Allophrys excavator Khalaim

Khalaim, A. I., 2013, Discovery of the South African fauna of Allophrys Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersicochinae), Zootaxa 3701 (3), pp. 329-343 : 336-338

Allophrys excavator Khalaim , sp. nov.

Figs 26–28 .

Comparison. Differs from other Afrotropical species of the genus by the mandible with the upper tooth much shorter than the lower tooth ( Fig. 26 ) and the very short malar space. It resembles A. tractor sp. nov. as both have a shortened upper mandibular tooth but differs, besides the structure of the mandible, by the darker flagellum ( Fig. 28 ), entirely granulate vertex, longer basal area of the propodeum, lack of the second recurrent vein, brown hind femur ( Fig. 27 ), and longer ovipositor sheath ( Fig. 27 ).

Description. Female. Body length 2.75 mm. Fore wing length 2.0 mm.

Mandible with upper tooth much shorter than lower tooth ( Fig. 26 ). Clypeus 3.5× as broad as long, smooth and shining, finely granulate and sparsely punctate near upper margin. Malar space almost 0.6× as long as basal width of mandible. Flagellum of antenna with second flagellomere almost 3.0× and subapical flagellomere 1.2× as long as broad ( Fig. 28 ). Face, frons and vertex finely granulate, dull; vertex also indistinctly punctate. Temple with very indistinct punctures, smooth and shining. Occipital carina mediodorsally invisible.

Mesosoma granulate, dull, partly with indistinct punctures; mesopleuron centrally almost smooth. Foveate groove long, almost horizontal, extending across centre of mesopleuron, reaching neither prepectal carina anteriorly nor base of mid coxa posteriorly ( Fig. 27 ). Propodeum with basal longitudinal carinae weak but distinct, parallel; basal area very long, rectangular, more than 3.0× as long as broad and 0.8× as long as apical area. Apical area flat.

Fore wing with second recurrent vein entirely absent. Brachial cell posteriorly open (posterior abscissa of postnervulus absent). Hind wing with nervellus slanted almost 30° from horizontal. Legs moderately slender; hind femur 3.8× as long as broad.

First tergite 4.1× as long as posteriorly broad, its upper margin in lateral view weakly and rather evenly rounded ( Fig. 27 ). Second tergite 2.3× as long as anteriorly broad. Ovipositor sheath about as long as first tergite.

Head black; clypeus dark brown on extreme lower margin, palpi and mandible (teeth reddish black) brownish yellow. Antenna with scape and pedicel brown, flagellum brownish black to black ( Fig. 28 ). Mesosoma and first metasomal segment black. Tegula brownish yellow. Pterostigma brown. Legs brownish yellow to yellow-brown; fore coxa brownish, mid coxa brown, hind coxa dark brown, hind femur and apical half of hind tibia brown. Metasoma behind first tergite dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. From the Latin excavare (excavate) on account of its unusual mandible shape.

Material examined. Holotype female (SAMC), South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Royal Natal National Reserve, Gudu Forest, S 28°40.9′, E 28°55.78′, 1680–1730 m, Malaise trap, 29.V–21.IX.2006, coll. M. Mostovski.

Distribution. South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal).

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 28. Allophrys dictator sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 21 — head with antenna, lateral; 22 — head, ventral; 23 — propodeum, dorso-postero-lateral; 24 — fore wing; 25 — hind wing. Allophrys excavator sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 26 — head, ventral; 27 — habitus, lateral; 28 — head with antennae, antero-lateral.