Amphibulus africanus LUHMAN , 1991

Schwarz, Martin, 2025, The Afrotropical species of the genus Amphibulus (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Phygadeuontinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 57 (1), pp. 359-366 : 359-363

Amphibulus africanus LUHMAN, 1991

D e s c r i p t i o n (♀) ( Fig. 1 ): Antenna stout, beyond its middle widened and flattened below, distinctly narrowed distally, with 27-28 segments, third segment (without annellus) 1.5-1.6 times as long as wide and 0.9-1.0 times as long as fourth segment.

Head, mesosoma, first segment of metasoma laterally and legs with rather long setae.

Face short and wide, with a smooth background, punctures moderate or coarse ( Fig. 2 ); lateral of central convexity with some rugosity; central convexity distinctly convex. Clypeus wide, 0.3 times as high as wide, in profile weakly convex, above ventral margin with a transverse furrow, median part of ventral margin somewhat upturned, without teeth, background lustrous, with moderate and somewhat scattered punctation except ventrally. Mandible with upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Malar space with a narrow furrow, 0.5-0.6 times as long as basal width of mandible. Temple lustrous with moderate and scattered punctation. Frons lustrous, with dense and coarse or moderately coarse punctation.

Shortest distance between eye and hind ocellus (OOL) 0.9-1.0 times as long as the distance between hind ocelli (POL). Head in dorsal view behind the eyes weakly narrowed, straight and distally convex ( Fig. 3 ).

Upper part of pronotum laterally with coarse and moderately coarse punctation. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 4 ) on a smooth background with coarse and fine scattered punctures, but in its centre punctures dense; notaulus only indicated. Posterior margin of mesoscutum with a transverse break. Scuto-scutellar groove without median longitudinal carina. Scutellum weakly convex, laterally without carina; scutellum on a smooth background with a few coarse punctures and some very fine punctures. Mesopleuron except speculum on a smooth background with coarse punctation, partly with longitudinal rugae; mesopleuron dorsally partly with fine punctation; speculum partly smooth, but dorsally with fine punctation; subtegular ridge sharp; sternaulus distinct until about midlength of mesopleuron. Epicnemial carina somewhat elevated ventrally, dorsally reaching lateral part of pronotum at about its midheight; transverse carina of the mesosternum somewhat elevated and not bilobed medially. Mesosternum medially with a moderately impressed longitudinal furrow with transverse ridges. Metapleuron with coarse punctures and partly with some rugae.

Propodeum of moderate length and with all carinae distinct, posterior transverse carina more robust than the other carinae, without apophysis; area superomedia 1.0 as long as wide, with costula anterior of its middle or about in its middle; dorsal part of propodeum lustrous and with fine and moderate punctures. Spiracle oval.

Hind femur 3.5-3.7 times as long as wide, with some long setae (mainly on fore and ventral sides), which are distinctly longer than the other rather long setae. Fore and mid tibiae with spines dorsally and anteriorly and some long setae on posterior side, spines about as long as short setae; hind tibia with some long setae dorsally, which are more than twice as long as the other setae, without spines.

Fore wing with sides of areolet strongly convergent upwards; 2m-cu joining areolet somewhat behind its middle; ramulus absent; 1cu-a interstitial or weakly postfurcal. Hind wing with nervellus distinctly inclivous; hind abscissa of CU distinct.

First segment of metasoma without latero-median carina. Postpetiole with scattered fine or moderate punctures on a smooth background, present mainly laterally and anteriorly. Second and third tergites with very fine and scattered punctation on a smooth background ( Fig. 5 ). Ovipositor sheath ~0.6 times as long as hind tibia. Ovipositor with a very weak nodus, its tip 6.1-6.5 times as long as wide and with very fine and hardly recognizable teeth ventrally ( Fig. 6 ).

Coloration: black, mesosoma mainly orange. White are antennal ring except ventrally, narrow hind margins of metasomal tergites 5 to 8, widest on seventh tergite. Sometimes clypeus ventrally and mandible medially orangish. Palpi brownish. Sometimes coxae partly, fore and mid femora partly, fore and mid tibiae partly orangish or orangish-brownish. Mesosoma partly ventrally and tegula black. Pterostigma blackish.

Body length: 5.8-6.9 mm.

♁ (Fig. 7): Antenna with 28 segments, segments 12-15 with linear tyloids widened beyond the middle or medially; third segment (without annellus) 2.0 times as long as wide and 1.0 times as long as fourth segment.

Head, mesosoma, first segment of metasoma laterally and legs with rather long setae, but longest setae on mesosoma shorter than longest setae in the female. Punctation on average somewhat finer than in the female.

Face short and wide, with a smooth background, punctures moderate or coarse (Fig.8); lateral of central convexity in one specimen with some rugosity; central convexity weak.

Clypeus wide, 0.4 times as high as wide, in profile weakly convex, above ventral margin with a transverse furrow, median part of ventral margin upturned, without teeth, background lustrous, with moderate and somewhat scattered punctation except ventrally. Mandible with upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Malar space with a narrow furrow, 0.4-0.5 times as long as basal width of mandible. Temple lustrous with fine and moderate and scattered punctation. Frons lustrous, with dense and moderately coarse punctation. Shortest distance between eye and hind ocellus (OOL) 0.8 times as long as the distance between hind ocelli (POL). Head in dorsal view behind the eyes weakly narrowed, straight and distally convex.

Upper part of pronotum laterally with coarse and moderately coarse punctation. Mesoscutum (Fig. 9) on a smooth background with coarse or moderately coarse and fine punctures, punctation scattered but in its centre densely punctured; notaulus distinct, but shallow. Posterior margin of mesoscutum with a transverse break. Scuto-scutellar groove without median longitudinal carina. Scutellum weakly convex, laterally without carina; scutellum on a smooth background with few moderate or fine punctures and some very fine punctures. Mesopleuron except speculum on a smooth background with coarse punctation; mesopleuron dorsally partly with fine punctation, speculum mainly smooth, but dorsally with fine punctation; subtegular ridge sharp; sternaulus distinct until about midlength of mesopleuron. Epicnemial carina not or hardly elevated ventrally, dorsally reaching lateral part of pronotum at about its midheight; transverse carina of the mesosternum weakly elevated and not bilobed medially. Mesosternum medially with a moderately impressed longitudinal furrow with transverse ridges. Metapleuron with moderate punctures.

Propodeum of moderate length and with all carinae distinct, but area basalis and area superomedia confluent; posterior transverse carina somewhat more robust than the other carinae, without apophysis; area superomedia 1.0-1.4 as long as wide, with costula anterior of its middle; dorsal part of propodeum lustrous and with fine punctures. Spiracle oval.

Femora mainly ventrally with some long setae; hind femur 4.2 times as long as wide, with a few long setae ventrally, which are distinctly longer than the other setae. Tibiae with rather indistinct spines dorsally and anteriorly and without long setae or with few long setae on fore and mid tibiae, spines about as long as normal setae.

Wing veination as in female.

First segment of metasoma without latero-median carina. Postpetiole on a smooth background with scattered moderate and with some fine punctures, present mainly laterally and anteriorly. Second and third tergites with very fine or fine and scattered punctation on a smooth background, but punctation somewhat denser than in female.

Coloration: black, thorax mainly orange. White are scape partly (varying from only dorsal spot to mainly), transverse patch on face (Fig. 8), mandible basally, narrow hind margin of metasomal tergite 6 and wide hind margin on tergite 7. Mandible close to teeth orangish. Palpi brownish. Fore femur partly, fore and mid tibiae partly orangish or orangish-brownish. Mesosoma ventrally mainly and tegula black. in one specimen propodeum dorsally partly dark orangish. Pterostigma blackish.

Body length: 7.2-8.3 mm.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: South Africa: Western Cape, Clanwilliam, Karukareb , 32°14'S, 19°00'E, 4- 20.10.2008, leg. F. Koch (1♀, 1J; ZMHB), 18.9- 4.10.2000 (3♀♀, 1J; ZMHB, OLML) .

Figures

Figs 1-6: Amphibulus africanus LUHMAN, ♀. (1) Habitus laterally; (2) head in facial view; (3) head dorsally; (4) mesoscutum; (5) second metasomal tergite; (6) ovipositor tip in lateral view.