Megastigmus seed chalcids (Hymenoptera, Torymidae) radiated much more on Angiosperms than previously considered. I- Description of 8 new species from Kenya, with a key to the females of Eastern and Southern Africa
Author
Roques, Alain
Author
Copeland, Robert S.
Author
Soldati, Laurent
Author
Denux, Olivier
Author
Auger-Rozenberg, Marie-Anne
text
ZooKeys
2016
585
51
124
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.585.7503
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.585.7503
1313-2970-585-51
B914D8CF92A14C948EDC7CE8B0202076
Taxon
classification Animalia Hymenoptera Torymidae
Megastigmus transvaalensis (Hussey, 1956)
Material examined.
3♀♀, 7♂♂, Kenya, Kikuyu Escarpment, Central Province,
1.0290°S
,
36.6025°E
, 2100 m, coll. 85, ex.
Rhus vulgaris
seeds, 29 Apr 1999, R. Copeland leg.; 2♀♀, 3♂♂, Kenya, Burguret, Central Province,
0.1128°S
,
37.0375°E
, coll. 2162, ex.
Rhus natalensis
seeds, 16 Aug 2002, R. Copeland leg.; 3♀♀, 7♂♂, Kenya,
Nairobi
Province,
1.2212°S
,
36.8963°E
, 1610m, coll. 2787, ex.
Schinus terebinthifolius
seeds, 28 Apr 2004, R. Copeland leg. (4♀♀, 10♂♂ RSC; 4♀♀, 7♂♂ ARC)
Male and female specimens fit the description of the species by
Hussey (1956a)
and
Grissell and Prinsloo (2001)
, then detailed by
Roques and
Skrzypczynska
(2003)
. Figures 150-155 present the most important characteristics of female specimens from Kenya whereas Figures 156-162 show those of males.
Host plants.
Schinus molle
,
Schinus terebinthifolius
,
Rhus natalensis
,
Rhus vulgaris
(
Anacardiaceae
). A seed feeder.
Schefer and Grissell (2003)
presented a molecular analysis of the populations of this species, suggesting its origin in Austral Africa but we were unable to amplify any specimens of the Kenyan populations we obtained.
Distribution.
Adults emerged from 14.8% of the fruits of
Schinus molle
, 14.7% of those of
Rhus vulgaris
and up to 6.1% of
Rhus natalensis
fruits (Table 3).
Diagnosis.
Females can be distinguished from these of other species associated with fruits of
Anacardiaceae
and showing a predominantly orange body by the relative size of the ovipositor and the shape of the forewing stigma. In
Megastigmus transvaalensis
, the ovipositor is 1.4
x
as long as gaster length (Figure 151) whereas it is nearly twice as long as the gaster in
Megastigmus laventhali
(1.8
x
; Figure 76) and only a bit longer than gaster in
Megastigmus thomseni
and
Megastigmus pistaciae
(1.1
-1.2x
; Figure 137). The stigma is conspicuously elongate, and quite rectangular in
Megastigmus transvaalensis
(2.0
x
as long as wide; Figure 155), less elongate in
Megastigmus thomseni
(1.7
x
, according to the drawing by
Hussey 1956a
) whereas it is oval and rounded in
Megastigmus pistaciae
(1.2
-1.3x
; Figure 141).
Genitalia allows the separation of males from those of other species reared from seeds of
Anacardiaceae
. The aedeagus part above digitus is conspicuously shorter than digitus length (0. 5
x
; Figure 162) whereas this part is more elongated in
Megastigmus pistaciae
(0.8
x
; Figure 148),
Megastigmus hypogeus
(1.2
x
as long as digitus length; Figures 127, 134),
Megastigmus ozoroae
(1.8
x
; Figures 53, 60) and
Megastigmus lanneae
(1.8
x
; Figures 107, 115).