Afrotropical Species of Diaparsis Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae)

ABSTRACT Thirteen Afrotropical species of the ichneumonid genus Diaparsis are recognised (including one species from Seychelles and one species from Reunion). Eleven new species are described from Gabon, Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda: D. abstata sp. n., D. aneucliformis sp. n., D. interstitialis sp. n., D. inusitata sp. n., D. kolyadai sp. n., D. minuscula sp. n., D. mostovskii sp. n., D. probleformis sp. n., D. robusta sp. n., D. voluptuosa sp. n. and D. vulgaris sp. n. Two previously known species, D. evanescens (Morley, 1912) and D. moesta (Holmgren, 1868), are re-described following re-examination of their types. The latter species is found to belong to the genus Tersilochus Holmgren, 1859 (subgenus Tersilochus s. str.), in which it was originally described. An identification key to 13 Afrotropical species of Diaparsis is provided.


INTRODUCTION
Diaparsis is one of the largest genera in the subfamily Tersilochinae. This genus comprises about 65 described and many undescribed species (Horstmann 1971(Horstmann , 1981Gauld 1984;Khalaim 2005Khalaim , 2008Khalaim , 2011Khalaim & Sheng 2009), and it is known from all parts of the world except South America. In some regions, Diaparsis includes almost half of the species of the whole tersilochine fauna (Khalaim 2011). The genus was mentioned in my first paper on Afrotropical Tersilochinae (Khalaim 2007), in which a key to tersilochine genera was provided. Only three species, D. evanescens (Morley) from Seychelles, D. ramassamy Rousse et Villemant from Reunion and D. moesta (Holmgren) from South Africa, were known in this region until now (Townes & Townes 1973: 167;Rousse & Villemant 2012).
The first metasomal segment of Diaparsis does not have a glymma or there is an isolated glymma, and a propodeum with basal keel is present (rarely with basal groove). These are characteristics of the "Diaparsis" genus group, which also includes the genera Aneuclis Förster and Sathropterus Förster. Diaparsis may be distinguished from both of these genera by the fore wing, which has the posterior section of the postnervulus developed (thus the brachial cell is closed) and from Sathropterus also by the presence of a second recurrent vein. Most species of Diaparsis are conspicuously larger than Aneuclis and Sathropterus species, often have a deep and strongly oblique foveate groove in the anterior part of the mesopleuron (this groove, if present, is usually weak in Aneuclis and Sathropterus) and they frequently have a densely and coarsely punctate head and mesosoma (impunctate or finely punctate in Aneuclis and Sathropterus).
Diagnosis: Diaparsis aneucliformis resembles species of Aneuclis by having the fore wing with the posterior abscissa of nervulus short and pale as well as a short, filiform, 16-segmented flagellum. Differs from known Afrotropical species of Aneuclis because of the longer malar space, and from its Afrotropical congeners in having a long malar space, short flagellum, unusually long mouthparts, pterostigma white-marked proximally and distally, short metacarp and mesopleuron conspicuously inflated dorsally and ventroposteriorly.
Head rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.7× as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna filiform, unusually short, about 0.55× as long as fore wing, with 16 segments; all flagellomeres, except the basal and the apical ones, about 1.3× as long as broad. Mandible slender, with upper tooth distinctly longer than lower tooth. Malar space 1.2× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus 2.4× as broad as long, almost flat in lower 0.7, mostly smooth, finely punctate in upper 0.6 and very finely granulate near upper mar gin. Face, frons and vertex finely granulate, dull, finely punctate. Temple finely and sparse ly punctate, mostly smooth between punctures, very finely granulate dorsally and ventrally. Occipital carina complete.
Figs 7-12. Diaparsis aneucliformis sp. n., ♀: (7, 9-11) holotype: (7) antenna and mesoscutum, dorsolateral view, (9) head and anterior part of mesosoma, lateral view, (10) apex of fore wing, dorsal view, (11) mid and hind legs, lateral view; (8, 12) paratype: (8)  Diagnosis: Diaparsis evanescens is very similar to D. minuscula sp. n. and D. moesta in respect of its small size as well as densely granulate, impunctate head and mesosoma, but differs from these and other Afrotropical species of the genus because of the very short basal keel of propodeum, weak foveate groove of mesopleuron and hind wing with nervellus strongly reclivous. Description: Female (based on holotype). Small species with body length 3.0 mm and fore wing length 2.2 mm. Resembles species of Aneuclis but posterior abscissa of postnervulus developed. Head and mesosoma dark reddish brown, predominantly finely granulate and impunctate, but with shi ning, al most smooth temple and fine indistinct punctures on mesopleuron. Head rounded and moderately narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple half as long as eye width. Antenna yellowish basally to fuscous apically. Flagellum 17-segmented, all flagellomeres 1.4-1.6× as long as broad. Malar space 0.72× as long as basal width of mandible. Mandible rather strongly narrowed, upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Clypeus small, smooth. Notaulus with longitudinal wrinkle anteriorly. Foveate groove of mesopleuron virtually absent, there being a very weakly impressed area with very weak, indistinct wrinkles. Distance between propodeal spiracle and pleural carina equal to almost one diameter of spiracle. Basal keel of propodeum very short, 0.1× as long as apical area. Apical area pointed anteriorly, almost flat, with apical longitudinal carinae developed in its posterior half, absent anteriorly. Fore wing with second recurrent vein postfurcal. Metacarp not reaching apex of fore wing. Pterostigma pale brown. Hind wing with nervellus strongly reclivous, slanted at about 45°. Legs slender, yellow, with hind coxa slightly brownish basally. Tergite 1 of metasoma very slender, with petiole round in cross-section; glymma situated near middle of the tergite, weak. Tergite 2 more than twice longer than broad anteriorly. Thyridial depression twice as long as broad.
Ovipositor very long, upcurved, without obvious dorsal notch or depression, its sheath somewhat shorter than body. Distribution: Seychelles.

Diaparsis (Diaparsis) interstitialis sp. n.
Figs 15-20 Etymology: Named after its interstitial second recurrent vein. Diagnosis: It is the only species of the genus in which the flagellum of the female has a conspicuous pale band. The new species also differs from other Afrotropical species of Diaparsis in having the second recurrent vein interstitial, dorsolateral area of propodeum densely punctate over finely granulate, dull surface (a similar densely punctate propodeum is present only in D. mostovskii sp. n.), and short malar space. Description:

Female.
Body length about 6.0 mm. Head strongly rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple half as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna filiform, with 25-27 segments (26 segments in holotype); subbasal and mid flagellomeres about 1.2-1.5× as long as broad, subapical flagellomeres slightly elongate or quadrate. Mandible slender, with upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Malar space short, about 0.4× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus lenticular, 2.6× as broad as long, smooth in lower half, punctate in upper half. Face and frons with very dense, sharp punctures, dull. Vertex finely and densely punctate, dull. Temple weakly shining, with fine and moderately dense punctures. Occipital carina complete. Hypostomal carina absent, surface polished.  Description:

Female.
Body length 3.5 mm, fore wing length 2.6 mm. Head and mesosoma black (lower half of clypeus and tegula yellowish), entirely (including temple and mesopleuron) densely granulate and impunctate. Head rounded and moderately narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.71× as long as eye width.
An tenna with scape and pedicel yellowish, flagellum pale brown basally to blackish medially. Flagellum with more than 12 segments (tips of both antennae absent in holotype), slender basally, probably filiform, flagellomere 2 about 1.8-2.0× as long as broad, mid flagellomeres 1.4-1.5× as long as broad. Malar space slightly shorter than basal width of mandible. Mandible yellow (but teeth reddish), slender, with upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Clypeus almost flat in lateral view, finely and sparsely punctate on very finely granulate background in upper 0.6, more or less smooth in lower 0.4. No taulus as irregularly rugulose area. Foveate groove of mesopleuron moderately deep, long (extending almost entire length of mesopleuron), S-curved, wider anteriorly and narrow posteriorly, transversely wrinkled. Distance between propodeal spiracle and pleural carina equal to 1.8 diameters of spiracle. Basal keel of propodeum 0.37× as long as apical area.
Apical area roundly pointed anteriorly, flat; apical longitudinal ca rinae reaching transverse carina anteriorly. Fore wing with second recurrent vein postfurcal, intercubitus thick and very short. Metacarp not reaching apex of fore wing. Pterostigma brown. Hind wing with nervellus moderately reclivous, slanted at about 20°. Legs slender and yellow, with hind coxa blackish; hind femur 4.7× as long as broad and 0.88× as long as tibia. Hind tarsus very slender. Tarsal claws not pectinate. Tergite 1 of metasoma black with brownish hue, 3.2× as long as broad posteriorly, with petiole round in cross-section, dorsal surface of postpetiole finely granulate anteriorly; glymma small and indistinct, situated far behind middle of tergite, joining by means of fine groove to ventral part of postpetiole. Metasoma behind tergite 1 dark brown, tergite 1 with narrow yellow band posteriorly. Tergite 2 long and broad anteriorly. Thyridial depression slightly elongate. Ovipositor probably not especially long (apex absent in holotype), weakly upcurved.
Tergite 1 of metasoma very slender, round in cross-section, entirely smooth, 4.4× as long as broad posteriorly, without glymma. Second tergite 1.7× as long as broad anteriorly; thyridial depression very shallow, more than 2.0× as long as broad. Ovipositor short and robust, weakly upcurved, without teeth, with very shallow dorsal subapical depression; sheath about 0.65× as long as hind tibia and 0.6× as long as first tergite.
Male. Flagellum with 21-24 segments, basally less slender than in female. Malar space shorter. Metasomal tergites 2+ generally more extensively brown-marked. Otherwise similar to female. Variation: The size varies rather markedly, with body length 3.8-5.8 mm and fore wing length 2.6-3.9 mm. Flagellum usually with 23-28 segments, in small specimens with 19 segments. Mesosoma entirely black (in smallest specimen) to black with varying amounts of reddish brown. Propodeum distinctly to rather weakly punctate. Second recurrent vein almost interstitial to strongly postfurcal.

Diaparsis (Diaparsis) probleformis sp. n.
Figs 50-57 Etymology: Named after its similarity to the genus Probles Förster. Diagnosis: Differs from other Afrotropical species of the genus because of a combination of the following features: long, slender and clavate antenna, long ovipositor, finely and sparsely punctate head and mesosoma and fore wing with short metacarp. Description:

Female.
Body length 4.9 mm. Head rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.7× as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna almost as long as fore wing, slender, distinctly clavate at apex, with 24 segments; basal and mid flagellomeres 1.8-2.0× as long as broad, subapical flagellomere square. Mandible with upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Malar space 0.85× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus wide, about 3.0× as broad as long, rather strongly convex dorsally in lateral view, smooth and distinctly punctate in upper half. Face and frons finely and densely punctate on granulate background (punctures on face mostly in distinct). Vertex with very shallow punctures on finely granulate background. Temple fine ly granulate, finely and sparsely punctate. Occipital carina complete. Mesosoma with mesoscutum granulate, finely and densely punctate. Notaulus with short and weak longitudinal wrinkle. Mesopleuron finely punctate (punctures distinct cent rally and indistinct peripherally) or very finely granulate, dull background. Foveate groove in anterior 0.6 of mesopleuron, moderately broad, oblique, not reaching anterior mar gin of mesopleuron, with fine transverse wrinkles. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by about one diameter of spiracle. Propodeum with basal keel vanishing, 0.6× as long as apical area; dorsolateral area granulate, with very fine and indistinct punc tures; apical area widely rounded anteriorly, flat, evenly granulate, impunctate; apical longitudinal carinae reaching transverse carina anteriorly. Fore wing length 3.5 mm. First abscissa of radius straight, longer than width of pterostigma. Metacarp far short of apex of fore wing. Second recurrent vein postfurcal. Intercubitus slightly longer than abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein. Hind wing with nervellus slightly reclivous. Legs robust. Hind femur 3.7× as long as broad and almost as long as tibia. Spurs of hind tibia almost straight. Tarsal claws strongly curved, not pectinate. Tergite 1 of metasoma smooth, 3.8× as long as broad posteriorly, with isolated glymma in basal 0.45, and petiole round in cross-section. Second tergite 1.45× as long as broad anteriorly; thyridial depression about 1.7× as long as broad. Ovipositor long, rather strongly upcurved, with very shallow dorsal subapical depression; sheath 2.8× as long as hind tibia and first tergite. Head, mesosoma and tergite 1 black. Antenna with scape and pedicel brownish yellow, flagellum brown basally to blackish apically. Clypeus yellow in lower 0.4 and dark brown in upper 0.6. Palpi and mandible (except for blackish teeth) yellow. Tegula brownish. Pterostigma brown. Wings infused with brown. Legs mainly brownish yellow with mid tibia and tarsus infuscate, hind leg with coxa brown, femur brown with apical 0.2 yellowish, tibia infuscate and tarsomeres 1-4 fuscous. Metasoma behind tergite 1 mainly dark brown, ventrally yellow.
Male. Very similar to female but flagellum distinctly tapered towards apex, with 27-29 segments, malar space shorter, propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by about 2.0 diameters of spiracle, apical area of propodeum pointed anteriorly, fore wing with intercubitus slightly shorter than abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein, tergite 2 longer and thyridial depression twice as long as broad. Tergite 1 of metasoma smooth, 3.5× as long as broad posteriorly, with small, isolated glymma and short, shallow groove before glymma, with petiole round or slightly trapeziform in cross-section. Second tergite 1.37-1.39× as long as broad anteriorly; thyridial depression 1.5× as long as broad. Ovipositor long, upcurved, with very shallow dor sal subapical depression; sheath 2.6× as long as hind tibia and 2.8× as long as first tergite.
Male. Unknown. Female. Body length 4.8 mm. Head rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.7× as long as eye width. Flagellum of antenna slightly clavate at apex, with 20-23 segments (21 in holotype); sub-basal flagellomeres about 1.8 and subapical flagellomeres 1.0-1.2× as long as broad. Mandible slender, with upper tooth distinctly longer than lower tooth. Malar space 0.7-0.8× as long as basal width of mandible. Clypeus 2.9× as broad as long, slightly convex or flat in lateral view, smooth, sparsely punctate in upper half. Face and frons finely and densely punctate on granulate background. Vertex finely granulate and very indistinctly punctate. Temple finely granulate (almost smooth centrally), with fine punctures. Occipital carina complete. Mesosoma with mesoscutum finely and densely punctate on granulate background. No taulus with short wrinkle. Mesopleuron finely punctate, granulate peripherally and almost smooth centrally. Foveate groove in anterior half of mesopleuron, moderately deep, strongly oblique, with transverse wrinkles. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by 1.5-2.5 diameters of spiracle. Propodeum with basal keel 0.36× as long as apical area; dorsolateral area granulate, with very fine (sometimes indistinct) punc tures. Apical area flat, pointed or roundly pointed anteriorly, granulate, impunctate; apical longitudinal carinae weak, usually not reaching transverse carina anteriorly. Fore wing length 3.55 mm. First abscissa of radius straight, longer than width of pterostigma. Metacarp almost reaching apex of fore wing. Second recurrent vein postfurcal. Intercubitus usually about as long as abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein. Hind wing with nervellus slightly reclivous, slanted at 10-15°. Legs slender. Hind femur 4.45× as long as broad and 0.82× as long as tibia. Spurs of hind tibia almost straight. Tarsal claws not pectinate, strongly curved. Tergite 1 of metasoma very slender, 4.4× as long as broad posteriorly, smooth, with small glymma and petiole round in cross-section. Second tergite 1.65× as long as broad anteriorly; thyridial depression distinct, 1.5-2.5× as long as broad. Ovipositor upcurved, with shallow dorsal subapical depression; sheath about 2.8× as long as hind tibia and 3.0× as long as first tergite. Head, mesosoma and tergite 1 of metasoma black; pronotum anteriorly and upper part of mesopleuron sometimes reddish brown. Scape and pedicel of antenna, palpi, mandible (except for blackish teeth), lower half of clypeus and tegula brownish yellow. Flagellum