Norbanus caloramans, Mitroiu, 2015

Norbanus caloramans View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 43–50 View FIGURES 43–50 )

Diagnosis. BOTH SEXES: Head and mesosoma usually dark blue or green ( Figs 43–46, 49, 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ); tibiae conspicuously brownish medially ( Figs 43, 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Head without distinct elevation between eye and posterior ocellus, in frontal view width about 1.2× height ( Figs 45, 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Clypeal margin slightly emarginate ( Figs 45, 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ); clypeal striation mostly not reaching to lower margins of toruli ( Figs 45, 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ). POL about 1.7–2.1× OOL ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Temple about 0.2× as long as eye in dorsal view ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Eye height about 1.4× length. Scutellum moderately convex ( Figs 43, 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Upper mesepimeron smooth ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Propodeum inclined ( Figs 43, 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ), spiracular sulci absent (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 7–12 ). Marginal vein about 1.6–2.0× as long as stigmal vein; speculum large, reaching to stigmal vein; marginal fringe on apical margin present ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 43–50 ).

FEMALE. Metasoma, including ovipositor sheaths, dark brown ( Figs 43, 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ); clava and sometimes fu6 dark ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ); stigmal vein usually conspicuously lighter than rest of venation. Toruli at about level with lower margins of eyes ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Scape not reaching level of vertex; length of pedicel plus flagellum equal to very slightly greater than head width; second anellus slightly to conspicuously transverse; fu6 longer than wide; clava wider than fu6, gradually narrowing before spicula, length about 2.4–2.8× width ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Metasoma about as long as head plus mesosoma, length about 1.8–2.3× width ( Figs 43, 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Posterior margin of gt1 sinuous ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–50 , cf. Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19–22 ).

MALE. Scape and pedicel usually dark brown to black, mostly with some metallic reflections and hence not contrasting with flagellum ( Figs 49, 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Scape exceeding level of vertex by at most about 1/3 scape length ( Fig. View FIGURES 43–50

50); funicular segments widened both proximally and distally, mostly with two whorls of long setae each, and separated from each other by long tubular connections (fig. 49); length of pedicel plus flagellum about 1.6–1.8× head width. Mesoscutum width about 1.9× length.

Material examined. Holotype ♀ ( CNC). BOSTWANA: “ BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , III. 1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” [on rectangular card].

Allotype ♂. BOSTWANA: “ BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , 14–30. VI. 1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC).

Additional paratypes. BOSTWANA: 7 ♀ and 8 ♂ same information as holotype ( CNC) ; 2 ♀ and 6 ♂ “BOSTWANA: Serowe, Farmer’s Brigade , I.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) ; 2 ♀ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , 14–30.VI.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) ; 1 ♀ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , VI.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) ; 3 ♀ and 5 ♂ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , VII.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) ; 1 ♀ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , VIII.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) ; 1 ♀ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , IX.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ”, “ Norbanus det. R. A. Burks 2004” ( CNC) ; 2 ♀ and 3 ♂ “BOTSWANA: Serowe Farmer’s Brigade , XII.1987 MT, P. Forchhammer ” ( CNC) . KENYA: 1 ♀ “KENYA Eastern Katulani Kitui distr., malaise trap XI.1990, J.A.M. Jansen ” ( RMNH) ; 1 ♂ “KENYA: Nairobi, 22/ii. 1986 Bouček” ( BMNH) . MADAGASCAR: 1 ♂ “MADAGASCAR: Ampamakiam-pafanga, Lac Matsabory Creole , 1 km N Ambilobe at road 6, 8.9.2004, v. Tschirnhaus”, “Swept on grazed weeds and along shore with a high Phragmites-like monocot, swept, elector, Mg 1615” ( MICO) . NAMIBIA: 26 ♀ and 5 ♂ “ S. W. Africa, Aus , Jan 1930 ”, “ R. E. Turner, Brit. Mus., 1930-117” ( BMNH) ; 6 ♀ “ Aus , Dec. 1929 ”, “ S. W. Africa, R. E. Turner, Brit. Mus., 1930-113” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH WEST AFRICA, Mariental: 11:73, A. Watsham ” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ “SOUTH WEST AFRICA (W31), Okahanja, Camping Place , 4.ii.1972, Riverside vegetation, Malaise-Trap.”, “Southern African Exp., B.M.1972-1” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH WEST AFRICA, Namib / Naukluft Park, Kuiseb R nr Gobabeb , 23.34S 15.03E. 18.ii–20.iii.1983. Nat. Coll. Kuiseb Survey ”, “Collected from Eragrostis spinosa ( Poaceae )”, “ PTEROMALIDAE 2”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria , South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps . SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA E CAPE, Hogsback Mnt, 32°35’S 27°05’E, 3.xii.1983 GL Prinsloo & NC Grobbelaar”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria, South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA, Cradock, C. P., ii. 1990, G. L. Prinsloo ”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria, South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA, Natal, Cathedral Peak area above Mike’s Pasa , 28.59S 29.14E. 1973m, 19–23.i.1986, B. Grobbelaar ”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria , South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; 4 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA, C.P., 62 km SW Vanzylsrus, 27.04S 21.33E, 23.iii.1983, C.D. Eardley ”, “Swept from Tribulus sp. ”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria, South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA, Stellenbosch, 12-iii-73, R.L. Kluge ”, “ on Tribulus terrestris ”, “SANC PRETORIA Database No. HYMC 04952” ( SANC) ; 2 ♀ “ S. Africa. R.E. Turner. Brit. Mus. 1923-45.”, “ Aliwal North , Cape Province. Dec. 1922.” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ “SOUTH AFRICA, Pearston 12/73, A. Watsham ” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ “ S. Africa. R.E. Turner. Brit. Mus. 1925-79”, “ Cape Province, Ceres. Jan. 1925.” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ “SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Kruger Nat. Park, Satara 15–18.XII.1985, S. & J. Peck ” ( CNC) ; 1 ♂ “SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Kruger Nat. Park , 16–18.XII.1985, PT, M. Sanborne ” ( CNC) . ZIMBABWE: 1 ♂ “RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WFU62, viii74” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ “RHODESIA, Salisbury , Chishawasha, WF 231, iii. 1976, A. Watsham ” ( MICO) .

Other material. NAMIBIA: 1 ♀ “S. W. AFRICA (W55), 8m. W. Gobabis, Windhoek— Gobabis Rd., 4900’ 11.iv.1972 ”, “ Southern African Exp. , B. M. 1972-1” ( BMNH) . SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♀ “ S. Africa. R.E. Turner. Brit. Mus. 1925-161.”, “ Cape Province, Ceres. March 1925.” ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀ “SOUTH AFRICA, NATAL, Cape Vidal, 28.10S 32.32E. 13.i.1981, G.L. Prinsloo ”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria, South Africa ” ( SANC) GoogleMaps .

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Colour. Head and mesosoma dark blue ( Figs 43–46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Metasoma dark brown ( Figs 43, 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Body pilosity short whitish ( Figs 45, 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Eyes pale red, ocelli yellowish ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Mandibles reddish-yellow, teeth reddish-brown ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Antenna mostly light reddish-brown except base of scape, which is lighter, pedicel, which is darker dorsally, and fu6 and clava, which are dark brown ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Wings hyaline; tegulae brown, venation and pilosity whitish ( Fig. 48 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Legs ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 43–50 ) with all coxae as mesosoma; trochanters light brown; femora dark brown, lighter apically; tibiae pale yellow, brownish medially (fore tibiae more extensively pale brown, except their kickface, which is pale yellow); tarsi pale yellow, last segment, arolia and claws brown.

Body length. 3 mm.

Head without distinct elevation between eye and posterior ocellus, reticulate except lower face finely striated,

striation not reaching toruli ( Figs 45, 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Clypeal margin shallowly emarginate ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Eye ovate, anterior and posterior margins not sinuous (fig. 43). Gena with a weak lamina near mouth corner. Scrobes moderately shallow, visible in dorsal view of the head ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Toruli with lower margins about level with lower margins of eyes ( Fig. 45 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Antenna ( Fig. 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ) with scape not reaching level of vertex; first anellus strongly transverse, the second less so, but still distinctly wider than long; funicular segments longer than wide; clava ventrally gradually narrowing before spicula, sutures hardly visible, oblique; micropilosity area occupying more than 1/3 length of claval body. Relative measurements—head length: 27, width: 59, height: 49; POL: 14; OOL: 8; eye height: 28, length: 19; IOD: 37; eye length dorsally: 18; temple length dorsally: 4; malar space: 19; mouth width: 28; distance between clypeal margin and toruli: 17; scape length: 29; pedicel length: 6, width: 3; pedicel plus flagellum: 60; fu1 length: 7, width: 4; fu6 length: 5, width: 4; clava length: 14, width: 5.

Mesosoma dorsally coarsely reticulate ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Notauli reaching middle of mesoscutum ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Scutellum moderately convex ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 43–50 ), frenal line absent, but frenal area with finer reticulation than rest of scutellum. Upper mesepimeron smooth (cf. Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Metapleuron and dorsellum uniformly reticulate. Propodeum inclined ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 43–50 ), uniformly reticulate except two small depressions near its anterior margin submedially; spiracles oval, spiracular sulci absent (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 7–12 ). Fore wing (cf. Fig. 48 View FIGURES 43–50 ) with basal cell and basal fold glabrous; costal cell with several rows of setae on ventral surface; speculum large, extending to stigmal vein; wing pilosity including marginal fringe short; stigma moderately capitate. Relative measurements—mesosomal length: 61, width: 48; height: 44; mesoscutum length: 24; scutellum length: 22, width: 27; propodeum length: 12; fore wing length: 110, width: 46; M: 19; S: 10; P: 18.

Metasoma ovate-acuminate, about as long as head plus mesosoma ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 43–50 ), dorsally mostly reticulate-imbricate (alveolae wider than long) except for gt1 which is mainly smooth (cf. Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19–22 ). Posterior margin of gt1 sinuous, not incised ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–50 , cf. Fig. 19 View FIGURES 19–22 ). Ovipositor sheaths short, hardly visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Relative measurements—metasomal length: 95, width: 48; gt1 length: 19; gt7 length: 7, width: 17.

MALE (allotype). Differs from the female holotype mainly as follows. Body length: 2.5 mm. Metasoma brown except extensively whitish in proximal 1/2 (dorsally) or 2/3 (ventrally); extreme base of gt1 brownish ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Scape (except base) and pedicel usually dark brown to black, mostly with conspicuous metallic reflections; base of pedicel yellowish ( Fig. 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ); flagellum dark brown ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Toruli much closer to median ocellus than to clypeal margin ( Fig. 50 View FIGURES 43–50 ). Scape usually exceeding level of vertex by less than half scape length; funicular segments widened both proximally and distally, mostly with two whorls of long whitish setae each, and separated from each other by long tubular connections; setae on funicular segments emerging at a slightly acute angle to segment ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ); length of pedicel plus flagellum about 1.7× head width. Metasoma oval, length about 1.9× width, slightly shorter than head plus mesosoma and narrower than mesosoma ( Fig. 49 View FIGURES 43–50 ).

Variation. FEMALES. Body length: 2.50–3.75 mm. Body colour dark, from olive-green to bluish-black; antennal fu6 occasionally not dark; the intensity of leg colour varies from pale yellow, almost whitish, to dark yellow, while the dark parts range from light brown to dark brown; venation varies from light brown to whitish, with at least stigmal vein usually pale. Head width about 2.0–2.3× length. POL about 1.7–2.1× OOL. Combined length of pedicel and flagellum equal to very slightly greater than head width; second anellus slightly to conspicuously transverse; clava length 2.4–2.8× width. Marginal vein about 1.6–2.0× as long as stigmal vein. Metasoma about 1.8–2.3× as long as wide. The specimens from Namibia have the head and mesosoma mainly dark blue and the scape uniformly reddish-yellow.

MALES. Body length: 1.90–2.75 mm. Length of pedicel plus flagellum about 1.6–1.8× head width. Metasomal length about 1.7–2.7× width; dorsal pale spot occupying from slightly less to slightly more than half length of metasoma, occasionally being less distinct.

Comments. Both sexes of N. caloramans are similar to those of N. africanus , being separated mainly by the characters given in the key. Several specimens are excluded from the type material: one female from Namibia, which has the head upturned and both antennae broken ; one female from South Africa, which has the head glued dorsally on card ; one female from South Africa, with head width only about 1.8× length .

Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin words calor, heat, and amans, loving, with reference to the distribution of the species in dry areas of southern Africa.

Distribution. Bostwana, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe (Map 3).

Hosts. Unknown. One female was collected on Eragrostis spinosa (L.f.) Trin. ( Poaceae ), while five others were swept on Tribulus sp. and T. terrestris ( Zygophyllaceae ); both plants thrive in arid habitats.