Ifrika Colombo and Azevedo, 2023

Dondoni Colombo, Wesley & Azevedo, Celso Oliveira, 2023, Discovery of a new Afrotropical genus of flat wasps Ifrika gen. n. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), Journal of Natural History 57 (29 - 32), pp. 1472-1494 : 1473-1476

Ifrika Colombo and Azevedo gen. n.

( Fig. 1 )

Differential diagnosis

Ifrika gen. n. is identifiable as a member of the Pristocerinae because the metanotum is developed medially and overlaps the mesoscutellum posteriorly. Among Pristocerinae , it is uniquely identified by having the following combination of characters: (1) median clypeal lobe indistinct from the lateral ones; (2) dorsal pronotal area very short; (3) hypopygium with an evident inner membrane; (4) posterior hypopygeal margin deeply excavated; (5) harpe deeply excavated into evident dorsal and ventral arms, but not fully divided into two independent harpes; (6) aedeagal dorsal valve with a mediodorsal fold, which is curved mesad; (7) aedeagus with a median projection which is ventrally curved, (8) aedeagus with basal cover plate; and (9) aedeagal apodeme dorsally curved.

Etymology

The generic epithet is a combination of ifri + ka. ̍ifri′ is from the Berber word that means cave, in reference to cave dwellers, and ̍ka′ is from the last syllable of the Kiswahili word Afrika, which means Africa. Gender feminine.

Remarks

This genus goes to couplet 3 in the key to the genera of Pristocerine proposed by Azevedo et al. (2018b, p. 56) and should be read as follows:

3. Head usually truncated anteriorly; median clypeal lobe very reduced and with apical margin incurved; hypopygeal apical margin of outer surface with lamellar lobe ........... ................................................................................................................................. Prosapenesia Kieffer

- Head never truncated anteriorly; median clypeal lobe usually triangular; hypopygeal outer surface lamellar to strongly concave, sometimes resembling those deeply divided into two lobes as in Pristocera when not dissected ............................................ 3a

3a. Median clypeal lobe distinct from lateral ones; harpe simple; aedeagal dorsal valve without a mediodorsal fold; aedeagal median projection absent; aedeagal basal cover plate absent ...................................................................................................... Propristocera Kieffer

- Median clypeal lobe indistinct from lateral ones; harpe deeply excavated into evident dorsal and ventral arms, but not fully divided into two independents harpes; aedeagal dorsal valve with a mediodorsal fold; aedeagal median projection present; aedeagal basal cover plate present .......................................................................................... Ifrika gen. n.

Type species

Ifrika nyigu Colombo and Azevedo sp. n. by original designation.

Distribution

Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya and Uganda ( Figure 2 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Ifrika wadudu sp. n., male. (A) Habitus, lateral view. (B) Habitus, dorsal view. (C) Wings, dorsal view, with the flexion lines highlighted. (D) Hypopygium, dorsal view. (E) Genitalia, dorsal view. (F) Harpe, gonostipes and volsella, inner view. (G) Aedeagus, lateral view. (H) Harpe, lateral view. Abbreviations. Forewing: (P) prestigmal flexion line, (M) median flexion line, (1M) anterior median flexion line, (2M) posterior median flexion line, (2M1) first posterior median flexion line, (2M2) second posterior median flexion line, (r-m) radial-median cross flexion line, (1m-2 m) anterior-posterior median cross flexion line, (m-cu) medio-cubital cross flexion line and (cv) claval flexion line. Hind wings: (M) median flexion line. Hypopygium: (ama) anteromedial apodeme; (ala) anterolateral apodeme; (spc) spiculum and (im) inner membrane. Genitalia: (vahp) ventral arm of harpe; (dahp) dorsal arm of harpe; (vs) volsella; (adv) aedeagal dorsal valve; (avv) aedeagal ventral valve; (cp) cuspis; (dg) digitus; (ap) apodeme; (mp) median projection; (mf) mediodorsal fold and (bcp) basal cover plate. Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C = 0.2 mm; D–H = 0.1 mm.

Figure 2. Distribution of Ifrika gen. n. (A) Ifrika mnyama sp. n. (B) Ifrika nyigu sp. n. Sources: NMKE, RESOLVE Ecoregions, RQIS and SAMC.