Ooderella capensis Gibson, 2017, n. sp.

Ooderella capensis n. sp.

Figs 165–173

Type material. Holotype ♀ (SAMC). “S. AFRICA: Northern Cape, | Hantam National | Botanical Garden, 758m, | 31°24.293'S 19°09.215'E, / 17.iii-21.iv.2008, MT | S. van Noort, Niewoudtville- | Roggeveld Dolerite Renosterveld, | GL07-DOL2-M26 / HOLOTYPE | Ooderella | capensis | Gibson ”. Holotype point-mounted by right acropleuron; entire; uncontorted, but head/pronotum and gaster somewhat reflexed dorsally relative to mesosoma, and flagella with some flagellomeres collapsed.

Paratypes (5♀). South Africa. Same data as holotype (1♀ SAMC, CNC Photo 2016-94). Natal, Hluhluwe Game Res., Mtubatuba, III.1978, D.J. Bothers (1♀ CNC, Photo 2016-93). Port St. Johns, Pondoland, 25– 31.III.1923 (1♀ [Brit. Mus. 1923-241] BMNH), XI.1923 (1♀ [Brit. Mus. 1 924-6] BMNH), I.1924 (1♀ [Brit. Mus. 1924-97] BMNH), R. Turner.

Etymology. Based on the type locality.

Description. FEMALE (habitus: Fig. 168). Length = 2.5–3.4 [2.5] mm. Head (Figs 165–167) sometimes mostly dark brown but usually with variably extensive green and reddish-violaceous lusters, and with yellowish ocellocular mark (Fig. 167) but at most only obscure mediolongitudinal line within scrobal depression dorsally or to anterior ocellus (Fig. 165); in lateral view (Fig. 166) comparatively highly convex with frontovertex quite abruptly angled relative to much longer face so broadest dorsally, and only slightly higher than long; in frontal view (Fig. 165) about 1.1× as wide as high; in dorsal view (Fig. 167) about 1.3× as wide as long with interocular distance about 0.3× head width, and with OOL: POL: LOL: MPOD = 7: 15: 12: 5. Frontovertex with vertex coriaceous-alutaceous to level of posterior ocelli and sometimes within ocellar triangle but frons smoother and shinier, at most with subeffaced meshlike coriaceous sculpture; uniformly setose with brown setae. Scrobal depression (Fig. 165) Π-shaped, higher than wide, with lateral margin directed dorsally from torulus such that with distinct though slender parascrobal region, and dorsal margin separated from anterior ocellus by about 2× ocellar diameter. Scrobal depression, scrobes and parascrobal region at least much more distinctly sculptured than frons, but variably strongly meshlike coriaceous to reticulate though scrobes sometimes somewhat smoother and shinier. Interantennal prominence with sides inclined so as to be mediolongitudinally angular at least dorsally, though below about level of dorsal margin of toruli more uniformly convex and setose with comparatively inconspicuous pale to brownish setae as well as on lower face and parascrobal region. Mandible (Fig. 169: insert) tridentate with acute ventroapical tooth and incised dorsoapical margin. Labial and maxillary palps brown. Antenna (Fig. 169) dark brown with at most very limited, slight greenish luster; length of flagellum + pedicel about 1.8× head width; scape with ventral margin only slightly sinuous compared to straight dorsal margin so only slightly broader basally; length[width] of scape: pedicel: funiculars: clava = 53[13]: 20[7]: 7[6], 19[7], 22[8], 23[10], 17[11], 15[12], 12[12], 12[12]: 35[15].

Mesosoma (Figs 170–172) usually brown to dark brown except sometimes pronotum and/or mesoscutum variably extensively lighter in color, more yellowish-brown except for darker region posterolaterally on pronotum anterior to spiracle, and sometimes with slight metallic lusters on posteriorly smoother part of mesoscutum and acropleuron under some angles of light. Legs (Fig. 168) similar in color to mesosoma except mesotibia basally lighter and at least basal two tarsomeres of mesotarsus more whitish. Pronotum in dorsal view (Figs 167, 170) with collar transverse-quadrangular, about 1.7× as wide as long, though with at least lateral margins diverging slightly anteriorly and sometimes anterior margin slightly sinuate such that anterolateral corners acutely angled, with dorsal surface flat on either side of deep mediolongitudinal groove, and both collar and neck similarly inconspicuously setose. Mesoscutum (Fig. 170) flat anteriorly and lateral lobes carinately angled within about posterior quarter to third; meshlike reticulate except much smoother and shinier posteriorly in region between carinately angled lateral lobes, at most only very finely meshlike coriaceous; with comparatively dense region of posteriorly directed, slender-lanceolate white setae anteromedially between level of spiracles, less conspicuous, shorter, more hair-like, posteriorly directed white setae medially, and more conspicuous region of anteriorly directed slender-lanceolate white setae posteromedially in region between carinately angled lateral lobes (Fig. 170). Scutellar-axillar complex (Fig. 171) about 1.6× as long as basal width with hairlike setae of similar color as cuticle; axillae reticulate and of similar size as scutellum (almost as long as scutellum excluding frenum and anterior width similar to greatest width of scutellum); scutellum longitudinally reticulate-strigose, elongate teardrop-shaped, about 3.2× as long as greatest width, with distinctly differentiated, smooth and shiny frenal area. Tegula (Figs 170, 172) with uniformly distributed dark setae. Fore wing (Fig. 171) extending to base of gaster, about 1.7× as long as greatest width, flat, light brownish-infuscate with brownish setae basally and hyaline with very slightly lanceolate white setae over about apical two-thirds except for dorsally bare costal cell and similarly wide bare region along leading margin of wing beyond submarginal vein; submarginal vein extending about 0.75× length of wing, straight, and distinctly separated from broadly rounded to angulate apical margin. Mesopleurosternum (Fig. 172) with acropleuron bare but mesopectus uniformly setose with white setae; acropleuron mostly longitudinally striate-strigose, usually more finely medially and ventrally than dorsally, except usually variably distinctly meshlike anteroventrally and anterodorsally. Metacoxa (Fig. 172) comparatively sparsely setose with white hairlike setae dorsally and with somewhat shorter, denser, slender-lanceolate white setae in basally widened region ventrolaterally, but bare longitudinally over outer surface. Propodeum (Fig. 171) with carinate posterior margin broadly Π-like incurved virtually to V-like emarginate anterior margin so as to be transversely lunate and somewhat concave because foramen curved up; at most obscurely coriaceous, shiny, and bare except for a couple of white setae anterior to spiracle and line of white setae posterior to spiracle near base of gaster.

Gaster (Figs 168, 173) dark brown except Gt1 subbasally often variably distinctly paler to white dorsally and laterally, syntergal flange apically variably paler and more translucent, and exerted part of ovipositor sheaths similarly pale; distinctly meshlike coriaceous with pre-syntergal tergites beyond Gt2 densely setose with multiple rows of setae of similar color as tergites; syntergum (Fig. 173) only about as long as wide and shorter than penultimate tergite, with at least one row of setae differentiating apically bare, posteriorly rounded syntergal flange from convexly inclined, bare basal region (often hidden under penultimate tergite); ovipositor sheaths extending only slightly beyond syntergal flange.

Distribution (Map 2D). South Africa.

Remarks. Females of O. capensis vary in gastral color pattern, the holotype and paratype with the same data having the gaster entirely dark, but the gaster of the other females being obviously paler subbasally, yellowish to white, dorsally (Fig. 173) and laterally (Figs 168, 172). The Northern Cape females are also the smallest individuals and have the scrobal depression more finely sculptured than the other females, more meshlike coriaceous than distinctly reticulate. However, even these females have the frons distinctly smoother than the scrobal depression or vertex, and a dark scape, which differentiates O. capensis from O. botswanae.