Xiphentedon acutigena, 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 : 76-80

Xiphentedon acutigena sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D2696742-E7F5-48CF-9A18-ED999F1A8523

Figs 37–38

Diagnosis

Habitus mostly as for the group, and: fore tibia with two pale stripes (largely fused into large pale area with only lateral dark stripe), coxae, most part of fore and mid femora, posterior-dorsal ½ of hind femur (but hind femur paler in RSA and Tanzanian females, up to entirely pale legs), pretarsi of all legs dark, the rest of legs pale, but fore tarsi pale brown ( Fig. 37A, C ); head dorsally about 2.5× as wide as long, interantennal space without a process; gena not bulging, but with acute spike (very tiny in smaller specimens) ( Figs 37E , 38A ); mandible with two large teeth; axillular projection lamellate and multidentate ( Fig. 38E ); median strip of propodeum of wide Y shape ( Fig. 37B, D ); lateral propodeal sulcus reduced, represented just by adspiracular groove, metasomal petiole robust conical, 1.2–1.3× as long as wide ( Figs 37B, D , 38D ); WIP with red/violet field, followed by blue and green stripes.

Female

Pedicel plus flagellum about 2.2–2.5× as long as scape; flagellum merely clavate, gaster as long as or 1.2–1.3 × as long as wide, ovate, syntergum transverse; weak reticulation of anterior part of median strip of propodeum merges with coarse reticulation of submedian areas posteriorly ( Fig. 37D ); CC with 1–3 setae on ventral side.

Male

Sharp spike on gena longer than in female ( Figs 37F ); antenna with elongate flagellars; scape widened, about 3.0–3.5× as long as wide; clava with a deep constriction between its segments ( Fig. 37H ); median strip of propodeum roughly scrobiculate ( Fig. 38D ).

Etymology

The species name is associated with a conserved diagnostic character, i.e., the specific shape of the malar projection. The name is a Latin noun, a combination of ‘ acutus ’ (‘sharp, acute’) and ‘ gena ’ (‘cheek’), not changing with the gender of the genus.

Type material examined

Holotype

IVORY COAST • ♀; Lamto; 29 Jul. 1985; J.Y. Rasplus leg.; Malaise trap; CBGP.

Paratypes

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO • 1 ♂ (small malar spine, flagella lost); “ Congo Belge, P. N.G., Miss H. De Saeger , Ndelele /R, 24 Sep. 1952, 4075”; MRAC • 1 ♂ (large malar spine); “ Congo Belge: Kivu, Rutshuru , 1285 m., Jul. 1935, G.F. de Witte: 1671”; MRAC .

IVORY COAST • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 17 Jun.–19 Aug. 1985; CBGP, MNHN .

TANZANIA • 1 ♀; Amani ; 10 Mar. 1996; J.-Y. Rasplus and C. Kerdelhué leg.; CBGP • 1 ♀ (small spike on gena); Mkomazi Game Reserve, Ngurunga Plot ; 4°01.15′ S, 37°52.79′ E; 19 Apr. 1996; S. van Noort leg.; sweep, mk 28, open disturbed Acacia / Commiphora bushland, burnt Aug. 1993; SAM-HYM P017006 ; SAMC • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; Pangaro Plot; 3°53.61′ S, 37°46.65′ E; 23 Apr. 1996; S. van Noort leg.; sweep, mk 30, open disturbed Acacia / Grewia bushland; SAM-HYM P018595 ; SAMC.

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; “South Africa, Port St. John, Pondoland , Brit. Mus. 1923-510”, Sep. 1923, R.E. Turner leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; “Transvaal” [Mpumalanga Province], Kruger Nat. Park, Skukuza ; 24°59′ S, 31°35′ E; 292 m a.s.l.; 14–17 Jan. 1985; G.L. Prinsloo leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Pretoria; Oct. 1976; R.P. Brown leg.; by sweeping; SANC .

Description

Female

Length 2.3–2.5 mm. Body dark blue or green, paler on smooth areas. Legs mostly with dark coloration, but occasionally entirely pale: coxae dark metallic, trochanters pale, femora mostly with dark coloration, fore femur mainly brownish, mid femur mostly brown in mid part, hind femur mostly with wide metallic-brown spot posteriorly, tibiae pale, just hind tibia slightly dark anteriorly; all tarsi pale brown; antennal scape mostly pale with dorsal margin and extreme apex brown, pedicel and flagellum dark; wings transparent, venation pale brown; OMA dark.

Head in dorsal view slightly more than 2.0× as wide as long; ocelli of moderate size, MDO: OOL: OCL in ratio of about 71: 65: 65; POL about 2.6–2.7 × OOL. Occipital margin traced, but not carinate. Eye very moderately pubescent.

Head in frontal view 1.3× as wide as high. Face evenly reticulate. Eye height and interocular distance in ratio 43: 46; eye height 3.0× malar space. Surface between toruli poorly elevated. Width of oral fossa 2.3 × malar space. Gena with a small acute spike. Distance between lower eye margin and antennal torulus about as long as diameter of torulus. Scape slightly more than 5.0 × as long as wide, nearly 0.7× eye height, its anterior margin somewhat flattened; combined length of pedicel plus flagellum slightly shorter than width of head; pedicel about 2.0× as long as wide, about 0.5 × F1, which is about 4.0× as long as wide, F2 about 2.3×, F3 slightly less than 2.0× as long as wide, clava about 2.0 × as long as wide, with short terminal spine.

Mesosoma 1.6× as long as wide. Pronotal collar not carinate, pronotal shoulders blunt. Prosternum with medium-sized protruding flange, bearing fine complete median groove, anterior margin of this flange bilobed. Mesoscutum about 1.8× as broad as long. Mesoscutellum slightly longer than broad (if apical protrusion is excluded) and 1.3–1.6 × as long as mesoscutum (depending on angle of measurement). Axilla with one seta. Axillula with lamellate broad projection bearing short irregular indentation.

Metascutellum reduced to a narrow bar, hardly visible in dorsal view. Propodeum with wide, weakly sunken on coriaceous median strip delimited anteriorly by sharp, pliciform borders, posteriorly these borders merging with reticulation of propodeal sculpture; submedian areas flat, smooth anteriorly, alveolate posteriorly; lateral propodeal sulcus incomplete (interrupted medially).

Spur of hind tibia about ⅔ of width of tibia.

Fore wing 2.2–2.4 × as long as wide; CC bearing 1–3 short setae on ventral side (left wing with 3 setae, right wing with 1 seta), 6.0–8.0 × as long as wide; SC with 2 setae; MV 1.3× CC; PMV as long as or slightly longer than STV; speculum broadly open below; apical marginal fringe as long as or slightly longer than mean width of PR.

Metasomal petiole conical, 1.2–1.3 × as long as wide, with weakly striate surface; 0.6× as long as propodeum. Gaster about 1.7× as long as wide, syntergum subtriangular.

Male

Similar to female, but differs as follows: body bright green, ventral part (line of sensory pores) and apex of antennal scape darkened, darkened area wider than in female; antennal scape 3.3–3.5 ×, pedicel about 1.8× as long as wide, F1–F3 separated by thin peduncles, F1 (without peduncle) about 3.5–4.5 ×, F2 and F3 2.2–2.4 ×, clava nearly 4.0× as long as wide with deep constriction between clavomeres; combined length of pedicel plus flagellum 1.2× width of head; head in dorsal view slightly more than 2.0× as wide as long, oral fossa about 1.8× malar space, genal spike larger than in female, prosternal flange more notably produced than in female; metasomal petiole 1.6× as long as wide.

Biology

Unknown.

Distribution

Ivory Coast, DRC, Tanzania, RSA.

Remarks

This species is easily recognizable by the shape of the gena (with a short acute spike) and the wide median strip of propodeum disappearing posteriorly in coarse reticulation. The specimens from Mkomazi Game Reserve are characterized by a very short spike on the gena. However, these specimens are smaller in size than the others, so this morphological feature I consider an intraspecific variation. Another remarkable character distinguishing this species within the genus is the incomplete lateral propodeal sulcus. However, the other characters, chiefly the reduced metascutellum and the advanced anteromedian protrusion of the mesoscutellum, allow recognition of X. acutigena sp. nov. as a representative of the forceps group of Xiphentedon .

Figures

Fig. 37. Xiphentedon acutigena sp. nov. A–B. ♀, holotype (Ivory Coast; CBGP). C–E. ♀♀, paratypes from Tanzania (C–D; CBGP) and RSA (E; SANC). F–H. ♂♂, paratypes from DRC (F; MRAC) and from RSA (G–H; NHMUK). A, C, G. Habitus (inset C: axilla). B, D. Mesosoma and petiole. E–F. Face, the genal spike is arrowed. H. Head.

Fig. 38. Xiphentedon acutigena sp. nov. A. ♀, paratype (Ivory Coast; CBGP). B–E. ♂, paratype (RSA; NHMUK). A. Face. B. Head and anterior part of mesosoma. C. Prosternum. D. Propodeum. E. Axillula. The genal spike is arrowed in A and B.