The genus Micatagla Argaman, 1994 in Egypt, with three new species and a new record (Hymenoptera, Bradynobaenidae, Apterogyninae)

Abstract The genus Micatagla Argaman (Bradynobaenidae: Apterogyninae) is reviewed from Egypt, based on specimens collected from Wadi Allaqi (Aswan, Southern Egypt) and Kom Osheim (Fayoum) and those deposited in Egyptian insect collections as well as recorded data from the literature. A single species, Micatagla klugi (André), was previously recorded from Egypt. Micatagla allaqiensis sp. n., Micatagla ezzati sp. n. and Micatagla pseudorainerii sp. n. are described here. Micatagla antropovi Pagliano is also newly recorded from the Egyptian fauna. An illustrated key and a faunistic list comprising all Micatagla species recorded from Egypt are given.

Members of the genus are widely distributed in Africa; only two species were recorded from Asia (Pagliano 2002). Their biology is still unknown.
Members of the genus Micatagla are characterized by their small to medium size, 4-18 mm long; third metasomal tergite (T3) of female without basal tegumental yellow spot; eyes (female) small, distant from occipital carina at least by their own diameter; hind trochanter (male) with ventral lamella; forewing (male) with closed brachial cell (except open in M. noorti). Both sexes are normally quite colourful as they consist of red mixed with ferruginous to black, only few species have individuals all black.
In Egypt, the genus Micatagla is represented by a single species, M. klugi (André, 1899) (Pagliano 2002). In the present study, three new species: M. allaqiensis, M. ezzati and M. pseudorainerii are described and illustrated, and a new record, M. antropovi Pagliano, 2002, is also added to the Egyptian fauna thus increasing the total number to five species. An illustrated key for identifying all the Egyptian species is also given.

Material and methods
The present study is based on specimens collected from Wadi Allaqi (Aswan, Southern Egypt) and Kom Osheim (Fayoum) and those deposited in the Egyptian insect collections as well as previous records from Egypt. Sampling was done by means of pitfall traps. Morphological terms are based on Pagliano (2002). Body-sculpture terminology is based on Harris (1979). Photos were taken by Canon camera (G12), attached to Optech trinocular zoom stereomicroscope (LFZT). The distribution of Micatagla species in the different Egyptian localities is plotted (Fig. 31) using DIVA-GIS (Ver.7.1.7). The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Efflatoun Bey collection, Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza (Egypt) (CUE).

Results and discussion
Key to the females of the Egyptian species of the genus Micatagla Argaman Body length 5.5 mm; malar space slightly longer than longitudinal eye diameter; mid and hind coxae entirely red; T1 superficially punctate, T2 with ellipsoid foveae separated by longitudinal ridges (Fig. 17), T3 finely and closely striate longitudinally; T6 reddish, with darker interrupted carinae (Fig. 18)  Colour. Red, except T3 dark ferruginous to black with red posterior margin, T1 slightly darker than the rest of tergites, S1 and S3 dark ferruginous, S2 slightly dark red, T6 with dark red interrupted longitudinal ridges.
Pubescence. Body and legs densely clothed with fine whitish hairs; head with some hairs, along face, that are erect and longer around eyes; mesosomal tergites with few hairs along their dorsal surfaces, posterior margin of all tergites with fringes of dense, inwardly directed silvery hairs that are crossing centrally.
Head (Fig. 14). In dorsal view, slightly wider than pronotum, with some scattered superficial punctures, far apart by about 2-4 times their diameter; vertex slightly semi- circular to flattened; eye small, prominent, located above midline between clypeus and vertex when seen from frontal view; distance between antennal tubercles slightly longer than tubercle length; malar space relatively long, slightly longer than longitudinal eye diameter. Scape of antenna 2.5× as long as F1, gently convex from above, flagellomeres polished, F1 about as long as F2.
Mesosoma (Fig. 15). Pronotum quadrate, about as long as maximum width, with gently declivous anterior face, rounded humeral angle and slightly concave to straight posterior margin; densely foveate-reticulate dorsally; remainder of mesosomal dorsum superficially punctuate, punctures are somewhat spaced by a distance equal to their own diameter. Propodeal posterior face gently declivous, smooth and impunctate. Propleuron faintly punctured, with some incomplete longitudinal separated ridges posteriorly; mesopleuron foveate-reticulate; metapleuron smooth. Hind tibial spurs about equal in length.
Remarks. M. pseudorainerii is nearest to M. rainerii Pagliano, 2002 which is found in Namibia, and the two species are distinguished by the following characters: Description. Female (Holotype). Body length 8 mm.
Colour. Medium yellowish brown, except antennal flagellum brown, mandible reddish brown distally; fore tibial spur light red, mid and hind tibial spurs waxy white; mid and hind coxae with yellow apices; T2 with apical yellow band widened medially, T3 black with apical yellowish band, S3 black on basal two-thirds, pygidial area dark brown with black carinae.
Pubescence. Body as well as legs rather densely clothed with erect to suberect white hairs (recumbent on face, denser on clypeus and metasomal segments 4-5 than elsewhere). T1-3 with apical fringe of compact inward directed white hairs, that is weak on T1; S2 and S5 with apical fringe of obviously scattered white hairs.
Metasoma. T1 (Fig. 22) widened posteriorly (pear-shaped), as long as its maximal width, densely foveate, abruptly declivous along posterior rim; T2 semicircular, 0.6× as long as wide, strongly petiolate anteriorly; T3 narrowed anteriorly forming a constriction with T2; T2 and T3 with ellipsoid foveae separated by longitudinal ridges (Fig. 23), foveae on T3 slimmer than those on T2, ridges on apical fourth of T3 fine and closer to each other than elsewhere; T6 (pygidium) subtriangular, with longitudinal interrupted widely spaced carinae, bordered laterally with small sharp teeth that progressively reduce in size and become blunt distally, apical ones rounded (Fig. 24). Pubescence. Body including legs clothed with fine erect to recumbent whitish hairs, relatively longer on mesopleuron and distinctly denser on face and vertex of head, T4 and T5 than elsewhere. Posterior margin of T1 with fringe of irregular and inwardly directed whitish hairs; T2 and T3 with apical fascia of silvery inwardly directed hairs that are much denser than that of T1.
Head (Fig. 26). In dorsal view slightly wider than pronotum and strongly convergent behind eyes; face and vertex clothed with recumbent whitish hairs masking the sculpturing beneath; vertex gently sloping posteriorly; eye small, subspherical and strongly prominent, located above midline between clypeal free margin and vertex; antennal scrobe polished; distance between antennal tubercles equal to tubercle length; clypeus bent downward, polished apically, with straight free margin, punctate basally; gena very sparsely punctate, with noticeable obtuse tubercle behind eye immediately below lower ocular margin; malar space relatively long, as long as longitudinal eye diameter; mandible slender, edentate; palpi with long and slender segments. Scape of antenna 2.5× as long as F1, gently and evenly convex from above; flagellomeres polished, F1 scarcely longer than F2, F2 as long as F3, F2-7 flattened beneath.
Etymology. This species is named in honour of the late Prof. Yahia Ezzat (the professor of the first author).