Platyplectrus nyanzaensis, Yefremova & Copeland, 2023

Yefremova, Zoya A. & Copeland, Robert S., 2023, African Platyplectrus Ferrière (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Kenya, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5360 (3), pp. 355-384 : 373

13. Platyplectrus nyanzaensis, Yefremova & Copeland sp. nov.

Figs 52–54

Diagnosis. Pronotum without carina. Occipital carina present but well-developed only in middle ( Fig. 53 ). Eyes asetose. Scutellum smooth. POL 1.4× as long as OOL. Two brown setae between posterior ocelli. Antenna. F1 1.3× as long as pedicel and F2. Petiole short, cylindrical. Face yellow with dark stripes on scrobal grooves and vertex ( Fig. 54 ). All legs yellow.

Description. Female. Body size 1.5–2.2 mm.

Colour ( Figs 52 , 54 ): Body mostly yellow, head yellow including clypeus, scrobal grooves and vertex black, eyes light grey, ocelli light yellow; scape and pedicel yellow, funicle brownish, propodeum black, gaster yellow except Gt 4–6 brown, legs yellow.

Head: Malar sulcus present. Mandibles membranous. Two short pairs of setae present between posterior ocelli. Occipital carina present. Eyes asetose ( Fig. 54 ). POL 1.4× as long as OOL. Antennae inserted above the level of the lower margin of the eyes. Scape 5.9× as long as wide. Pedicel 2.3× as long as wide, with 2 pairs of long, brown setae. Flagellomeres 1 – 4. F1 1.4× as long as F2, F2 = F3, F3 1.1× as long as F4. Clava 3-segmented, 1.65× as long as wide and 1.3× as long as F4.

Mesosoma: Pronotum smooth. Mesoscutum and scutellum smooth. Propodeum strongly reticulate, with median carina and pronounced cup ( Fig. 53 ), callus with 3 setae in first row and 5 in second. Fore wing 2.9× as long as wide. SMV with 5 long setae. Speculum small along pterostigma. SMV (16): MV (22): PMV (12): STV (7). Costal cell with 4 short setae in 1 row and 12 setae in marginal row. Hind wing rounded apically. Hind tibiae with two spurs; TS1 1.3× as long as 1 st tarsomere and 1.33× as long as TS2. Petiole short cylindrical.

Gaster 1.7× as long as wide.

Male. Unknown.

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. Currently known only from Kenya.

Holotype. ♀, Kenya, Nyanza Prov. , Mbita, 0.44690° S, 34.20036° E, 1158 m, Malaise trap, indigenous woodland path, 27 Nov–11 Dec 2017, R. Copeland, ICIPE 2925 ( NMK). Condition of holotype excellent.

Paratypes. ♀, Kenya, Nyanza Prov. , Mbita, 0.44690° S, 34.20036° E, 1158 m, Malaise trap, indigenous woodland path, 13–27 Nov 2017, R. Copeland, ICIPE 2984 ( NMK) ; ♀, Kenya, Nyanza Prov. , Mbita, 0.44690° S, 34.20036° E, 1158 m, Malaise trap, indigenous woodland path, 27 Nov–11 Dec 2017, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) .

Etymology. This species is named after Nyanza Province, where the type material was collected.

Figures

FIGURES 46–53. 46–48. Euplectromopha variegata Ferrière. Type. Female. 46. Dorsal habitus. 47. Head +antennae+ mesosoma, fronto-ventral. Head, frontal. 48. Labels on pin. 49–51. P. nyambeneensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female.49. lateral habitus. 50. Dorsal habitus. 51. Head+antennae, frontal. 52–53. P. nyanzaensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 52. Lateral habitus. 53. Dorsal habitus.

FIGURES 54–61. 54. P. nyanzaensis sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 54. Head+antennae, frontal. 55–58. P. obscuratus Ferrière. Female. 55. Lateral habitus. 56. Dorsal habitus. 57. Head+antennae, frontal. 58. Scutellum, close-up of scutellum showing foveate grooves (arrows). 59–61. P. ornatus Ferrière. 59. Lateral habitus. 60. Dorsal habitus. 61. Dorsal mesothorax (not to scale).