Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, 2022

van Noort, Simon, Shaw, Scott Richard & Copeland, Robert S., 2022, Revision of the endemic African genus Dinapsis (Dinapsini, Megalyridae, Hymenoptera) with description of seven new species, ZooKeys 1112, pp. 27-122 : 27

Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw sp. nov.

Figs 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12

Material examined.

Holotype. South Africa • ♀; Western Cape, Gamkaberg Nature Reserve ; 33°43.663'S, 21°57.600'E; 940 m a.s.l.; 4 Oct. 2010 - 25 Jan. 2011; S. van Noort leg.; Malaise trap; Rooiberg Sandstone Fynbos; GB09-FYN1-M52; SAM-HYM-P048061; SAMC . Paratypes. South Africa • 1 ♀; Western Cape, Banghoek Valley, Dwarsriviershoek Farm; 33°56.824'S, 18°58.123'E; 400 m a.sl.; 12 Sep. -7 Oct. 2014; S. van Noort leg.; Malaise trap; Mesic Mountain Fynbos; BH12-FYN6-M21; SAM-HYM-P048072; SAMC • 1 ♀; same data except for: 21 Sep. -3 Nov. 2015; BH12-FYN6-M31; SAM-HYM-P086442; SAMC • 1 ♀; Table Mountain National Park, Orangekloof, Disa River ; 34°0.035'S, 18°23.492'E; 136 m a.s.l.; 30 Sep. -11 Nov. 2014; S. van Noort leg.; Malaise trap; Afromontane forest ; OGK13-FOR1-M26; SAM-HYM-P048018; SAMC • 1 ♀; Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve; 33°58.888'S, 20°48.885'E; 454 m a.s.l.; 23 Jul.-26 Oct. 2010; S. van Noort leg.; Malaise trap; South Langeberg Sandstone Fynbos ; GVB10-FYN1-M06; SAM-HYM-P043550; SAMC • 1 ♀; Grootbos Private Nature Reserve ; site LEU; 34.531500°S, 19.482723°E; 305 m a.s.l.; 6 Aug. -22 Sep. 2019; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; Agulhas Limestone Fynbos; GPNR18-LEU-M27; SAM-HYM-P088412; SAMC .

Diagnosis.

Morphologically similar to D. zulu , both species possessing long mesoscutal setae and the same wing pattern. However, the height of the head in D. gamka is distinctly taller than in D. zulu , where the head and mesosoma are of nearly equal height (the head of D. gamka is 1.5 × taller than the mesosoma height). Additionally, the postocular furrow of D. gamka is noticeably more narrow than in D. zulu . Similar also to D. taita , both species having a polished mesoscutum with distinctly raised anterior knobs, but only the very peaks of the knobs may be faintly orange-brown (or may be black as in specimen from Grootbos, which also has faint, very small fovea on part of the mesoscutum) in D. gamka , whereas the mesoscutal plate and larger areas of the dorsal surface encompassing the raised knobs are distinctly reddish orange in D. taita . Head finely punctate, with moderately long setae, whereas it is distinctly rugulose in D. taita . Scutoscutellar sulcus demarcated by broad, foveate furrow, which is very narrow in D. taita . Legs and hind coxae black. Hind tibia with long setae. Forewing shiny, sparsely setose, with a characteristic broad, black distal band, centrally extending as infuscation towards the distal wing margins, but not reaching the margin on any side. Hind tibia with long black setae dispersed between smaller white setae.

Distribution.

(Fig. 44 ) South Africa (Western Cape Province).

Etymology.

This species is named after the Khoisan word (gamka) for lion. Noun in apposition.

Description.

Holotype female. Body length 4.1 mm excluding ovipositor.

Colour. Head and mesosoma black. Head with a dense covering of white setae on occiput, brown, more widely spaced setae on face and frons; mesoscutal plate black, peaks of anterio-lateral mesoscutal knobs may be faintly orange-brown; metasoma dark brown. Scape, pedicel, F1 to F4 and F8 to F12, fore coxae, trochanters, tibiae dark brown. F5, tarsi, ovipositor orange-brown; mandibles and hind leg reddish brown. F6 and F7 white forming a median anellus on antennae. Eyes and ocelli silvery. Wing membrane clear except for two broad dark brown pigmented bands across forewing with the apical band extending as an infuscation towards, but not reaching apical margin.

Head oval, 1.25 × wider than high; vertex, frons, and face evenly sparsely punctate, interstices polished and 1-3 × greater than puncture width; ocelli small, OOL 3.0 × ocellar diameter; all ocelli bounded by a semi-circular depression on the side facing outer edge of the triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; eye large and slightly protuberant, nearly parallel in anterior view, but diverging slightly ventrally; eye densely and evenly covered with minute white ocular setae; eye margined posteriorly by foveate groove; postocular orbital carina absent; antenna with 12 flagellomeres having flagellar length/width ratios as follows: F1 = 3.5, F2-F4 = 3.0, F5-F8 and F12 = 2.5, F9-F11 = 2.0; apical flagellomere same width as basal flagellomeres; temple adjacent to ocular orbital carina sparsely punctate and polished, becoming more densely punctate towards occipital carina, temple width 0.5 × eye width in lateral view; malar length 1.3 × mandible width basally; occiput punctate; occipital carina wide and crenulate.

Mesosoma. Pronotum polished, laterally excavated with a row of large oblong foveae situated dorsally and posteriorly on the margin with the mesopleuron; medially with angled, central tri-radiating rows of foveae. Mesoscutal anterior plate polished, with a medial row of punctures, and a lateral carina bounded by a foveate groove; mesoscutum 0.88 × wider than long, mesoscutal lobes polished, with scattered long setae, antero-lateral corners tinged orange, smoothly rounded without tubercles; medial mesoscutal furrow deep and sinusoidally jagged with fovea; transscutal articulation a smooth furrow, anterior edge crenulated, posterior edge smooth; scutoscutellar sulci comprising a line of adjacent large fovea, anteriorly meeting before reaching transscutal articulation; scutellar disc medially polished, with scattered erect, long, brown setae laterally; mesopleuron antero-laterally deeply foveate with short white setae, medially polished with dense patch of long, erect white setae, with large median mid-pit. Metanotum with raised, setose medial area flanked anteriorly by narrow foveate depression laterally grading into wider, larger foveae. Propodeum medially with strongly developed transverse carinae between submedian longitudinal carinae, progressively less transverse carinae present from central to lateral longitudinal tracks. Medial track anteriorly with two deep fovea, lateral tracks each anteriorly with three or four deep foveae.

Legs. Apex of fore tibia with comb of stout spines; hind coxa sparsely punctate, densely covered with long, silky, white setae obscuring surface on ventral 1/2; hind femur stout, polished, 2.14 × longer than wide, outer surface of hind femur sparsely, but evenly covered with long, erect, white setae, inner surface of hind femur polished sparsely punctate with very short setae; surface of hind tibia polished, with long erect white setae dorsally, shorter setae laterally and ventrally; dorsal setae lacking spatulate tips; inner ventral margin of hind tibia with a dense longitudinal patch of shorter whitish yellow setae; hind basitarsus long, subequal in length to remaining four tarsomeres combined; basitarsus ventrally with dense preening brush consisting of numerous short, whitish yellow setae, inclined anteriorly; basitarsus dorsally with normal long, white setae, lacking spatulate tips; T2 twice as long as wide, T3 1.8 × as long as wide, T4 ca. as long as wide, T5 3 × as long as wide; all tarsomeres with normal hair-like setae; tarsal claw simple, strongly curved.

Wings. Forewing length 2.85 mm, 3.16 × longer than wide; wing basally with cells R and 1A largely devoid of setae; 1R1 and 1M with very small, sparse setae compared to wing apical of these cells, which is evenly covered with small, scattered setae; wing clear and overall appearing polished, with two dark pigmented vertical bands. Basal wing band narrowest posteriorly, covering basal 1/3 of cell 1M, anterior 1/3 of cell R, and anterior 2/5 of cell 1Cu, extending posteriorly to wing margin, covering entire cell 2CU and 3A; apical wing band wider, starting at base of pterostigma, and anterior end of 1R1, extending apically to cover entire marginal cell 2R1, posteriorly to cover entire cell 1+2RS, posteriorly wider and more diffuse, with infuscate pigmentation extending across cells 2+3M and 3CU, but not reaching lower wing margin, and extending towards apical margin but not reaching wing edge resulting in a clear semi-circular band parallel to the apical wing margin; forewing venation with vein Rs apically curving abruptly towards anterior wing margin to form short, truncate marginal cell 2R1; apical segment of vein M long, extending beyond apex of marginal cell, vein M with small white bulla situated at 2/3 of vein length. Hind wing with apical stub of vein Rs 2/3 of shortest width between the propodeal submedian longitudinal carinae.

Metasoma in dorsal view 1.67 × longer than wide, with seven dorsally visible terga, all polished; exposed portion of ovipositor, in lateral view 2.0 × longer than metasomal length; ovipositor sheaths setose, strongly curled (an artefact of preservation).

Variation.

There is variation in the colouring of the mesoscutum across localities, with the paratype female from Grootbos Nature Reserve having the distinctly raised anterior knobs on the mesoscutum black, and additionally this specimen has faint, very small foveae on part of the mesoscutum, which is usually polished. The Grootvadersbosch specimen has only very faint indications of brownish orange colouration on the knobs. For now, we regard this variation as being intra-specific.

Figures

Figure 8. Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, sp. nov. holotype female, SAM-HYM-P 048061 (SAMC) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C head, mesosoma, dorsal view D head, mesosoma, lateral view E head, anterior view F head, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1000 µm (A, B); 500 µm (C, D); 200 µm (E, F).

Figure 9. Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, sp. nov. holotype female, SAM-HYM-P 048061 (SAMC) A head, dorsoposterior view B head, lateroposterior view C mesosoma, dorsal view D mesoscutum, anterodorsal view E hindleg, antiaxial view (inset: data labels) F forewing, dorsal view. Scale bars: 200 µm (A-C); 100 µm (D); 500 µm (F).

Figure 10. Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, sp. nov. paratype female, Grootbos PNR, SAM-HYM-P 088412 (SAMC) A head, mesosoma, lateral view B head, mesosoma, dorsal view C head, anterior view D head, ventral view E head, antennae, lateral view F hind leg antiaxial view (inset: data labels). Scale bars: 500 µm (A, B, E, F); 200 µm (C, D).

Figure 11. Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, sp. nov. paratype female, Grootvadersbosch NR, SAM-HYM-P 043550 (SAMC) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C head, mesosoma, dorsal view D head, mesosoma, lateral view E head, anterior view F head, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1000 µm (A, B); 500 µm (C, D); 200 µm (E, F).

Figure 12. Dinapsis gamka van Noort & Shaw, sp. nov. paratype female, Grootvadersbosch NR, SAM-HYM-P 043550 (SAMC) A mesoscutum, anterodorsal view B metasoma, lateral view C hindleg, antiaxial view D forewing, dorsal view (inset: data labels). Scale bars: 200 µm (A); 500 µm (B, C, D).

Figure 44. Distribution map of Dinapsis species occurring on the African mainland (specimen point data plotted on a topographical relief map).