Metopius (Ethimetopius) brevicornis SEYRIG, 1935: 31

Riedel, Matthias, 2016, Contribution to the genus Metopius PANZER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from Africa South of Sahara, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1635-1675 : 1639-1640

Metopius (Ethimetopius) brevicornis SEYRIG, 1935: 31 , new 6

M a t e r i a l: RSA, Hluhluwe Game Reserve , 2802´S/3205`E, 16 5.XII.1995, leg. F. Koch (Berlin) ; Zimbabwe, Salisbury , Chishawasha, 16 IX.1978, leg. A. Watsham (London) .

T a x o n o m i c a l r e m a r k: The 6 differs from M. latibalteatus CAMERON by its pointed facial shield, denticular extension of spiracle of first tergite, extensive reddish coloration and scattered puncture of hind coxa.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f 6:

Body length 14 mm. Flagellum with 48-50 segments, widest segments about 2x as wide as long. Mandible with two teeth. Second maxillary palpomere club-shaped, about 2.0x as long as wide. Compound eyes narrowed ventrally. Facial shield with slightly narrowed sides, with dense centrally almost confluent puncture and strong carinae, length 1.2x width, rounded ventrally ( fig. 14 ). Interantennal lamella high, with weak subdistal impression and without or with small distal tooth. Frons granulate, matte, vertex with fine puncture. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye, about 0.65x as long as eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.7x its diameter.

Mesosoma with long whitish hairs. Pronotum coarsely punctate, with coarse striation at anterior border. Epicnemial carina obsolete above sternaulus. Central area of propodeum wide, strongly narrowed behind, length 1.2x width, sometimes with median longitudinal ridge, apical carina usually present, costula indistinct. Hind coxa with scattered puncture, apical third almost smooth on outer side. Hind femur length 2.5x height. Hind metatarsus about 0.45x as long as hind tibia. Outer apical spur of hind tibia very short, about 0.3x as long as hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws with very short basal teeth. Areolet 2x wider than long, sessile. Second recurrent vein with one bulla, reaching areolet in the middle.

First tergite with dorsal carinae only in the basal half. Its spiracle with a small denticular ventral extension, lateral lamella behind spiracle distinct basally, but obsolete in the apical half. Second tergite with pointed posterolateral edges, third and fourth tergites with rounded edges.

Color: Black. Reddish are palps, mandible, labrum, clypeus, flagellum, spot on vertex, propleurum, anterior and upper margin of pronotum, tegula, subtegular ridge confluent with spot on upper mesopleuron (this spot sometimes centrally ivory), scutellum in apical half or completely and postscutellum, hind margin of metapleurum. Ivory or yellowish are face ( fig. 14 ), frontal orbit up to lateral ocellus, praescutellar ridge, dorsolateral spot on propodeum. First to third tergites red, third tergite partly black basally. Tergites 4-5/6 black, red laterally and apically, with apical ivory bands (about 0.2x the length of tergite), seventh tergite (sometimes also sixth tergite) red with very narrow ivory hind margins, hypopygium and claspers red. Front leg reddish, front tibia and tarsus with ivory stripe on outer side. Middle leg ivory, with femur more or less reddish. Hind coxa ivory, with anteroventral black spot. Hind trochanter ivory, hind femur reddish-black, with a large basal and smaller apical ivory spot. Hind tibia, its spurs an hind tarsus red. Pterostigma yellowish, wings yellowish, with darkened apex of front wing.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Kenya, new for RSA and Zimbabwe.

Figures

Figs. 13-18: Face and facial shield of 66: (13) Metopius alboornatus CAMERON; (14) M. brevicornis SEYRIG; (15) M. clathratus BENOIT; (16) M. rauschi nov.sp. HT; (17) M. ethiopicus nov.sp. PT; (18) M. rufigaster ssp. zambiense nov.ssp. HT.