Ooderella kenyaensis Gibson, 2017, n. sp.
Creators: name: Gibson, Gary A. P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Eupelmidae
Ooderella
Ooderella kenyaensis

description: Ooderella kenyaensis n. sp.
Figs 185–193
Type material. Holotype ♀ (NMK). “ KENYA, Eastern Prov. | Kirimiri Forest, nr. top | of hill, 0.42563°S | 37.54660°E, 1664m / Malaise trap | indigenous forest | 20 APR-12 MAY | 2011, R. Copeland / HOLOTYPE | Ooderella | kenyaensis | Gibson ”. Holotype point-mounted by right acropleuron; entire; uncontorted.
Paratypes (4♀). Kenya. Eastern Prov., Njuki-ini Forest, nr Forest station, 1455m, 0.51660°S, 37.41843°E, 1– 14.VIII.2007, 13760-eupelmidF2 (2♀ NMK, mounted on same card), 15–29.V.2007, 13760-eupelmidF3 (1♀ NKM, deposited in CNC with permission), R. Copeland, Malaise trap just inside indigenous forest. Nairobi, Ngong Rd., forest, 11.XII.1990 – 3.I.1991, B.D. Gill, FIT (1♀ CNC, Photo 2016-95).
Etymology. Based on the type-locality country.
Description. FEMALE (habitus: Fig. 187). Length = 3.0–3.5 [3.4] mm. Head (Figs 185, 186) orangish-brown to brown with at most very slight bluish luster in scrobal depression and on lower face under some angles of light, with distinct, angulate, though variably lighter-colored ocellocular mark (Fig. 186); in lateral view (Fig. 187) comparatively highly convex with frontovertex quite abruptly angled relative to much longer face so broadest dorsally, about 1.2× higher than long; in frontal view (Fig. 185) almost 1.3× as wide as high; in dorsal view (Fig. 186) about 1.5× as wide as long with interocular distance about 0.35× head width, and with OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 10: 18: 14: 8. Frontovertex with vertex transversely alutaceous to slightly alutaceous-strigose posteriorly but frons meshlike coriaceous to slightly coriaceous-imbricate; uniformly setose with brownish setae. Scrobal depression (Fig. 185) Π-shaped, higher than wide, with lateral margin directed dorsally from torulus so as to differentiate slender though not conspicuously differentiated parascrobal region, and dorsal margin extending to within about 2.4× ocellar diameter from anterior ocellus. Scrobal depression and parascrobal region meshlike reticulate to reticulate-rugulose with interantennal prominence and particularly scrobes somewhat more finely sculptured. Interantennal prominence with sides inclined so as to be mediolongitudinally angular at least dorsally, and below about level of dorsal margin of toruli with comparatively inconspicuous pale to brownish setae as well as on lower face and parascrobal region. Mandible (Fig. 192) tridentate with acute ventroapical tooth and incised dorsoapical margin. Labial and maxillary palps of similar color as head capsule (Fig. 192). Antenna (Fig. 191) with scape yellowish to yellowish-brown but at least much lighter than dark brown flagellum, and pedicel usually somewhat darker than scape but lighter than flagellum; length of flagellum + pedicel about 2.2× head width; scape with ventral margin slightly sinuous compared to straight dorsal margin so slightly broader subbasally than apically; length[width] of scape: pedicel: funiculars: clava = 65[15]: 24[11]: 10[8], 35[9], 39[10], 39[12], 29[14], 23[15], 18[16], 16[16]: 44[16].
Mesosoma (Figs 187–190) similar in color to head, with only obscure metallic lusters under some angles of light when comparatively dark brown and when comparatively light-colored then at least pronotum darker posterolaterally anterior to spiracle and scutellar-axillar complex and often mesoscutum anteromedially somewhat darker brown. Legs (Fig. 187) similar in color to mesosoma but with tibiae or at least pro- and mesotibiae sometimes darker than femora and at least mesotarsus much paler, more whitish. Pronotum in dorsal view (Figs 186, 189) with collar transverse-quadrangular, about 1.4× as wide as long, though lateral margins diverging slightly anteriorly and anterior margin slightly incurved to median and flat dorsal surface slightly inclined on either side of furrow such that anterolateral corners somewhat protuberant anterolaterally, and both collar and neck similarly inconspicuously setose. Mesoscutum (Figs 188, 189) flat anteriorly and lateral lobes carinately angled within about posterior third; meshlike reticulate except smooth and shiny or only obscurely meshlike coriaceous posteriorly in region between carinately angled lateral lobes; uniformly setose with inconspicuous setae of similar color as cuticle except bare along posterior margin, the setae posteriorly directed over much of surface but anteriorly directed in region between carinately angled lateral lobes. Scutellar-axillar complex (Figs 188, 190) only about 1.1× as long as basal width with hairlike setae of similar color as cuticle; axillae reticulate and of similar size as scutellum; scutellum reticulate and dorsomedially angulate or with mediolongitudinal carina extending much of length, teardrop-shaped, about 2.4× as long as greatest width, with distinctly differentiated, smooth and shiny frenal area. Tegula (Figs 188, 189) with uniformly distributed dark setae. Fore wing (Figs 188, 190) extending almost to base of gaster, about 2× as long as greatest width, flat, brownish-infuscate with setae of similar color or apically more hyaline with pale setae, but setose dorsally except for costal cell; venation extending to or virtually to angulate apical margin but variably distinctly sinuous apically, with about basal 0.8 of vein straight behind distinct costal cell and with short, curved or angled, sometimes more translucent and narrower apical portion having single seta apically. Mesopleurosternum (Fig. 187) with acropleuron bare but mesopectus uniformly setose with white setae; acropleuron mostly longitudinally striate-strigose except smooth and shiny medially and variably distinctly meshlike reticulate to reticulate-strigose anterodorsally. Metacoxa (Fig. 187) comparatively sparsely setose with white hairlike setae dorsally and denser, somewhat shorter, slender-lanceolate white setae in basally widened region ventrolaterally, but bare longitudinally over outer surface. Propodeum (Figs 188, 190) long, medial length about 3× length of metanotum, with complete median carina between only slightly, medially incised anterior margin and broadly incurved, carinate posterior margin; plical region reticulate-rugulose but callus more finely meshlike coriaceous and bare except for a couple of white setae anterior to spiracle and longitudinal band of white setae between spiracle and posterior margin.
Gaster (Figs 187, 193) similar in color or darker brown than mesosoma except Gt1 subbasally with paler, more whitish-hyaline region dorsally and laterally, with syntergal flange translucent but it and exerted part of ovipositor sheaths at most only slightly paler than rest of gaster; distinctly meshlike coriaceous with pre-syntergal tergites beyond Gt2 densely setose with multiple rows of setae of similar color as tergites; syntergum (Fig. 193) at most as long as wide and shorter than penultimate tergite, with several rows of setae differentiating apically bare, posteriorly rounded syntergal flange from variably convexly inclined, bare basal region (sometimes concealed under penultimate tergite); ovipositor sheaths extending only slightly beyond syntergal flange.
Distribution (Map 2D). Kenya.
Remarks. Females of O. kenyaensis are uniquely differentiated by their long propodeum with a complete median carina (Fig. 190). The fore wings are comparatively short similar to those of O. botswanae and O. capensis, but the venation extends to the apical margin of the wing. Apically, there is a short, differentiated region of the venation with a terminal seta that likely represents a remnant of the marginal/postmarginal veins. The terminal seta is missing from some examined museum specimens but a circular setal pore remains, indicating absence due to abrasion.
description: Published as part of Gibson, Gary A. P., 2017, Revision of world Ooderella Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae), with description of the first males for the genus, pp. 1-74 in Zootaxa 4289 (1) on pages 65-67, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.828791