Wallaceaphytis: an unusual new genus of parasitoid wasp (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from Borneo
Author
Polaszek, Andrew
Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK;
Author
Ayshford, Thomas
Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK;
Author
Yahya, Bakhtiar Effendi
Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia;
Author
Fusu, Lucian
Faculty of Biology, Al. I. Cuza University, Iasi, Romania
text
Journal of Natural History
2013
J. Nat. Hist.
2013-11-07
48
19 - 20
1111
1123
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2013.852264
journal article
10.1080/00222933.2013.852264
1464-5262
700D2B2A-1586-4100-85D2-24844EFE3F90
Wallaceaphytis kikiae
Ayshford and Polaszek
sp. nov.
Description
In addition to the genus-level characters above, the following characters are likely to be of species-level significance if additional species of
Wallaceaphytis
are discovered:
Colour.
Head dorsally orange-yellow, brown on lower half of occiput (
Figure 8
). Scape dark brown, pedicel and flagellum orange-yellow, flagellum darker basally. Mesosoma and metasoma brown-black (
Figures 9
and
10
), a pale intersegmental area behind propodeum laterally. Fore wing infuscate from base to slightly beyond stigma vein (
Figures 6
and
9
). Legs brown, femora and tibiae paler at their bases; distal tarsal segments darker than proximal segments (
Figure 3
).
Sculpture.
Frons and face with transverse/reticulate sculpture. Mesoscutum with reticulate sculpture in the form of large irregular cells, Fore wing marginal vein with four robust setae and a smaller one at the junction with the submarginal vein.
Additional characters
Ovipositor projecting beyond metasoma; 2.3× mid tibia. Second valvifers 3.3 × third valvulae.
Figure 11.
Wallaceaphytis kikiae
holotype female; habitus.
Holotype
female.
MALAYSIA
:
Borneo
,
Sabah
,
Danum
Valley
Field Study Centre
, Beach.
5°01' N
,
117°48.75' E
.
14 September 2012
screen-sweep (
A. Polaszek
)
.
Holotype
dissected and slide-mounted in Canada balsam, deposited permanently in
Institute
for
Tropical Biology
and
Conservation
,
Universiti
Malaysia
Sabah
,
Kota Kinabalu
,
MALAYSIA
.
Etymology
The genus name
Wallaceaphytis
is derived from the family name of Alfred Russel Wallace, and the generic name
Aphytis
, to which it is related. Other genera within the subfamily
Aphelininae
, to which
Wallaceaphytis
belongs, include
Neophytis
,
Paraphytis
and
Punkaphytis
. The genus is described in honour of Wallace, co-discoverer with Charles Darwin of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Wallace’ s collections and observations on the fauna and flora during his extensive travels in South
East Asia
, including the island of Borneo, led to his formulation of the theory. The genus and species are described on the exact date of the centenary of his death.
The specific epithet
kikiae
is based on, and in honour of, “Kiki”, the second author’ s mother, Mrs Christian Duke.