Scelio dupondi Yoder

Yoder, Matthew J., Valerio, Alejandro A., Polaszek, Andrew, Noort, Simon van, Masner, Lubomir & Johnson, Norman F., 2014, Monograph of the Afrotropical species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae), egg parasitoids of acridid grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae), ZooKeys 380, pp. 1-188 : 30-32

Scelio dupondi Yoder sp. n. Figures 67-72; Morphbank 28

Description.

Female body length: 3.52-4.28 mm (n=24). Male body length: 3.36-3.52 mm (n=2). Shape of compound eye: not or only slightly bulging. Color pattern of pilosity below anterior ocellus in female: predominantly white throughout. Sculpture of frons in female: reticulate rugulose, sculpture finer, typically without dorsoventral trend. Genal carina in female: present. Width of gena in lateral view: weakly expanded, posterior margin parallel to posterior margin of eye. Density of genal setae: moderately to highly dense, setae conspicuous. Color of genal setae: white to off-white. Sculpture of base of mandible in female: minutely reticulate. Color of A1 in female: yellow throughout. Color of A3 in female: yellow basally, darkening to brown near apex. Sculpture of dorsal pronotal nucha in female: predominantly to completely sculptured. Color of pilosity of pronotal shoulder in female: predominantly white to off-white. Sculpture along humeral margin of mesoscutum: well-defined throughout. Color of pilosity of mesonotum in female: predominantly light to dark brown. Transition from lateral to posterior margin of propodeum in dorsal view: forming distinct angle, corner of propodeum well defined. Shape of mesoscutum in lateral view: bulging in anterior third. Pilosity on metapleuron above hind coxa: glabrous or with few scattered setae. Form of fore wing submarginal vein in female: nebulous at or just before upcurve to marginal vein, not reaching margin as a tubular vein; tubular throughout from base to costal margin. Fine pilosity of lateral T1 in female: absent. Width of metasoma: moderately wide, width of S3 1.5-1.6 times medial length. Distribution of pilosity on T2-T5 in female: individual tergites glabrous anteriorly, densely setose posteriorly. Sculpture of T3 in female: longitudinally striate laterally with prominent reticulate to rugulose elements medially. Overall sculpture of S3: with dense, fine longitudinal carinae. Sculpture of medial S3 in female: present throughout.

Diagnosis.

Differs from all other Afrotropical ernstii-group species except Scelio janseni by the setal pattern of the lateral tergites (Figs 68, 80). Differing from Scelio janseni in size (smaller), sculpture of the frons (finer), width of metasoma (much narrower), type and density of sculpture on the metasoma (finer, more compact, longitudinal, with S3 sculptured more or less throughout), and development of the S3 felt field (very reduced and not or barely elevated).

Etymology.

The epithet is used as a genitive noun derived from the French name for the one of the Thompson twin detective characters in Tintin comics. The two were always being confused with one another. See also Scelio janseni .

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-large.html?id=244958

Material examined.

Holotype, female: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Prov., 15km E Klaserie, Guernsey Farm, 19. XII– 31.XII.1985, malaise trap, H. Howden & A. Howden, OSUC 212309 (deposited in CNCI). Paratypes: (24 females, 2 males) SOUTH AFRICA: 6 females, OSUC 211204-211205, 211256, 211263 (CNCI); OSUC 211260 (OSUC); OSUC 213369 (SANC). ZIMBABWE: 18 females, 2 males, OSUC 211241, 211247, 212110, 212142, 212151, 212405, 212567, 212647, 212841, 213008, 213051, 213053-213054, 213205, 213208, 213210, 213228, 213249 (CNCI); OSUC 211225, 213048 (OSUC).

Comments.

This species is very similar to the larger, more robust Scelio janseni . However, all available specimens are relatively easily separated, with no indication of morphological gradation among the two. The sculpture of the frons in general tends to be finer than that of Scelio janseni . The area of reticulate sculpture at the base of the mandible is very reduced and difficult to see, but it is present. T3 medially is strongly reticulate in most individuals. Two males have been associated: A5 is more or less cylindrical, and the following flagellomeres are subequal in size. While small in number, the males of Scelio dupondi and Scelio janseni may be divided by the color of the fore wing (completely hyaline in Scelio dupondi and infuscate brown throughout in Scelio janseni ) and the form of the flagellum (more compact and wider in Scelio janseni ). In males the A5 RSS is a fine, linear carina, and A5 is not distinctly broader at its apex. This contrasts with Scelio janseni in which A5 is shaped more like a chalice with the apex much wider than base.