Prosaspicera paragicida ( Benoit, 1956 ), 1979

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 42-44

Prosaspicera paragicida ( Benoit, 1956)

( Figs 1a, 2a, 15b & 16b)

Aspicera paragicida Benoit, 1956: 202–203 .

Prosaspicera paragicida (Benoit) Quinlan, 1979: 108 .

Type material: (1 ♀). HOLOTYPE female deposited in MRCA (Terburen, Belgium ), colelcted in ZAIRE, with the following labels: “Holotipus (pink label)”, “Cyn 1-40 (white label)”, “parasite de larves de Paragus borboticus ” (green label)”, “ Coll. Mus. Congo, Gandajika, 5-III-1948, P. Henrad ” (white label), “ Aspicera paragicida sp. n . Holotype ♀ P. L. G. Benoit det 1956” (white label), “ Prosaspicera paragicida ♀ (Benoit) det J. Quinlan 1977” (white label), “ Prosaspicera paragicida ♀ (Benoit) det Ros-Farré 1999” (white label).

Additional material (5 ♂ & 5 ♀). TOGO: 1 ♂ & 3 ♀ ( UB), 15-VIII-1989, Kolokopé , ex. Syrphe brune, P. Silvie col. ; 1 ♀ ( UB), 3-VIII-1992, Kolokopé , ex. Ischidon aegyptus, P. Silvie col. ; 3 ♂ ( UB), 24-VII-1992, Kolokopé , ex. Syrphidae, P. Silvie col.; TXAD : 1 ♂ ( UB), I-1985, Bebedjia , ex. Syrphidae larvae, Silvie col. ; UGANDA: 1 ♀ ( NHM), 8-III- 1969 in Kawanda , ex. Syrphid pupa, A. I. Mohyuddin col.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera paragicida is very similar to P. antennata . They are probably synonymous because the same characters used to separate them are variable in other species. However there is not enough studied material to synonymyze them. Prosaspicera paragicida has some oblique carinae on the frons ( Fig. 1a). Lateral surface of pronotum finely coriaceous quite densely pubescent, with small incomplete transverse carinae on ventral half sometimes ( Fig. 16b). Mesoscutum ( Fig. 15b) coriaceous, with very weak transverse carinae between notauli, which have coriaceous sculpture and transverse carinae inside. Parascutal sulcus very wide. Scutellar foveae deep and without posterior margin.

Redescription. Length. Females 2.4–3.1 mm.; males 2.5–2.8 mm.

Coloration. Head black. Mesosoma black with exception of the anterior part of scutellum, which is reddish black. Antenna light brown. Legs dark yellowish brown. Metanotum reddish black.

Head. Frons coriaceous, with oblique carinae dorsally. Lateral frontal carinae weak, slightly prominent ventrally, weak dorsally, area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina rounded behind eye, sometimes weakly angled in males. Gena not expanded, coriaceous, with some scattered setae, with transverse carinae in male. Vertex slightly concave, between coriaceous and smooth, with few weak carinae, in posterior part coriaceous with smooth areas, with two strong longitudinal carinae (three or four in males) on each side of median vertical groove, which is coriaceous. Ocelli slightly prominent, prominent in males. Occiput coriaceous with smooth areas and one transverse carina, some minor, weak and incomplete carinae ventrally.

Antenna. FEMALE. Subclavate. Antennal formula: 3(2): 1.8(1.9): 4(1.5): 4(1.5): 4(1.5): 4(1.5): 3.5(1.7): 3.5(1.8): 3(1.8): 3(1.8): 3(1.8): 3(1.8): 6(1.8). MALE. Less subclavate than in female, nearly filiform. Antennal formula: 3.5(2.2): 2(2): 5(2): 5(2): 5(2): 5(2): 4.5(2): 4.5(2): 4.2(2): 4(2): 4(2): 4(2): 4(2): 7.1(1.9).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum finely coriaceous quite densely pubescent, on ventral half sometimes with small incomplete transverse carinae. Subpronotal plate coriaceous with sparse pubescence. Mesoscutum with scattered setae, coriaceous, with very weak transverse carinae between notauli. Antero-admedian lines prominent, reaching almost 1/3 length of mesoscutum and parallel in posterior part; median ridge prominent and not divided before median mesoscutal furrow in females, weakly divided in males. Notauli narrow, coriaceous and transversely carinated. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth, sometimes with one or two weak transverse carinae in males. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, coriaceous, with scattered setae and continuing to anterior end of notauli. Mesopleura coriaceous on anterior 1/2, polished in posterior part. Scutellum 1.20 to 1.43 times length of scutum. Scutellar foveae deep, transversely oval, with weak to strong longitudinal carinae, and without posterior margin. Interfoveal line strong and going on to first 1/3–1/2 of the spine. Lateral carinae conspicuous in first 1/3 of scutellar spine. Scutellar disc coriaceous. Scutellar spine coriaceous on first 1/3, strigose distally and smooth at apex, in lateral view, in same plane as scutellar disc, rather straight and reaching between basal and R1 veins of wing.

Wings. Wing membrane hyaline. Radial cell 2.16 to 2.23 times longer than wide, 2.00 to 2.14 in males. Marginal pubescence starting near Rs and short. R1 almost absent, Rs straight.

Biology. Acoording to the labels data, this species appears on larvae and pupae of Syrphidae : Syrphe brune, Ischiodon aegyptius and parasite of larvae of Paragus ; collected from Paragus borbonicus according to Benoit (1956).

Distribution. Afrotropical. Originally described from Zaire; also from Togo, Txad and Uganda in this study.