Quartinia latigena, Gess, 2012

Gess, Friedrich W., 2012, The genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) in Southern Africa. Part VI. New and little known species both with complete and incomplete venation, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 24, pp. 95-115 : 107-109

Quartinia latigena sp. n. Figs 22-27

Holotype.

♂, SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: Nuwerus (31.08S, 18.22E), 17.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess) (visiting yellow flowers of Pteronia sp., Asteraceae ) [AMG].

Paratypes.

SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: same data as holotype, 5 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ [AMG].

Diagnosis.

Small to medium sized (3.2 - 3.6 mm long). Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu thin, the latter interrupted before reaching M. Tegula with posterior inner corner inwardly produced, anteriorly and posteriorly yellowish-white, medially usually dark ferruginous. POL: OOL= 1: ≥ 1. Temple unusually wide. Male with clypeus markedly contrasting and set off from frons by striking juxtaposition and sharp separation at suture of yellowish-white (of clypeus) and black (of frons); with broad paraocular streak carried upwards and narrowing to join (in some specimens) with crescent at bottom of ocular sinus. Sterna atuberculate.

Description.

Female ( Figs 22, 24, 26 ): Black. Yellowish-white (tending to be suffused with ferruginous) are: basi-lateral area of mandible; narrow crescent at bottom of ocular sinus; streak of variable size (almost effaced in one specimen) on temple; pair of variably sized streaks (almost effaced in two specimens) anteriorly on pronotum; postero-dorsal angle of pronotum; minute spot at top of mesopleuron (in two specimens only); tegula (except medially where ferruginous); postero-medial spot on scutellum; medially interrupted scutellar lamella; posterior bands, medially anteriorly produced and progressively narrower, on terga I - IV; apex of femur, most of tibia and basal four tarsomeres of all legs. Various shades of ferruginous are: mandibles (other than basi-lateral area); labrum; anterior border of clypeus (in some specimens only); antennae (dark above, light beneath); tegula medially; markings on femor, fifth tarsomere and claws of all legs.

Length 3.5 - 3.6 mm; length of fore wing 2.1 mm.

Head in front view 1.1 × as wide as long. POL: OOL = 1: 1.03. Temple unusually wide. Clypeus 1.68 × as wide as long; distal margin shallowly emarginate.

Head, mesosoma and gaster microsculptured (shagreened), moderately shiny; frons and vertex with small, well separated, inconspicuous punctures; pronotum and mesoscutum with punctures slightly larger and more conspicuous than those on head; gaster with small, inconspicuous punctures.

Male ( Figs 23, 25, 27 ): Black. Yellowish-white are: basi-lateral area of mandible; underside of first two flagellomeres of antennal club and basal part of third; clypeus (except small area below antennal socket, pair of indefinite ferruginous spots on up per half of disk and narrow broken transverse ferruginous line on lower half of disk) [clypeus markedly set off from frons by striking juxtaposition of yellowish-white and black at suture]; broad paraocular streak carried upwards and narrowing to join (in two specimens) with crescent at bottom of ocular sinus; large streak on temple; short, transverse anterior band drawn back along posterior margin of pronotum to postero-dorsal angle; streak on humeral angle; spot at top of mesopleuron; tegula (except medially where testaceous to ferruginous); postero-medial spot on scutellum; medially interrupted scutellar lamella; small spot to elongate streak on propodeal angle; posterior bands, laterally and medially anteriorly produced and progressively narrower, on terga I - VI; poorly defined posterior bands on most of sterna; apex of femur, most of tibia and basal four tarsomeres of all legs. Various shades of ferruginous are: mandibles (other than basi-lateral area); labrum; antennae (other than parts listed above); tegula medially; markings on femor, fifth tarsomere and claws of all legs. Ground colour of gaster varying from black to dark brown with ferruginous last tergum, sternum and parameres.

Length 3.2 mm; length of fore wing 2.0 mm.

Head in front view 1.26 × as wide as long. POL: OOL = 1: 1.15. Temple unusually wide. Clypeus 1.9 × as wide as long; distal margin slightly down turned and narrowly lamellate, very widely and shallowly emarginate. Labrum without any indication of median carina, pointed apically.

Tergum VII with disk evenly convex; with V-shaped apical incision and the lobes defining it rounded. Sterna atuberculate.

Surface sculpture as in female.

Etymology.

The name latigena serves to draw attention to the unusually wide temple in both the male and the female.

Geographic distribution.

Known only from the type locality in southern Namaqualand, in the Succulent Karoo of Acocks (1953).

Floral associations.

Asteraceae ( Pteronia ).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Figures

Figures 22 - 27. Quartinia latigena 22 ♀, lateral view (x 14) 23 ♂, lateral view (x 13) 24 ♀, dorsal view (x 14) 25 ♂, dorsal view (x 13) 26 ♀, head, front view (x 39) 27 ♂, head, front view (x 33).