Trathala annulicornis Tosquinet 1896

Trathala annulicornis (Tosquinet 1896)

(Figs. 12 c–d)

Cremastus annulicornis Tosquinet 1896: 416

Diagnosis. Trathala annulicornis female is recognizable by its white ringed flagellum.

Description. FEMALE. L: 4.3 (3.0–4.9) (10 specimens).

Head. Strongly constricted behind eyes. Temples very short. Vertex and frons shagreened, frons smoother centrally. Face a little wider than high, shagreened with shallow punctuation. Clypeus transverse (Ci = 2), its apical margin rounded. Malar space short (MLMi = 0.5). Interocellar and oculo-ocellar distances equal to greatest diameter of ocellus (OOi = 1; IOi = 1). Antenna with 31–37 flagellomeres.

Mesosoma. Mesoscutum densely punctate-shagreened, notaulus distinct and transversally striate, matt. Pronotum (ventrally) and pleurae shining, densely punctate-shagreened, speculum usually similarly sculptured. Scutellum with lateral carinae distinct anteriorly, and longitudinally striate posteriorly. Propodeum coarsely punctateshagreened at base, more shagreened anteriorly. Area basalis truncate, area superomedia 1.5x longer than wide, area petiolaris 1.3x longer than superomedia and transversally wrinkled.

Metasoma. Tergite I 1.4x longer than tergite II, tergite II 2.5x longer than wide at apex. Postpetiole and tergite II aciculate, smoother dorsally, following tergites almost smooth. Ovipositor moderately long, slightly decurved (OTi = 1.4–1.6).

Color. Yellow orange overall. Head and anterior margin of pronotum, yellow; center of frons, vertex and occiput orange. Antenna infuscate, flagellomeres 1–7 with yellow apical ring and 8–14 white. Wings hyaline, pterostigma yellow-brown.

MALE. L: 4.2 (3.2–4.6) (5 specimens). Similar to female but white ring on flagellum absent. Gonosquama truncated, wider basally than apically.

Comments. One aberrant specimen has an almost flat tergite I: its posterior 4/5 is tennis racket shaped and finely aciculate.

Distribution records. Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe. Madagascar (new record), widely distributed.

Material examined. 51ƤƤ (MNHN EY 6080 to EY 6135) as follow: 4ƤƤ Fianarantsoa (MNHN EY 6080 à 6083), February and May 1930, March 1938; 3ƤƤ Tananarive [Antananarivo] (MNHN EY 6084 à 6086), January 1932, December 1933 (coll. Olsoufieff); 1Ƥ Tananarive (MNHN EY 6087), Tsimbazaza (sur riz), March 1949, R.P. coll.; 9ƤƤFort Dauphin [Tôlaniaro], May 1937 (MNHN EY 6088 (MNHN EY 6089: head missing) to EY 6096); 1Ƥ (MNHN EY 6097) Tamatave [Toamasina] (coll. Olsoufieff), January 1934; 1Ƥ (MNHN EY 6098) Ihosy, Région Sud du l’Île, February 1933; 1Ƥ (MNHN EY 6099) Analandravaka, 26 May 1936; 2ƤƤ (MNHN EY 6100–01) Ivondro”, January 1939; 1Ƥ (MNHN EY 6102) Antsirabe, November 1936; 26ƤƤ (MNHN EY 6103 to EY 6129), Bekily, February 1937, March 1932 to 1934, April 1932 –33, May 1932 –34–36, July 1936, August 1933 and 1938, Septembre 1933, 1936 and 1938, December 1933; 53 (MNHN EY 6130 to EY 6134), Bekily, March 1932, April 1938, May 1934 and 1937; Aberration (MNHN EY 6135): 1Ƥ Bekily, May 1936. 1Ƥ (CAS, CASLOT 035898) Tulear [Toliara] Province, Cap Ste Marie, 37m,, 14–22 June 2003, 25°35.26’S 45°09.78’E (colls. Irwin, Parker & Harin’Hala); 1Ƥ (CAS, CASLOT 035907), Tulear Province, Forest Vohidava, 6–8 Dec 2006 24 ˚14'26" S 046˚17'16" E (colls. Irwin, Parker & Harin’Hala). 16ƤƤ, Bekily, March and April 1932 (2 specimens to each of the above mentioned institutions).