Tanyxiphium seychellense Huber, sp. n.
Creators: name: Huber, John T.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Mymaridae
Tanyxiphium
Tanyxiphium seychellense

description: Tanyxiphium seychellense Huber, sp. n.
(Figs 264–270, 274, 277–282)
Type material. Holotype ♀ (BMNH), on slide (Fig. 267) labelled: 1. “ Seychelles: Cousin I. 24.vi.1999, M.J. Hill, Malaise trap, plot 24, birdlife GEF” 2. “ Tanyxiphium seychellense Huber Holotype ♀ dorsal”
Paratypes. 32 ♀, 19 ♂. MADAGASCAR. Fianarantsoa. Ranomafana National Park, 1020m, 21°15.99'S 47°25.21'E, 23–28.iv.2002, R. Halin’Hala, MT (1 ♀, CAS), 1030m, 21°15.05'S 47°24.43'E, 15–21.xii.2001, R. Halin’Hala, MT (1 ♀, CAS). SEYCHELLES: same data as holotype (2 ♀, 1 ♂, BMNH, CNC); same data as holotype except some labels with M.J. Hill as the collector, and dates and plot numbers as follows: 10.iii, 18.vi, 21.vi, 5.xii, 8.xii; plots H5, H9, P5, 10, 12, 33, 41 (19 ♀, 15 ♂, BMNH, CNC, UCRC); Conception I., 20.ix, plot 10 (3 ♀, 1 ♂); Denis I., 8 and 11.x.1999, M.J. Hill, plots F4, B11 (2 ♀); Felicite I., 14.xi.1999, M. J. Hill, plot 6 (1 ♀); Grand Soeur I., 22.vii.1999, M.J. Hill, plot 8 (1 ♀); Marianne I., 10.iii.2000, M.J. Hill, plot E 4/1 (1 ♀); North I. 23.viii.1999, M. Hill, plot 1 (1 ♀, 2 ♂, CNC).
Diagnosis. Tanyxiphium seychellense females differ from those of T. longissimum by the yellow colour of metathorax and propodeum contrasting distinctly with the dark colour of the pro- and mesothorax (Fig. 269), fl5 and fl6 without mps (exceptionally one on fl5) (Fig. 266), and ovipositor sheaths at most slightly longer than entire body length.
Description. FEMALE. Body length 922–1100 (n=10). Colour. Head except mouthparts, antenna except scape–fl1, and pro- and mesothorax dark brown, gaster brown, sometimes lighter anteriorly and posteriorly; mouthparts, scape–fl1, metathorax and propodeum, and legs yellow (Fig. 269). The dark brown parts may be lighter brown to almost yellow in some specimens. Head. Head (Figs 264, 265, 277, 279) width 355–385 (n=2), with mandibles small, barely meeting medially (Figs 264, 281). Antenna. Funicle segments fl7 and fl8 each with 2 mps (Fig. 266), fl5 exceptionally with 1 mps on one antenna. Length/width measurements (n=4): scape 206–273/36–50, pedicel 68–80/36–42, fl1 48–56/22–25, fl2 38–53/22–23, fl3 48–59/20–23, fl4 45–56/22–24, fl5 65–76/24–25, fl6 52– 66/23–27, fl7 62–78/26–32, fl8 60–77/29–44, clava 171–230/53–66. Mesosoma. As in generic description (Fig. 269). Wings. Fore wing (Fig. 268) length (n=4) 998–1110, width 259–323, length/width 3.43–3.85, longest marginal setae 79–89. Hind wing (n=4) length 776–892, width 27–35, longest marginal setae 92–114. Metasoma. Gaster (Fig. 270) at most about 2.0× as long as wide. Ovipositor sheath length 1373–1564 (n=4), 3.15–3.60× metatibia length (386–462), with exserted part shorter (0.75x) to slightly longer than entire body length.
MALE. Body length 947–1126 (n=5). Colour. Body generally uniform, usually light brown to yellow, occasionally dark brown, except for longitudinal white median band on pronotum. Head. Head (Figs 274, 278, 280) with mandibles normal, crossing medially (Fig. 282). Antenna. Measurements (n=3): scape 154–169, pedicel 61–62, fl1 48–58, fl2 53–72, fl3 61–72, fl4 63–77, fl5 64–77, fl6 61–77, fl7 62–75, fl8 68–76, fl9 74–79, fl10 74–82, fl11 84–96; total flagellar length 712–841; fl6 length/width 2.53–2.83, with 4 or 5 mps. Metasoma. Genitalia as in generic description.
Etymology. Named after the the Seychelles Islands, the country in which most specimens were collected.
description: Published as part of Huber, John T., 2015, World reclassification of the Gonatocerus group of genera (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), pp. 1-184 in Zootaxa 3967 (1) on pages 60-61, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3967.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/288712