Pristomerus melissa, Rousse & Villemant & Seyrig, 2013

Rousse, Pascal, Villemant, Claire & Seyrig, André, 2013, Ichneumonid wasps from Madagascar. VI. The genus Pristomerus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 49, pp. 1-38 : 21-23

Pristomerus melissa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B55B6446-DBE7-4EC1-95B7-90F2798D1EC0

Fig. 10

Diagnosis

Moderately large species; face black; head black and white; general coloration testaceous-orange with tergite 1, basal half of tergite 2 and apico-lateral margins of mesoscutum black; face densely punctategranulate, clypeus transverse and smooth; mesonotum densely punctate-granulate; area superomedia laterally not delimited; female femoral tooth small; ovipositor short, its tip slightly sinuate; POL 0.7; OOL 1.0; CT 2.0; ML 0.8; OT 1.0; FFT 1.

Differential diagnosis

Species highly characteristic on account of the head color, the relatively short ovipositor and the laterally not delimited area superomedia.

Etymology

Euphonic arrangement of letters.

Type material

Holotype

MADAGASCAR: ♀ ( MNHN EY2454 ), Mandraka Park, Ampasimpotsy, 18°57’ S, 47°53’ E, verbatim label data: “Madagascar, Mandraka forest , IV.32 ”, complete.

Description

Female

LENGTH. 5.1.

HEAD. Face mid-longitudinally bulging, densely punctate-granulate with very fine pilosity. Clypeus almost smooth with few punctures. Ocellar triangle equilateral. Mandible moderately long, teeth subequal. Malar line moderately long. Antenna with 35 flagellomeres.

MESOSOMA. Moderately elongate, 2 x longer than high. Pronotum smooth, its postero-dorsal edge granulate. Mesonotum densely punctate-granulate. Mesopleuron and metapleuron shining, densely punctate. Propodeum long, densely punctate. Area basalis triangular, strongly petiolate. Lateral carinae of area superomedia lacking. Legs: long and thin, hind femur with a small tooth.

METASOMA. Tergites 1 almost smooth, post-petiole and tergite 2 finely aciculate. Tergite 2 almost as long as tergite 1 and about 2 x longer than apically wide. Ovipositor relatively short, slightly up-curved and briefly sinuate at apex.

COLOR. Head blackish brown with clypeus, malar space and mandible pale yellow. Mandibular teeth and antennae dark brown. Mesosoma testaceous-orange, dorso-laterally slightly infuscate. First tergite blackish. Second tergite with basal half yellow, apical half black with a yellow margin. Remainder of metasoma testaceous-orange. Legs orange, hind tibia (basally) and hind tarsus darker. Wings hyaline, pterostigma and ovipositor sheath dark brown.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Madagascar (Toamasina province).

Figures

Fig. 10. Pristomerus melissa sp. nov. A. ♀, habitus, profile. B. ♀, habitus, dorsal. C. ♀, head, facial. D. ♀, hind femur, profile.