Metopius (Metopius) zuluanus BENOIT, 1965: 51

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 : 1662-1664

Metopius (Metopius) zuluanus BENOIT, 1965: 51

H o l o t y p u s: (♀!) M fongesi Zulul. W F Jones, Metopius hilaris var. zuluanus holotype 6 @ (Cape Town), type studied.

F u r t h e r m a t e r i a l: Namibia, Mahango Game Reserve , 1814´S 2143´E, 4♀♀ and 766 2-5.III.1994, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; Namibia, Popa Falls , Kavango, 1807´S 2835´E, 16 25.XI.1993, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; Namibia, Waterberg , 16 15-17.I.1993, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; Zimbabwe, Matopos Nat. Park , 2033´S 2830´E, 366 29.XI.1993, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Northern Prov., Lekqalameetse Res. , 2412´S 3020´E, 966 18.XII.1995, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, St. Lucia Park ( Charter´s creek ), 2812´S 3225´E, 366 7.II.1995, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Hluhluwe Game Res. 2802´S 3205´E, 1♀ 16 9-12.II.1995, 1♀ 5.XII.1995, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Hluhluwe Game Res. 2730´S 3120´E, 1♀ 16 4-6.II.1994, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Itala Game Res. , 2730´S 3120´E, 566 28.I.1994, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Itala Game Res. , 27 30´S 3120´E, 16 27-29.II.1994, leg. Göllner (Berlin) ; RSA, Natal, Itala Game Res. , 2730´S 3120´E, 266 19.II.1997, Falle 7, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Drakenberge Royal Natal National Park , 2843´S 2853´E, 16 9.II.1994, leg. Koch (Berlin) ; RSA, Thabazimbi 20 km north, 1♀ 23.II.- 17.III.1999, leg. J & R Oehlke (Eberswalde) ; RSA, Kw Natal S, 17 km SE Richmond , 1♀ 3.II.2000, leg. J. Halada (Linz) ; RSA, KW Natal, N Lowsburg Hala , 1♀ 9.II.2000, leg. J. Halada (Linz) ; RSA W, Cape N, EN of Clanwilliam, Doringbos, 4♀♀ and 16 11.X.1999, leg. M. Halada (Linz) ; Kenya, Tana nr, Taerda cams env., 0216´S 4013´S, 1♀ 13.IV.2006, leg. E. Jendek (Linz) ; Kenya, Voi ( Isavo ) environment, 2♀♀ and 2066 22.XI.-2.XII.1996, leg. M. Halada (Linz) ; Zimbabwe, 40 km S Chipinge, Mt Selinda , 16 13.XII.1998, leg. M. Halada (coll. Riedel) ; Mozambique, Sofala pr. 110 km NW Save , 16 7.XII.2003, leg. J. Halada (Linz) ; Zambia, Copperbelt pr., 25 km W Chingola 1600m, 566 16.I.2006, leg. R. Kmeco (Linz) ; Namibia, Tsumeb , 10 km SE Tsumeb, 1♀ 8.III.1990, leg. M. Schwarz (Munich) ; Guinea, Kindia env., 1♀ 30-31.I.2003, leg. J. Oehlke (Eberswalde) ; Tanzania, Mkonazi Game Reserve, Kisina Plot, 16 16.IV.-2. V.1996, leg. S. van Noort ( Cape Town ) ; Tanzania, Mkomazi Game reserve, Ibaya Camp, 358´S 3748´E, 2♀♀ 366 10-25.XII.1995, 2♀♀ 566 14.IV.-3. V.1996, leg. S. van Noort ( Cape Town ) ; RSA, Kwazulu-Natal, Itala Game reserve, Ngubhu house, 720 m, 1♀ 666 30.XI.- 7.XII.1999, leg. S. van Noort (Cape Town) .

D e s c r i p t i o n of ♀:

Body length 11-14 mm. Flagellum with 46-55 segments. Mandible with one tooth. Second maxillary palpomere globose, 1.1-1.3x as long as wide (fig. 39). Facial shield with slightly narrowed sides, with dense to scattered puncture and strong carinae, length 1.2-1.3x width, pointed below. Interantennal lamella high, with distinct subdistal impression and strong distal tooth. Frons with fine transveral striation or granulation, vertex punctate. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye, 0.4x as long as eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.3-2.1x its diameter.

Mesosoma with long whitish hairs. Pronotum coarsely punctate, without distinct striation ventrally, smooth in anterior third (fig. 42). Epicnemial carina above sternaulus running anterior and then parallel to mesopleural border up to subtegular ridge (dorsal part sometimes very weak or obsolete). Central area of propodeum narrowed apically, bottleshaped, with lateral carinae, length 1.2-1.5x width, apical carina obsolete, costula indistinct. Propodeum anterior to costula with smoothened surface. Hind femur length 2.5-2.7x height. Hind metatarsus 0.45-0.5x as long as hind tibia. Outer apical spur of hind tibia about 0.3-0.45x as long as hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws with small basal teeth. Areolet 2.0-2.3x wider than long, second recurrent vein with one bulla, reaching areolet in its middle.

First tergite with dorsal carinae in the basal half, with smoothend puncture in the apical half. Its spiracle with a shorter denticular or stronger spine-shaped ventral extension, with a strong apical lamella. Second and third tergites with dentiform posterolateral edges, following tergites with rounded edges ( fig. 7 ).

Color: Black, often head, mesosoma and metasoma ± reddish ( fig. 7 ). Flagellum reddish ventrally and brownish dorsally. Yellowish or reddish are palps, face, frontal orbit up to vertex, scape and pedicel beneath, upper margin of pronotum, subtegular ridge confluent with large spot on upper mesopleuron, prescutellar ridge, scutellum, postscutellum and posterolateral spot on propodeum, front and middle femora apically, front and middle tibiae and tarsi completely, apical spot on hind femur and spurs of hind tibia. Otherwise hind leg except coxa and trochanter reddish. Reddish are sometimes first tergite apically, sometimes fifth tergite, usually sixth tergite. First to fifth tergites with yellowish apical margins, these centrally narrowed ( fig. 7 ). Front wing darkened at apex, pterostigma yellowish.

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

Body length 11-15 mm. Flagellum with 51-57 segments, distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.4x its diameter. Face shield length 1.2-1.3x width, second segment of maxillary palps 2.0-2.1x longer than wide, Frons finely rugulose, matte. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye. Interantennal lamella with strong distal tooth. Epicnemial carina above sternaulus running anterior and then parallel to mesopleural border up to subtegular ridge. Area centralis of propodeum bottle-shaped, costula weak. Hind femur length 2.3- 2.5x height. Front and middle claws with basal teeth. Areolet 2x as long as wide, second recurrent vein in the middle, with one bulla. Second and third tergites about as long as wide.

Color: Black. Flagellum reddish ventrally, brownish dorsally. Yellow are palpi, mandible, labrum, malar space, face, wide frontal orbit up to lateral ocellus, scape, pedicel, upper margin of pronotum, anterior 2/3 of mesopleuron in the upper half, hind 2/3-1/2 of scutellum, prescutellar ridge, postscutellum, spot of lateral propodeum, hind half of first tergite, following tergites with apical bands (on second to fourth tergites 1/3 of length, on fifth to seventh tergites narrower), and parameres, front and middle legs, spurs of hind tibia, hind trochanter, hind femur basally and apically. Reddish are central half of hind femur (sometimes blackish), hind tibia and hind tarsus, edge of propodeum at hind coxa, hind coxa dorsally. Pterostigma yellowish, fore wings darkened at apex.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Widespread in tropical Africa, new for Guinea, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Namibia.

Figures

Figs. 5-8: Metasoma of ♀♀: (5) Metopius femoralis nov.sp. PT; (6) M. nigrithorax HT; (7) M. zuluanus BENOIT; (8) M. zuluanops nov.sp.