Mesa capensis ( LEPELETIER 1845)

Boni, M., 2013, Afrotropical taxa of the genus Mesa SAUSSURE 1892 (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae, Myzininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (2), pp. 1657-1744 : 1679-1680

Mesa capensis ( LEPELETIER 1845)

Tiphia capensis LEPELETIER 1845 , pl. 35, fig. 1 (Typus:?).

Mesa peringuey SAUSSURE 1892: 245. Lectotypus - South Africa = /Calvinia/ /Cap/ /41/ / Cosila peringuey n.sp. Sss / (blue autographic) /Type/ (red) /C.ne Saussure/MHNG!

Plesia (Mesa) capensis . TURNER (1908: 506).

Myzine nigrita TURNER 1910: 391-392 (type at MNHU).

Elis (Mesa) capensis: TURNER (1912: 709) .

Elis (Mesa) capensis: TURNER (1935: 348) .

Mesa capensis : JACOT- GUILLARMOD (1953: 17-18).

M a t e r i a l.. South Africa = (23) / Swart Doring R. Namaqualand – 2- 3.10.1966 S.A. M./ SAM (20) MZUF (3); (2) / 7-10 m SW of Matjiesfontein – 15.10.1966 S: A.M. / SAM; (1) / S. Afr. C.P. Genes 12 Oct. 1982 VB. Whitehead / SAM (2) / Tows R. – 16.10.1966 S.A. M./ SAM; (1) / Kamies Kron Namaqualand – Museum Staff Sept. 1930 / SAM; (5) / Augusfontein (Calvinia) C.P. – Museum Staff 9.1947/ / Mesa capensis (Lep) det 1948 CJ Guillarmod / /A003201/ / SAM; (1) / Nieuwouptville Braundkop SA Museum – Mus Staff Sept 1941 / /A003205/ SAM .

. South Africa = (1) / O’okiep S Warden 1884 / BMNH; (1) / M’fogosi Zulu L. WE Jone s 8.1912 / / Myzine klugii Westw Turn / /RE Turner det./ / Mesa capensis (Lep) det 1948 CJ Guillarmod/ /A003204/ SAM; (1) /Augusfontein (Calvinia) C.P. – Museum Staff 9.1947/ / Mesa capensis (Lep) det 1948 CJ Guillarmod/ /A003201/ SAM.

TURNER (1935) named the SAUSSURE’ s taxon under Elis (Mesa) capensis . JACOT- GUILLARMOD (1953) established the synonymy with Myzine nigrita.

TURNER (1912) discovered that figure of LEPELETIER’ s taxon do not show a Tiphia but effectively a member to the genus he called Elis ( Mesa ) at that moment. Both TURNER and JACOT GUILLARMOD agree on the interpretation of this species even though they did not examine the type (which probably has been lost) and the latter clearly argued: "... I followed Turner in the interpretation of this species although it is not certain whether the species as here understood is actually the same as Lepeletier’s, but, of all species known to me, it is the one that come nearest to Lepeletier’s description and figure". Here their interpretation has been followed. About the sex association JACOT GUILLARMOD himself asserts to have grounded the synonymy with M. nigrita upon geographical distribution without any definite proof, but it is really hard to harbour some doubt about his action.

Female ( figs 50-52 ) is probably the giant of the genus, getting 22 mm. Completely black it shows a blunt median longitudinal ridge on propodeal disk, instead of furrow like in all other taxa of the genus. Gradulus on 3 rd tergum. The hair is also normally brown/black almost throughout, lighter in some populations from Namaqualand. Male (figs 53-55) is completely black too, with ventrally prominent clypeal lamella, dark hair throughout, stout flagellomeri (many of them with prominent stout tyloida), tuft of strong black bristles on the sides of 7 th tergum.

Figures

Figs 1-3: Myzinum sp.: (1) head, lateroventral aspect, (2) head, ventral aspect, (3) first metamerus, lateral aspect. Fig. 4: Meria sp.: 1st metamerus, lateral aspect. Figs. 5-9: Mesa sp: (5) scape, (6) 5th flagellomerus, (7) forewing, (8) hindwing, (9) fore tibial spur; (1-3: scale bar "a": 1 mm; 4: scale bar "b": 1 mm; 7-8: scale bar: 2 mm; 9: scale bar: 0.5mm).

Figs 50-52: Mesa capensis: (50) habitus, (51) basal hind tarsomerus, (52) epipygium, Figs 53- 55: Mesa capensis:((53) gonosquama, (54) volsella, (55) aedeagus; (50: scale bar: 5 mm, 51: scale bar: 0,5 mm; 52: scale bar: 1 mm, 53,54,55: scale bar: 0.5 mm).