Diaparsis (Diaparsis) robusta, Khalaim, 2013

Khalaim, Andrey I., 2013, Afrotropical species of Diaparsis Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 127-127 : 152-154

Diaparsis (Diaparsis) robusta sp. n.

Figs 58–66

Etymology: From the Latin robustus (hard, firm, solid, robust); named after its short and robust ovipositor.

Diagnosis: Differs from other Afrotropical species of the genus by a combination of the following characteristics: short and robust ovipositor, impunctate or very indistinctly punctate dorsolateral area of propodeum and filiform flagellum with 17 or 18 segments.

Description:

Female.

Body length 4.0 mm.

Head strongly and roundly narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.75× as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna filiform, slender, usually with 17 segments (18 segments in one paratype); sub­basal flagellomeres about 1.8, mid flagellomeres about 1.5× and subapical flagellomeres 1.2–1.3× as long as broad. Mandible slender, with upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Malar space 0.9–1.0× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus lenticular, 2.6× as broad as long, almost entirely smooth (very finely granulate near upper margin), distinctly punctate in upper half. Face and frons granulate, dull, finely and densely punctate (punctures mostly indistinct because of granulation). Vertex and temple granulate, with very sparse, indistinct punctures. Occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma with mesoscutum granulate, finely and densely punctate (punctures mostly indistinct because of granulation). Notaulus substituted by a strong wrinkle. Mesopleuron granulate (granulation weaker centrally), finely but distinctly punctate centrally and rather indistinctly punctate peripherally. Foveate groove in anterior 0.6 of mesopleuron, not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron, strongly oblique, not especially deep, transversely wrinkled. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina usually by 1.5–2.0 diameters of spiracle (almost 4.0 diameters in one paratype). Propodeum with distinct basal keel which is 0.5–0.7× (0.55× in holotype) as long as apical area; dorsolateral area granulate, very indistinctly punctate, dull; apical area flat, rounded or roundly pointed anteriorly, granulate, impunctate; apical longitudinal carinae usually reaching transverse carina anteriorly (in one paratype apical longitudinal carinae incomplete, developed only posteriorly).

Fore wing length 3.0 mm. First abscissa of radius straight, longer than width of pterostigma. Metacarp not reaching apex of fore wing. Second recurrent vein postfurcal. Intercubitus equal to or sometimes somewhat longer than abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein. Hind wing with nervellus vertical or slightly reclivous.

Legs slender. Hind femur slightly clavate, 4.7× as long as broad and 0.86× as long as tibia. Spurs of hind tibia almost straight. Tarsal claws not pectinate.

Tergite 1 of metasoma slender, entirely smooth, almost 4.0× as long as broad posteriorly, without glymma and with petiole round in cross-section. Second tergite usually 1.8–2.0× (1.9× in holotype) as long as broad anteriorly (1.6× in one small paratype); thyridial depression 1.5–2.0× as long as broad. Ovipositor short and robust, weakly upcurved, with very shallow dorsal subapical depression; sheath as long as hind tibia and almost as long as first tergite (0.95× in holotype).

Head, mesosoma and tergite 1 of metasoma black.Antenna with scape and pedicel brownish yellow to brown, flagellum brownish basally to blackish apically. Palpi, mandible (except for reddish black teeth), lower 0.3 of clypeus and tegula yellow or brownish yellow. Pterostigma brown. Legs brownish yellow, mid coxa brownish, hind coxa dark brown, mid and hind tarsi infuscate. Metasoma behind tergite 1 predominantly brown to dark brown dorsally and yellow to brownish yellow ventrally, hind margin of tergite 2 (and often anterior margin of tergite 3) yellow dorsally.

Male. Unknown.

Variation: One paratype is rather small (body length 2.8 mm, fore wing length 2.1 mm), and flagellomeres somewhat shorter than in other specimens.

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: Louwsberg , iGwala-Gwala private nature reserve, 27°34.0'S 31°17.9'E, 1090 m, 2–3.vi.2005, M. Mostovski, yellow pan trap ( SAMC).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 3♀ same data as holotype (2♀ ZISP, 1♀ ZSM) ; 1♀ Louwsberg, Sanyati farm [= iGwala­Gwala private nature reserve], 27°34.0'S 31°17.9'E, 1090 m, 19–31.viii.2005, M. Mostovski, Malaise trap ( ZISP) ; 1♀ Royal Natal Nature Reserve, Gudu Forest , 28°40.9'S 28°55.78'E, 1680–1730 m, 29.v–21.ix.2006, M. Mostovski, Malaise trap ( ZISP) ; 1♀ same data but 29.i–28.v.2006, Malaise trap ( BMNH) ; 1♀ Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve, Rainbow Gorge , 28°57.60'S 29°13.61'E, 1480m, 30.i–28.v.2006, M. Mostovski, Malaise trap ( ZISP) ; 1♀ Karkloof , 29°19.1'S 30°15.5'E, 1325 m, 25.vii– 25.ix.2005, M. Mostovski, Malaise trap ( SAMC) .

Figures

Figs 58–63. Diaparsis robusta sp. n., ♀: (58–60) holotype: (58) habitus, lateral view, (59) antenna, lateral view, (60) head and mesosoma, lateral view; (61–63) paratype: (61) propodeum, dorsolateral view, (62) propodeum and tergite 1, dorsal view, (63) base of metasoma, dorsal view.

Figs 64–66.Diaparsis robusta sp.n., ♀ holotype:(64) head, frontal view; (65) head, dorsal view; (66) apex of metasoma with ovipositor, lateral view.