Allophrys astafurovae Khalaim

Khalaim, A. I., 2013, Discovery of the South African fauna of Allophrys Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersicochinae), Zootaxa 3701 (3), pp. 329-343 : 331-333

Allophrys astafurovae Khalaim , sp. nov.

Figs 1–3 , 7, 8 , 39 .

Comparison. Similar to A. granulata sp. nov. in structure and coloration but differs by the smooth and shining vertex ( Fig. 1 ), upper tooth of mandible shorter ( Fig. 2 ), foveate groove of mesopleuron longer and more or less horizontal ( Fig. 3 ), first tergite stouter ( Fig. 8 ), and fore wing with brachial cell closed posteriorly ( Fig. 39 ).

Description. Female. Body length almost 3.2 mm. Fore wing length 2.25 mm.

Mandible with upper tooth somewhat longer than lower tooth ( Fig. 2 ). Clypeus 3.3× as broad as long ( Fig. 2 ), smooth and shining with some punctures on upper and lower margins. Malar space about as long as basal width of mandible. Flagellum of antenna basally slender, second flagellomere about 2.8× and subapical flagellomeres 1.1– 1.3× as long as broad ( Fig. 7 ). Face and frons usually without distinct punctures, very finely granulate, dull or weakly shining. Temple and vertex smooth and shining, vertex also with very fine and very sparse punctures. Occipital carina mediodorsally absent or vestigial ( Fig. 1 ).

Mesosoma very finely granulate (partly almost smooth) and indistinctly punctate, dull to weakly shining. Foveate groove extending across anterior 2/3 of mesopleuron, slightly upcurved anteriorly ( Fig. 3 ). Propodeum with basal longitudinal carinae usually indistinct and basal area rugulose; basal area, if present, widened anteriorly, usually short, 0.3–0.4× as long as apical area. Apical area flat.

Fore wing ( Fig. 39 ) with second recurrent vein posteriorly distinct. Brachial cell posteriorly closed. Hind wing with nervellus slanted about 35° from horizontal. Legs moderately slender; hind femur 4.2× as long as broad.

First tergite 4.8× as long as posteriorly broad, its upper margin in lateral view straight in basal 0.4–0.5 and rather strongly rounded posteriorly ( Fig. 8 ). Second tergite about 3.5× as long as anteriorly broad. Ovipositor sheath about as long as first tergite.

Head black; clypeus yellowish brown ventrally, palpi and mandible (teeth reddish black) yellow to yellowbrown. Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow-brown, flagellum entirely dark brown or black ( Fig. 7 ). Mesosoma and first metasomal segment black. Tegula dark brown. Pterostigma brown. Legs brownish yellow, hind (sometimes also mid) coxa dark brown or brownish black; hind femur sometimes slightly brownish. Metasoma behind first tergite brown to dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Basal area of propodeum sometimes longer, 0.4–0.6× as long as apical area. Second recurrent vein sometimes entirely absent.

Etymology. Named in honour of the Russian expert in Apoidea, Yulia V. Astafurova (ZISP).

Material examined. Holotype female (SAMC), South Africa, Kwazulu-Natal, Good Hope Estate, 9.3 km 281° NW of Boston, S 29°41.7′, E 29°55.9′, 1350 m, afromontane forest, winter bag extraction of leaf litter, 25.VIII.1998, coll. B.L. Fisher, SAM-HYM-P 020668.

Paratypes. South Africa. Kwazulu-Natal: 6 ♀ (4 ♀ SAMC, 2 ♀ ZISP) same data as holotype. 2 ♀ (ZISP) Pietermaritzburg, Hilton Garden, yellow pan trap, 6–14.III.2005, coll. V.A. Kolyada. 4 ♀ (1 ♀ BMNH, 1 ♀ SAMC, 2 ♀ ZISP) same locality, Malaise trap, 4–23.X.2004, coll. M. Mostovski. 1 ♀ (ZSM) Pietermaritzburg, Karkloof, S 29°19.1′, E 30°15.5′, 1325 m, yellow pan trap, 22.I–6.II.2007, coll. V.A. Kolyada & M. Mostovski. 1 ♀ (SAMC) same locality and altitude, Malaise trap, 27.V–25.VII.2005, coll. M. Mostovski. 3 ♀ (1 ♀ BMNH, 2 ♀ SAMC) Louwsberg, iGwala-Gwala private Nature Reserve, S 27°34′, E 31°17.9′, 1090 m, yellow pan trap, 2–3.VI.2005, coll. M. Mostovski. 1 ♀ (SAMC) Louwsberg, Sanyati Farm, S 27°34′, E 31°17.9′, 1090 m, Malaise trap, 19– 31.VIII.2005, coll. M. Mostovski. Cathedral Peak National Reserve, Rainbow Gorge, S 28°57.60′, E 29°13.61′, 1480 m, Malaise trap, coll. M. Mostovski: 10 ♀ (8 ♀ SAMC, 2 ♀ ZISP) 29.V–21.IX.2006, 1 ♀ (SAMC) 14.XII.2005 – 29.I.2006, 2 ♀ (BMNH) 22.IX–17.XI.2006, 3 ♀ (ZISP) 18.XI.2006 – 26.II.2007. Royal Natal National Reserve, Gudu Forest, S 28°40.9′, E 28°55.78′, 1680–1730 m, Malaise trap, coll. M. Mostovski: 3 ♀ (2 ♀ SAMC, 1 ♀ ZISP) 13.XII.2005 – 28.I.2006, 3 ♀ (ZISP) 29.I–28.V.2006, 4 ♀ (3 ♀ ZISP, 1 ♀ ZSM) 29.V– 21.IX.2006, 2 ♀ (SAMC) 18.XI.2006 – 27.II.2007. 3 ♀ (2 ♀ SAMC, 1 ♀ ZSM) Royal Natal National Reserve, Mahai Camp, S 28°41.4′, E 28°56.3′, 1450 m, yellow pan trap, 20–22.IX.2006, coll. M. Mostovski.

Distribution. South Africa (Kwazulu-Natal).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Allophrys astafurovae sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 1 — head and mesoscutum, dorso-lateral; 2 — head, frontal; 3 — mesosoma, ventro-lateral. Allophrys granulata sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 4 — head and mesoscutum, dorso-lateral; 5 — mandible, ventro-lateral; 6 — mesosoma, ventro-lateral.

FIGURES 7 – 13. Allophrys astafurovae sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 7 — antenna and mesoscutum, lateral; 8 — propodeum and first tergite, lateral. Allophrys broadi sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 9 — head with antennae and anterior part of mesosoma, lateral; 10 — hind leg, lateral; 11 — claw of hind leg. Allophrys granulata sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 12 — habitus, lateral; 13 — metasoma with ovipositor and hind leg, lateral.

FIGURES 39 – 42. Wings, paratype, ♀: 39 — A. astafurovae sp. nov.; 40 — A. broadi sp. nov.; 41 — A. granulata sp. nov.; 42 — A. tractor sp. nov.