Lyroda aethiopica Kohl 1894

Lyroda aethiopica Kohl, 1894

(Figs 1, 2, 9–14, 27, 28)

Lyroda aethiopica Kohl, 1894:294. Holotype: ♀. Guinea: Conakry (TMP).

Remark: Lyroda aethiopica was described by one female from West Africa, Guinea. We could not examine the type, but the original description characterizes the species well and allows do distinghuish between it and both new species, L. centralafricana sp. nov., and L. salalah sp. nov.

Diagnosis: The species is characterized by the characters given in the key. See also diagnosis at L. centralafricana sp. nov.

Additional description of female: In females from Mali, abdominal segments 5–6 or only 6 are red. In specimens from Central Africa, abdominal segments 4–6 or 5–6 are red. ACM has a lateral set with three long teeth, an intermediate set with one or two short and indistinct teeth, and medial set with two teeth. Medial teeth are distinctly separated from each other, but not larger than teeth of intermediate set and distinctly smaller than those of lateral set. Propodeal dorsum with fine irregular striation and distinct median carina. Forebasitarsus with six or seven short yellow spines, and a row of short and fine setae in between. For detailed description of the female, see Kohl (1894).

Description of male: Body length: 8–10 mm. Colour. All black with the following parts red: mandible in basal half (varying from orange red to dark red) and apical foretarsomere. Abdominal segments 6–7, or only 7 reddish in some specimens. Only one male from RSA has abdominal segments 5–7 clearly orange reddish. Head and mesosoma covered with dense silver to golden pubescence, very dense and long in lower face, and more scattered in remaining body. T 1–3 with apical band of silver pubescence, T 6–7 with dense and long golden pubescence. Morphology: ACM: lamella with rounded tooth or rectangular protuberance medially. Lamella as large as distance between antennal bases, measured in the middle of base. Mesosoma dull with fine, grainlike sculpture, tergites shiny with fine microsculpture. Propodeal dorsum with fine and irregular sculpture, medially with longitudinal carina.

Distribution: Benin, Eritrea, Guinea, Zaire, Central African Republic (Pulawski, 2020); Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mali, South Africa and Zambia (here examined). Specimens cited from literature have to be checked for their true identity because they may be confused with L. centralafricana.

Material examined: BURKINA FASO: 1 ♀, vii.2006, Foret de Nazinga, 11011 ’N 1030 ’E; CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 4 ♀ ♀, 8 ƋƋ, 8.iv. 2010, 70 km NNE Bangui, 4057 ’ N 18046 ’E; 3 ƋƋ, 23.iv. 2010, 130 km E Kaga Bandoro, 6057 ’ N 19055 ’E; 1 Ƌ, 23.iii. 2010, 60 km W Bouar, 5045 ’ N 15013 ’E; ETHIOPIA: 3 ƋƋ, 8.v. 2015, 70 km S Jima, 702 ’N 36014 ’E; MALI: 1 ♀, 29.vii. 1991, 30 km N Bamoka; 1 ♀, 9.viii. 1991, 40 km W Mopti, 1 ♀, 8.vii. 1991, 10 km S Mopti; 2 ƋƋ, 5.viii. 1991, 30 km S San; 2 ƋƋ, 6.vii. 1991, 60 km NE San; 2 ƋƋ, 3.viii. 1991, 5 km S San; SOUTH AFRICA: 1 Ƌ, 19.xii. 2009, 35 km W Hoedspruit, 24023 ’ 30040 ’E; ZAMBIA: 1 Ƌ, 17.i. 2003, 15 km S Kapiri; (all specimens except those from Mali were collected by J. Halada, specimens from Mali were collected by M. Schwarz, all specimens housed in coll. OLL).