Muhaka Buffington & Copeland 2015, new genus
Creators: name: Buffington, M. L.
name: Copeland, R. S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Figitidae
Muhaka

description: Muhaka Buffington & Copeland, new genus
Figures 1–3
Type species: Muhaka icipe, Buffington & Copeland, new species.
Diagnosis
Unique within Eucoilinae by the possession of a distinct valley-like depression on the vertex (ankos), encompassing the lateral ocelli, and whose anterior ridge directs the anterior ocellus in an anterior orientation; also unique within Eucoilinae is the possession of overhanging ridges over the toruli (kemnina). Superficially, Muhaka may be mistaken for Stentorceps or Nanocthulhu in that these three genera contain species with unusual head ornamentation, as well as relatively large, paddle-like mandibles. However, careful examination of the shape and position of these head characters readily separates Muhaka from the other two genera. Muhaka clearly belongs in the Kleidotomini, and its fore wing venation is characteristic of the tribe (Figures 1 and 3C). Within Kleidotomini, Muhaka is most similar in appearance to Triplasta species. Both taxa have weak striae on the lateral aspects of the pronotum and along the base of the syntergum of the metasoma. Additionally, in both genera the posterior margin of the metapleuron is distinct and the posterolateral ‘face’ on the ventral corner of the metapleuron is glabrous. However, in Triplasta species, the metasomal base is glabrous (setose in Muhaka).
Description
Head. Malar sulcus simple, sinuate, converging towards anterior margin of clypeus, deeply impressed in ventral half immediately posterior to clypeus (Figure 2D); anterior of clypeus pointed, protruding above base of mandibles (Figure 2D); resulting area between malar sulci keel-like (Figure 2D). Orbital furrows absent. Malar space smooth. Kemnina present posterior to toruli, distinctly overhanging toruli when observed dorsally (Figure 2B–D). Ankos present posterior to base of kemnina, resulting in anterior ocellus facing anteriorly (versus dorsally in other eucoilines); lateral ocelli nested within depression of ankos, with short scattered setae present (Figure 2C). Mandibles extremely large, paddle-shaped, roughly 1/3 total length of head (Figures 1 and 2B, D), sub-quadrate, spatulate in anterior view (Figure 2D); basal mandibular impression present, indicating mandible articulates in longitudinal plane; basal mandibular keel absent.
Antennae. Male: 13 flagellomeres, sub equal in length; multiporous plate sensilla on all flagellomeres; single campaniform sensillum present on distal margin of flagellomeres 4–13; flagellomere 1 distinctly modified, slightly elongate, excavated laterally. Female unknown.
Pronotum. Pronotal plate narrow, with setae present along anterior aspect; dorsal margin rounded; pronotal fovea open laterally; ventral half of pronotal plate extended anteriorly (Figure 2C). Pronotal trough present, ventrad of pronotal plate, deep with broad, confluent setae (Figure 2C). Lateral pronotal carina, pronotal triangle and pronotal impression absent (Figure 2C).
Mesoscutum. Parascutal impression present, incomplete (2C). Notauli, mesoscutal keel, parapsidal ridges, parapsidal hair-lines absent (Figures 2C and 3A).
Mesopectus. Mesopleural carina simple, distinctly raised (Figure 2C). Precoxal carina of lower part of mesopleuron present, complete (Figure 2C). Surcoxal depression reduced, smooth.
Scutellum. Scutellar plate small, narrow; glandular release pit positioned posteriorly. Dorsal surface of the scutellum longitudinally striate (Figures 2A and 3A).
Metapectal–propodeal complex. Spiracular groove poorly defined, ventral margin absent (Figure 2C). Posterior margin of metapectus gently sculptured, ridged. Metapleural ridge, submetapleural ridge absent; cavity absent along posterior margin of metapleuron, ventral to submetapleural ridge; posteroventral margin slightly drawn out, glabrous, with distinctly flat posterior aspect (Figure 2C). Anterior impression of metepimeron and metepisternum absent.
Wings. Hyaline; setose (Figures 1 and 3A, C). Apical margin complete (not emarginate). Overall wing shape pernaform (Buffington and Sandler 2012).
Legs. Fore- and mid-coxae sub-equal in size, hind coxa twice as long as other coxae; all coxae glabrous; metacoxa without posterior dorsoventral hair line. Femora with sparse setal lines; tibiae and tarsomeres with dense, adpressed setae. Length of metatarsomere 1 slightly less than combined length of remaining metatarsomeres.
Metasoma. Metasoma subequal in size to head and mesosoma (Figure 3A). Base of syntergum with hairy ring, comprised of dense adpressed setae, incomplete dorsally (Figures 2C and 3A); remainder of metasoma glabrous (Figure 3A). Terga posterior to syntergum gradually directed posteriorly. Female unknown.
Distribution
Afrotropical Region: Kenya.
Etymology
Genus named in honour of Muhaka forest, the type-locality of the genus; it is a noun in apposition.
description: Published as part of Buffington, M. L. & Copeland, R. S., 2015, Muhaka icipe, an enigmatic new genus and species of Kleidotomini (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae) from an East African coastal forest, pp. 2597-2607 in Journal of Natural History 49 (43) on pages 2599-2602, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2015.1042411, http://zenodo.org/record/4000854