Afroserphus, : Masner, 1961

Kolyada, Victor A. & Mostovski, Mike B., 2007, On a putative Gondwanan relic Afroserphus bicornis Masner (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupidae), with a description of the hitherto unknown female, African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 261-265 : 262-264

Afroserphus bicornis Masner, 1961

Figs 1–10

Afroserphus bicornis: Masner 1961: 39, figs 1–3; Townes & Townes 1981: 61, figs 9, 33; Johnson 1992:

279 (catalogue).

Description:

Male.

Forewing about 3.2–5.3 mm long. Prominent part of frontal horn along its inner side approximately as long as scape. Apart from central part of frons, face including horn, clypeus and labrum roughly and irregularly reticulated throughout. Frons between horns only with feeble trace of keel. Antennal flagellum rather thickened owing to trapezoid shape of flagellomeres ( Fig. 4 ). Tyloids not forming specialised structure, but flagellomeres ventrally bear dense granulose sculpture. Ratios of antennomere lengths to widths: 2.1:1, 1.6:1, 2.5:1, 1.8:1, 1.6:1, 1.6:1, 1.8:1, 1.8:1, 1.8:1, 1.9:1, 2.0:1, 2.2:1, 4:1. Clypeus very wide and short, its apex broadly truncate. Cheek very short, with developed malar sulcus. Temple strongly convex. Occipital carina absent from approximately lower third of head. Upper part of lateral aspect of pronotum strongly convex. Hair area on front edge of mesopleurum interrupted. Horizontal mesopleural groove posteriorly deep with smoothed margins, anteriorly shallow and slightly down-slanted. Mesopleural suture foveate. Middle tibial spur long and curved, almost as long as middle basitarsus (0.8×), noticeably longer than straight hind tibial spur that almost as long as hind basitarsus (0.8×). Propodeum short, strongly coarsely rugose, dorsally with 2 small smooth areas; entire propodeum covered with dense and long hairs. Costal side of radial cell about a third as long as depth of stigma. Upper third of forewing, including pterostigma, darkened. Base of syntergite broad, without longitudinal grooves. First part of thyridia slit-like and poorly discernible. Dorsal surface of syntergite densely punctate backwardly. Lower marging of syntergite bare. Entire synsternite densely and coarsely punctate and evenly covered with uniform long hairs. Body black, shining; antennae dull yellow-brown, darkened toward apex; coxae black; trochanters and basal parts of femora of all legs white; hind legs light to dark brown, other legs entirely yellow.

Female.

Similar to male, except for the following characteristics:

Prominent part of frontal horn noticeably shallower and almost half as long as scape. Antennal flagellum cylindrical ( Fig. 3 ), antennomeres of usual shape, ratios of their lengths to widths: 2.0:1, 1.6:1, 2.0:1, 1.6:1, 1.6:1, 1.6:1, 1.6:1, 1.6:1, 1.8:1, 1.8:1, 1.9:1, 1.7:1, 3.0:1. Ovipositor sheath broad and short, 0.4 times as long as hind tibia, apically rounded, with rare punctures and short hairs.

Note: Different shapes of frontal horns in males and females suggest sexual dimorphism in this important generic character.

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: 1^ Roodeplaat, ARC Exp. Farm , 25°36'23.54"S: 28°21'10.27"E, 1200 m, 6–21.i.2006, Malaise trap, L.B. Vilhelmsen & J. Pedersen ( NMSA) . UGANDA: 2^ Kawanda , T. 485, 7.ii.1939, H.C. Taylor ( BMNH) ; 1^ Entebbe env., 3780 ft, 15–27.x.1971, H. Falke ( CNCI) . ZAMBIA: 1ơ Mbala, Abercorn , 5400 ft, 1.ii.1970, M.E. Irwin & E.S. Ross ( CASC) .

Biology: Unknown. The broad and short ovipositor sheath suggests a coleopteran host.

Figures

Figs 1–4. General appearance of Afroserphus bicornis, light microscopy: (1, 2) female in lateral and dorsal aspects, (3, 4) female and male antennae.

Figs 5–10. Details of body structures of Afroserphus bicornis female, ESEM: (5) head with small frontal horns above antennal pits, (6) fore-tarsal claw, (7, 8) propodeum in lateral and dorsal aspects, (9) abdomen laterally, (10) ovipositor.