Myzinella minima, Kimsey, 2011

Kimsey, Lynn S., 2011, Tiphiidae wasps of Madagascar (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 22, pp. 45-68 : 52-53

Myzinella minima sp. n. Figs 6 8

Holotype male:

Toliara Prov., Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 14.9 km 261° W Marovato, 160m, 13-19/ii/2002 25°35'40'S 45°8'49'E, Fisher, Griswold et al., pitfall trap in spiny forest thicket, BLF5650 (CAS).

Paratypes

(8 males): 5 males, same data as holotype; 2 males: 12.3 km 262° w Marovato, 200m, 11-15/ii/2002, 25°34'54'S 45°10'6'E, Fisher, Griswold et al., Malaise trap in spiny forest thicket, BLF5504; 1 male: Tuléar [Toliara] Prov., Ifaly 22 km north Tuléar, 23°11'S 43°37'E, 18/iv/1998, 30 m, swept from beach dunes, M. E. Irwin & E. I. Schlinger, Schlinger Foundation Expedition (DAVIS, SAN FRANCISCO).

Diagnosis.

Myzinella minima can be readily distinguished from Myzinella festiva by the black metasomal segment I, evenly convex and ovoid tegula and apically thickened antenna. Myzinella minima is also smaller than Myzinella festiva , which ranges from 10-12 mm long.

Description.

Male ( Fig. 6 ).

Body length. 5-8 mm.

Face ( Fig. 7 ). Oral cavity unmodified; genal bridge opaque, barely covering the tongue base; vertex impunctate between hindocellus and eye, except for single row of punctures along eye margin; flagellomere I twice as long as broad; flagellomeres II and III 1.7 × as long as broad; flagellomere XI 1.4 × as long as broad, apical flagellar segments twice the breadth of basal segments.

Thorax. Pronotum more than twice as broad as long; metasomal dorsum and mesopleuron with punctures separated by 0.5-2.0 puncture diameters; tegula ovoid, evenly convex; forewing apical cells separated from wing apex by more than length of discoidal cell.

Metasoma. Tergum I highly polished, punctures 2-4 or more puncture diameters apart; terga I-VII polished with punctures 2-4 puncture diameters apart; tergum VII apically acute on either side of apicomedial notch; sternum I with punctures 1-2 puncture diameters apart; sterna II-V with transverse medial and apical bands of punctures; sternum VI impunctate, except for medial patch of punctures.

Genitalia ( Fig. 8 ). Paramere 1.5 × as long as broad, broadly curved dorsally with blunt apex; aedeagus simple, linear two-thirds as long as paramere; volsellar simple, apex rounded.

Color. Black, with pale yellow markings, mandibles pale yellow, pronotum with yellow transverse band, tegula pale yellow, femoral apices, tibiae partly and tarsi completely yellow, metasomal terga II-VI with medial and lateral yellow spots, tergum I with short transverse yellow band along posterior margin; wing veins whitish basally, black apically and medially, wing membrane whitish. Vestiture. Long white, largely decumbent.

Checklist of Myzinella Species

1. Myzinella festiva Bartalucci 2005:1088. Holotype male; Madagascar: Tuléar, Tuléar Morombe Pk. (VIENNA). Distribution: Toliara Prov.

2. Myzinella minima sp. n. Distribution: Toliara Prov.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Lateral view of males. 1 Methocha 2 Anthobosca 3 Tiphia (uncus obscured by genital capsule shown in inset) 4 Mesa 5 Meria 6 Myzinella.

Figures 7 - 15. Front view of face. 8 Lateral view genital capsule 9 - 15 Lateral view of head and pronotum.