Methocha flavipalpus, Kimsey, 2011

Kimsey, Lynn S., 2011, Tiphiidae wasps of Madagascar (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 22, pp. 45-68 : 56-57

Methocha flavipalpus sp. n. Figs 11 26

Holotype male:

Mahajanga Prov. Parc Natl. Tsingy de Bemaraha, 10.6 km ese 123° Antsalova, 150m, 16-20/xi/2001, 19°42'34S, 44°43'5E, Fisher, Griswold et al., MT, tropical dry forest on Tsingy, BLF4462 (SAN FRANCISCO).

Paratypes:

(10 males) 6 males: same data as holotype; 1 male: 2.5 km 62° ene Bekopaka, Ankidrodroa River, 100m, 11-15/xi/2001, 19°07.56S, 44°48.53E, Fisher, Griswold et al., MT-tropical dry forest on Tsingy, BLF4345; 1 male: Mahavavy River, 6.2 km 145° se Mitsinjo, 20m, 1-5/xii/2002, 16°03'06S, 045°54'30E, Fisher, Griswold et al., MT in gallery forest, BLF6930; 1 male: 3.4 km 93° e Bekopaka, Tombeau Vazimba, 50m, 6-10/xi/2001, 19°8'31S, 44°49'41E, Fisher, Griswold et al., MT, in tropical dry forest, BLF4233; 1 male: Forêt Ambohimanga, 26.1 km 314° Mampikony, 250 m, 13/xii/2004, 15°57.46S, 047°6.17E, B. L. Fisher, MT tropical dry forest, BLF11670; 1 male: Toliara Prov. Rés. Spéciale d’Ambohijanahary, Forêt d’Ankazotsihitafototra, 35.2 km 312° nw Ambaravaranala, 1050 m, 13-17/i/2003, 18°16'00S, 045°24'24E, Fisher, Griswold et al., MT-montane rainforest, BLF7023 (DAVIS, SAN FRANCISCO).

Diagnosis.

Methocha flavipalpus resembles Methocha nasiformis and Methocha strigosa based on the strong medial clypeal projection. It can be distinguished from those species by the coloration of the parategula, which has a transparent margin and the yellowish mandibles, palpi and legs; all black to dark or reddish brown in Methocha nasiformis and Methocha strigosa .

Description.

Male.

Body length. 9-11 mm.

Head. Clypeus with acute to digitate medial projection ( Fig. 11 ), apical margin emarginate; antennal lobes strongly convex; frons without medial projection or lobe above antennal sockets; frons punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter; vertex nearly impunctate; scapal ridge two-thirds length of scape; flagellomere I 1.7 × as long as broad; flagellomere II 2.2 × as long as broad; flagellomeres II and III 2.4 × as long as broad; flagellomeres III-X arcuate; flagellomere XI 5 × as long as broad.

Mesosoma. Pronotal disk gently convex medially, shoulders rounded, punctures large nearly contiguous; scutal punctures contiguous sublaterally becoming sparser medially; scutellum punctures 1-3 puncture diameters apart; mesopleuron with punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters apart; propodeum with coarse, contiguous, transversely striatiform punctures.

Metasoma. Terga polished, punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters; sterna I and VI with punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters; sterna II-V basally with punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter, separated from posterior part by smooth, transverse groove, posteriorly convex, with punctures separated by 2-4 puncture diameters.

Genitalia ( Fig. 26 ). Paramere breadth at medial angle 3.0-3.3 × breadth at halfway point between apex and medial angle, paramere length versus breadth at submedial angle is 4.6 ×.

Color. Black; mandibles and palpi whitish to yellow; fore and midcoxae may be pale brown, fore and mid legs brown with paler joints and tarsi; parategula bicolored, brown and whitish with transparent margin; wing membrane untinted, except posterior margin slightly brown-tinted in some specimens.

Vestiture. Sparse erect, silvery.

Figures

Figures 7 - 15. Front view of face. 8 Lateral view genital capsule 9 - 15 Lateral view of head and pronotum.

Figures 16 - 30. Methocha species. 16, 17 Front view of face 18, 21 Dorsal view of head 19, 20 Dorsal view of pronotum 22, 23, 26 - 30 Lateral view of genital capsule 24, 25 Posterior view of propodeum.