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Australian Journal of
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Taxon name
Coccygidium vittatum Atkin-Zaldivar sp. nov.
Figure citations
Figures 5–6.
Registration Number
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1BBE5364-3D1F-4FA4-AD27-12C0ECD0F309
Type statement
Holotype: ♀; South Australia; 10 km NW Emu Junc., Great Victoria Desert; 10 October 1976; J.A. Herridge and G.F. Gross; at light; SAMA 32-035981.
Synonymy
Diagnosis
Diagnosis:
Coccygidium vitatum can be diagnosed from the three other species found in Australia by a much broader anterior central area of the propodeal areola (Fig. 4D), with a maximum length/maximum width ratio of 1.3 (compared to 2–3 in other Australian species), and a dark propodeum (pale/yellow in the other species).
Description
Description (based on female holotype):
Female.
Colour: Head dark yellow; scape and first three flagellomeres dark brown (remaining flagellomeres broken in holotype); mesosoma dark yellow except for propodeum, propodeum dark brown; fore, mid and hind coxa and femur dark brown, fore and mid tibia and tarsus dark yellow similar to mesosoma; hind tibia dark brown distally and dark yellow proximally (hind tarsi missing in holotype); fore wing hyaline with a uniform brown tinge, veins dark brown, pterostigma primarily dark brown but with a yellow spot proximally; T1 and T2 on metasoma yellow and lighter than mesosoma, dorsal metasoma from T3 onwards (distally) dark brown; ovipositor sheaths dark brown.
Body length: ~8.8 mm; head length in lateral view: 1.0 mm; mesosoma length in lateral view: 3.4 mm; T1 length in lateral view: 1.5 mm; metasoma from proximal margin of T2 to end of hypopygium in lateral view: 2.9 mm.
Head: maximum head width in anterior view: 1.8 mm; minimum distance between eyes in anterior view (face width): 1.0 mm; eye height in anterior view: 1.0 mm; malar space (measured as the minimum distance between eye and mandible): 0.3 mm; POL: 0.13 mm; OOL: 0.24 mm; OD: 0.20 mm; F1 length/central width ratio (l/w): 2.5; F2 l/w: 2.0; face reasonably smooth, evenly setose across face.
Mesosoma: Mesoscutum maximum length / maximum width in dorsal view: 1.1 mm. Mesoscutum punctate with setae, punctures smaller and shallower in the central area between noutauli. Central area of the propodeal areola (area superomedia), with a maximum length/maximum width ratio of 1.3. Fore wing length: 8.2 mm. Maximum hind tibia length: 2.6 mm; longest hind tibial spur length: 1.1 mm.
Metasoma: T1 length in dorsal view: 1.7 mm; maximum width of scleratised area of T1 (near posterior margin): 0.7 mm; T1 with lateral projections then widening towards posterior margin, smooth and setose along margins but glabrous on dorsal surface; extruded part of ovipositor sheath length (measured in lateral view from apex of hypopygium): 0.7 mm; ovipositor sheaths densely setose for entire length, ovipositor evenly and distinctly curved.
Male. Unknown.
Specimens Examined
Notes
Etymology: The species epithet vittatum is from the Latin vittatus, in this context meaning ‘decorated or bound with a ribbon’ and refers to the diagnostic dark propodeum situated between the paler mesoscutum and metasomal tergites. The epithet is a neuter adjective.
Remarks: As only one specimen is known, no information on the male or intraspecies variation could be gathered. The specimen does not have full antennae with flagellomeres broken off, all tarsi not intact, mid-leg was removed during DNA extractions. Despite the incompleteness of the specimen, and the lack of additional material and DNA sequences, we felt it was justified to describe this species as it is one of the only records of Coccygidium currently known from South Australia, and dramatically expands the known distribution of the genus.
Distribution: South Australia, Great Victorian Desert.
Figure 5. Coccygidium vittatum sp. nov., female holotype, lateral habitus.
Figure 6. Coccygidium vittatum sp. nov, female holotype, A) dorsal head, B) frontal head, C) lateral mesosoma, D) propodeum, E) dorsal mesosoma, F) dorsal metasomal tergite 1, G) fore wing.
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