Xenomerus watshami Miko & Masner 2010, new species
Creators: name: Mikó, I.
name: Masner, L.
name: Deans, A. R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Scelionidae
Xenomerus
Xenomerus watshami

description: Xenomerus watshami Mikó & Masner, new species   
Figures 64, 65, 107, 109, 117  
 FEMALE (Holotype): Length= 1.2 mm.   
 Black; antenna, coxae, mesopleuron, metasoma dark brown; interantennal process, radicle, A5–6, A1 distally, mandible and legs, excluding coxae, yellowish-brown; FCI =1.20; LCI =1.77; HW/IOS =1.63; head less than 1.5 times as wide as mesosoma (HW/TSL = 1.40); facial striae exceeding midlevel of eye along inner orbit, reaching frontal patch; frontal patch distinct, oblique, transverse; frons setae sparse, thin; central keel incomplete; toruli triangle shorter than clypeus height; POL almost 3 times as long as OOL (POL/ OOL =2.90); OOL shorter than LOL (OOL/LOL =0.73); hyperoccipital carina present, blunt, not extending to inner orbit; vertex entirely reticulate; genal patch present, not merging with vertex sculpture; A1 almost 4 times as long as radicle (A1/r =3.84), as long as clava (A1/cl =0.98).   
 Epomial carina present, diminishing medially; cervical pronotal area smooth, with scattered setae; lateral pronotal area near epomial carina reticulate, with few crenulae above pronotal ventral projection; netrion sulcus complete; netrion sculpture not extending onto lateral pronotal area; pronotal suprahumeral and cervical sulci complete, foveolate; mesoscutum about 1.5 times as wide as long (TSL/ML =1.55); notaulus short, reduced, not reaching transscutal line; reticulate sculpture of mesoscutum extending to lateral notaular area; not extending to internotaular area; mesoscutellum 2 times as wide as long (SW/SL =2.00); scutoscutellar sulcus distinctly diminishing medially, 3–4 times as wide laterally as in the middle; mesoscutellum smooth, with sparse, long setae; posterior scutellar sulcus extending onto axillula; sternaulus not separated from anterior row of foveae of mesopleural carina, distance between postacetabular sulcus and anterior row of foveae of mesopleural carina 3–4 times as wide as foveae width of postacetabular sulcus; mesopleural carina complete, with complete rows of foveae, maximal distance between posterior row of foveae of mesopleural carina and mesepimeral sulcus 5 times as long as width of posterior row of foveae of mesopleural carina; sulcus along metapleural carina foveolate; metascutellum sharply pointed; propodeal lateral carinae inverted V-shaped, shafts slightly curved outward; propodeal lateral area and plical area obscured by pale, dense setae, marginal striation not extending medially; posterior propodeal projection absent; fore wing as wide as mesoscutum (TSL/WW =0.94); marginal vein 4 times as long as stigmal vein (m/st =3.30); hind wing almost three times as wide as marginal cilia length (HWW/HWS =2.91).   
 T1 about 2 times as wide as T1+T2 length (T1W/T1+T2L =1.91); T3 as wide as mesoscutum (T3W/ TSL =0.94), costae on T3 extending to middle of tergum; lateral patch distinct; diameter of posterior patch of T3 nearly equal to width of one basal depression; lateral and median patches on T4 present not fused.   
 Variability (n=20): Length= 0.98–1.39 mm (m=1.17, SD =0.13); interantennal process in smaller specimens concolor with head; FCI =1.20–1.25 (m=1.22, SD =0.02); LCI =1.66–1.85 (m=1.73, SD =0.05); HW/IOS =1.54–1.66 (m=1.60, SD =0.05); HW/TSL =1.34–1.50 (m=1.40, SD =0.04); Facial striae shortened in smaller specimens, not reaching eye midlevel along inner orbit; POL/OOL =2.90–3.25 (m=3.09, SD =0.13); OOL/LOL =0.63–0.75 (m=0.69, SD =0.03); A1/r =3.70–4.00 (m=3.87, SD =0.12); A1/cl =0.90– 1.07 (m=0.97, SD =0.06); TSL/ML =1.45–1.52 (m=1.48, SD =0.03); SW/SL =1.95–2.0 (m=1.99, SD =0.04); TSL/WW =0.93–1.50 (m=0.98, SD =0.05); m/st =3.00–3.33 (m=3.23, SD =0.06); HWW/HWS =2.63–3.50 (m=1.17, SD =0.13); T1W/T1+T2L =1.82–2.00 (m=1.91, SD =0.07); T3W/TSL =0.90–0.96 (m=0.93, SD =0.02), in smaller specimens costae reduced on T3, not exceeding middle of tergum.   
 MALE (n=10): length=1.14–1.32 (m=1.20, SD =0.06); A1 and apices of flagellomeres yellow, coxa yellow to bright brown; head wider (FCI =1.29–1.34, m=1.31, SD =0.02) and longer (LCI =1.50–1.62, m=1.56, SD =0.05); HW/IOS =1.42–1.51 (m=1.48, SD =0.03); HW/TSL =1.33–1.39 (m=1.36, SD =0.02); frontal patch less transverse; OOL longer (POL/OOL =2.50–2.72, m=2.59, SD =0.07); OOL/LOL =0.90–1.00, m=0.97, SD =0.05); A1/r =3.75–4.08 (m=3.98, SD =0.13); A5 modified; A7–A11 double bottled, with distinct constrictions; flagellomeres with specialized brushes; TSL/ML =1.30–1.37 ( m=1.34, SD =0.02); notaulus longer, extending to transscutal line; SW/SL =1.95–2.04 ( m=2.00, SD =0.03); posterior row of foveae of mesopleural carina reduced, sometimes absent ventrally; TSL/WW =0.81–0.98 (m=0.90, SD =0.08); m/ st =3.50–4.20 (m=3.97, SD =0.38); HWW/HWS =2.33–2.72 (m=2.55, SD =0.15); metasoma longer (T1W/ T1+T2L =1.44–1.68, m=1.58, SD =0.07); T3W/TSL =0.95–1.04, m=0.94, SD =0.04); costae reduced on T3, not extending to middle of tergum; diameter of posterior patch of T3 equal to width of 2–3 basal depressions.   
 Diagnosis. Differs from all other species of the comatus group by POL 3 times as long as OOL. Most closely related to Xenomerus aureipes, differs by POL/OOL, incomplete central keel, presence of genal patch, shortened notaulus in female and sculptured vertex in male.   
 Etymology. Named after Antony Watsham, the collector of numerous specimens of this species.   
 Material examined. Holotype female: BOTSWANA: Central District, Serowe / Palapye, Serowe, Farmer's Brigade, -22.3833, 26.7167, XII.1987, F.Forchhammer, MT [CNCI: 23923]. Paratypes: BENIN: Atlantique Department, Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi ca. 25km North of Cotonou, XII.1988, J.S.Noyes, MT, 1♀ [BMNH], 3♀, 1♂. BOTSWANA: Central District, Serowe / Palapye, Serowe Farmer's Brigade, -22.3833, 26.7167, VIII.1987, F.Forchhammer, MT, 1♀; Central District, Serowe / Palapye, Serowe Farmer's Brigade, - 22.3833, 26.7167, X.1987, F.Forchhammer, MT, 1♀. Central District, Serowe / Palapye, Serowe Farmer's Brigade, -22.3833, 26.7167, XII.1987, F.Forchhammer, MT, 3♀, 3♂; BURKINA FASO: Gourma Region, Kompiembiga Province, 15km West of Pama, 15–24.IX.1988, F.Génier & M.Sanborne, savane, filet fauchoir, 1♀; Gourma Region, Kompienga Province, 20km South of Pama, 3–24.IX.1988, F.Génier, M.Sanborne, F.M.Tou, MT, savanna, 1♀; Gourma Region, Kompienga Province, 20km South of Pama, 1–16.VI.1988, Sanborne, Landry & Tou, Savane, lit de riviére, p.á intercept, 1♀. CÔTE D'IVOIRE (IVORY COAST): Vallée du Bandama Region, Bouaké, IV.1980, P.Cochereau, 1♀; Vallée du Bandama Region, Bouaké, 01.X.1981, P.Cochereau, 1♂. KENYA: Central Province, Njukiini Forest, 1455m, ca. -0.5191, 25.4166, 1– 12.II.2007, R.Copeland, MT, relict indigenous forest, 1♀; Nyanza Province, Lake Victoria, 1145m -0.615, 34.092, 17–26.VII.1998, S.Miller, MT (ICIPE), 1♀ [USNM], 1♀; Rift Valley Province, Kajiado District, Ewaso Ngiro River, ICIPE, field station at rd. to Nguruman Escarpment, 600m, -1.848, 36.100, 22– 30.IV.1999, E.S.Miller, 1♂. MALAWI: Chitipa District, Jembya Reserve, 18km South-East of Chisenga, - 10.13, 33.45, 1870m, 1–10.I.1989, J.Rawlins, S.Thompson, 1♂ [CMNH]. SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Province (Transvaal), 15km East of Klaserie Guernsey Farm 19–31.XII.1985, M.Sanborne, 1♂; UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: al-Ajban, 24.36, 55.01, 17–24.IV.2006, A.vanHarten, MT (3900), 1♀; Sharjah Desert Park, 25.17, 55.42, 06–30.IV.2005, A.vanHarten, LT (1852), 1♀; Wadi Maidag, 25.18, 56.07, 29.III– 10.IV.2006, A.vanHarten, YPT, WPT (4047), 2♀. ZIMBABWE (RHODESIA): Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, I–III.1975, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♂; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, XI–XII.1975, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, I–IV.1976, A.Watsham, YPT, 2♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, V–VII. 1976, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, 1977, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, VIII.1979, A.Watsham, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, X.1979, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, II.1980, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♀, 1♂; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, III.1980, A.Watsham, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, X.1980, A.Watsham, YPT, 1♂; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, XII.1980, A.Watsham, 1♀; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, X.1981, A.Watsham, 2♂; Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha, pan trap XI–XII.1981, A.Watsham, 2♀.   
Holotype is deposited in CNCI. Paratypes are deposited in BMNH (1), CMNH (1), CNCI (42) and USNM (1).  
 Comments. X. watshami varies in many characters including the body length. Most of variabilities seem to be associated with allometric change (e.g. the smaller specimens the shorter facial striae and sulci on T3). Specimens of different size were collected at the same locality (e.g. length of specimens collected in RHODESIA (ZIMBABWE), Harare (Salisbury), Chishawasha vary between 1.02 and 1.39 mm).
description: Published as part of Mikó, I., Masner, L. & Deans, A. R., 2010, World revision of Xenomerus Walker (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae) 2708, pp. 1-73 in Zootaxa 2708 on pages 47-49