Tessmannella roberti Buffington & van Noort

Buffington, Matthew L. & Noort, Simon van, 2012, Revision of the Afrotropical Oberthuerellinae (Cynipoidea, Liopteridae), ZooKeys 202, pp. 1-154 : 100-104

Tessmannella roberti Buffington & van Noort sp. n. Figures 48-49

Description.

Coloration of head, mesosoma, and metasoma black to dark brown; fore and mid legs lighter brown, hind legs dark brown to black. Sculpture on vertex, lateral surface of pronotum and mesoscutum present, deeply striate on head, costate with foveae on pronotum, mesoscutum.

Head. Broadly triangular, in anterior view. Pubescence on head present, sparse setae scattered over head. Sculpture along lateral margin of occiput absent. Gena (measured from compound eye to posterolateral margin of head) short, ratio of length of gena to length of compound eye in dorsal view <0.3, in dorsal view. Sculpture of gena deeply striate. Lateral margin of occiput defined by evenly rounded, raised, sharp carina. Occiput (except extreme lateral margin) smooth. Ocelli small, ratio of maximum diameter of a lateral ocellus to shortest distance between lateral ocelli 0.2-0.4. Anterior ocellus between lateral ocelli. Relative position of toruli close to ocelli, ratio of vertical distance between inner margin of torulus and ventral margin of clypeus to vertical distance between anterior ocellus and torulus <2.0. Median keel of face present, extending to posterior margin of clypeus. Vertical carina adjacent to ventral margin of torulus absent. Facial sculpture present, evenly areolate. Facial impression absent, face flat. Antennal scrobe absent. Anterior tentorial pits large. Vertical delineations on lower face absent. Ventral clypeal margin laterally, close to anterior mandibular articulation, distinctly angled. Ventral clypeal margin medially emarginate. Clypeus horizontally striate. Malar space adjacent to anterior articulation of mandible evenly rounded, areolate. Malar sulcus absent. Compound eye close to posterior ocellus, ratio of distance between compound eye and posterior mandibular articulation to distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye> 1.2. Compound eye, in dorsal view, distinctly protruding from the surface of the head, particularly laterally. Pubescence on compound eye absent. Orbital furrows absent. Lateral frontal carina of face absent. Dorsal aspect of vertex variously strigate. Posterior aspect of vertex with parallel or slightly radiating, longitudinal strigae. Hair punctures on lateral aspect of vertex absent. Posterior surface of head almost flat, not deeply impressed.

Labial-maxillary complex. Apical segment of maxillary palp with pubescence, consisting of small number of erect setae and shorter, more appressed setae. Apical seta on apical segment of maxillary palp shorter than twice length of second longest apical seta. Erect setae medially on apical segment of maxillary palp present. Last two segments of maxillary palp (in normal repose) straight. Distal margin of subapical segment of maxillary palp straight, apical segment bending outwards. Apical segment of maxillary palp more than 1.5 times as long as preceding segment.

Antenna. Articulation between flagellomeres in antenna connate with articles broadly joined. Female antenna composed of 11 flagellomeres. Female F1 shorter than F2; light brown in color. Flagellomeres of female antenna cylindrical, distinctly widened towards apex, non-clavate. Placoidal sensilla absent. Distal flagellomeres of female antenna not conspicuously enlarged compared to proximal flagellomeres.

Pronotum. Macrosculpture on lateral surface of pronotum present, areolate. Pubescence on lateral surface of pronotum present, sparse, composed of few short hairs. Anterior flange of pronotal plate distinctly protruding anteriorly, longitudinally striate. Carinae extending posteriorly from lateral margin of pronotal plate absent. Lateral pronotal carina present. Pronotal crest present, raised into a distinct process projecting above anterior margin of mesoscutum. Submedian pronotal depressions closed laterally, shallow. Lateral margin of pronotal plate defined all the way to the dorsal margin of the pronotum. Pronotal plate wide, almost as wide as head.

Mesoscutum. Mesoscutal surface convex, evenly curved. Sculpture on mesoscutum present, transversely costate with dorsally projected serrations. Notaulus present, wide, transversely striate, distinctly wider posteriorly. Median mesoscutal carina absent. Anterior admedial lines present, with adjacent cuticular surface costate. Median mesoscutal impression present, long, reaching over 1/2 length of mesoscutum. Parascutal carina nearly straight anteriorly, posteriorly curved mesally.

Mesopleuron. Horizontally strigate dorsally, with single deep longitudinal trough at midline, ventrally slightly smoother, with gentle, parallel horizontal striae. Subpleuron entirely smooth with long, white setae on ventral half. Lower mesopleuron medially smooth, setose; costate laterally, ventrally. Epicnemial carina absent. Lateroventral mesopleural carina present, not marking abrupt change of slope of mesopectus. Mesopleural triangle present, distinctly impressed into longitudinal trough ventrally; anteriorly setose, dorsally striate, ventrally smooth. Subalar pit large and well defined, lying in posterior end of mesopleural triangle. Speculum present, striate, with distinct smooth, glabrous ventral cavity. Mesopleural carina absent.

Scutellum. Dorsal surface of scutellum areolate, inter-areol space shagreened. Circumscutellar carina absent. Posterior margin of axillula marked by distinct ledge, axillula distinctly impressed adjacent to ledge. Lateroventral margin of scutellum posterior to auricula dorsoventrally striate. Dorsoposterior part of scutellum produced posteriorly into sharp spine, less than 1.0 × length of petiole. Dorsal part of scutellum entirely areolate. Scutellar plate absent. Scutellar foveae present, three, with lateral foveal bissected by longitudinal carina, resulting in five longitudinally elongate subfovea. Longitudinal scutellar carinae absent. Single longitudinal carina separating scutellar foveae absent. Posterolateral margin of scutellum drawn out into distinct protuberance. Lateral bar weakly strigate, narrow.

Metapectal-propodeal complex. Metapectal cavity anterodorsal to metacoxal base present, ill-defined. Anterior margin of metapectal-propodeal complex seperated from mesopleuron by distinct dorso-ventral ledge. Posteroventral corner of metapleuron (in lateral view) extended posteriorly. Anterior impression of metepimeron present, triangular, with broadest part ventrally. Posterior margin of metepimeron with single large, smooth, flat fovea separating metepimeron from propodeum. Subalar area slightly broadened anteriorly, without longitudinal division indicated. Calyptra present, blunt, lobe-like, polished posteriorly with setiferous punctures anteriorly. Dorsellum present, smooth, glabrous. Anterior impression of metepisternum, immediately beneath anterior end of metapleural carina, large and wide. Pubescence long, dense, silvery on metapleuron; long, thin on propodeum. Propodeal spurs present, reduced, composed of single crenulate carina. Lateral propodeal carinae present, not reaching scutellum. Ventral end of lateral propodeal carina reaching nucha, carinae separated from each other. Inter propodeal carinae space glabrous, horizontally striate with central, irregular keel. Petiolar foramen removed from metacoxae, directed posteriorly. Horizontal carina running anteriorly from lateral propodeal carina present. Lateral propodeal carina uniformly curved inward. Calyptra, in lateral view, elongate. Propodeum drawn out posteriorly, with nucha in line with terminus of scutellar spine. Calyptra, in posterior view, dorsoventrally elongate.

Legs. Pubescence posterolaterally on metacoxa sparse to moderately dense, confined dense hair patch absent. Microsculpture on hind coxa absent. Longitudinal carina on the posterior surface of metatibia present, well developed. Metafemoral spine present, elongate, with adjacent serrate ridge posteriorly. Distal mesotibial spurs shorter than medial spurs. Distal metatibial spurs shorter than medial spurs. Ratio of first metatibial segment to remaining 4 segments less than 1.0. Pubescence on outer surface of metatarsal claw sparse, consisting of few setae. Outer surface of metatarsal claw almost entirely smooth. Apical seta of metatarsal claw positioned on outer surface below dorsal margin. Base of metatarsal claw weakly expanded, apex slightly bent, ratio width of base to length of apex <0.6.

Forewing. Pubescence of forewing absent on basal half of wing, sparse distally. Apical margin of female forewing rounded. Rs+M of forewing tubular. Mesal end of Rs+M vein situated closer to posterior margin of forewing, directed towards posterior end of basalis. Vein R1 tubular along at least basal part of anterior margin of marginal cell. Basal abscissa of R1 (the abscissa between 2r and the forewing margin) of forewing as broad as adjacent wing veins. Coloration of forewing hyaline with distinct infuscation covering marginal cell, area posterior to marginal cell. Marginal cell of forewing membranous, similar to other wing cells. Areolet absent. Hair fringe along apical margin of forewing absent.

Petiole. Moderately elongate, 2 ×–3× longer than wide. Surface of petiole longitudinally costate, ribbed, ventral keel absent. Posterior part of female petiole not abruptly widened. Ventral flange of annulus of female petiole absent.

Metasoma. Setal band (hairy ring) at base of tergum 3 absent, base of metasoma glabrous. Tergum 3 distinctly smaller than tergum 4. Posterior margin of tergum 3 smoothly rounded. Posterior margin of tergum 4 evenly rounded. In lateral view, sternum 3 exposed, ventral border of T2-T7 visible. Sculpture on metasomal terga present, finely punctate laterally, dorsally; posteriorly with large setal pits. Syntergum absent, all postpetiolar terga free. Annulus absent. Peg-like setae on T6-T7 absent. Posteroventral cavities of female metasoma T7 present, glabrous save for few, long setae. Female posteroventral margin of T6-T7 straight, parallel, with medial carina. Terebrum and hypopygium (in lateral view) straight, pointing posteriorly.

Diagnosis.

Closely resembling Tessmannella kiplingi and Tessmannella copelandi in having the medial portion of the forewing hyaline; distinguished from these species by having a single infuscate patch in the marginal cell and immediately posterior (two patches in Tessmannella kiplingi ), and having the central scutellar area areolate (smooth in Tessmannella copelandi ).

Etymology

. Named in honor of the first author's father, Dr. Robert Buffington.

Distribution.

Central African Republic, Congo. Link to Distribution Map. [http://hol.osu.edu/map-full.html?id=300223]

Material examined.

Holotype, female: CONGO: Pool Dépt., Abio, Lesio Louna Reserve, 03°06.020'S, 15°31.440'E, 330m, 9. X– 15.X.2008, malaise trap, Braet and Sharkey, USNM ENT 00764794 (deposited in USNM). Paratype: 1 female: - CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Sangha-Mbaéré Prefecture, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Mabéa Bai, 21.4km (53°) NE Bayanga, 03°02.01'N, 16°24.57'E, 510m, 7.V.2001, S. van Noort, sweep, CAR01-S90, lowland rainforest, marsh clearing, (1 female, SAM-HYM-P024410; USNM ENT 00764800 (SAMC)).