Metopius (Metopius) audens TOSQUINET, 1896: 363

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 : 1638-1639

Metopius (Metopius) audens TOSQUINET, 1896: 363

H o l o t y p u s: (♀) [red] Type, ♀, 9036, [blue] Capland Krebs. (Berlin), type studied. syn. nov. Metopius nigroornatus CAMERON, 1906: 133 H o l o t y p u s: (6) Metopius nigroornatus Cam. Type Cape (Cape Town), type studied. F u r t h e r m a t e r i a l:Paralectotypeof Metopius discolor : (6) [red] Type, 6, [blue] Capland

Krebs. (Berlin), R.S.A., W Cape, S of Lamberts Bay, 16 7.X.1999, leg. M. Halada (Linz).

Paratype of M. alboornatus Cameron : (6) Johannesburg, Transvaal bred larva II 1904, imago III

1904 (Cape Town).

D e s c r i p t i o n of ♀:

Body length 12.5 mm. Flagellum with more than 35 segments (tips broken off), segments wider than long. Temple roundly narrowed, 0.8x as long as eyes. Interantennal lamella high, without distinct subdistal indentation, distal tooth large. Mandibel with one tooth. Eyes narrowed ventrally. Sides of facial shield not narrowed ventrally, pointed basally, coarsely punctate, length 1.1x width. Second maxillary palpomere club-shaped, 2.0x as long as wide. Frons with transverse striation, coarsely punctate. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.7x its diameter.

Mesosoma with whitish hairs. Side of pronotum punctate, with coarse striation anteriorly. Epicnemial carina not reaching above sternaulus. Area centralis of propodeum 1.6x longer than wide, with complete lateral carina and central longitudinal carina. Hind femur length 2.7x height. Hind metatarsus 0.45x as long as hind tibia, outer tibal spur 0.35x as long as hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws without visible teeth. Areolet shortly sessile, 2.0x wider than long, second recurrent vein lateral of its middle and with one bulla.

First tergite widest at base, with slightly narrowed sides to apex, spiracle with dentiform extension ventrally and narrow lateral lamella, dorsal carina strong and extended almost to apex. Second tergite 1.1x as long as wide. Second and third tergites with rounded posterolateral edges, following tergites with rounded edges.

Color: black. Flagellum reddish. Reddish are palps and flagellum. Yellow are face, facial shield except black central spot, frontal orbits up to anterior ocellus, subtegular ridge, praescutellar carina, hind margin of scutellum, postscutellum, small posterolateral spots on propodeum and on first tergite, narrow apical margins of all following tergites. Legs reddish, all coxae and apex of front and middle femora with yellow spots, hind femur at base and apex with yellow spots. Pterostigma yellowish-brown, wings slightly infuscate at apices.

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

Body length 14.5-15 mm. Flagellum with 51-53 segments. Mandible with one tooth. Second maxillary palpomere club-shaped, about 1.8-2x as long as wide. Facial shield punctate, centrally fine rugose, with strong rounded lateral carinae, length 1.1x width, strongly pointed below. Interantennal lamella high, with ± deep subdistal notch and distal tooth. Frons with fine granulation. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.5x its diameter. Temple roundly narrowed behind, 0.8x as long as eye.

Side of pronotum coarsely punctate, with striation anteriorly, smooth only at narrow anterior margin. Central area of propodeum wide, about as wide or wider than long, strongly rugose, with lateral carinae, apical carina lacking, costula indistinct. Hind femur length 2.6-2.8x height. Hind metatarsus 0.5x as long as hind tibia, outer apical spur of hind tibia 0.3-0.4x as long as the hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws with small basal teeth. Areolet 2.1-2.3x wider than long, shortly sessile or stalked, second recurrent vein in the middle, with one bulla.

First tergite with dorsal carinae in the basal 0.5-0.7. Spiracle with denticular extension ventrally.

Color: Black. Flagellum reddish ventrally. Ivory or yellow are palps, apical margin of labrum, facial shield (sometimes with black central spot), frontal orbit up to anterior ocellus, subtegular ridge, usually small spot on upper mesopleuron, prescutellar ridge, apical third of scutellum, postscutellum, narrow apical bands of first to sixth tergites (narrowed centrally). Legs reddish. Yellow are spots on front and middle coxae, apical spots on front and middle femora, stripes on outer sides of front and middle tibiae and tarsi, basal and apical spots on hind femur. Hind coxa basally black, apically red. Pterostigma yellowish-red. Front wing only slightly infuscate at apex.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: RSA.