Scrapter nanus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 9C2CAC47-4239-49B3-B7B1-DB8D2A0B780C

Figs 16–17

Diagnosis

The female of S. nanus sp. nov. can be separated from other species of this group by the combination of the following characters: head distinctly broader than long, supraclypeal area and clypeus densely and distinctly punctate, mostly finely sculptured and matt (Fig. 16 C–D), scutum densely but relatively finely punctate, metanotum apicaly without distinct carinate depression (Fig. 15 C–D), stigma brown, apical margins of metasomal terga black, terga densely and coarsely punctate (Fig. 16B). The male is characterized by an unmodified antenna, simple and black hind tibia and hind basitarsus (Fig. 17A), almost hairless, punctured and between punctures strongly sculptured abdominal terga (Fig. 17C, E) and form of S7 (Fig. 17D).

Etymology

Named for the small body size of the species.

Type material (172 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♂, 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, Fynbos, 770 m, 31°16'18" S, 19°02'55" E, 16 Aug. 2011, M. Kuhlmann (SANC).

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 13 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, same data as holotype (SANC 13 ♀♀, RCMK 2 ♂♂); 2 ♀♀, idem, 19 Sep. 2009, MK (RCMK); 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, idem, 13 Aug. 2010, MK (NHML 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, RCMK 1 ♂); 2 ♀♀, idem, 25 Aug. 2010, MK (NHML); 3 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, idem, 17 Aug. 2011, H. Erhardt (SANC); 2 ♀♀, idem, 29 Aug. 2011, H. Erhardt (SANC); 2 ♀♀, idem, 4 Sep. 2011, H. Erhardt (SANC); 17 ♀♀, 16 ♂♂, idem, 18 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂, idem, 24 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂, idem, 3 Sep. 2012, MK (RCMK); 3 ♀♀, idem, 5 Sep. 2012, H. Erhardt (RCMK); 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂, N. Cape, Fynbos, 15 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, near Farm Engelsepunt, 843 m, 31°14'08" S, 18°58'23" E, 13 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML) ; 4 ♀♀, idem, 23 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, N. Cape, Fynbos, 15 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Engelsepunt, 830 m, 31°14'31" S, 18°59'08" E, 22 Jul. 2003, KT (NHML) ; 2 ♀♀, idem, 23 Jul. 2003, KT (NHML); 1 ♂, idem, 26 Jul. 2003, KT (NHML); 1 ♀, 11 ♂♂, idem, 6 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 2 ♀♀, 12 ♂♂, idem, 7 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 7 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂, idem, 27 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 5 ♀♀, idem, 28 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 1 ♀, idem, 24 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML); 3 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, idem, 27–29 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 1 ♀, Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, road side, 170 m, 31°25'54" S, 18°55'16" E, 17 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK) ; 1 ♂, 20 km S of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Papkuilsfontein, Fynbos, 680 m, 31°33'16" S, 19°08'31" E, 27 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK) ; 10 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂, Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos, 380 m, 31°48'07" S, 18°55'00" E, 8 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK) ; 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, idem, 13 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, idem, 23 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 4 ♀♀, idem, 30 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK).

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.5–4.8 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. 16C). Clypeus convex with coarse and dense punctation (i = 1–2 d); surface between punctures apically superficially sculptured and shiny, basally

denser and slightly matt (Fig. 16 C–D). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally blackish-brown, ventrally yellowish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures superficially reticulate and slightly matt; disc densely (i = 1.5–2.0 d) and finely punctate (Fig. 16 E–F). Metanotum slightly shorter than basal area of propodeum, apically with broad carinate depression (Fig. 16F). Propodeum basally distinctly and broadly carinate (Fig. 16F). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 16A).

WINGS. Slightly brownish; wing venation and stigma brown.

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

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly narrowly translucent dark reddish-brown (Fig. 16B). Discs of T1 and T2 without hair, following terga with very short but increasingly more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 16B). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae blackish-brown. T1 densely (i = 0.5–1.0 d) but very finely punctate, between punctures superficially sculptured but shiny; T2–T4 superficially sculptured, with dense (i = 0.5–1.0 d) but slightly coarser, superficial punctation; T2–T4 with superficially sculptured but shiny, broad apical tergal depression (Fig. 16B).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.3–4.7 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. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally yellowish-brown except last three flagellar segments completely brown (Fig. 17A).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures densely reticulate and matt; disc sparsely (i = 2–3 d) and finely punctate. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 17A).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black, fore tibia anteriorly yellow, base of mid tibia with small yellow spot (Fig. 17A). Hind tibia apicomedially slightly swollen (Fig. 17A). Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly narrowly translucent dark reddish-brown (Fig. 17C, E). Discs of T1–T3 without hair, following terga with sparse and short but successively more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 17C, E). T1 and following terga densely (i ˂ 0.5–1 d), coarsely and irregularly punctate and strongly sculptured, matt; T2–T4 with broad, superficially sculptured but shiny apical tergal depression (Fig. 17C, E). S3 and particularly S4–S5 with long apical hair fringes.

TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 17B), S7 (Fig. 17D) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 17F) as illustrated.

Distribution

With one exception the species has only been found on sandy soils in Fynbos of the wider Nieuwoudtville area.

Floral hosts

Brassicaceae: white and blue Heliophila spp.

Seasonal activity

July–September.