Xiphentedon jeanyvesi, Gumovsky, 2023

Gumovsky, Alex, 2023, Revision of Xiphentedon Risbec, 1957 and Colpixys Waterston, 1916 (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), with descriptions of new species from the Afrotropics, European Journal of Taxonomy 905, pp. 1-83 : 48-52

Xiphentedon jeanyvesi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F7951AE8-5703-4437-AAE6-81A5C58DF4A1

Figs 24–25

Diagnosis

As for the group and also: entire antenna dark; head dorsally about 2.5× as wide as long, dorsal interorbital distance nearly 2.0× median vertexal distance ( Fig. 24D ); interantennal space with a short sharp process (process small, but still present in the smaller specimens from CAR); gena short, bulging; all legs predominantly dark (on at least proximal ⅔), just tips of tibiae and femora and two (holotype) or three (other specimens) basal tarsomeres of mid and hind legs pale; axillular projection with three teeth (one larger and two smaller) which fuse basally (holotype, Fig. 24G ) or two teeth (in the smaller specimen from CAR, Fig. 25E ); median propodeal strip Y-shaped, lightly coriaceous ( Figs 24E, H , 25D ); WIP with broad red field along apical margin followed by narrow blue, green and violet stripes ( Fig. 25A ).

Male

Scape nearly evenly widened, just slightly wider basally, with very narrow tip, about 3.6× as long as wide, flagellar joints small, rounded ( Fig. 24A ); body bright copper to bronze green.

Female

Pedicel plus flagellum about 2.0× as long as scape, scape narrow-pear shaped: wide basally, then narrowed and then again slightly wider; flagellum with short-ovate segments; gaster about as long as or slightly longer than broad, syntergum wider than broad; costal cell asetose.

Etymology

The species is named in honour of one of the collectors of the holotype, the French entomologist Jean-Yves Rasplus. The species epithet is a Latin noun in the genitive case, not changing with the gender of the genus.

Type material examined

Holotype

TANZANIA • ♂; Amani ; 10 Mar. 1996; J.-Y. Rasplus and C. Kerdelhué leg.; CBGP.

Paratype

TANZANIA • ♀; same collection data as for holotype; CBGP.

Other material examined

CAMEROON • 1 ♂; Mt. Cameroon, near Buea ; 27 Dec. 1981; S.G. Compton leg.; sweep; SAM-HYM-P011882 ; SAMC.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC • 1 ♂; Prefecture Sangha-Mbaéré, Parc National de Dzanga-Ndoki, 38.6 km 173° S of Lidjombo; 2º21.60′ N, 16º03.20′ E; 350 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2001; S. van Noort leg.; sweep; lowland rainforest; CAR01-S269; SAM-HYM-P065302 ; SAMC • 1 ♀; ibid.; Réserve Spéciale de Forêt Dense de Dzanga-Sangha , 12.7 km 326° NW of Bayanga; 3º00.27′ N, 16º11.55′ E; 420 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2001; S. van Noort leg.; sweep; lowland rainforest; CAR01-S118; SAM-HYM-P065301 ; SAMC .

Description

Male

Length about 1.6 mm ( CAR) to 2.0 mm (holotype). Body bright copper dorsally, propodeum and face green, coxae greenish blue, trochanters pale brown, wings transparent, venation of wings pale yellow, femora dark metallic green with white tips, hind tibia darkened on about its proximal ⅔, mid tibia darkened on its proximal ^/5, remaining parts pale, fore tibia with two pale longitudinal stripes, first three tarsomeres of all legs pale, pretarsi dark, antenna black, OMA darkened.

Head in dorsal view about 2.5× as wide as long; ocelli of moderate size; POL nearly 3.0× OOL. Occipital margin marked by sharp carina with moderate lateral projections. MDO: OOL: OCL in ratio 75: 73: 60. Dorsal interorbital distance 1.65 × median vertexal distance.

Dorsal surface of head with light reticulation throughout, space along posterior eye orbit somewhat smoothed. Eye moderately pubescent. Occiput comparatively densely setose below occipital margin and posterior orbit of eye.

Head in frontal view 1.36 × as wide as high. Frons with smooth area medially above frontal sutures. Eye height/interocular distance in ratio 252: 211, eye height slightly more than 5.0× malar space. Surface between toruli bearing short acute process. Width of oral fossa slightly more than 3.0× malar space.

Gena curved, with bulging callus below eye. Distance between ventral eye margin and antennal torulus as long as diameter of torulus. Scape about 3.6 × as long as wide, with apical ‘neck’, 0.7× eye height; combined length of pedicel plus flagellum 0.7× width of head; pedicel bulb-shaped, 2.0 × as long as wide, about as long as F1, the latter 2.0×, F2 2.3 × and F3 1.9× as long as wide, separated by moderate, but distinct peduncles, clava about 2.5 × as long as wide, with distinct terminal spine. Funicular segments slightly longer in smaller non-type specimen from CAR than in holotype from Tanzania.

Mesosoma about 1.7× as long as wide. Pronotal collar somewhat carinate; mesoscutum about 1.7× as broad as long, mesoscutellum about 1.2× as long as wide, about as long as mesoscutum. Axillula bearing tridentate projection with one bigger tooth and two smaller ones which fuse basally; axillular projection bidentate in smaller non-type specimen from CAR.

Propodeum with somewhat sunken median strip delimited by straight carinae diverging anteriorly, with a transverse coriaceous area on anterior part. Submedian areas weakly convex and smooth. Spiracular elevation of propodeum weakly convex, somewhat conical in shape, with very short tubercle posteriad. Supracoxal flange narrow, with posterior margins bent ventrally. Propodeal callus with 15 to 17 setae.

Fore wing nearly 2.0× as long as wide, CC asetose, about 7.0× as long as wide, SC with two dorsal setae; MV about 1.2× CC; PMV and STV short, equal in length; apical marginal fringe 1.2 to 1.3× average width of PR.

Ventral surface of prosternum and median ventral area of mesopectus with dense pubescence.

Metasomal petiole elongate, almost 3.0× as long as wide; slightly widening posteriorly. Gaster slightly less than 2.0× as long as wide.

Female

Length about 1.8 mm ( CAR) to 2.0 mm (paratype, Tanzania). Differs from male in general black colour, with weak green reflection, mainly in smooth parts. Dorsal interorbital distance 1.6 × median vertexal distance; antennal scape about 5.5× as long as wide, about 0.7× eye height, expanded basally, with apical ‘neck’; eye height 3.8 × malar space, combined length of pedicel plus flagellum constitutes slightly more than half of head width; pedicel elongate, nearly 2.0 × as long as wide, slightly longer than F1, and nearly 2.0 × as long as wide; both F2 and F3 slightly shorter than F1, about 1.3× as long as wide; together about 1.5 × as long as F1; funicular segments separated by moderate, but distinct peduncles. Clava about 2.5× as long as wide, with short terminal spine. Fore wing almost 2.0× as long as wide. Metasomal petiole conical, slightly longer than broad, gaster short ovate, about 1.3× as long as wide. Median propodeal strip with one curved carinula medially.

Biology

Unknown.

Distribution

Tanzania, CAR, Cameroon.

Remarks

This species resembles X. danielssoni comb. nov. but differs mainly in having a wider head, being about 2.5× as wide as long in dorsal view (about 2.0× in X. danielssoni ) and the larger (2.0×) ratio of the dorsal interorbital distance to the median vertexal distance (1.5× in X. danielssoni ). Although there are few doubts about the conspecificity of the smaller specimens from CAR, they are not included in the type series due to the above-mentioned morphological differences, chiefly the smaller process on the interantennal space.

Figures

Fig. 24.Xiphentedon jeanyvesi sp.nov.A–B.♂,holotype (Tanzania; CBGP).C–H. ♀, paratype (Tanzania; CBGP). A, C. Habitus. B. Mesosoma. D (and insets A, C). Head in dorsal view. E, H. Propodeum. F. Posterior part of mesosoma; the axillula is arrowed. G. Axillula.

Fig. 25. Xiphentedon jeanyvesi sp. nov., ♀, from CAR (SAM-HYM-P065301). A–C. Habitus. A. Fronto-dorsal view. B. Lateral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Mesosoma and posterior part of metasoma. E. Mesosoma in lateral view; the axillula is arrowed.