Megaprosternum aka Colombo & Azevedo, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Colombo, Wesley D.
name: Azevedo, Celso O.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Bethylidae
Megaprosternum
Megaprosternum aka

description: Megaprosternum aka sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0A988782-ABA8-4534-B791-0DE1595F9D90
Fig. 2
Differential diagnosis
The females of this species are morphologically similar to those of M. norfolcensis and M. cleonarovorum by having the head at most 1.20 × as long as wide, the antennae with 11 flagellomeres, and the wings fully developed. However, M. aka sp. nov. has the mesoscutum almost as long as mesoscutellum, and the mesoscuto-scutellar foveae present, whereas M. norfolcensis and M. cleonarovorum have the mesoscutum distinctly longer than mesoscutellum, and the mesoscuto-scutellar foveae absent.
Etymology
The epithet aka is derived from the Aka, a nomadic Mbenga Pygmy people who live in the southwestern Central African Republic.
Material examined
Holotype
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Prefecture Sangha-Mbaéré • ♀; “Prefecture Sangha-Mbaéré, Parc National de Dzanga-Ndoki, Mabéa Bai, 21.4 km, 53° NE [of] Bayanga, 3°02.01’N 16°24.57’E, 510m, 7.v.2001, S. van Noort, Sweep, CAR01-S87, lowland rainforest, marsh clearing”; SAMC, SAM-HYM P103665.
Description
Female
MEASUREMENTS (mm). Body length 1.90; LH 0.40; WH 0.40; WF 0.36; WOT 0.13; surface of median clypeal lobe 0.06; HE 0.23; OOL 0.20; LFW 1.04
COLOR (Fig. 2A–B). Head and mesosoma dark castaneous, metasoma castaneous.
HEAD (Fig. 2C). Rectangular, in lateral view; sides converging posterad, in dorsal view; malar space 0.3× HE; median clypeal lobe outcurved, longer than lateral ones, with pair of lateral carinae, converging posteriorly, lobe delimitation distinct; mandible with three apical teeth; hypostoma almost straight medially; antenna with 11 flagellomeres, pedicel longer than flagellomere I; eye glabrous, contour protruding; frons coriaceous; ocellar triangle with anterior angle obtuse, postocellar line almost as long as DAO.
MESOSOMA (Fig. 2D–E). Pronotal flange coriaceous, with posterior margin at least 1.6 × as wide as anterior one; dorsal pronotal area mostly polished, posterior margin almost straight; probasisternum with anterior margin weakly angulated, posterior margin curved; epicnemium with anterior margin weakly incurved. mesoscutum almost as long as mesoscutellum medially; parapsidal signum absent; transscutal fissure conspicuous; mesoscuto-scutellar suture present, not sulcate; mesepimeral lobe not evident; mesopleuron with anterior mesopleural fovea present, mesopleural epicoxal lobe not evident, mesopleural pit present, upper mesopleural fovea present; metapectal-propodeal disc longer than wide medially, without evident constriction at propodeal spiracle; transverse anterior carina present; lateral marginal carina present; paraspiracular sulcus present; paraspiracular carina present; metapostnotal median carina present, incomplete posteriorly, straight; propodeal spiracle circular, on lateral surface of metapectal-propodeal complex; metadiscrimen absent; metafurcal pit absent; forewing with prestigmal abscissa of radial 1 subrectangular, 3.0× as long as pterostigma, 3.0× as wide as than Sc+R vein; prestigmal flexion line present; pterostigma small and circular; hind wing slender with three equidistant distal hamuli.
METASOMA. S2aa with anterior margin straight; S2pa wider than long medially, widening posterad; second abdominal spiracle oval; third abdominal sternum with anterior margin straight; abdominal tergum narrowing apicad.
Male
Unknown.
Host
Unknown.
Distribution
Central African Republic (Prefecture Sangha-Mbaéré).
description: Published as part of Colombo, Wesley D. & Azevedo, Celso O., 2024, Revision of the strongly flattened Megaprosternum Azevedo (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), pp. 1-47 in European Journal of Taxonomy 958 (1) on pages 7-9, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.958.2659, http://zenodo.org/record/13758948