Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972

Gumovsky, Alex, 2023, Revision of Xiphentedon Risbec, 1957 and Colpixys Waterston, 1916 (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with descriptions of new species from the Afrotropics, European Journal of Taxonomy 905, pp. 1-83 : 20-22

Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972

Figs 1F , 9E–F , 10

Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972: 203 .

Diagnosis

As for the genus, and also: large species (about 5.0 mm ♀, 3.0 mm ♂) with elongate mesosoma and gaster; body bright green, scape pale, only tip dark, rest of antenna dark, all legs, except for metallic coxae and darker pretarsi, pale( Fig. 10 ); axillula coarsely sculptured, with pliciform structures ( Fig. 9F ); median propodeal furrow with subparallel margins, coriaceous ( Fig. 1F ); propodeum with three to five setae on flange and posteriad spiracular tubercle; prosternum evenly curved, with a small transverse carina on its arc.

Female

Pedicel plus flagellum nearly 3.0 × as long as scape, pedicel 2.3×, scape 5.0–5.5× as long as wide, flagellum with elongate segments, F1 about 6.0×, F2 nearly 5.0×, F3 4.0 ×, clava about 5.0× as long as wide, with elongate clavomeres and with deep constriction between them; metasomal petiole transverse conical, slightly wider than long, with robust, evenly sloping metallic neck; gaster about 6.0× as long as wide, very long, syntergum in form of a broad parallel-sided stylus, 6.0–7.0× as long as wide; CC with one to three setae on ventral side; WIP with wide violet area apically, followed by some green and red narrow stripes.

Male

Antenna with five separate elongate funiculars, scape widened, about 3.3–3.4× as long as wide.

Female and male description

Bouček 1972.

Type material examined

Holotype

GHANA • ♀; Bodomase, E of Kumasi ; 420 m a.s.l.; 6.54° N, 1.14° W; 17 Aug. l967; S. Endrödy-Younga leg.; No 260; ex Pennisetum purpureum ; NHMUK 5.2175 .

Paratypes

GHANA • 14 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; NHMUK • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; ZISP • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; USNM .

Other material examined

CAMEROON • 10 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; Idenao , R. Sanje ; 4°14′ N, 9°00′ E; 13 May 2001; R.J. Post leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Yaoundé, Nkolbisson station ; 15 Dec. 1966; P. Bruneau de Miré leg.; CIRAD .

GHANA • 1 ♀; Kumasi , Kwadaso; 3 Mar. 1977; G. Scheibel reiter leg.; NHMUK .

UGANDA • 1 ♂; Semliki, ~ 4 km SW of Bundimasoli ; 17 Feb. 2013; A. Gumovsky leg.; dried marsh; DNA extract A08; SIZK .

Biology

Bred from languriid beetle larvae in stems of Pennisetum purpureum .

Distribution

Ghana ( Bouček 1972; this paper), Cameroon, Uganda (new record).

Remarks

The species is highly distinct: it differs from both C. necator and C. eburnus sp. nov. in general habitus: longer gaster and antennal segments, in particular.

Figures

Fig. 1. Propodeum. A. Entedon sylvestris Szelényi, 1981, ♀ (used for SEM). B. Entedon crassiscapus Erdös, 1944, ♀ (used for SEM). C. Entedon magnificus (Girault & Dodd, 1913), ♀ (SANC). D. Xiphentedon neserorum sp. nov., ♀ (used for SEM). E. Pediobius ropalidiae (Risbec, 1958), ♀ (paratype, MRAC). F. Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972, ♀ (paratype, NHMUK). Abbreviations: lc = lateral channel on sides of median carina; lp = lateral plica; ls = lateral sulcus of propodeum; mc = median carina; mf = median furrow; msc = metascutellum; mstr = median strip; smc = submedian carinae; spt = spiracular tubercle on propodeum.

Fig. 9. A, C–D. Colpixys necator Waterston, 1916 (NHMUK). B. C. eburnus sp. nov. (paratype, Ivory Coast; CBGP). E–F. C. gigas Bouček, 1972 (paratype, Ghana; NHMUK). A–B. Propodeum. C–D, F. Axillula. E. Head in dorsal view.

Fig. 10. Colpixys gigas Bouček, 1972, paratypes (Ghana; USNM). A–B. Habitus, ♀ (A) and ♂ (B). C. ♀, head, mesosoma and anterior part of metasoma.