Belonogaster velutina Selis & Longair, 2025

Belonogaster velutina Selis & Longair , sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 )

Belonogaster levior View in CoL : Richards 1982: 41 (key), 58, ♂, part., Liberia (misidentification) .

Diagnosis. The entirely shagreened and bare posterior face of propodeum places Belonogaster velutina sp. nov. in the atrata species-group, in which it comes close to Belonogaster levior due to mesosoma densely microsculpted with only scattered very fine punctures and lacking black erect setae. Belonogaster velutina sp. nov. is readily distinguished from B. levior by the following characters: disc of scutellum 1.8× as wide as long and with indistinct median furrow ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ), scutellum and metanotum densely micropunctate with barely visible macropunctures ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ), basal pit of propodeum deep and narrow and well-impressed, basal petiole of T2 longer (1.6× as long as wide in male, 1.8× in female; Figs 4F–G View FIGURE 4 ), and mesosoma entirely ferruginous with indistinct dark markings on mesoscutum and pronotum ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ).

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂ labelled “ COTE D’IVOIRE: Tai NP / IET Station / 5°50’ N 7°20’31” W / 20.II.1997 R. Longair // 85 // Belonogaster velutina / HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Det. Marco Selis [red label]” ( AMNH) GoogleMaps . PARATYPE: same locality as holotype, 21.II.1997, 1♀ ( MSVI) GoogleMaps .

Description. Male holotype ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ). Body length 16.0 mm; fore wing length 14.0 mm. Head ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ) slightly narrower than mesosoma excluding tegulae, 1.1× as wide as high in anterior view, 2.15× as wide as long in dorsal view. Inner eye margins almost parallel, distance between them at vertex equal to that at clypeus. Clypeus as long as wide, distinctly produced below, subtriangular with apex sharply pointed and exceeding lateral lobes of clypeus; clypeus almost evenly flattened in lateral view. Gena narrow, 0.65× as wide as eye in lateral view; malar space slightly longer than diameter of antennal torulus. Ocelli arranged in equilateral triangle and close to each other; distance between posterior ocelli 0.8× as long as their diameter and 0.4× as long as ocellocular distance. Vertex 1.4× as long as ocellocular distance. Antenna slender and curled apically; scape weakly enlarged medially, 3.2× as long as apically wide; F1 enlarged apically, 4× as long as apically wide, 1.5× as long as F2, about as long as F2+F3; F2–F7 longer than wide and similar in shape, becoming progressively shorter; F8–F9 as long as F7 but thinner; F10 elongate, 3× as long as basally wide, dorsal margin curved, apically tapering in a rounded apex; tyloids present on F2–F9, paired elongate ridges on F2, ridges covering whole length and becoming progressively higher on F3–F6, sharp ridges expanding apically on F7–F9 ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ). Mesoscutum weakly convex, 1.1× as long as wide, with barely visible median ridge in anterior third. Scutellum more convex than mesoscutum, with barely visible median longitudinal furrow on whole length, disc 1.7× as wide as long ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ). Metanotum almost vertical, transversely convex and bearing a shallow median depression. Propodeum weakly and evenly convex, with a median barely indicated furrow in posterior half, anterior margin with a deep and elongate subtriangular pit.Apical segment of fore tarsus weakly dilated apically. T1 5.6× as long as maximum width; in dorsal view weakly and evenly widened from base almost to apex, with a shallow apical constriction, maximum width 1.6× as wide as basal width; T 1 in lateral view curved at extreme base and then straight, strongly thickening apically, maximum height 1.9× as high as basal height, dorsal margin distinctly curved posteriorly. T2 evenly widening posteriorly after basal petiole, apical margin 4.3× as wide as basal margin; basal petiole 1.6× as long as wide ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ). Genitalia in Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 .

Clypeus and supraclypeal area weakly shiny, shallowly and irregularly shagreened with scattered very fine punctures. Frons matte, densely and shallowly micropunctate, with scattered shallow fine punctures; vertex and gena weakly shiny and sparsely punctate, punctures denser along eye margin and malar space. Scape shiny and micropunctate, with some barely visible punctures; flagellum matte and densely shagreened, F10 shinier on outer face. Mesosoma except posterior face of propodeum matte and velvety due to very dense micropunctures, shallow and very sparse macropunctures visible on margins of pronotum, scutellum and metanotum, and on posterior margin of mesepisternum and metaepisternum; posterior face of propodeum finely and densely shagreened, with some fine punctures on anterior margin and fine rugosities around propodeal orifice, surface with a silky shine. T1 similar to posterior face of propodeum, but shagreen shallower and less evident, some very fine punctures on posterior half; S1 with shallow but distinct transverse striation, disappearing posteriorly. T2–T7 finely and transversely shagreened, with fine and barely visible punctures starting from apex of T2; T6–T7 shinier than previous tergites. S2–S6 similar to respective tergites but shinier and punctures mostly restricted to lateral margins; S7 with very fine dense punctures. Most of head, mesosoma, legs, T2–T7 and S1–S7 with dense and very short pale pubescence with golden reflections, T1 lacking pubescence but bearing some very short golden setae arising from the punctures, S1 with long pale setae. Clypeus with whitish pubescence and scattered short black setae on whole surface. Short black setae on frons, vertex, hypostoma, proepisternum and fore coxa. Short but stout black setae arising between pubescence on metasoma starting from apex of T2 and S2, more numerous and evident on tergites than on sternites.

Ferruginous-red; following parts pale yellow: longitudinal bands covering lateral thirds of clypeus and face up to ocular sinus, interantennal space, suffusion on base of mandible and inner margin of malar space, ventral face of scape, pedicel and base of F1, anterior face of proepisternum, irregular markings on fore and mid coxae, anterior face of fore femur, anterior line on mid femur and mid and hind tibiae, basal and apical spots on hind femur; following parts dark red to black: head above level of antennal toruli, upper face of antenna except F8–F10, elongate spots along posterior margin of pronotum, mesoscutum, middle of anterior margin of propodeum, spots at upper and lower margin of mesepisternum, apex of T2 and S2 and whole T3–T6 and S3–S6, hind femur, all tibiae and tarsi. Wings hyaline with brownish suffusion along costal margin.

Female paratype. Body length 18.0 mm; fore wing length 15.0 mm. Differing from male as follows: head ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ) 1.2× as wide as high in anterior view, 2.35× as wide as long in dorsal view; clypeus more convex and more produced below, 1.1× as long as wide, apex more sharply pointed, bearing denser and deeper punctures, pubescence on basal two thirds and brownish, black setae longer and stouter; gena 0.95× as wide as eye in lateral view; malar space longer, 1.35× as long as diameter of antennal torulus; antenna proportionally shorter and stouter, scape 3.4× as long as apically wide, F1 3.3× as long as wide and about as long as F2+F3+F4, F2 slightly longer than wide, F3 subquadrate, F4–F7 wider than long and becoming progressively shorter, F8 subquadrate, F9 bullet shaped and 1.3× as long as basally wide; sculpture on mesosoma slightly coarser, macropunctures more numerous and marked, hair-like setae on lateral faces of pronotum; basal petiole of T2 longer, 1.8× as long as wide ( Fig. 4G View FIGURE 4 ); stout black setae on metasoma more numerous and longer, much more evident on sternites than on tergites. Same color pattern as male, but differing as follows: pale yellow markings absent, orange-yellow suffusions visible on mandibles, malar space and margins of clypeus; dark markings reduced on pronotum and absent on propodeum and mesepisternum, but scutellum with a pair of medial dark suffusions ( Fig. 4H View FIGURE 4 ); T2 and tibiae darker.

Distribution. Liberia, Ivory Coast ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ).

Etymology. The species name comes from the Latin adjective velutinus, - a, - um (= velvety), in reference to the velvety and matte appearance of this species.

Sex association. The association of the two sexes is strongly supported, as they were collected in the same place one day apart and share all the diagnostic characters of the species (see diagnosis).