Scrapter luteistigma sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 6CECCB95-325C-4E9D-9A17-55FEED5B269F

Figs 11–12

Diagnosis

Both the female and male of S. luteistigma sp. nov. can be separated from all other species of this group by the bright yellowish stigma (Figs 11A, 12A).

Etymology

Named after the unique bright yellow stigma in the forewing of both males and females.

Type material (77 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♀, Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, road side, 170 m, 31°25'54" S, 18°55'16" E, 22 Aug. 2012, MK (SANC).

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 43 ♀♀, same data as holotype (SANC 5 ♀♀, NHML 25 ♀♀, RCMK 13 ♀♀); 1 ♀, idem, 20 Aug. 2010, MK (NHML); 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, idem, 15 Aug. 2011, MK (NHML 2 ♀♀, RCMK 1 ♂); 1 ♀, idem, 20 Aug. 2011, MK (NHML); 1 ♂, idem, 9 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 4 ♀♀, idem, 17 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 15 ♀♀, idem, 4 Sep. 2012, MK (NHML 12 ♀♀, RCMK 3 ♀♀); 6 ♀♀, Knersvlakte, 5 km N of Grootdrif, 195 m, 31°26'40" S, 18°56'23" E, 21 Sep. 2007, KT (NHML 2 ♀♀, RCMK 4 ♀♀); 2 ♀♀, idem, 24 Aug. 2008, MK (NHML, RCMK).

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.5–5.2 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 11C). Clypeus slightly convex with sparse fine and shallow punctation (i = 2–3 d); surface between punctures apically superficial and shiny, basally distinctly reticulate and matt (Fig. 11 C–D). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally light brown, ventrally yellowish-brown (Fig. 11C).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures densely reticulate, matt; disc sparsely (i = 3–5 d) and shallowly punctate (Fig. 11 E–F). Metanotum slightly shorter than basal area of propodeum, apically with narrow carinate depression (Fig. 11F). Propodeum broadly but finely carinate (Fig. 11F). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 11A).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation yellowish-brown, stigma bright yellowish (Fig. 11A).

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; fore and mid tibia basally with small yellowish spot. Vestiture greyish-white, scopa greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga narrowly translucent yellowish to reddish-brown (Fig. 11B). Discs of T1–T4 without hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 11B).

Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae yellowish-brown. Terga impunctate, densely sculptured and matt; T2–T4 with indistinct, narrow apical tergal depression (Fig. 11B).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.4–4.7 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, greyish-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antennal flagellum bright yellowish-orange, medioapically broadened (Fig. 12B).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc impunctate, strongly and densely sculptured, completely matt. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 12A).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation yellowish-brown, stigma bright yellow (Fig. 12A).

LEGS. Integument black, tarsi, tibiae and femora apically yellow, tibia on both sides with darker spots of variable size (Fig. 12A, E). Hind tibia basally slightly curved, apically broadened and with a dense tuft of short, white hair on the inside (Fig. 12E). Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga narrowly translucent yellowish-brown (Fig. 12C). T1 medially, T2 densely and following terga successively less covered with short, appressed scale-like hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 12C). Terga impunctate, densely sculptured and matt; terga with narrow apical tergal depression (Fig. 12C). S3–S5 without conspicuous apical hair fringes.

TERMINALIA. S7 (Fig. 12D) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 12F) as illustrated.

Distribution

The species is only known from the type locality in the Knersvlakte, a semi-desert plane in southern Namaqualand.

Floral hosts

Aizoaceae: Galenia sarcophylla .

Seasonal activity

August–September.