Platyplectrus albiclavatus Yefremova & Copeland, 2023

Yefremova, Zoya A. & Copeland, Robert S., 2023, African Platyplectrus Ferrière (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Kenya, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5360 (3), pp. 355-384 : 359

1. Platyplectrus albiclavatus Yefremova & Copeland sp. nov.

Figs 9–12

Diagnosis. Pronotum without carina. Occipital carina present. Scutellum reticulate. POL 1.33× as long as OOL. No long setae between posterior ocelli. Antenna. F1 1.25× as long as F2 and 1.6× as long as pedicel, F2 subequal to both F3 and F4. Petiole transverse. Antenna with scape, pedicel, and clava white. Body black. Hind coxae black, femora brownish, hind tibiae yellow.

Description. Female. Body size 1.65–1.75 mm.

Colour: Body mostly black ( Fig. 9 ), head black including clypeus, eyes light pink, ocelli light yellow, marginal part of pronotum yellowish. Antenna with scape, pedicel, and clava white. Sometimes apical part of F4 also white ( Figs 9, 12 ). Gaster with large basal yellow area. Legs, coxae and femora of fore and mid legs whitish, tibiae yellow; hind legs: coxae mostly dark brown, trochanter and trochantellus white, femora brownish dorsally, tibiae yellow ( Fig. 9 ). Petiole transverse, yellow.

Head: Malar sulcus present. Mandibles membranous.Anterior and posterior ocelli surrounded by grooves. Eyes asetose ( Fig. 12 ). POL 1.33× as long as OOL. Antennae inserted above the level of the lower margin of the eyes. Scape 3.1× as long as wide. Pedicel 1.37× as long as wide with white setae. Flagellomeres 1 – 4: F1 1.14× as long as F2, F2=F3=F4. Clava 3-segmented 3.0× as long as wide and 1.6× as long as F4. Petiole transverse.

Mesosoma: Pronotum rounded, without carina. Pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum, axillae, and propodeum finely reticulate. Propodeum with median carina, callus with numerous setae in two rows. Fore wing 2.2× as long as wide. SMV with 5 long setae. Speculum small along pterostigma. SMV (15): MV (36): PMV (18): STV (9). Costal cell with two rows of short setae and 3 long setae in marginal row. Hind wing rounded apically. Hind legs with two spurs; TS1 1.3× as long as 1 st tarsomere and 1.2× as long as TS2. Petiole transverse. Gaster 2.2× as long as wide.

Male. Figs 10–11 . Body size 0.8–0.9 mm.

Colour of antennae similar to that of the female, with scape, pedicel, clava, and apical part of F4 white. Head: Antenna, Scape 5.7× as long as wide. Pedicel 1.1× as long as wide, with 2 long and 2 short white setae. Flagellomeres 1 – 4. F1 1.3× as long as F2, F2=F3=F4. Clava 2-segmented, 2.0× as long as wide and 1.4× as long as F4. Petiole transverse. Gaster 3.1× as long as wide. Genitalia: Digitus with one spine.

Host. Unknown.

Distribution. Currently known only from Kenya.

Etymology. Named after white clava of antennae. From the Latin alba meaning white.

Holotype. Kenya, ♀, Coast Prov. , Mrima Hill forest, 212 m, 4.48576º S, 39.25845º E, Malaise trap, indigenous forest edge, 11–25 Dec 2011, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64317 ( NMK).

Paratypes. Kenya, 1 ♀, Coast Prov., Mrima Hill forest , 212 m, 4.48576º S, 39.25845º E, Malaise trap, indigenous forest edge, 27 Nov–11 Dec 2011, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64320, ( ICIPE) ; 1 ♀, same data except 25 Dec 2011 – 8 Jan 2012, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64319, ( NMK) ; 1 ♀, Coast Prov., Marenje forest , 76 m, 4.52814º S, 39.24028º E Malaise trap, indigenous forest, 5–19 Sep 2014, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♁, Same data except 19 Sep–3 Oct 2014, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64321, ( ICIPE) ; 1 ♀, Coast Prov., Kaya Kinondo , indigenous forest, 10 m, 4.39382º S, 39.54567º E, Malaise trap, coral rag canopy forest, 25 Dec 2011 – 8 Jan 2012, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♀, Eastern Prov. , Marsabit forest, 1418 m, 2.32167° N, 37.98409° E, Malaise trap, near Ahmed gate, indigenous forest, 1–15 Jun 2016, R. Copeland, ICIPE 64318, ( NMK) . 1 ♀, Eastern Prov., Njuki –ini forest, 1471 m, 0.51663º S, 37.41852º E Malaise trap, just inside indigenous forest, 4–18 Apr 2016, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 2 ♀, same data except 18 Apr–2 May 2016, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) ; 1 ♀, same data except 23 Jun–6 Jul 2007, R. Copeland ( SMNH-TAU) .

Figures

FIGURES 9–15. 9–12. P. albiclavatus sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 9. Lateral habitus. Male. Paratype 10. Dorsal habitus. 11. Lateral habitus. Female. Holotype 12. Head +antennae+ mesosoma fronto-lateral. 13–15. P. brevicornis Ferrière. Female. 13. Lateral habitus. Male. 14. Dorsal habitus. 15. Head +antennae+ mesosoma, fronto-lateral.