Ceraphron malava, Salden & Peters, 2023

Salden, Tobias & Peters, Ralph S., 2023, Afrotropical Ceraphronoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) put back on the map with the description of 88 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 884 (1), pp. 1-386 : 239-242

Ceraphron malava sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0541440A-A865-4610-9D3D-7C3B5E8FF929

Fig. 68

Diagnosis

F1 2.6× as long as wide; OOL:POL 1.45–1.61 (1.45); head width 1.24–1.34 × (1.24) head height; Weber length 1.09–1.16 × (1.16) mesoscutum width; posterior mesoscutal width 1.33–1.36× (1.33) mesoscutellum width; genital length 2.72–2.86 × (2.80) gvc width. Male genitalia: harpe finger-shaped in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/gvc index 1.02; dorsomedial margins of harpes not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and slightly diverging distolaterally from base to apex, apex of harpe slightly pointed; lateral margin of harpe straight; harpe with at least three lateral setae restricted to apical quarter; genitalia weakly sclerotized with strongest sclerotization at apical third of harpe; gvc width more than three quarters of gvc length; gvc width equal to distal gvc width.

Etymology

The species is named after the Malava Forest, a part of the Kakamega Forest region, which is the type locality.

Material examined

Holotype

KENYA • ♂; Western Province, Kakamega Forest; 00°27′0.9 N, 34°50′52.9 E; 1649 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 8; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK- HYM-00036937 .

Paratypes

KENYA – Western Province • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°21′4.4 N, 34°51′41.1 E; 1602 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 2; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; NHMUK; NHMUK-013389020 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°21′4.4 N, 34°51′41.1 E; 1602 m a.s.l.; 7 Jun. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 2; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; NHMUK; NHMUK-013389021 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036785 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°21′7.9 N, 34°52′2.6 E; 1597 m a.s.l.; 9 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 7; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036780 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; 10 Jul. 2007; NMK; NMK ( ZFMK-HYM-00036779 ) • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK-HYM-00036778 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°23′6.2 N, 34°33′37.8 E; 1602 m a.s.l.; 16 Jul. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 11; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; SMNS; SMNS-HYM-T00791 , SMNS-HYM-T00792 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°14′20.5 N, 34°51′52.8 E; 1634 m a.s.l.; 10 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 17; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; NMK; NMK ( ZFMK-HYM-00036783 ) • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°12′42.6 N, 34°55′52.3 E; 1615 m a.s.l.; 10 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 20; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036784 • 2 ♂♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°12′42.6 N, 34°55′52.3 E; 1615 m a.s.l.; 16 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 20; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036781 , ZFMK-HYM-00036786 • 1 ♂; Kakamega Forest; 00°14′6.1 N, 34°52′9.2 E; 1605 m a.s.l.; 28 Aug. 2007; F. Hita Garcia leg.; Transect 23; primary rain forest; Winkler leaf litter extraction; ZFMK; ZFMK-HYM-00036777 .

Description

Male (N = 3 in morphometric measurements)

BODY LENGTH. 0.88–1.15 mm (0.88 mm).

COLOUR. Head brown, mesosoma brown, metasoma light brown; scape and pedicel yellowish, flagellum light brown; legs yellowish except proximal half of coxae brown; fore wing venation light brown, fore and hind wing disc slightly melanized.

ANTENNA. 11-segmented, flagellomeres cylindric; scape 3.4× as long as pedicel, scape longer than F1 and F2 combined, F1 2.6× as long as wide, F1 1.6× as long as pedicel, F1 1.3× as long as F2, F1 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F1 shorter than F9, F6 1.8 × as long as wide, F6 shorter than F7 and F8 combined, F6 1.3× as high as F9; numerous small multiporous plates on flagellomeres, sensillae on flagellomeres sickle-shaped and shorter than width of flagellomeres.

HEAD. Head width 1.24–1.34× (1.24) head height; head width 1.89–2.09 × (1.89) interorbital space; maximum eye diameter 1.18–1.30 × (1.18) minimum eye diameter; head height 1.58–1.67 × (1.58) maximum eye diameter. Dorsal margin of occipital carina ventral to dorsal margin of lateral ocellus in lateral view; preoccipital furrow present; preoccipital carina present. OOL:POL:LOL 1.00:0.62– 0.69:0.52–0.64 (1.00:0.69:0.53); OOL 2.20–2.63 × (2.25) lateral ocellus diameter. White, thick setae on upper face present; supraclypeal depression present; lateral margin of torulus raised; intertorular carina present; posterolateral processes of gena absent.

MESOSOMA, METASOMA. Mesosoma not compressed laterally. Head width 0.98–1.04× (1.02) mesosoma width; Weber length 303–376 µm (325 µm). Mesoscutum densely setose, setae curved backwards; median mesoscutal sulcus present; median mesoscutal sulcus adjacent to transscutal articulation; interaxillar sulcus present (= scutoscutellar sulcus not adjacent to transscutal articulation), scutoscutellar sulcus concave; dorsal axillar area setose, setae curved backwards; mesoscutellum setose, setae curved backwards or straight. Mesoscutum width 1.76–1.96× (1.88) mesoscutellum width; posterior mesoscutal width 1.33–1.36 × (1.33) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 1.29–1.48 × (1.29) mesoscutellum width; mesoscutellum length 0.97–1.10 × (0.97) posterior mesoscutal width; Weber length 1.09–1.16 × (1.16) mesoscutum width; Weber length 1.31–1.68× (1.68) mesoscutellum length. Anteromedian projection of the metanoto-propodeo-metapecto-mesopectal complex curved in lateral view with blunt and lighter end, extending to end of mesosoma; mesometapleural sulcus absent; posterior propodeal projection distinctly short in ventrolateral view; posterior mesosomal comb present. Basal transverse carina of petiole (on syntergum) present; at least six distinct, basal longitudinal carinae on syntergum; pairs of translucent patches on metasomal syntergum and synsternum.

FORE WING. Length 2.65–2.88 × (2.88) width; stigmal vein shorter than 3 × pterostigma marginal length.

MALE GENITALIA. Genital length 125–140 µm (131 µm); Weber length 2.43–2.68 × (2.48) genital length; gvc width 44–52 µm (47 µm); genital length 2.72–2.86 × (2.80) gvc width; gvc width more than three quarters of gvc length; gvc width equal to distal gvc width. Proximodorsal margin of gvc straight; distodorsal margin of gvc slightly descending proximomedially ( Fig. 68C ); proximoventral margin of gvc slightly convex; distoventral margin of gvc strongly descending proximomedially ( Fig. 68A ); ventral area of gvc straight; dorsal area of gvc slightly convex ( Fig. 68B ), slightly indented distomedially; proximolateral margin of gvc slightly descending and emarginated ventrally; distolateral margin of gvc convex, more strongly descending ventrally ( Fig. 68B ). Harpe finger-shaped in ventral and dorsal view; harpe/gvc index 1.02; lateral articulation site of harpe with gvc virtually flush ( Fig. 68A, C ); ventral margin of harpe straight, dorsal margin straight ( Fig. 68B ), lateral margin straight, widest point of harpe at lateral articulation site with gvc ( Fig. 68A, C ); dorsomedial margins of harpes not touching at distodorsal margin of gvc, dorsomedial margin of harpe straight and slightly diverging distolaterally from base to apex ( Fig. 68C ), apex of harpe slightly pointed ( Fig. 68A, C ). Harpe with at least three lateral setae restricted to apical quarter, longest lateral setae more than half as long as harpe, lateral setae oriented distolaterally and distoventrally; harpe with at least three apical setae, longest apical setae more than two thirds as long as harpe, apical setae oriented distomedially and distoventrally; harpe with at least four median setae restricted to apical quarter, longest median setae one third as long as harpe, median setae oriented distomedially, distoventrally and medioventrally. Aedeagus + gonossiculus less than half as long as harpe, apex of aedeagus + gonossiculus broad ( Fig. 68A, C ) and as ventral as apex of harpe. Genitalia weakly sclerotized with strongest sclerotization at apical third of harpe.

Female

Unknown.

Variation

The flagellum gradually darkens from F1 to F 9 in ZFMK-HYM-00036777 and ZFMK-HYM-00036780.

Biology

Host unknown, specimens collected from leaf litter.

Distribution

Afrotropical: Kenya.

Remarks

Comparison with similar species

See remarks under C. tiriki sp. nov., C. semira sp. nov., and C. eaerendili sp. nov.

Condition of type material

In the holotype, the end of the metasoma is slightly deformed, thus the body length measurement is not precise.

Figures

Fig. 68. Holotype of Ceraphron malava sp. nov. (ZFMK-HYM-00036937). A–C. Male genitalia in ventral (A), lateral (B) and dorsal (C) views. D. Habitus in lateral view.