Diaparsis (Diaparsis) minuscula, Khalaim, 2013

Khalaim, Andrey I., 2013, Afrotropical species of Diaparsis Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 127-127 : 143-145

Diaparsis (Diaparsis) minuscula sp. n.

Figs 34–37

Etymology: From the Latin minusculus (small, minor), after its small body size.

Diagnosis: Differs from other Afrotropical species of the genus by having a combination of long ovipositor, filiform 15­segmented flagellum, impunctate head and mesosoma and dark brown metasoma.

Description:

Female.

Very small species with body length 2.5 mm.

Head roundly narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.6× as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna filiform, with 15 segments; sub­basal and middle flagellomeres about 1.5× and subapical flagellomeres about 1.2–1.3× as long as broad. Mandible slen­der, with upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Malar space about 0.8× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus lenticular, 3.2× as broad as long, finely granulate and finely punctate in upper half and smooth in lower half. Face, frons and vertex granulate, dull, impunctate. Temple finely granulate, centrally almost smooth, impunctate. Occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma almost entirely granulate, dull, impunctate; mesoscutum and mesopleuron centrally (above foveate groove) with very fine, indistinct punctures; mesopleuron almost smooth centrally. Notaulus substituted by a short and sharp wrinkle. Foveate groove in anterior half of mesopleuron, strongly oblique, moderately impressed, with distinct transverse wrinkles. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by about 1.7 diameters of spiracle. Propodeum with basal keel 0.4× as long as apical area (anteriorly indistinct, with fine longitudinal wrinkles); apical area roundly pointed anteriorly, slightly impressed along midline; apical longitudinal carinae complete, reaching transverse carina.

Fore wing length 2.15 mm. First abscissa of radius straight, longer than width of pterostigma. Metacarp not reaching apex of fore wing. Second recurrent vein postfurcal. Intercubitus slightly thickened, about as long as abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein. Hind wing with nervellus somewhat reclivous.

Legs slender. Hind femur 4.0× as long as broad and 0.84× as long as tibia. Spurs of hind tibia spurs slightly curved. Tarsal claws not pectinate.

Tergite 1 of metasoma slender, entirely smooth, 3.9× as long as broad posteriorly, without distinct glymma. Second tergite 1.5× as long as broad anteriorly; thyridial depression 1.3–1.5× as long as broad. Ovipositor very weakly upcurved in basal 0.9 and strongly upcurved in apical 0.1, with very shallow dorsal subapical depression and two weak, rounded dorsal teeth in front of and behind this depression; sheath about 2.25× as long as hind tibia and 2.4× as long as first tergite.

Head and mesosoma black.Antenna with scape and pedicel yellowish brown, flagellum blackish. Palpi, mandible (except for reddish teeth), lower half of clypeus and tegula brownish yellow. Legs brownish yellow, coxae (especially hind coxa) brownish, hind femur slightly brownish centrally. Pterostigma brown. Tergite 1 of metasoma black with brownish hue. Metasoma behind tergite 1 dark brown to black.

Male. Unknown.

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve, Rainbow Gorge , 28°57.60'S 29°13.61'E, 1480 m, 30.i–28.v.2006, M. Mostovski, Malaise trap ( SAMC).

Figures

Figs 34–37. Diaparsis minuscula sp. n., ♀ holotype: (34) head, dorsal view; (35) antenna and ovipositor, lateral view; (36) propodeum, dorsolateral view; (37) apex of fore wing.