Afrotropical Ceraphronoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) put back on the map with the description of 88 new species
Authors: Salden Tobias , Peters Ralph S. 
Published: July 2023

The number of currently described species of Afrotropical parasitoid wasps does not reflect the true species diversity. One of the most severely understudied parasitoid wasp groups is Ceraphronoidea. In this first study on Afrotropical mainland Ceraphronoidea in more than 20 years, which is also the first ever taxonomic monograph focusing on Ceraphronidae, we describe 88 new species of Ceraphronidae (85 new species) and Megaspilidae (3 new species) from Kakamega Forest (Kenya), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Ivindo NP (Gabon): Aphanogmus abaluhya sp. nov., A. ashitakai sp. nov., A. idakho sp. nov., A. ikhongamurwi sp. nov., A. isiukhu sp. nov., A. kakamegaensis sp. nov., A. lateritorum sp. nov., A. mangimelii sp. nov., A. mariae sp. nov., A. mashariki sp. nov., A. nehbergi sp. nov., A. njia sp. nov., A. vestrii sp. nov., A. yala sp. nov. (all clavicornis species group), A. dimidiatus sp. nov., A. fraterculus sp. nov., A. guenteri sp. nov., A. kakakili sp. nov., A. kisiwa sp. nov., A. maua sp. nov., A. morriconei sp. nov., A. ndefu sp. nov., A. ngai sp. nov., A. nikii sp. nov., A. pilosicoxa sp. nov., A. rafikii sp. nov., A. robustus sp. nov., A. simbai sp. nov., A. taji sp. nov., A. ukanda sp. nov. (all fumipennis species group), A. campanula sp. nov., A. kikuyu sp. nov., A. pagoda sp. nov. (all tenuicornis species group), Ceraphron banda sp. nov., C. brashi sp. nov., C. breviharpis sp. nov., C. breviscapus sp. nov., C. buyangu sp. nov., C. chemositi sp. nov., C. cingulum sp. nov., C. clavatumeris sp. nov., C. digiti sp. nov., C. eaerendili sp. nov., C. ekero sp. nov., C. ellae sp. nov., C. eulbergi sp. nov., C. herreni sp. nov., C. hitagarciai sp. nov., C. insolitus sp. nov., C. isecheno sp. nov., C. isukha sp. nov., C. ivindoensis sp. nov., C. kaharabu sp. nov., C. kaimosiensis sp. nov., C. kakamegaensis sp. nov., C. kidole sp. nov., C. kimathii sp. nov., C. lirhanda sp. nov., C. longiharpis sp. nov., C. longisetae sp. nov., C. longumerunus sp. nov., C. maathaiae sp. nov., C. malava sp. nov., C. mamamutere sp. nov., C. metapleuralis sp. nov., C. mikoi sp. nov., C. mwekaensis sp. nov., C. nandi sp. nov., C. nzoia sp. nov., C. onesimusi sp. nov., C. pilosiharpis sp. nov., C. pleurosulcus sp. nov., C. reinholdi sp. nov., C. salazar sp. nov., C. sataoi sp. nov., C. semira sp. nov., C. sungura sp. nov., C. tenuimeris sp. nov., C. tiriki sp. nov., C. trietschae sp. nov., Cyoceraphron dhahabudorsalis sp. nov., C. harpe sp. nov., C. invisibilis sp. nov., C. kahawia sp. nov., C. njano sp. nov. (all Ceraphronidae), Conostigmus kijiko sp. nov., C. koleo sp. nov., and Dendrocerus wachagga sp. nov. (all Megaspilidae). In addition, we describe four species of Aphanogmus and five species of Ceraphron without formal naming. A neotype is designated for Dendrocerus anneckei Dessart, 1985 (Megaspilidae). With these new species we more than double the number described from the Afrotropical mainland (65 vs 153). The species numbers found allow us to estimate the real worldwide species number of Ceraphronoidea as being roughly 12 000–21 000, i.e., 16–29 times the number of the currently described species (~730, including the species described herein). This study is meant to highlight that it is necessary and also possible to study the parasitoid wasps of tropical regions and provide momentum for exploring the diversity of small and diverse insect groups in the Afrotropics and elsewhere while also providing the basic knowledge that is much needed for protecting biodiversity and understanding evolution and the networks of life on earth. All described species are diagnosed and illustrated, with focus on the male genitalia. Furthermore, we provide an identification key to males of Afrotropical Ceraphronidae.