Xenapates togoensis, Koch, 2007

Koch, Frank, 2007, Three new species and three new records of Xenapates from Togo (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Tenthredinidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 111-120 : 115-118

Xenapates togoensis sp. n.

Figs 7, 8 , 13

Etymology: This species is named after Togo, its country of origin.

Description:

Female.

Head black with following yellow: fascial orbit, gena entirely nearly to top of compound eye, supraclypeal area, clypeus, labrum and mandible without brown apex; antenna black, outer part of scape and pedicel yellow, distal flagellomeres light brown ventrally. Thorax yellow; pronotum medially brown, mesonotum black, lateral margin of median mesoscutal lobe and mesoscutellar appendage yellow. Legs yellow; coxae whitish, distal tarsomeres brown. Wings slightly infuscate, at base narrowly somewhat darker; costa, subcosta, stigma, and rest of venation brownish black. Abdomen yellow; tergum 1 with two blackish medial spots, terga 6–8 blackish medially, sawsheath black, valvifer 2 yellow.

Head from above slightly narrowed behind eyes. Antenna 2.0× as long as maximum head width. POL:OOL=1.0:2.5–2.9 (2.7 HT). Postocellar area: width:length = 1.0:1.1 –1.2 (1.1 HT); lateral furrows convex, and divergent towards posterior margin of head. Frontal area slightly convex anterior cross-ridge indistinct, conspicuously interrupted medially; lateral furrows very slightly convex, and with supraantennal furrows connected; interantennal groove triangular, shallow. Vertex, frons and gena impunctate, strongly shining. Base of mandible with shallow, irregular punctation, shining. Pubescence on vertex brown, about as long as diameter of a lateral ocellus. Thorax nearly impunctate, strongly shining. Abdomen indistinctly microsculptured, shining.

Serrulae 9–11 as in Fig. 7 .

Length: 7.5–8.7 mm.

Male.

Coloration similar to that of female, except dorsal half of gena black; pronotum, tegula, anterior margin of mesopleuron and anepimeron blackish, mesonotum entirely black; apex of tibia 3 very narrowly brown.

Head narrower behind eyes than in female. Antenna 1.8× as long as maximum head width. POL:OOL=1.0:2.9–3.2. Postocellar area: width:length = 1.0:1.1.

Penis valve as in Fig. 8 .

Length: 5.8–6.2 mm.

Holotype: ^“ TOGO: Kloto , forest area, Oct. 2001, leg.: G. Goergen ”; [red] “ Holotypus, Xenapates togoensis sp. n., det.: F. Koch ” ( MNHU).

Paratypes: 6ơ19^same data as holotype ( IITAC, MNHU, NMSA) .

Host plant: Unknown.

Distribution: Togo ( Fig. 1 ).

Remarks: On the basis of the junction between the lateral furrows of the frontal area with the supraantennal furrows and the shape of the penis valve ( Fig. 8 ), X. togoensis belongs—with X. aequatorialis Koch, 1995, X. dorsalis Koch, 1998, X. gaullei ( Konow, 1896), and X. variator Enslin, 1913 —to the X. variator group ( Koch 1995).

According to colour patterns, X. togoensis and X. variator are very similarly marked. An aggravating factor is the large variability in the colouration of X. variator ( Koch 1995). It is therefore absolutely essential to examine the genitalia carefully. Differentiation of males, based on the shape of the penis valves ( Figs 8, 10 ), is clearly easier than that of females. In X. variator, the denticles of the serrulae are more strongly developed than in X. togoensis ( Figs 7, 9 ). Furthermore, according to Koch (1995), the ranges of both species seem to be separated ( Fig. 1 ); it has, however, not been absolutely ascertained that the ranges do not overlap.

The colour variability of the new species is similarly developed as in X. variator. The gena of females is sometimes yellow only in the ventral half, and the blackish markings on the abdomen may be more extended. In males, the yellow part of the gena may be somewhat reduced, whereas the tergum 1 is sometimes entirely yellow.

ADDITIONAL XENAPATES SPECIES FROM MT KLOTO

Xenapates braunsi ( Konow, 1896)

Fig. 3

Taxonus braunsi: Konow 1896: 314. (Type locality: Ibadan , Nigeria)

Siobla braunsi: Konow 1908: 162.

Xenapates braunsi: Enslin 1913: 309; Koch 1995: 384, figs 9a–d.

Material examined: 1^TOGO: Kloto, forest area, Oct. 2001, G. Goergen ( IITAC) .

Distribution ( Koch 1995): Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria. First record for Togo ( Fig. 1 ).

Xenapates gabunensis ( Konow, 1896)

Fig. 4

Taxonus gabunensis: Konow 1896: 315. (Type locality: Gabun [ Gabon])

Siobla gabunensis: Konow 1908: 162.

Xenapates gabunensis: Enslin 1913: 309; Koch 1995: 397, fig. 19.

Material examined: 5^TOGO: Kloto, forest area, Oct. 2001, G. Goergen ( IITAC) .

Distribution ( Koch 1995): Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon. First record for Togo

( Fig. 1 ). Xenapates gaullei ( Konow, 1896)

Taxonus gaullei: Konow 1896: 314. (Type locality: Senegal)

Anataxates gaullei: Benson 1939: 123.

Xenapates gaullei: Koch 1995: 398, figs 20a, b.

Material examined: 6ơ 6^TOGO: Kloto, forest area, Oct. 2001, G. Goergen ( IITAC) .

Distribution ( Koch 1995): Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Figs 7–10. (7, 8) Xenapates togoensis sp. n.: (7) serrulae 9–11, (8) penis valve (left, lateral aspect); (9, 10) Xenapates variator Enslin: (9) serrulae 9–11, (10) penis valve (left, lateral aspect). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figs 11–13. (11) Xenapates atratus sp. n., (12) X. goergeni sp. n., (13) X. togoensis sp. n.

Fig. 1. Distribution of Xenapates species that are relevant to the differential diagnosis of the new species.

Figs 2–6. Serrulae 9–11 of Xenapates species:(2) X.atratus sp. n., (3) X.braunsi (Konow), (4) X. gabunensis (Konow), (5) X. goergeni sp. n., (6) X. pectoralis Forsius.