Norbanus erebus, Mitroiu, 2015

Norbanus erebus View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 57–62 View FIGURES 57–62 )

Diagnosis. BOTH SEXES. Head and mesosoma black, with some dark bronze reflections on vertex and most of mesosoma, and some bluish reflections on face and propodeum ( Figs 57–59 View FIGURES 57–62 ); hind femur orange ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Head without distinct elevation between eye and posterior ocellus ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). POL about 1.7–2.0× OOL. Temple about 0.2–0.4× eye length in dorsal view. Eye height about 1.2–1.3× length, anterior and posterior margins not sinuous ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Clypeal margin virtually straight ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Mesoscutum width about 1.8–2.1× length. Scutellum moderately convex, not globose ( Figs 57, 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Propodeum slightly inclined ( Figs 57, 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ), spiracular sulci absent (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 7–12 ). Fore wing length at most about 2.5× width; marginal vein about 2.0–2.2× as long as stigmal vein; speculum moderate, extending to stigmal vein, but narrow beyond middle of marginal vein ( Fig. 61 View FIGURES 57–62 ).

FEMALE. Metasoma dark reddish-brown ( Figs 57, 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ); flagellum uniformly yellow to light brown ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Toruli distinctly above lower margins of eyes ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Scape exceeding level of vertex ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ); second anellus transverse; clava slightly wider than fu6 ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Metasoma about as long as head plus mesosoma ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Posterior margin of gt1 virtually straight ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ).

MALE. Head and mesosoma dorsally bluish-black with violet reflections except green to golden-green propodeum; scape and pedicel usually brownish-yellow, without metallic reflections and hence contrasting with the darker flagellum ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Scape exceeding level of vertex by less than half scape length; funicular segments widened both proximally and distally, mostly with two whorls of long setae each, and separated from each other by long tubular connections; setae on funicular segments emerging at an acute angle to segment ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ); length of pedicel plus flagellum about 1.8–1.9× head width. Mesoscutum width about 1.8–2.1× length. Upper mesepimeron smooth. Sculpture of propodeum somewhat less coarse than that of scutellum, hence propodeum appearing lighter in colour. Marginal fringe on apical margin present and not unusually short (cf. Fig. 68 View FIGURES 63–70 ).

Material examined. Holotype ♀ ( BMNH). ZIMBABWE: “RHODESIA: Salisbury, Chishawasha, IV.1978, A. Watsham ” [CPD, on rectangular card].

Allotype ♂. ZIMBABWE: “RHODESIA: Chishawasha, iii.1979, A. Watsham ” ( BMNH).

Additional paratypes. ZIMBABWE: 7 ♀ and 4 ♂ same information as holotype ( BMNH); 1 ♂ “RHODESIA, Salisbury, Chishawasha, iii. 1978, A. Watsham ( BMNH); 22 ♀ and 18 ♂ “ RHODESIA: Chishawasha, iii.1979, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ ZIMBABWE: Harare, Chishawasha, V.1981, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, vii.1978, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ “ ZIMBABWE: Chishawasha, nr. Salisbury, viii.1978, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 35 ♀ and 7 ♂ “ ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, iv.1979, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 11 ♀ and 8 ♂ “RHODESIA: Salisbury, v.1978, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ ZIMBABWE, Salisbury, x.81, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ ZIMBABWE, Chishawasha, vi.1980, A. Watsham, Malaise Trap” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ ZIMBABWE, Salisbury, Chishawasha, vi.1980, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ “ ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, V.1979, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “RHODESIA, Makumbi Miss., A. Watsham.iv-75” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WF.138, (iii)75” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WF.168, (v)75” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WF.146, iv.75” ( BMNH); 1 ♂ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WF.143, iv.75” ( BMNH); 1 ♂ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, Chishawasha, i. 1980, A. Watsham” ( BMNH); 1 ♀ “ RHODESIA, Salisbury, A. Watsham / WF.161, v.75” ( BMNH); 2 ♂ “ ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, II. 1979, A. Watsham ( BMNH); 1 ♂ “RHODESIA, Makumbi M., (V) 74, A. Watsham ( BMNH); 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ “ ZIMBABWE: Salisbury, iv.1979, A. Watsham” ( MICO). SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♀ “ SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, Kruger Nat. Park, 16–18.XII.1985, PT, M. Sanborne” ( CNC); 1 ♀ “ SOUTH AFRICA, TVL., Kruger Nat. Park, Skukuza, 24.59S 31.35E. 292m., 14–15.i.1985. G.L. Prinsloo”, “NATIONAL COLL. OF INSECTS ( SANC), Pretoria, South Africa” ( SANC); 1 ♂ “ SOUTH AFRICA, Pongola Riv., A. Watsham: i: 74 ( BMNH).

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Colour. Dorsal surface of head and mesosoma except propodeum blackish, with some dark bronze reflections on vertex and most of mesosoma; propodeum with more distinct metallic reflections, mostly bluish ( Figs 57, 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Face bluish (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Metasoma reddish-brown, getting slightly darker towards posterior end ( Figs 57, 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Body pilosity short whitish ( Figs 58 View FIGURES 57–62 , cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Eyes pale reddish, ocelli whitish (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Mandibles reddish-brown, teeth dark brown. Antenna ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 57–62 ) with scape yellow, pedicel and flagellum light brown. Wings hyaline, tegulae and venation light brown, pilosity whitish ( Fig. 61 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Legs ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ) with fore and mid coxae brown, paler ventrally; hind coxa as mesosoma; trochanters yellow; fore femur extensively brownish, mid and hind femora mostly orange, paler distally; all tibiae and tarsi whitish, arolia and claws light brown.

Body length. 2.1 mm.

Head without distinct elevation between eye and posterior ocellus, reticulate except lower face finely striated, striation almost reaching toruli (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Clypeal margin virtually straight (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Eye ovate, anterior and posterior margins not sinuous ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Gena with a weak lamina near mouth corner. Scrobes virtually absent. Toruli with lower margins conspicuously above lower margins of eyes (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Antenna ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 57–62 ) with scape reaching above vertex (cf. Fig. 59 View FIGURES 57–62 ); both anelli transverse, the second longer than the first; funicular segments longer than wide; clava ventrally gradually narrowing before spicula, sutures hardly visible, oblique; micropilosity area occupying less than 1/3 length of claval body. Relative measurements—head length: 21, width: 43, height: 34; POL: 11; OOL: 6.5; eye height: 19, length: 16; IOD: 28; eye length dorsally: 15; temple length dorsally: 3; malar space: 12; mouth width: 20; distance between clypeal margin and toruli: 15; scape length: 20; pedicel length: 5.5, width: 3; pedicel plus flagellum: 46; fu1 length: 5, width: 2; fu6 length: 5, width: 3; clava length: 11.5, width: 4.

Mesosoma dorsally coarsely reticulate ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Notauli hardly visible, reaching beyond middle of mesoscutum ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Scutellum moderately convex ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ), frenal line absent, but frenal area with finer reticulation than rest of scutellum. Upper mesepimeron smooth. Metapleuron and dorsellum uniformly reticulate. Propodeum inclined ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ), uniformly reticulate, reticulation less coarse than that on the scutellum; two small depressions present near anterior margin of propodeum, submedially; spiracles oval, spiracular sulci absent (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 7–12 ). Fore wing (cf. Fig. 61 View FIGURES 57–62 ) with basal cell and basal fold glabrous; costal cell with several rows of setae on ventral surface; speculum extending to stigmal vein, but narrow beyond middle of marginal vein; wing pilosity including marginal fringe short; stigma hardly capitate. Relative measurements—mesosomal length: 46, width: 32, height: 30; mesoscutum length: 18; scutellum length: 17, width: 19; propodeum length: 8; fore wing length: 90, width: 36; M: 18; S: 9; P: 15.

Metasoma ovate, mostly with parallel margins, about as long as head plus mesosoma ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 57–62 ), 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 straight, not incised ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Ovipositor sheaths short, hardly visible in dorsal view ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Relative measurements—metasomal length: 60, width: 31; gt1 length: 12; gt7 length: 5.5, width: 12.

MALE (allotype). Differs from the female holotype mainly as follows. Body length: 1.9 mm. Body colour generally lighter ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ): head and mesosoma except green to golden-green propodeum dorsally bluish-black, with some violet reflections mainly on occiput, scutellum and axillae; propodeum. Metasoma brown except extensively whitish dorsally and ventrally in proximal 2/3; base of gt1 brownish ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Scape and pedicel brownish-yellow, without metallic reflections and contrasting with the darker brown flagellum ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Toruli much closer to median ocellus than to clypeal margin ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ). Scape exceeding level of vertex by less than half scape length; funicular segments widened both proximally and distally, mostly with two whorls of long setae each, and separated from each other by long tubular connections; setae on funicular segments emerging at an acute angle to segment ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ); length of pedicel plus flagellum about 1.8× head width. Metasoma oval, length about 2.2× width, shorter than head plus mesosoma and narrower than mesosoma ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 57–62 ).

Variation. FEMALES. Body length: 1.8–2.5 mm. Pedicel and flagellum from yellow to brown; clava rarely slightly darker than funicle; ocelli from whitish to reddish; venation from yellow to brown; metasoma from reddish-brown to blackish, with more or less distinct metallic reflections, but usually at least slightly reddish at base; one female from Zimbabwe has the hind femora dark brown. POL about 1.7–2.0× OOL. Mesoscutum width about 1.8–2.1× length. Marginal vein about 2.0–2.2× as long as stigmal vein. In normally dried specimens metasoma dorsally collapses and appears slightly wider than usual. Lateral margins of metasoma sometimes not parallel.

MALES. Body length: 1.75–2.50 mm. Flagellum light brown to dark brown; whitish spot on metasoma occupying from about 1/2 to about 2/3 length of metasoma; dark part of metasoma brownish to blackish, in the latter case with some distinct blue-green metallic reflections. Metasoma oval, length about 1.8–2.2× width.

Comments. The females of N. erebus can be quite easily separated from females of similar species mainly by the dark body colour, the orange hind femora and other characters given in the key, such as the position of toruli, the shape of clypeus and posterior margin of gt1. The males of N. erebus can be separated from males of N. awi mainly by the body colour, shorter scape and different inclination of setae on funicular segments. One female is excluded from the type series because it has yellow metasoma and hind tibia wider than usual, length about 4× width (length about 4.5–5.3× width in type specimens).

Etymology. In Greek mythology Erebus is the god of darkness, an indication of the general body colour.

Distribution. Zimbabwe, South Africa (Map 4).

Hosts. Unknown.