Prosaspicera antennata ( Benoit, 1956 )

Ros-Farré, P. & Pujade-Villar, J., 2006, Revision of the genus Prosaspicera Kieffer, 1907 (Hym.: Figitidae: Aspicerinae), Zootaxa 1379 (1379), pp. 1-102 : 19-20

Prosaspicera antennata ( Benoit, 1956)

( Figs 5b, 15a & 16a)

Aspicera antennata Benoit, 1956: 202 .

Prosaspicera antennata (Benoit) Quinlan,1979:107 .

Type material: ( 1 ♀). HOLOTYPE female deposited in MRAC (Tervuren, Belgium), collected in Basoko ( ZAIRE) according the original description, with the following labels: “ Holotype ” (pink label), “Cyn 1-39” (handwrited), “ Coll. Mus. Congo Basoko , XII-1948, P.L.G. Benoit ” (white label), “ Aspicera antennata sp.n., holotype ♀, P.L.G. Benoit det 1956” (white label), Prosaspicera antennata (Benoit) ♀ det J. Quinlan 1977” (white label), “ Prosaspicera antennata (Benoit) ♀ det Ros-Farré 1999”.

Additional material: (1 ♀). CAMEROUN: 1 ♀ ( UB), 2-X- 1984 in Nkoemvone , G. Delvare leg.

Diagnosis. Prosaspicera antennata is similar to P. paragicida : they are probably synonymous because the same characters used to separate them are variable in other species. However, there is not enough studied material to synonymyze P. antennata with P. paragicida . In P. antennata ( Fig. 5b) the frons has some oblique carinae; the lateral surface of the pronotum is finely coriaceous and with weak transverse carinae on the basal half ( Fig. 16a); the mesoscutum ( Fig. 15a) is coriaceous, very weakly carinated transversely between notauli; the notauli are coriaceous and with transverse carinae; the parascutal sulcus is very wide until the anterior end of notauli; the scutellar foveae are deep, without a posterior margin.

Redescription. Length. Females 1.6–2.5 mm.; male unknown.

Coloration. Head black. Mesosoma black, except for anterior part of scutellum, which is reddish black. Scape and pedicellum black, flagellomeres light brown. Legs yellowish brown. Metanotum reddish black.

Head. Frons coriaceous ventrally, rugose and with oblique carinae dorsally. Lateral frontal carinae conspicuous but not prominent dorsally; area between them and eye coriaceous. Occipital carina rounded behind eye. Gena not expanded, coriaceous and sparsely pubescent. Vertex slightly concave, between smooth and coriaceous; in posterior part coriaceous with some smooth areas and with a lot of longitudinal carinae on each side of median vertical groove, which is coriaceous. Ocelli slightly prominent. Occiput coriaceous with some smooth areas and delimited with one weak transverse carina.

Antenna. Subclavate. Antennal formula: 4(2.2): 2(2): 4.5(2): 4(2): 4(2): 4(2): 3.5(2): 3.2(2): 3.2(2): 3(2): 3(2): 3(2): 6(2).

Mesosoma. Lateral surface of pronotum finely coriaceous with weak transverse carinae on dorsal 1/2, quite densely pubescent. Subpronotal plate coriaceous, sparsely pubescent on latero-anterior areas and glabrous centrally. Mesoscutum coriaceous, with very weak transverse carinae between notauli. Antero-admedian lines prominent, reaching 1/3 the length of mesoscutum and confluent; median ridge prominent, wide before median mesoscutal furrow. Notauli wide, narrowing towards anterior end, coriaceous and conspicuously carinated transversely. Median mesoscutal furrow smooth. Area between notauli and end of median mesoscutal furrow little prominent. Parascutal sulcus very wide, coriaceous, pubescent and continuing to anterior end of notaulus. Mesopleura polished on posterior half and coriaceous, sometimes with some oblique carinae on anterior part. Scutellum 1.45 to 1.53 times length of scutum. Scutellar foveae deep, weakly sculptured, with one or two weak longitudinal carinae inside and without posterior margin; interfoveal line and lateral carinae going on conspicuously along first 1/3 or 1/2 of scutellar spine. Scutellar disc coriaceous; scutellar spine coriaceous on the first 1/3, strigose on distal part and almost smooth at the end, in lateral view, in same plane as scutellar foveae, slightly curved and almost reaching the R1 of wing.

Wings. Forewing membrane hyaline. Radial cell between 2.15 and 2.45 times longer than wide. Marginal pubescence starting after Rs. R1 short or absent, Rs straight.

Biology. Unknown.

Distribution. Afrotropical. Originally known from Zaire; also from Cameroun in this study.