey, 1 female, OSUC 146459 . Transvaal, Guernsey Farms, 15 km NW Klaserie ,

19–31.X.1985, S. Peck, J. Peck, malaise trap / flight intercept trap, 1 female, 2 males, OSUC 146419 , OSUC 146420 , OSUC 146421 . ZIMBABWE: Leighwoods , 20 ° 26 9 S 28 ° 15 9 E, 52 km SW Bulawayo , 31.XII.1995, W. J. Pulawski, 1 female, CASENT 2042620. Deposited in CNCI, CASC, UCDC, SANC .

Figures

Figs. 2–6. 2. Nixonia pecki, n.sp., lateral habitus (OSUC 146419). 3. N. pecki, dorsal habitus (OSUC 146419). 4. N. flavocincta, n.sp., antennomeres 1–5 (OSUC 146461). 5. N. krombeini, n.sp., antennomeres 1– 5 (OSUC 146436). 6. N. atra Masner, antennomeres 1–5 (OSUC 146405).

Figs. 52–55. Nixonia pecki, n.sp. (OSUC 146419). 52 Lateral habitus. 53. head, frontal view. 54. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view. 55. Apex of metasoma, dorsal view. Scale in millimeters.