Scelio janseni 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 : 34-36

Scelio janseni Yoder sp. n. Figures 79-84; Morphbank 30

Description.

Female body length: 4.44-5.35 mm (n=12). Male body length: 4.20 mm (n=1). 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 rugose, rugae somewhat thickened, without dorsoventral trend. Genal carina in female: absent. 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; light to dark brown throughout, or with apex and base slightly lighter, often yellowish. Color of A3 in female: brown; 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. Fine pilosity of lateral T1 in female: absent. Width of metasoma: very wide, width of S3 & gt; 2 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 throughout; 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: with broadly obliterated or with distinct smooth patch.

Diagnosis.

Differs from all other Afrotropical ernstii-group species except Scelio dupondi by the setal pattern of the lateral metasoma (Figs 68, 80). Differing from Scelio dupondi in its in larger size, wider metasoma, the coarser, more irregular and less compact sculpture on the metasomal sterna (often with some unsculptured patches on S3, Fig. 84), and the well-developed S3 felt field, which is elevated on a keel-like projection (Fig. 84).

Etymology.

The epithet is used as a genitive noun derived from the Dutch 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 dupondi .

Link to distribution map.

http://hol.osu.edu/map-large.html?id=244959

Material examined.

Holotype, female: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Prov., nr. Den Staat Farm, by Limpopo River, Samaria Farm, 22°11.504'S, 29°16.812'E, 1750ft, 18. XII– 31.III.2000, flight intercept trap, T. K. Philips, OSUC 222129 (deposited in OSUC). Paratypes: (11 females, 1 male) CAMEROON: 1 female, OSUC 212121 (CNCI). KENYA: 1 female, 1 male, OSUC 234676, 250971 (CNCI). SOUTH AFRICA: 9 females, OSUC 212236-212238, 212455-212456, 212784, 213080 (CNCI); OSUC 222128, 222132 (OSUC).

Comments.

Scelio janseni is very similar to its smaller, putative sister species Scelio dupondi . A single male is known, its flagellum has a distinctly different form than Scelio dupondi , with A3-A5 distinctly broader towards the apex, and A5-A6 somewhat compact and shorter. The scape is often very slightly darker dorsomedially, A3 is more commonly brown more or less throughout, less commonly with yellow present in basal 1/3 to 1/2. The RSS is a fine linear carina that is slightly elevated apically. Sculpture of T3 varies from more or less longitudinal to more or less reticulate, the latter state is more common in the specimens observed. See also Comments for Scelio dupondi . In most individuals the sculpture of posteromedial T1 to anteromedial T3 is slightly obliterated in patches. The fine pilosity of lateral T1 common in many Afrotropical Scelio seems to be absent, though one or two of the most anterior setae are often slightly narrower and thinner than the more prominent thick setae seen throughout.