Hedychridium eudaimon Rosa, 2024

Hedychridium eudaimon Rosa , sp. nov. ( Figs 2A–2D, 3A–3D)

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Material examined. Holotype ♀, Yemen: Lahj, VII-IX.2001, Malaise trap, leg. A. van Harten & A. Sallum ( RMNH) . Paratypes: 2♂♂, Yemen: Ibb province, 20 km S Ta’izz, 1200m, 24.X. 2005, leg. J. Halada ( MHC, PRC) ; 1♂, Saudi Arabia : Jizan province, Farasan Island, Sajid Island : 16°51'52"N 41°56'04"E, 16.IX.2023, leg. J. Halada ( MHC) GoogleMaps ; 1♀, Saudi Arabia , Jizan province: N of Ayban, Smad , 17°20'42"N 43°02'20"E, 1000m, 26.II.2024, leg. B. Halada ( MHC) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Hedychridium eudaimon sp. nov. is closely related to only one species in the Western Palaearctic, Hedychridium chakouri du Buysson, 1907 ( Figs 2E, 2F). Both species belong to the subgenus incorrectly named Acrotoma Mocsáry, 1902 ( nec Boettger, 1881) by Linsenmaier (1959, 1999). These two species can be readily separated from other northern African and Arabian Hedychridium by the median notch on the apical margin of the third tergum. Compared to the other Afrotropical species in this group, they are both small ranging 3.0 to 4.5 mm. H. eudaimon sp. nov. can be differentiated from H. chakouri by the large, sparse punctures on the mesosoma ( Fig. 2B) and on the second metasomal tergum ( Figs 2D, 3B) in contrast to H. chakouri ( Figs 2E, 2F) which has smaller, denser punctures. The colour pattern is also distinct: H. eudaimon sp. nov. is bluish medially, consistent with the colour pattern of several Afrotropical species ( Fig. 3A), while H. chakouri has a colour pattern more similar to the widespread Palaearctic H. monochroum du Buysson, 1888 , with darker median area of the mesoscutum and a darker disk on the second metasomal tergum ( Fig. 2E). H. eudaimon sp. nov. can be further distinguished from other Afrotropical species traditionally included in “ Acrotoma ” by the following characteristics: H. arnoldii (Edney, 1940) and H. braunsii (Mocsáry, 1902) have the apical margin of the third tergum with two distinct teeth and a the carinate margin of the second metasomal tergum; H. discrepans (Edney, 1940) has a similar apical margin, but is a larger species ( 6.5 mm) with a different colour pattern, being entirely red dorsally, with the face, sides of the mesosoma and propodeal angles greenish, while the subspecies H. discrepans candida (Edney, 1940) is entirely flame red; H. dybowskii has two small apical teeth on the apical margin and dense punctation, with very small punctures similar to H. chakouri ( Fig. 2F); H. heymonsi Bischoff, 1910 is similar to H. dybowskii but has a thin hyaline rim along the apical margin of the third tergum and a distinct angle between the apical tooth and the tergal base.

Description. Holotype ♀. ( Fig. 2A–D). body length 4.4 mm; fore wing length 2.8 mm.

Head. Vertex and frons finely and densely punctate, with small (0.3 MOD) subcontiguous punctures; scapal basin with smaller, dense punctures, each puncture bearing a whitish seta, altogether covering the side of face; scapal basin transversally slightly wrinkled medially; ocellar triangle isosceles; OOL = 2.8 × MOD; POL = 2.4 × MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.2:0.9:0.8.

Mesosoma. Pronotal antero-median line shallow; punctation double with deep, small punctures (0.2–0.3 × MOD) intermixed with smaller dots on interspaces; median area of mesoscutum with larger punctures (up to 0.5 × MOD), without interspaces, becoming smaller and more spaced (up to 1 puncture diameter) at sides; mesoscutum largely polished postero-medially; lateral areas of mesoscutum with deep, large punctures, spaced and with small deep punctures on interspaces; notauli as fine lines, barely visible among punctures, parapsidal furrow deep and elongate; mesoscutellum with large, sparse punctures, separated up to 1.5 puncture diameter, and polished interspaces, punctures smaller laterally and posteriorly ( Fig. 2B); metanotum with foveate-reticulate punctures; mesopleuron with large, round punctures, separate by polished interspaces with small punctures. Propodeal projection like acute triangle, pointing downwards; fore femur slightly carinate ventrally, hind femur only partially metallic; hind tarsus unmodified, with second and third tarsomeres subequal in length. Tarsal claws with sharp submedian tooth.

Metasoma. Metasomal terga with deep punctures, denser apico-medially on second tergum becoming very sparse on the second half of the segment, with polished interspaces up to 2–3 puncture diameters ( Fig. 2D); third tergum with spaced puncture becoming smaller toward apex and slightly bulging before the apical margin; apical margin with narrow hyaline rim and medially notched ( Figs 2C, 3B, 3C).

Colour. Body green to blue; dark blue to purplish on ocellar area, median area of mesoscutum, anteromedially on second and third tergum; sterna entirely metallic green ( Fig. 3C). Pedicel and flagellomeres brown; tegula metallic green; legs metallic green; tarsi brownish to light brown.

Vestiture. Erect, whitish short setae on head (less than 1 MOD); longer ventrally and on coxae; pronotum and mesoscutum with short and appressed, erect on scutellum and metanotum; metasoma with short and adpressed setae.

Male. Similar to female ( Fig. 3A–D).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Old Greek name of Yemen Εὐδαίμων Ἀραβία ( Eudaemon Arabia ), Latinized into Eudaimon, better known as Arabia Felix , name attributed to Eratosthenes of Cyrene (c. 276 BC – c. 195/194 BC), which has the meaning of both fertile and blessed, being this area well irrigated in the Arabian Peninsula .

Distribution. Saudi Arabia (Jizan), Yemen (Lahj, Ibb).