Corresponding author: Pascal Rousse (
Academic editor: G. Broad
The revision of the Afrotropical
Rousse P, van Noort S (2014) Afrotropical Ophioninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae): an update of Gauld and Mitchell’s revision, including two new species and an interactive matrix identification key. ZooKeys 456: 59–73. doi:
The subfamily
It is of note that very few amendments have been brought to their work since the revision was published, except three new species descriptions (
Specimens were point mounted on black, acid-free card for examination (using a Leica M205C stereomicroscope with LED light source), photography and long term preservation. Images were acquired using the Leica LAS 4.4 imaging system, which comprised a Leica® Z16 microscope with a Leica DFC450 Camera with 0.63× video objective attached. The imaging process, using an automated Z-stepper, was managed using the Leica Application Suite V 4.4 software installed on a desktop computer. Lighting was achieved using techniques summarized in
The terminology follows
Wing venation terminology and alar indices (after
Nearly 500 individuals were examined in the SAMC collections. We examined 300–400 more housed in the BMNH, MRAC, and MNHN collections. An interactive matrix key was developed for their quick and reliable identification. This key was initially produced based on the data extracted from Gauld and Mitchell’s revision, and thereafter tested with the examined material. Uncertain identifications were cross-checked with Gauld and Mitchell’s key and descriptions, and the matrix key was then amended to fit the unreported variability. Each species was coded somewhat loosely to limit the risk of false negative results when selecting limital states of characters. Specific attention was paid to species described on a reduced number of individuals to deal with the subsequent reduced range of known variability.
Taking into account the taxonomic updates post Gauld and Mitchell’s revision, including the present one, we acknowledge here a total of 194 species of
The matrix includes these 194 species and their known intra-specific variability. Furthermore, the dichotomous key provided in
Orange with inter-ocellar area, most of mesosoma and apex of metasoma black; mandible not twisted, with a central tuft of hairs; clypeus wide, long and flat in profile; antenna short and stout with 56 flagellomeres; mesosoma laterally coarsely punctate to rugose-punctate, dorsally densely and more finely punctate; mesoscutum with notaulus distinct and relatively long; mesopleuron with epicnemial carina not distinct above lower corner of pronotum; propodeum anteriorly densely punctate, posteriorly coarsely rugose-reticulate; disco-submarginal cell with fenestra developed but without distinct sclerite; fore tibia with dense and long spines on outer surface; fore tibial spur with a vestigial basal membrane.
Differentiated from all other
1 | Fore wing with no alar scerite in the disco-submarginal cell; ocelli strongly reduced (FI < 0.25); South Africa |
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– | Fore wing with one (rarely two) distinct sclerite(s) in the disco-submarginal cell; ocelli reduced to enlarged (FI ≥ 0.25) |
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1a | Fore leg with 4th tarsal segment quadrate |
FEMALE (holotype). B 20.8; F 11.5; ML 1.2; CT 1.2; OOL 2.0; POL 1.2; FI 20%; F1–2 1.7; F20 1.2; AI 1.1; CI 0.5; ICI 0.7; SDI 1.1; NI 2.0.
MALE. Unknown.
Named after the unusually reduced ocelli, and as a result the large POL. Noun in apposition.
South Africa (Western Cape).
Yellow orange overall, head paler yellow; mandible with upper tooth distinctly longer than lower tooth; clypeus hardly convex in profile, its ventral margin barely concave and in-turned; occipital carinae complete; gena moderately swollen behind eye; ocelli moderately enlarged; antenna with 56 flagellomeres; pronotum unspecialized; mesopleuron and metapleuron closely and deeply punctate; epicnemial carina laterally indistinct; posterior transverse carina of mesosternum complete and noticeably strong; submetapleural carina slightly broadened anteriorly; notaulus vestigial; propodeum basally punctate, posteriorly coarsely and concentrically striate; fore wing without any sclerite in disco-submarginal cell; fore tibia with dense spines on outer surface; thyridium very shallow.
Readily differentiable from all other
8 | Fore tibia with dense and long spines, spines basally far closer than their own mean length; Tanzania |
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– | Fore tibia with distinctly sparser spines, or no spine |
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8a | Head, when viewed dorsally |
FEMALE (holotype). B 18.8; F 11.5; ML 0.3; CT 1.6; OOL 0.1; POL 0.4; FI 50%; F1–2 1.4; F20 2.2; AI 0.6; CI 0.7; ICI 0.6; SDI 1.3; NI 2.8.
MALE. Unknown.
This species was probably mentioned in
Tanzania.
Provided are the verbatim label data. Only unambiguous identifications are listed. All geographical coordinates are also available on a separate file as Suppl. material
Many thanks to the above mentioned curators and their staff for welcoming us during our visits. We are also grateful to CABI publishing for their copyright agreement, and to all beta testers of the matrix key for their feedback. Simon van Noort was funded by South African NRF (National Research Foundation) grants: GUN 2068865; GUN 61497; GUN 79004; GUN 79211; GUN 81139. Pascal Rousse was funded by SABI (South African Biodiversity Initiative) NRF post-doctoral fellowship GUN 81609, Claude Leon Foundation post-doctoral fellowship, and Société Entomologique de France (Bourse Germaine Cousin). Both authors were fully nutritionally supported by Jungle OatsTM (with a consensual preference for the green box). Part of the South African field work conducted by SvN was funded by the National Science Foundation under PlatyPBI grant No. DEB-0614764 to N.F. Johnson and A.D. Austin. Field work in Central African Republic was supported by WWF-US and WWF-CARPO. The Ministers of Water, Forests and the Environment and the High Commissioners for tertiary Education and Research of the Central African Republic granted permission to carry out the inventory survey and to export the specimens as part of the WWF-US CAR field expedition conducted in 2001. Fieldwork in Gabon was funded by the World Bank through WWF-US. WWF-Gabon provided logistical support. Collecting and export permits were kindly granted by Monsieur Emile Mamfoumbi Kombila, Directeur de la Faune et de la Chasse, Libreville. Cape Nature; the Eastern Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and the Northern Cape Department of Nature and Environmental Conservation provided collecting permits for South Africa. The Ugandan Wildlife Authority and UNCST provided permits to conduct research sampling in Uganda.
Afrotropical
distribution data
Summary of the collection localities and their geographical data listed as new distribution records for Afrotropical