Metopius (Metopius) zuluanops, Riedel, 2016

Riedel, Matthias, 2016, Contribution to the genus Metopius PANZER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from Africa South of Sahara, Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2), pp. 1635-1675 : 1664-1665

Metopius (Metopius) zuluanops nov.sp.

H o l o t y p u s (♀) R.S.A., Northern Transvaal, N of Nylstroom, 1200 m, 2440´S 2830´E, 14.i.2008, leg. M. Halada (Linz).

P a r a t y p e s:(♀) [blue] RSA, Transvaal Wolkbg , 2402´S 3000´E, 12-16.ii.1997, Falle 17, leg.: F. Koch (Berlin); (♀) [blue] RSA, Transvaal Wolkbg , 2402´S 3000´E, 12-16.ii.1997, Falle 20, leg.: F. Koch (Berlin); (♀) [blue] RSA, Transvaal Wolkbg , 2402´S 3000´E, 12-16.ii.1997, Falle 18, leg.: F. Koch (Berlin); (♀) Abercorn N. Rhodesia 10.12.1943 Nat. Museum S. Rhodesia ( Cape Town ) .

T a x o n o m i c a l r e m a r k:Thisnewtaxon differs from M. zuluanus BENOIT by the following features: body black, body with less extended reddish suffusion, second maxillary palpomere lesser swollen, facial shield less narrowed ventrally, dorsal carina of first tergite longer and temple less strongly narrowed.

D e s c r i p t i o n of ♀:

Body length 12-14 mm. Flagellum with 59-62 segments, apical segments slightly longer than wide. Mandible with one tooth. Second maxillary palpomere club-shaped, 1.7-1.9x as long as wide (fig. 40). Facial shield with slightly narrowed sides, with rather scattered puncture and strong carinae, length 1.1-1.2x width, pointed ventrally, sometimes with a shallow carina running to the apical clypeal margin. Interantennal lamella high, with distinct subdistal impression and strong distal tooth. Frons with fine transveral striation or granulation, vertex ± punctate. Temple strongly and almost linearly narrowed behind eye, 0.5x as long as eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.5-1.8x its diameter.

Mesosoma with long whitish hairs. Side of pronotum coarsely punctate, ± smoothened in anterior fourth. Epicnemial carina sharply bent above sternaulus towards anterior margin of mesopleuron and running parallel to the anterior margin up to subtegular ridge (sometimes faint). Central area of propodeum strongly narrowed apically, with lateral carinae, length 1.2-1.3x width, usually with central longitudinal ridge, apical carina obsolete, costula indistinct. Propodeum anterior to costula coarsely punctate. Hind femur length 2.5-2.6x height. Hind metatarsus 0.5x as long as hind tibia. Inner spur of hind tibia about 0.5x as long as hind metatarsus. Areolet 1.7-1.9x wider than long. Second recurrent vein with one bulla, reaching areolet lateral to its middle.

First tergite with dorsal carinae almost to the apex, coarsely punctate in the apical half. Its spiracle with rather short denticular extension ventrally, lateral carina behind spiracle lamelliform. Second tergite 1.3x as long as wide, with blunt posterolateral edges, third and fourth tergites with rounded edges ( fig. 8 ).

Color: Black. Yellowish-red are mandible, labrum, clypeus in part, face (facial shield ± darkened centrally). Flagellum reddish-brown. Upper margin of pronotum with a reddish-yellow stripe. Yellow are palps, frontal orbit up to anterior ocellus, spot on subtegular ridge confluent with a large spot on upper mesopleuron, prescutellar ridge, apical 2/3 of scutellum, postscutellum and posterolateral spot on propodeum, front and middle femora apically, and front and middle tibiae and tarsi completely or on outer side. Legs otherwise red, hind coxa mainly or partly black, hind femur often with a central black spot on inner side, hind tarsus brownish. Metasoma black, first tergite with yellow band in the apical 2/3. Second to fourth tergites with wide apical yellow bands ( fig. 8 ), fifth and sixth tergites with narrow yellow apical margins. Front wings infuscate at apex, pterostigma yellowish.

6 unknown.

D i s t r i b u t i o n:RSAandZimbabwe.

Figures

Figs. 5-8: Metasoma of ♀♀: (5) Metopius femoralis nov.sp. PT; (6) M. nigrithorax HT; (7) M. zuluanus BENOIT; (8) M. zuluanops nov.sp.