Tanaostigmodes tambotis Prinsloo & LaSalleı 1995

Noort, Simon van & Copeland, Robert S., 2020, First record of the genus Tanaostigma (Hymenopteraı Chalcidoideaı Tanaostigmatidae) from the Afrotropical region with description of three new species, Journal of Natural History 54 (9), pp. 703-722 : 719-720

Tanaostigmodes tambotis Prinsloo & LaSalleı 1995

( Figure 7(a – f))

Tanaostigmodes tambotis Prinsloo & LaSalle, 1995 , 8 – 11. Holotype ♀ SOUTH AFRICA, North West Province, Oskraal, 23 km NW Ga-Rankuwa, 25.30S 27.54E, i.1992, D. LeLagadec, ex galls on stems of Spirostachys africana (SANC).

Additional material. 2F, 2M: NAMIBIA, Tsumeb, Varianto , Elandshoek , 771 – SE 1917 Bc, 07.III.1999, leg. P.A. Basson, ex Spirostachys africana , Tanaostigmodes tambotis Prinsloo & LaSalle 1995 , det. S. van Noort 1999, SAM-HYM-P021102 ( SAMC). 1M: TANZANIA, Mkomazi Game Reserve, Ibaya Hill , 03.58S 37.47E, 10 December 1995, S. van Noort, Acacia / Combretum bushveld, sweep, SAM-HYM-P0014589 ( SAMC).

Distribution. Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania.

Biology. A gregarious phytophagous gall former on Spirostachys africana (Tamboti) (Euphorbiaceae) .

Comments. Previously only known from South Africa, we here add Namibia and Tanzania as new country records. This species is likely to be far more widespread through east and southern Africa, conforming with the distribution of the host Tamboti tree. Spirostachys africana extends from Kwazulu-Natal ( South Africa) in the south through Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania to southern Kenya; also present in northern Namibia and southern Angola ( Mapaura & Timberlake 2004; Setshogo 2005; Boon 2010; Palgrave 2015; Burrows et al. 2018).

Figures

Figure 7. Tanaostigmodes tambotis female (a–c), male (d). (a) Habitus, lateral view (inset: data labels) (b) Habitus, dorsal view (c) Head, anterior view (d) Habitus, lateral view (inset: data labels).