Astata namibiensis, Jacobs, 2023

Jacobs, Hans-Joachim, 2023, Astata Latreille, 1796 (Hymenoptera, Astatidae) from Africa, south of the Sahara, Contributions to Entomology 73 (2), pp. 251-267 : 251

Astata namibiensis sp. nov.

Holotype.

Namibia • ♀ N Inlet to Omaruru, Iver (W of Omaruru), OAD C 36; 11-13.IV. 2000; Etr. Zabransky leg.; OLML.

Diagnosis female.

Astata namibiensis sp. nov. is characterised by the red metasoma. It differs from all other known African females with red metasoma by completely black legs. From A. tropicalis , it differs by the tridentate middle clypeal lobe; from A. tropicana and A. stevensoni by the dorsal surface of propodeum with erected setae; from A. lubricata by black legs and distinctly scattered punctures on anterior surface of mesoscutum.

Description female.

Habitus. Dorsal Fig. 19 , lateral Fig. 20 . Body length. 8 mm. Head. Black. Mandible black with brownish base. Middle clypeal lobe short, with straight anterior lamella, clypeus punctate. Frons with large, shallow and indistinctly limited punctures on shagreened ground (Fig. 22 ). Vertex smooth and shiny, with scattered punctures. Gena smooth and shiny, with very scattered punctures dorsally and very scattered setae ventrally. Occiput with scattered punctures, but denser than on gena. Antenna. Black. Antennomere I with dark bristles on inner surface, antennomere III about 4 × as long as apically wide. Thorax. Black. Tegula dark brown. Pronotum smooth with isolated punctures dorsally, finely striated laterally. Mesoscutum glabrous, shiny, densely punctate anteriorly, more scattered posterior (Fig. 21 ). Mesoscutellum smooth and shiny with scattered punctures, densely punctate laterally. Mesopleuron dull, with rough punctures and striae (Fig. 24 ); ventrally with stiff backward-directed bristles. Metapleuron smooth and shiny, with some indistinct rugae dorsally. Wings. Basal sclerite and veins dark brown. Forewing completely darkened. Marginal cell of forewing about 3.3 × as long as wide. Legs. Black, foretibia interior light brown. Forebasitarsus interior with bristles of equal length to the apex and fimbriae between them over the whole length. Midbasitarsus straight, inner surface with irregular long spines. Fore- and hindfemur with black setae, those ventrally of hindfemur about two thirds as long as maximal femur diameter. Propodeum. Black. Dorsal surface with erect setae, reticulate, dull; posterior surface reticulate like dorsal ones; lateral surface more widely reticulated, moderately shiny. Stigmal area of propodeal dorsum weakly developed, straight. Metasoma. Red, posterior margins of terga light brown, tergum V and pygidial plate dark brown. Terga with fine microsculpture, without punctures. Pygidial plate strongly narrowed apically, lateral border concave (Fig. 23 ).

Male unknown.

Figures

Figures 19 - 33. 19 - 24. A. namibiensis sp. nov. female holotype: 19. Habitus dorsal; 20. Habitus lateral; 21. Mesoscutum; 22. Head frontal; 23. Pygidial plate; 24. Mesopleuron. 25 - 27. A. ruficaudata male: 25. Habitus dorsal; 26. Habitus lateral; 27. Antenna. 28 - 31. A. rufitarsis male: 28. Habitus dorsal; 29. Habitus lateral; 30. Antenna; 31. Head frontal. 32 - 33. A. rufoatra sp. nov. male holotype: 32. Habitus dorsal; 33. Habitus lateral.