Gonatopus Ljungh, 1810

Olmi, Massimo, Guglielmino, Adalgisa, Natha, Sultan Adamo & Alfredo, Alberto Albino Nota, 2012, A catalogue of Dryinidae of Mozambique, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea), African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 715-715 : 716-718

Genus Gonatopus Ljungh, 1810

Gonatopus bekilyanus (Benoit, 1954)

Fig. 1

Neogonatopus bekilyanus: Benoit 1954: 394 .

Gonatopus bekilyanus (Benoit) : Olmi 1984: 1612.

Gonatopus bekilyanus was known only on the basis of female specimens collected in Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa (Benoit 1954; Olmi 1984, 2004; Olmi & Copeland 2011). In 2011, both sexes of this species were reared in Mozambique, Niassa Province, Cuamba, from an unidentified species of Cicadellidae . This rearing resulted in the discovery of the previously unknown male, described herein.

Description:

Male.

Fully winged; length 1.6 mm. Head black, except mandible testaceous; antenna brown; mesosoma black; metasoma brown; legs brown, except articulations and tarsal segments 1–4 testaceous. Antenna hairy, filiform; antennal segments in following proportions: 4:3:4.5:4:3.5:4:3.5:4:3:6; antennal segment 3 less than 3 times as long as broad: 4.5:2. Head dull, granulated; frontal line absent; occipital carina absent; POL = 5; OL = 3; OOL= 4; greatest breadth of posterior ocelli shorter than OL (2:3). Vertex of head with two oval, dull, granulated areas situated between posterior ocelli and eyes and surrounded anteriorly by very high carina, posteriorly not surrounded by carina. Temple distinct, granulated, not crossed by carina. Palpal formula 4/2. Scutum dull, granulated. Notauli complete, posteriorly separated; minimum distance between notauli slightly shorter than greatest width of posterior ocelli (1.5:2). Scutellum and metanotum shiny, smooth, weakly punctate, without sculpture among punctae. Propodeum dull, weakly reticulate rugose, with small areolae; dorsal surface without median longitudinal furrow; posterior surface without longitudinal or transverse keels. Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands, and with only costal cell surrounded by strongly pigmented veins; marginal cell open; stigmal vein regularly curved, with distal part longer than proximal part. Dorsal process of paramere ( Fig. 1 ) short and slender, with distal apex pointed. Tibial spurs 1/1/2.

Material examined: KENYA: Central Province: Mt Kenya , 1♀ ( DEUW) . MADAGASCAR: Toamasina: Tamatave , 1♀ ( FAG) ; Rogez , 2♀ ( MRAC, OLM) . Toliary: Bekily , iii.1943, A. Seyrig, ♀ holotype ( MNHN) ;

same locality label, vii.1937, A. Seyrig, 4♀ paratypes (2 in MNHN; 2 in MRAC) ; Ifaty , 23°09'S 43°37'E, 17.ix.1993, under seaweed drift on sand beach, W.E. Steiner & R. Andriamasimanana, 1♀ ( USNM) . MOZAMBIQUE: Niassa: Cuamba, Mozambique Catholic University Campus, M. Olmi reared, 1♀: C. 19.iv.2002, B. 21.iv.2002, E. 12.v.2002 ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 22.iii.2003, B. 23.iii.2003, E. 14.iv.2003 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 23.iii.2003, B. 27.iii.2003, E. 18.iv.2003 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 29.v.2007, B. 30.v.2007, E. 30.vi.2007 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 29.v.2007, B. 31.v.2007, E. 1.vii.2007 ( SAMC) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 19.iv.2007, B. 20.iv.2007, E. 14.v.2007 ( SAMC) ; same locality label, 1♀: egg 27.v.2007, first instar larva 31.v.2007, second instar larva 1.vi.2007, third instar larva 3.vi.2007, fourth instar larva 5.vi.2007, fifth instar larva 6.vi.2007, B. 7.vi.2007, E. 30.vi.2007 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 3.ii.2011, B. 4.ii.2011, E. 23.ii.2011 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 6.ii.2011, B. 8.ii.2011, E. 27.ii.2011 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 3.ii.2011, B. 4.ii.2011, E. 23.ii.2011 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♂: C. 6.ii.2011, B. 7.ii.2011, E. 1.iii.2011 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 6.ii.2011, B. 10.ii.2011, E. 1.iii.2011 ( OLM) ; same locality label, 1♀: C. 1.iv.2009, B. 7.iv.2009 ( OLM) . SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: nr Pretoria, Discovery , 28.ix.1961, Empey, 1♀ ( DJBC) .

Hosts: In Niassa, adults and nymphs of Exitianus capicola (Stål) and Exitianus taeniaticeps (Kirschbaum) (Cicadellidae) ( Guglielmino & Olmi 2006).

Comments: Because of the complete notauli, the antennal segment 3 that is less than 3 times as long as broad, and the area between posterior ocelli and eyes having an ovoidal area anteriorly delimited by a strong and high carina, the male of G. bekilyanus is similar to those of G. cornutus (Benoit 1951 b) and G. ridens Olmi, 1984 . For the main differences between the above species see the comments on the following species, G. chiruanus sp. n.

Figures

Figs 1, 2. Male genital armatures of (1) Gonatopus bekilyanus (Benoit) from Cuamba and (2) paratype of Gonatopus chiruanus sp. n. Left half removed. Scale bar = 0.04 mm for both figures.