Sycophila (Tineomyza) platygastra Lotfalizadeh & Delvare & Cruaud & Rasplus 2024, sp. n.

Sycophila (Tineomyza) platygastra Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. n.

(Figs 118–120)

Type material examined. Holotype ♀: United Republic of Tanzania, Udzungwa Mts, Mangula, ex syconia of Ficus bubu, 8.iii.1995, Rasplus J.-Y. leg. Deposited in CBGP. Paratypes: Cameroon, Ebogo, 10.i.1993, ex syconia of Ficus nos 11 & 13, Gibernau M. leg., 5♀ & 4♂. Colline Nkolbisson, Ficus sp., 14. viii.1993, Nzenza leg., 2♀. Same data, Ficus macrosperma, 5.viii.1996, Gibernau M. leg., 1♀. Same data, Londjikubi, ex syconia of Ficus ovata, 24.ii.1993, 1♀. Congo, Brazzaville, xi.1989, ex syconia of Ficus bubu, David leg., 5♀ & 2♂. Guinea, Monts Nimba, Mifergui, ex syconia of Ficus laurifolia, 22.iv.1993, Rasplus J.-Y. leg., 7♀ & 14♂. Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Lamto, 6.222197° -5.024070°, ex syconia of Ficus sur, 15.iii.1994, Kerdelhué C. leg., 5♀ & 4♂. Same data, 11.v.1995, Ficus ovata, 12♂. Same data, ex syconia of Ficus polita, 30.vi.1989, 1♂. United Republic of Tanzania, same data as holotype, 7♀ & 6♂. Usa River, -3.368691° 36.862022°, ex syconia of Ficus sycomorus, 5.iv.1996, Rasplus J.-Y. & Kerdelhué C. leg., 4♀ & 3♂. Mazumbai, ex syconia of Ficus chirindensis, 16.iii.1996, Rasplus J.-Y. & Kerdelhué C. leg., 1♀ & 4♂. Amani, Mt Usambara East, ex syconia of F. ottoniifolia subsp. ulugurensis , 28.ii.1995, Rasplus J.-Y. & Kerdelhué C. leg., 3♀.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the laterally flattened gaster of the species.

Diagnosis. Female with fu1 long, about 2× as long as pedicel (Fig. 118B); ventral area of interantennal space smooth (Fig. 118C). Propodeum with truncate mesally basal carina, wide basally; smooth median band of propodeum short, at most reaching basal half of propodeum, propodeum posteriorly rugulose transversally (Fig. 119B). Dark brown spot of fore wing longer than wide, distributed below of mv, costal cell sparsely setose ventrally (Fig. 119E).

Male with costal cell densely setose ventrally, dark brown spot of fore wing longer than wide (Figs 120A, 120C).

Description of holotype ♀ (Figs 118–119). Length 6.60 mm. Body generally dark brown (Fig. 118A), except orbital margin, lateral margin of scrobe, scape, fore tibia, tarsomeres, mesosoma dorsally, pronotum laterally, in gaster Gt4 dorsally and Gt5–Gt6 ventrally yellowish-brown; pronotum anterolaterally testaceous; fore wing with a dark brown spot below mv, reaching base of mv, lower margin of mv not obscured by dark brown spot (Fig. 119E); gaster bicoloured (Fig. 119C); body setation whitish, setation of fore wing entirely dark.

Head 1.46× as broad as high [HW 182 & HH 125] (Fig. 118C); in dorsal view transverse, 1.97× as broad as long [HW 248 & HL 126] (Fig. 118D); face coriaceous with sparse punctures, dorsally mostly coriaceous; malar space 0.51× length of eye [ms 35 & EH 68]; malar sulcus distinct, straight (Fig. 118E); genal margin regularly curved, edged but not carinate; antennal toruli widely separated; interantennal space not raised, carinate laterally; scrobal depression slightly sculptured dorsally, reaching the median ocellus, not carinate on margin; POL 1.5× as long as OOL [POL 42 & OOL 28] (Fig. 118D); temple rounded, 0.33× the eye length (in dorsal view) [TL 32 & EL 96]; setation oriented downwards on face, outwards on the punctuate frons.

Antenna. Scape not reaching median ocellus, 4.11× as long as broad [SL 115 & SW 28]; fu1 2.17× as long as broad, [fu1L 65 & fu1W 30], distinctly longer than pedicel, not bulging dorsally; funiculars (fu2–fu4) with three rows of mps and several whorls of adpressed setae; fu2–fu5 distinctly longer than broad (Fig. 118B).

Mesosoma weakly arched dorsally, 1.4× as long as wide (165:115), with obliterate punctures (Fig. 119A); pronotum with coarse umbilicate punctures; mesepisternum flattened, without any process or raised sculpture on epicnemium; mesoscutum sparsely umbilicate, transversely finely strigose anteriorly; notauli conspicuous, slightly obliterated by mesoscutum sculpture; prepectus bare, slightly sculptured; mesoscutum 0.5× as long as wide (60:115), 0.75× longer than length of pronotal collar (60:80), with dense umbilicate punctures laterally and on mesoscutellar disc; mesepimeron transversally strigose; metepimeron subtriangular and areolate with long white hairs; propodeum (Fig. 119B) with deep median depression, with a smooth median band, without any median carina; lateral rows of areolae short (extending at most to half-length of propodeum); basal carina inverted V, truncate mesally; lateral branches of basal carina relatively straight, distance between lateral carinae about 0.5× width of nucha.

Fore wing with short marginal fringe, apically subtruncate (pointed anteriorly); dark brown spot below mv; basal cell bare or nearly so; mv slightly enlarged, normally broadened, in lower margin straight, not longer than pmv; stv not curved; pmv distinct, not longer than stv; ventral side of costal cell sparsely setose, dorsally bare; speculum present; parastigmal bristles absent (Figs 119E, F).

Legs. Fore coxa without depression on frontal surface, hind coxa bare basodorsally; fore (30:13) and hind femora (35:14); hind tibia dorsally with more than 10 setae, setae as long as hind tibia width basally.

Metasoma. Petiole shorter than broad dorsally, ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 absent. Metasoma 1.5× as long as wide (170:115) (Fig. 119C), longer than mesosoma, strongly compressed laterally and dorsally angulate (Fig. 119D); ventral transverse carina between petiole and St1 present; petiole in dorsal view not longer than wide, shorter than half-length of hind coxa; tergites finely sculptured; Gt4 (in lateral view) slightly as long as Gt3, sinuous posteriorly; Gt5 partly covering Gt6, sinuous posteriorly; Gt6 with few setae ventrally; Gt6 with few setae ventrally; ovipositor oriented dorsad but not distinctly upturned (Fig. 119C).

Male (Fig. 120). Length 2.74–6.22 mm. Similar to female with longer petiole (Figs 120A, 120C); antennal formula 11143; fore wing more setose than in female; gaster entirely dark; exhibiting two different forms: 1)Antenna with much shorter segments, fu2–fu4 broader than long; each funicular with 2 rows of mps and several whorls of erected short setae; femora much wider (Figs 120A, B). 2) Antenna with much longer segments, fu1–fu4 more than 2× as long as broad; each funicular with several rows of mps and whorls of adpressed short setae; femora as usual (Figs 120C, D).

Variation. Length 3.92–6.60 mm. Sometimes body generally brown, gastral spot smaller or larger.

Host plants. Ficus artocarpoides, F. bubu, F. chirindensis, F. laurifolia, F. macrosperma, F. ottoniifolia, F. polita, F. sur and F. sycomorus.

Geographical distribution. Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and United Republic of Tanzania.