Metopius (Metopius) rufigaster subsp. rufigaster Riedel 2016, nov.ssp.
Creators: name: Riedel, Matthias
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Metopius
Metopius rufigaster
Metopius (metopius) rufigaster ssp. rufigaster

description: Metopius (Metopius) rufigaster ssp. rufigaster nov.ssp.   
H o l o t y p u s:(♀) R.S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 22, leg. F. Koch (Berlin).  
P a r a t y p e s:(366) R.S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 16, leg. F. Koch; (6) R.S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 17, leg. F. Koch; (6) R.S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 22, leg. F. Koch; (266) R. S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 20, leg. F. Koch, (6) R.S.A. Transvaal Wolkbg., 2402´S/3000´E, 12.-16.ii.1992, Falle 22, leg. F. Koch (coll. Riedel); (♀) Rhodesia, Chishawasha, xi.1979, A. Watsham (London).  
D e s c r i p t i o n of ♀:  
Body length 12.5 mm. Flagellum with 55 segments. Mandible with one tooth. Second maxillary palpomere semi-globose, about 1.5x as long as wide. Facial shield punctate, narrowed ventrally, with strong carinae, length 1.25-1.3x width, slightly pointed ventrally and with a weak carina reaching the apical margin of clypeus (fig. 24). Interantennal lamella high, with a deep subdistal impression and a strong distal tooth. Frons with transverse striation, vertex punctate. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 2.0x its diameter.  
Mesosoma with whitish hairs. Side of pronotum coarsely punctate, striate in the rim, smooth only at the anterior border. Epicnemial carina obsolete above sternaulus. Scutellum in the hind part and postscutellum coarsely punctate. Central area of propodeum wide, with strong lateral carinae but obsolete apical carina. Costula not developed. Hind femur length 2.6x height. Hind metatarsus 0.5x as long as the hind tibia. Outer apical spur of hind tibia 0.5x as long as the hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws with weak basal teeth. Areolet about 2.5x wider than long, second recurrent vein slightly lateral to middle and with one bulla.  
First tergite with strong dorsal carinae in basal 2/3. Its spiracle with a strong spine-like extension ventrally. Second tergite with spine-like posterolateral edges, following tergites with rounded edges posterolaterally (fig. 10).  
Color: Black. Red are flagellum, mandible except teeth, facial shield (fig. 24), frontal orbits up to the lateral ocellus, hind part of upper margin of pronotum, subtegular ridge confluent with a large spot on upper mesopleuron, prescutellar ridge, scutellum in the apical 2/3, postscutellum, narrow stripe at hind margin of metapleuron, legs except black hind coxa (with narrow reddish apical margin). First to fourth tergites reddish, following tergites black (fig. 11). Palps yellowish-red, clypeus brownish. Pterostigma yellowishbrown, wings slightly infuscate, strongly infuscate at apex.  
D e s c r i p t i o n of 6:  
Body length 12-13.5 mm. Flagellum with 54-58 segments. Second segment of maxillary palps club-shaped, about 1.7x as long as wide. Facial shield punctate, with almost parallel sides, with strong carinae, length 1.2x width, slightly pointed ventrally and with a weak carina reaching the apical margin of clypeus. Interantennal lamella high, with a deep subdistal impression and a strong distal tooth. Frons transversely striate, vertex punctate. Temple strongly narrowed behind eye. Distance of lateral ocellus to eye 1.7x its diameter.  
Scutellum in the hind part and postscutellum with coarse but sometimes superficial puncture. Central area of propodeum wide, length 1.3x width, with strong lateral carinae but obsolete apical carina. Costula not developed. Hind femur length 2.3-2.7x height. Hind metatarsus about 0.45x as long as the hind tibia. Outer apical spur of hind tibia about 0.5 x as long as the hind metatarsus. Front and middle claws with some weak basal teeth. Areolet about 2.5x wider than long, second recurrent vein slightly lateral to its middle and with one bulla.  
First tergite with strong dorsal carinae reaching to the apical third. Spiracle with a strong spine-like extension ventrally. Second tergite with bluntly extended posterolateral edges, following tergites with rounded posterolateral edges.  
Color: Black. Flagellum reddish. Yellowish are palps, mandible except teeth, clypeus, face, scape ventrally, pedicel, frontal orbit up to the anterior ocellus, hind part of upper margin of pronotum, subtegular ridge confluent with a large spot on upper mesopleuron, prescutellar ridge, scutellum in the apical 2/3, postscutellum, narrow stripe at hind margin of metapleuron. Front and middle legs yellowish-red. Hind coxa black, with narrow reddish apical margin, hind leg otherwise reddish. First to fourth tergite reddish, fifth tergite with large reddish posterolateral spots often confluent in the middle, often this tergite with a diffuse yellowish coloration in the apical parts. Following tergites black, sixth tergite sometimes with a narrow yellowish hind margin. Pterostigma yellowish-brown, wings almost hyaline and slightly infuscate at apex.  
D i s t r i b u t i o n: RSA.
description: Published as part of Riedel, Matthias, 2016, Contribution to the genus Metopius PANZER (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from Africa South of Sahara, pp. 1635-1675 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (2) on pages 1657-1659, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5355899