Axea mena Valerio & Yoder

Yoder, Matthew J., Valerio, Alejandro A., Masner, Lubomír & Johnson, Norman F., 2009, Identity and synonymy of Dicroscelio Kieffer and description of Axea, a new genus from tropical Africa and Asia (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Platygastridae), Zootaxa 2003, pp. 1-45 : 29-30

Axea mena Valerio & Yoder , n.sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4C97710B-0CB3-40AD-9FED-0C6E3ECF979 urn:lsid:biosci.ohio-state.edu:osuc_concepts:223431 Figures 77–82; Morphbank49

General (Figs. 77, 78): Female body length: 2.8 mm (n=1). Male body length: 2.5–2.7 mm (n=2). Head: Color of female head: orange. Mandible color: mostly yellow to amber or orange yellow. Body color of male: yellow orange to orange laterally and ventrally, darkening to light brown to brown dorsally. Lateral ocellus position: touching compound eye. Pilosity of medial frons between anterior ocellus and apex of torular triangle: absent, a small patch without setae clearly visible. Sculpture of medial glabrous area of frons: present, with horizontal to slightly arcuate striae or, if patch minute, then irregularly rugulose (Fig. 81). Mesosoma (Figs. 79, 80): Color of female mesosoma: orange. Dorsal surface of lateral pronotal area adjacent to mesoscutal suprahumeral sulcus: with uniform microsculpture only. Setae on netrion: present. Notaulus: indicated by an uninterrupted channel, with slight irregular sculpture along bottom. Metascutellum: projecting, broadly bilobed. Mesopleural depression sculpture: mostly absent, posterior margin with some transverse crenulation and minute punctures. Pilosity bounding anterior margin of posterior mesepimeral area: completely absent, or partially present dorsally. Legs: Coxae color: yellow (as in remainder of leg). Color of legs beyond coxae: uniformly yellow, without infuscations. Wings: Length of fore wing: not or just reaching posterior margin of metasoma, or surpassing posterior margin of metasoma. Hind wing submarginal vein: absent to spectral everywhere but basal stub that is nebulous to tubular. Metasoma: Color of female metasoma: black. Longitudinal sculpture of T1: carinate, parallel to subparallel, interspersed with fine rugulose sculpture. Female T1 horn: absent, sculpture more or less uniform throughout T1. Anterior strip of T2: nitid, or punctulate. Female T6 width to length ratio: more or less equal in length (subtriangular). Female T6 carinate basal extension of lateral spine: short, not extending past 1/2 length of T6. T6/S6 apical curvature: absent, sclerites more or less linear in lateral view. T6 posterolateral margin: with sharp spine (Fig. 82). S6 shape at tip: broadly rounded to very slightly angular, without obvious lobe.

Diagnosis. Differs from all other species of Axea by the unique color pattern, with the head and mesosoma orange and the metasoma black.

Etymology. The specific epithet is from the Malagasy language referring to red or shades thereof.

Link to Distribution Map. 50

http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/map-large.html?id=223461 http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226868

http://atbi.biosci.ohio-state.edu/HymOnline/map-large.html?id=223431 Material Examined. Holotype female: MADAGASCAR: Antsiranana Auto. Prov., Binara Forest, 13°15'18''S 49°37'00''E, 375 m, BLF9557, tropical dry forest, 7.5 km (230°) SW Daraina, 1.XI.2003, Malaise trap, B.L. Fisher (CASC). Paratypes: 2 males. MADAGASCAR: CASENT 2042000, CASENT 2042888 (CASC).

FIGURES 77–82. 51 Axea mena , holotype female (CASENT 2132568). 77, dorsal habitus; 78, lateral habitus; 79, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; 80, head and mesosoma, lateral view; 81, head, anterior view; 82, apex of metasoma, dorsal view. Scale bars in millimeters.

http://www.morphbank.net/?id=226911