Conophorisca littoriticus Desjardins, 2007

Desjardins, Christopher A., 2007, Phylogenetics and classification of the world genera of Diparinae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), Zootaxa 1647 (1), pp. 1-88 : 40-41

Conophorisca littoriticus Desjardins , New Species

( Fig. 64 )

Type Information: Holotype female ( SAM) “ South Africa, W. Cape, Walker Bay Nature Res., 34°27.41’S 19°21.39’E, 4 Oct–1 Nov 1997, S. van Noort and B. Fisher, WA97-Y63, Pitfall trap, Station 3, South Coast Strandveld , dominated by Indigofera brachystachya E. May. SAM-HYM-P020974.” Paratypes: ( SAM) 1 male , same data as holotype except “ May 17–June 14, 1997, Station 4, WA97-Y4, SAM-HYM-P020971,” 1 female, same data as holotype except “ Dec 26-Jan 24, 1998, Station 9, WA97-Y99, SAM-HYM-P020976”; ( USNM) 1 female, same data as holotype except “ 9 Aug–6 Sep 1997, Station 7, WA97-Y47, SAM-HYM- P020973,” 1 male, same data as holotype except “ 4 Oct–1 Nov 1997, Station 7, WA97-Y67, SAM-HYM- P020975.”

Description: Female. 2.6 mm. Color: Orangish brown to dark orangish brown with the following exceptions: Head brownish metallic green on upper face and vertex, gena brown, scape (except distal tip) brownish white, distal tip of scape, pedicel brown, anellus, F1 brownish white, F2 brownish white proximally to brown distally, remaining flagellar segments brown, distal 2/3 of procoxa and distal 1/2 of metacoxa white, femoral depression, mesepimeron, metapleuron, and dorso-posterior region of metacoxa with metallic green and blue highlights, gaster brown. Head: Subquadrate in frontal view, 1.1X as wide as high; eye bare, 1.5X as high as wide; head finely coriaceous; ocellocular: postocellar: mid-to-lateral ocellus distance: lateral ocellus diameter about 3.1:6:2.9:1; scrobe high, triangular, and deep, reaching from torulus to midpoint on mid-ocellus (midocellus partially in scrobe); scrobal basin and walls coriaceous-transversely striate; interantennal carina strong, reaching about 1/3 height of scrobe; toruli separated by slightly less than 1 torulus diameter; scape about equal to eye height; anellus reduced and partially fused to F1, 4.5X broader than long; ratio of scape: pedicel: anellus+F1: F2: F3 about 5.5:1.5:1.6:1.2:1, F4–7 each about as wide as long; clava 2-segmented, with segments 2 and 3 fused; malar sulcus absent, although faint sculptured depression present; clypeus strongly delimited laterally, finely delimited dorsally; clypeal margin bilobed. Mesosoma: Dorsally coriaceous; ratio of pronotum: scutum: scutellum: propodeum about 4.3:1:1.6:4.2; pronotum about 1.1X as wide as long; scutum 4x as wide as long; posterior scutellar margin smooth; metanotum smooth, polished band; propodeum coriaceous-striate; plicae absent; postspiracular sulcus wide and shallow, crossed by 2–3 transverse carinae; spiracle about 5X its own diameter from metanotum; spiracle facing postero-laterally; prepectus subtriangular, in same plane as pronotum; acropleuron and mesepisternum coriaceous, mesepimeron transversely striate; femoral depression well defined, anterior 1/2 of depression alveolate, posterior 1/2 transversely striate; anterior 2/3 of metapleuron coriaceous, posterior 1/3 alveolate; metapleuron fused to propodeum anterior to propodeal spiracle; meso- and metatibia ventro-distally spinose; one metatibial spur, 1.3X width of metatibia at point of insertion; metabasitarsus about 6.4X as long as wide, about 0.7X length of remaining tarsi; posterior margin of metacoxa distinctly transversely striate; metacoxa without setae; apterous, forewing reduced to small membranous area, hindwing apparently absent. Metasoma: 1.2X length of mesosoma; petiole about 1.6X as long broad, posterior 3/4 transversely striate, anterior 1/4 smooth; ratio of GT1: GT2–6: GT7: ovipositor sheaths about 19:1:2.3:3.3; GT1 dorsally covered with sparse, white setae (separated by 1–3X setal length), GT2–5 latero-ventrally with row of white setae, GT6–7, ovipositor sheaths covered in white setae; ovipositor smooth and pointed. Male: Same as female.

Etymology: littor-, meaning shore, for the coastal strandveld habitat in which the specimens were collected.

Distribution: South Africa (Western Cape Province).

Hosts: Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 59–64. Lateral habitus views: 59, Neapterolelaps viridescens; 60, N. mitteri; 61, Cerodipara sabensis; 62, Chimaerolelaps villosa; 63, Conophorisca littoriticus; 64, C. grisselli.