Platyplectrus pseudoornatus, 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 : 376-378

16. Platyplectrus pseudoornatus, Yefremova & Copeland sp. nov.

Figs 63–68

Diagnosis. Pronotum without carina on posterior margin. Occipital and post-occipital carinae absent ( Figs 64–65 ). POL 1.32× as long as OOL. Vertex with numerous white setae. Fore wing 2.6× as long as wide; F1 1.4× as long as pedicel and as long as F2. Clava 1.25× as long as F4. Petiole transverse. Body mostly yellow with dark patterning. Fore and mid legs whitish-yellow.

This species is similar to P. ornatus but differs from the latter in the following ways. It lacks the prominent longitudinal furrow bisecting the mesoscutum. The sculpture underlying the portion of the median black stripe on the scutellum is rugose in the new species while it is reticulate in P. ornatus . P. ornatus lacks the conspicuous dark longitudinal stripes on the inner and outer surfaces of the hind coxae, present in the new species ( Figs 62, 66 ). The black macula on the medial lobe of the new species is greatly expanded basally ( Figs 63, 65 ), while it is of nearly uniform width throughout its length in P. ornatus ( Figs 59–60 ).

Description. Female. Body size 2.3 mm.

Colour: Body mostly yellow ( Fig. 63 ). Head yellow ( Figs 67–68 ). face yellow, vertex covered by white setae, eyes light grey, ocelli light yellow, antennal scapus yellow, pedicel brown, flagellum brownish, occiput with large, oblong, dark brown stripe covering most of the surface ( Fig. 65 ), otherwise yellow. Pronotum basally with large, conspicuous brown-black umbrella-shaped marking covering basal 1/3–1/2 of surface, the rest bright yellow. Thin, straight, black stripe starting from just anterior to the posterior scutellar groove and continuing as a slightly enlarged stripe onto the median lobe of the mesoscutum, expanding greatly laterally to cover most of the median lobe ( Fig. 66 ) and ending at it base. A black lateral line runs from the base of the median lobe to the notaulus, and then turns posteriorly as a thin line covering approximately 1/4 of the notaulus channel ( Fig. 64 ). Propodeum yellow in middle covering the propodeal carina, laterally with broad black stripes ( Fig. 66 ). Petiole yellow, gaster yellow, with welldefined brown spots laterally on Gt 4–6. Fore and mid legs yellow–whitish, inner and outer surfaces of hind coxae with large, oblong, dark-brown markings ( Figs 63, 67 ). Hind tarsi brownish, including spurs.

Head: Malar sulcus present. Eyes weakly setose. Vertex and face with numerous white setae. POL 1.32× as long as OOL.Antennae inserted at the level of the lower margin of the eyes. Scape 4.2× as long as wide ( Fig. 68 ). Pedicel 1.4× as long as wide. Flagellomeres 1 – 4. F1 as long as F2, both 2.8× as long as wide, F3=F4, both 1.8× as long as wide, F1 and F2 1.1× as long as F3 and F4. Clava 3-segmented 2.2× as long as wide and 1.25× as long as F4.

Mesosoma: Pronotum smooth. Sculpture of scutellum and the apical part of medial lobe of the scutum rugose beneath the black stripe, rest of medial lobe underlying the black macula reticulate. Propodeum smooth, with median carina, anterior cup evident, appearing emarginate ( Fig. 66 ), callus with setae. Fore wing 2.6× as long as wide. SMV with 6 long setae. Speculum absent. SMV (24): MV (40): PMV (15): STV (9). Costal cell with numerous setae in 5 rows, and 2 setae in marginal row. Hind wing rounded apically. Hind tibiae with two spurs; TS1 1.2× as long as 1 st tarsomere and 2.3× as long as TS2. Petiole short transverse.

Gaster 2.0× as long as wide.

Male. Unknown.

Host. Unknown.

Holotype. Kenya, ♀, Gai Hill , near base of, 0.60992º S, 38.18894º E, 959 m, Malaise trap in indigenous forest, 7–21 Dec. 2021, R. Copeland, ICIPE 49494 ( NMK). Condition of holotype. Damaged after being described and photographed. Head, left mid and hind legs and right mid leg glued on card; left fore leg lacking tarsus, left midleg lacking femur, tibia and tarsus, otherwise thorax and abdomen excellent.

Etymology. The species epithet reflects the close relationship of the new species with P. ornatus .

Figures

FIGURES 62–69. 62. P. ornatus Ferrière. Head, frontal. 63–68. P. pseudoornatus sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 63. Lateral habitus. 64. Dorsal head and thorax. 65. Dorsal habitus. 66. Mesosoma, dorsal. 67. Habitus ventral, showing dark spots on underside of metafemur. 68. Head+antennae, frontal. 69. P. pyrrhomaculatus sp. nov. Holotype, Lateral 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).