Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, 2021

van Noort, Simon, Lahey, Zachary, Talamas, Elijah J., Austin, Andrew D., Masner, Lubomir, Polaszek, Andrew & Johnson, Norman F., 2021, Review of Afrotropical sceliotracheline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 87, pp. 115-222 : 115

Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey sp. nov.

Figs 14 , 15 , 16

Material examined.

Holotype: South Africa • ♀; Eastern Cape, Februarie Farm, (40.2 km 267°W Kirkwood) 33°33.124'S, 25°03.043'E; 10-12 Feb 2001; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; VB01-R1T-M21; Valley Bushveld (goat trashed); SAM-HYM-P095159 (SAMC).

Paratypes: South Africa • 1 ♂ ; same data as holotype except for SAM-HYM-P095160 (SAMC). 1♀ ; 2♂ ; RSA: Eastern Cape Prov. 37 km. NW. Willowmore, Grootrivierberg Range ; 33°11.46'S, 24°09.51'E; 19-24.XI.99; MT; M.E. Irwin et al.; 700 m; SA-15 (CNCI) • 1♂ ; RSA: Eastern Cape Prov., 30 km. S. Steytlerville, Baviaanskloof Mtns. ; 33°33.88'S, 24°20.95'E; 17.XI.99; M.E. Irwin et al.; 535 m; MT; SA-11; 17-22.XI.1999; M.E. Irwin et al. (CNCI) • 1♀ ; RSA: Eastern Cape Prov., 6 km. N. Steytlerville; 33°16.84'S, 24°22.78'E; 16-23.XI.99; MT; 500 m; M.E. Irwin et al.; SA-05 (CNCI) • 1♂ ; RSA: Western Cape Prov., 28 km. S. Steytlerville, Baviaanskloof Mtns ; 33°32.76'S, 24°21.29'E; 17-22.XI.1999; M.E. Irwin et al.; 535 m; MT; SA-11 (CNCI) • 1♀ ; South Africa: Cape, 28 km S. Steytlerville; 33°32.76'S, 24°21.29'E; 17-22.XI.1999; M. Irwin et al.; MT (CNCI) • 1♀ ; South Africa: E. Cape, Februarie Farm, 40.2 km 267°W Kirkwood; 33°33.124'S, 25°03.043'E; 14-16.ii.2001; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; VB01-R1T-M53; Valley Bushveld , goat trashed; SAM-HYM-P095200 [OSUC 20223308] (SAMC) • 1♂ ; South Africa: E. Cape, Februarie Farm, 39.9 km 268°W Kirkwood; 33°32.813'S, 25°03.091'E; 12-14.ii.2001; S. van Noort; VB01-R2N-M38; Malaise trap; Valley Bushveld non-trashed; SAM-HYM-P095201 [OSUC 20243831] (SAMC) • 1♂ ; South Africa: E. Cape, Marais Hoop Farm , 25.6 km 254°W Kirkwood; 33°32.635'S, 25°13.678'E; 14-16.ii.2001; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; valley bushveld non-trashed; VB01-R4N-M52; SAM-HYM-P095202 [OSUC 20242793] (SAMC) • 1♀ ; South Africa: W. Cape, Koeberg Nature Reserve; 33°37.622'S, 18°24.259'E; 5.ix-3.x.1997; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; West Coast Strandveld ; KO97-M09; SAM-HYM-P095203 [OSUC 20226148] (SAMC) • 1♀ ; South Africa: W. Cape, Koeberg Nature Res.; 33°37.622'S, 18°24.259'E; 20.ii-20.iii.1998; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; KO97-M24; West Coast Strandveld ; SAM-HYM-P095204 [OSUC 20243069] (SAMC) • 1♀ ; South Africa: W. Cape, Elandsfontein farm, site E1; 32°17.69'S, 22°55.53'E 24.iv.2001; S. van Noort & HG. Robertson; Nama Karoo; dolerite soil; Malaise trap; BW01-E1-M17; SAM-HYM-P095205 [OSUC 20243128] (SAMC) • 1♂ ; South Africa: W. Cape, West Coast Fossil Park , 5.5 km 270°W Langebaanweg; 32°58.117'S, 18°05.789'E; 11-18.ix.2002; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; Acacia cyclops on slimes dam; LW02-U1-M27; SAM-HYM-P095206 [OSUC 20612460] (SAMC) .

Description.

Female. Body length 0.9 mm. Colour of body dark brown to black, with metasoma, antennal funicular segments, alar sclerites brown; scape and pedicel and legs yellow; wings clear with brown microtrichiae.

Head in dorsal view strongly transverse (5:13), lens-like, with frons only gently arched; temples straight, strongly receding toward occipital carina; POL:LOL:OOL = 40:22:20. Scape distinctly shorter than interorbital space (7:10) with scrobe absent; eyes with minute hairs, scattered white setae on head slightly longer; head with delicate alutaceous reticulation; head in lateral view two-thirds as wide as high (10:15), with lower frons gently convex, vertex acute and posterior toruli distinctly raised; eyes oval (7:10) with upper part of gena still visible behind eye; posterior edge of gena defined by crenulate and sharp occipital carina with c. 5 long, posteriorly projecting setae from ventral section of carina; malar space over half as long as eye height (55:83); head in anterior view wider than high (14:10), broadly oval, with vertex rising to ocelli, cheeks gently convex; interorbital space larger than eye height (80:63); frons evenly covered with delicate punctate-reticulate sculpture and scattered setae; toruli with dorsal carina not forming shelf; interantennal process absent; clypeus ellipsoidal, gently convex in profile, anterior margin distinctly convex. Antenna with 10-antennomeres, with scape to radicle as 11:2, scape micro-alutaceous. Clava 3-merous, equivalent in length to combined length of pedicle and flagellomeres 1-5.

Mesosoma distinctly longer than high (14:10), wider than long (95:80); moderately convex dorsally; pronotum and mesoscutum, with delicate reticulation and scattered white setae; scutellum polished, twice as wide as long; posterior margin of scutellum crenulate; dorsellum (=metascutellum) medially hidden in dorsal view; sulcus separating metanotum from propodeum not raised, only as fine line; propodeum with an anteriodorsal transverse flat, polished plate from which the parallel foamy keels arise, extending lateroventrally on each side of propodeum forming an H-shape; lateral foamy edges extend as moderate flanges; mesopleuron smooth, but dorsally with a set of 14-15 longitudinal striations, the dorsal five transversely complete, reaching the anterior mesopleural edge, subsequent ventral striations shorten sequentially towards the transepisternal line; transepisternal line present, anterior third arched ventrally to meet mesopleural carina; acetabular and ventral mesopleural carinae delicate; metapleuron with dense, long white setae except for around depression and dorsal and posterior edge forming wide foamy keels. Fore wing only slightly curved over metasoma, well surpassing tip of metasoma, 1.7 × length of metasoma, very broad (2:1), with very short marginal cilia, and extremely short pointed brown microtrichiae with slightly bulbous base; submarginal vein ending with distinct rounded club, just over a quarter (0.27 ×) of fore wing length; hind wing (5:1) with distinct marginal cilia apically and basally.

Metasoma equal in length to rest of body, wider than high (15:6.5); T1 broadly trapezoidal (4:1), anterolaterally covered with sparse patches of long white setae; anteromedially with two depressions filled with short white setae, one each side of the nucha which has a raised carina; T2 distinctly wider than long (15:8), anterior margin with two transversely narrow setose depressions; T3-T6 short; ovipositor apically serrate.

Male. Similar to females except for fore wings of normal flat shape, not curved over metasoma, narrower, twice as long as wide; legs brown; antenna filiform, almost as long as body, with 9 antennomeres, flagellar segments (A3-A9) of equivalent length (0.5 × scape length), very setose with short, freely projecting multiporous plate sensillae present in 4-5 staggered rows over entire funicle segment.

Etymology.

Named after the Latin word for speed with reference to the notauli and median sulcus configuration on the mesoscutum that is reminiscent of GT racing stripes. Noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Both sexes are immediately distinguishable by the presence of a median mesoscutal line, which is absent in the other species. The notauli extend far forward, almost meeting the admedian depressions. Males are unique amongst other members of the genus, and the subfamily Sceliotrachelinae , by possessing the sex segment (tyloid) on A3 because of the fusion of A3 and A4, resulting in 9-merous antennae in the male.

Biology.

Unknown.

Distribution.

South Africa (Eastern Cape).

Comments.

This species strongly resembles the genus Afrisolia , so much so that it was misidentified as a member of that genus in figure 3 of Lahey et al. (2019b). Fidiobia celeritas is excluded from Afrisolia based on the apectinate fore tibial spur (without a comb). Genera of the Isolia -cluster have a combed fore tibial spur, whereas it is simple in other sceliotracheline genera.

Figures

Figure 14. Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. holotype female (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P 095159) A habitus, lateral view B habitus, dorsal view C habitus, dorso-lateral view D habitus with wings spread, dorsal view E head, antennae, anterior view F mesosoma, T 1, dorso-lateral view.

Figure 15. Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. holotype female (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P 095159) A head, mesosoma, dorsal view B head, mesosoma, dorso-posterior view C head, mesosoma, lateral view D metasoma, dorsal view E metasoma, lateral view F wings, dorsal view (inset: data labels).

Figure 16. Fidiobia celeritas van Noort & Lahey, sp. nov. paratype male (SAMC) (SAM-HYM-P 095160) A habitus, lateral view B habitus, dorsal view C habitus, ventral view D head, mesosoma, dorsal view E head, anterior view F wings, dorsal view (inset: data labels).