Metopius (Metopius) pusillus BENOIT, 1965: 47

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 : 1656

Metopius (Metopius) pusillus BENOIT, 1965: 47

M a t e r i a l: Uganda, Mulange, 2♀♀ XI.1922 R. Dummer (Cape Town).

D e s c r i p t i o n of ♀:

Body length 9.5 mm. Flagellum with 34-35 segments. Mandible with one tooth. Second maxillary palpomere semi-globose, about 1.5x as long as wide. Head with dense whitish hairs. Face strongly narrowed ventrally. Facial shield coarsely punctate, centrally rugose, slightly narrowed ventrally, with strong carinae, length 1.15x width, almost rounded ventrally. Frons between antenna with triangular elevation, but without distinct interantennal lamella or tooth. Frons with fine transverse rugosity, vertex punctate. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.5x its diameter.

Mesosoma with whitish hairs. Side of pronotum coarsely punctate, smooth only at the anterior border. Epicnemial carina reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron above sternaulus. Scutellum in the hind part and postscutellum coarsely punctate. Central area of propodeum almost rectangular, length 1.2x width, with a more or less distinct median ridge, costula distinct. Hind femur length 2.8-2.9x height. Hind metatarsus about 0.42x as long as the hind tibia. Outer apical spur of hind tibia about 0.5x as long as hind metatarsus. Areolet short and strongly oblique, about 1.7x wider than long, second recurrent vein reaching areolet lateral to its middle, with one bulla.

Metasoma club-shaped, fifth and sixth tergites swollen. First tergite with strong dorsal carinae reaching the apex, its spiracle with a strong ventral tooth-like extension, lateral lamella behind spiracle low and short. Second and third tergites with rounded posterolateral edges, second tergite about 1.2x as long as wide.

Color: Black. Flagellum reddish-brown. Palps and legs except coxae and trochanters dark brownish, hind tibia reddish-brown. Yellow are margins of facial shield, lower third of frontal orbits, narrow apical bands (at most 1/5 of tergal length) of second to fourth tergites. Apical tergites with ± violet shine. Wings slightly infuscate, front wing darker in the frontal fourth.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: DR Congo, new for Uganda.