Spathioplites phreneticus Fischer, 1962. Holotype in Paris (MNHN).

Ennedi, Ouedi, Harisohi, Chad.

Head not depressed, high, transverse. Ocelli arranged in triangle with base slightly larger than its sides. Vertex laterally of ocelli and frons laterally with distinct but not high longitudinal protuberances. Frons distinctly concave, with fine median longitudinal carina. Eyes glabrous. Occipital carina dorsally complete, fused ventrally with hypostomal carina. Malar suture rather distinct and complete. Clypeus without lower flange. Hypoclypeal depression small and round. Postgenal bridge wide. Maxillary palp short, 6-segmented, sixth segment about as long as fifth segment; labial palpi 4-segmented, third segment long. Antenna weakly claviform, all flagellar segments (especially apical ones) distinctly compressed. Scape of antenna wide and short, without apical lobe or basal constriction, its ventral margin (in lateral view) shorter than dorsal margin. First flagellar segment weakly compressed, weakly curved outer, as long as second segment. Apical segment obtuse or very weakly acuminated, without spine on tip.

Mesosoma not depressed, medium length. Neck of prothorax short, without pronope. Pronotum dorsally (lateral view) weakly convex, anterior part vertical; pronotal carina absent; anterior flange indistinct. Propleural dorsoposterior flange short and rather wide. Mesonotum highly and strongly oblique forward (visor-shaped) elevated above pronotum. Median lobe of mesonotum distinctly separated, strongly protruding forwards, anteriorly with sharp transverse ridge, without median longitudinal furrow, without distinct anterolateral corners. Notauli complete, narrow, rather deep, but shallow posteriorly. Prescutellar depression (scutal sulcus) large, almost completely surrounding raised scutellum (except for short posterior margin of scutellum), coarsely crenulate. Scuto-scutellar suture distinct and complete. Scutellum narrow, oval, highly convex, without lateral carinae. Mesopleural pit distinct, subcircular, connected with mesopleural suture by shallow and slender furrow. Metanotum (lateral view) with very long, flat, and subtriangular median lobe, in dorsal view with slender lateral subparallel carina. Precoxal sulcus rather deep, relatively long, sinuate or straight. Prepectal carina distinct, weakly widened below, laterally extending to meet subalar depression. Postpectal carina absent. Metapleural flange short, rather wide, rounded apically. Propodeum distinctly slanted from almost middle to posterior margin, without areas delineated by carinae; lateral propodeal tubercles short and wide or indistinct; propodeal bridge absent. Propodeal spiracles small and round. Metapleural suture distinct.

Wings. Fore wing margins mainly glabrous, only with very short setae on its apico-posterior margin. Pterostigma wide. Radial vein (r) arising before middle of pterostigma. Radial (marginal) cell large, wide, weakly shortened. Metacarp (1-R1) fine and usually unpigmented in basal 0.5–0.6, absent or almost absent in apical 0.4–0.5. Both radiomedial veins (2-SR and r-m) present. Recurrent vein (m-cu) distinctly antefurcal. Discoidal (discal) cell of female petiolate anteriorly, petiole (1-SR) short and thick; but in male (holotype) discoidal cell sessile after fused with wide and thickened part of veins and parastigma. Mediocubital vein (M+CU1) strongly sinuate, strongly curved toward anal vein (1–1A) in its apical half. Nervulus (cu-a) postfurcal. Parallel vein (CU1a) interstitial. Brachial (subdiscal) cell wide, sharply roundly closed postero-apically. Transverse anal veins (2A and a) absent. Hind wing with three hamuli. Radial vein (SR) arising from costal vein (2-SC+R) far from basal vein (1r-m). Radial (marginal) cell very wide, distinctly widened towards apex. Medial (basal) cell rather wide, weakly widened towards apex, 0.4× as long as hind wing. Last abscissa of medial vein (2-M) practically absent or indistinct. Nervellus (cu-a) present. Submedial (subbasal) cell long. First abscissa of mediocubital vein (M+CU) 1.1–1.2× as long as second abscissa (1-M). Recurrent vein (m-cu) long, strongly desclerotized, weakly curved or almost straight, distinctly oblique toward base of wing.

Legs. Fore tibia with several short and slender spines arranged in rather wide stripe. Middle tibia with distinct, short and thick spines arranged in narrow stripe along its dorsal margin. All tibiae distinctly thickened. Middle tarsal segments rather short. Hind coxa short, wide, subround, without basoventral corner and tooth. All femora wide, without dorsal protuberance. Hind femur elongate-oval, wide. Hind tibia with several short and thick spines along its dorsal margin. Basitarsus of hind tarsus short, about 0.5× as long as second to fifth segments combined.

Metasoma. First tergite semi-petiolate, rather long and wide. Acrosternite of first segment distinctly elongate, 0.45–0.50× as long as first tergite, its anterior margin placed at level of spiracles or behind it. Dorsope and basolateral lobes of first tergite absent or small. Distinct spiracular tubercles situated in basal 0.35–0.40 of first tergite; dorsal carinae absent, but rather distinct in basal half in male. Second and third tergites without any furrows and areas, but in male with rather distinct and almost complete, weakly divergent posteriorly sublateral (started from anterolateral corner) and not high longitudinal carinae. Suture between second and third tergites indistinct or very fine (in male). Laterotergites of second and third tergites not fused laterally with each other. Second to fifth (in female) or second to fourth (in male) tergites with separate laterotergites. Fourth to sixth tergites with relatively wide stripe of short, sparse, semi-erect pale setae in their posterior halves. Fourth tergite of female weakly enlarged, almost entirely covering following segments; apical segments only weakly protruding behind fourth tergite; but in male, tergites behind third tergite the same length and all protruding. Hypopygium in posterior margin with distinct pointed median process. Ovipositor apically without dorsal nodes. Ovipositor sheath distinctly not widened towards apex, shorter than metasoma.

The genus Spathioplites is characterized by the combination of the following diagnostic apomorphic characters: antenna apically widened and flattened; frons and vertex anteriorly with lateral protuberances; metanotum with long, flat and distally strongly widened median process; hind tibia with distinct strong spines along the dorsal margin; petiole (1-SR) of discoidal (discal) cell of fore wing in female large and thick; metacarp (1-R1) absent in distal half; submedial cell of hind wing long; acrosternite of first metasomal segment elongate, about as long as half of tergite; prescutellar depression situated around the most part of scutellum. On the basis of these listed diagnostic characters, Spathioplites was placed in the monotypic subtribe Spathioplitina of the tribe Spathiini (Belokobylskij 1992).

Position of this genus in Spathiini is still questionable, because the acrosternite of the first metasomal segment is not strongly elongated and is only about half as long as the first tergite. This genus is additionally characterized by the presence of distinct spines on the dorsal side of the hind tibia, a character which is also known in the Doryctini group of Doryctophasmus genera (including Doryctophasmus Enderlein, 1912, Esterella Pagliano and Scaramozzino, 1990, Euscelinus Westwood, 1882, and Sonanus Belokobylskij and Konishi, 2001) (Belokobylskij 2015), but Spathioplites is taxonomically not related to the members of this group. Perhaps only molecular data will help to resolve the tribal position of this very peculiar genus, and reveal whether it actually belongs to the tribe Doryctini, Rhaconotini or Spathiini.

Afrotropical Region: Chad, Senegal, South Africa.

Holotype. Chad • ♂; Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi [17.73230, 21.88331], Harischi; 1959; J. Mateu; ex Lyctus hipposideros Lesne vel Enneadesmus forficula Fairm [handwritten label]; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; Holotypus (pink label); EY3209 (MNHN). http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/ey/ey3209

Paratypes. Chad • 1♀; Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi, Harischi; 17^th August [handwritten on the back of the locality label] 1959; J. Mateu; ex A. raddiana [handwritten label]; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; Allotype (pink label); ♀ Spathioplites phreneticus Fischer, C. van Achterberg, 1980, Paratype (blue label); EY3258 (MNHN) http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/ey/ey3258 • 1 ♂; Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi, Harischi; 17^th August [handwritten on the back of the locality label] 1959, J. Mateu; ex A. raddiana [handwritten label]; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; paratype (pink label); EY32026 (MNHN) http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/ey/ey32026 • 4♂♂ Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi, Harischi; 1959, J. Mateu; ex A. raddiana [handwritten label]; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; paratype (pink label) (NHMW) • 2♂♂ Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi, Harischi; 1959; J. Mateu; ex Lyctus hipposideros Lesne vel Enneadesmus forficula Fairm [handwritten label]; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; paratype (pink label) (NHMW) • 1♂ Afr. equat. fr., Ennedi, Ouedi, Harischi; 1959; J. Mateu; ex Coleoptera (Holzbohrer) an Acacia; Spathioplites phreneticus sp. nov., det. Fischer; paratype (pink label) (NHMW).

Figure 1. 

Spathioplites phreneticus, female South Africa SAM-HYM-P086343 (SAMC) A habitus, lateral view B habitus, dorsal view C head, anterior view D head, mesosoma, dorso-lateral view E antennae, head, mesosoma, antero-dorsal view F scutellum, propodeum, first tergite, dorsal view.

According to the material cited in Fischer’s original description there should be 13 type specimens with dates of collection as follows: 13.VIII.1959: 6♂; 17. VIII.1959: 5♂ and 1♀; 6. V.1959: 1♂. Only 10 of these types have been located: the holotype male and two paratypes (male and female) in MNHN, and 7 paratype males in NHMW.

Figure 2. 

Spathioplites phreneticus, female South Africa SAM-HYM-P086343 (SAMC) A head, mesosoma, dorsal view B metasoma, dorsal view C left wings, dorsal view (inset: data labels) D right wings, dorsal view (note that both sets of depicted wings (C, D) have dried in a contorted manner and are curved and folded, distorting dimensions of the constituent cells, which is evident when comparing the two images).

Senegal • 1♀; Bambey; [14.719248, – 16.460502]; J. Risbec; R. 84 (MNHN); South Africa • 1♀; Northern Cape, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Site DED3; 1245m; 27°17.130'S, 22°29.102'E; 10 Feb – 17 March 2016; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; Olifantshoek Plains Thornveld, Savanna Biome; TSW15-DED3-M14; SAM-HYM-P086343 (SAMC) • 1♀; Northern Cape, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Site DED3; 1245m; 27°17.130'S, 22°29.102'E; 17 March – 9 May 2016; S. van Noort; Malaise trap; Olifantshoek Plains Thornveld, Savanna Biome; TSW15-DED3-M19; SAM-HYM-P095175 (SAMC).

Figure 3. 

Spathioplites phreneticus, male holotype (MNHN) A habitus, lateral right view B habitus, lateral left view (photo flipped horizontally for comparison with right side depicted in A) C habitus, dorsal view.

Female. Body length 3.5–3.8 mm; fore wing length 2.0–2.3 mm.

Head width 1.3× median length, 1.0–1.1× width of mesoscutum. Head behind eyes (dorsal view) convex in anteriorly half and roundly narrowed in posterior half. Transverse diameter of eye about as long as temple (dorsal view). Ocelli small, in triangle with base 1.1× its sides. POL 1.5–1.8× Od, about 0.4× OOL. Eyes with very fine emargination opposite antennal sockets, distinctly directed forwards (lateral view), 1.4× as high as broad. Malar space 0.8× maximum diameter of eye, 1.2× basal width of mandible. Face convex, its minimum width 1.2× height of eye and 0.9× height of face and clypeus combined. Hypoclypeal depression width 0.4× distance from edge of depression to eye, 0.3× width of face. Head below eyes (front view) strongly and roundly narrowed. Hypostomal flange narrow.

Figure 4. 

Spathioplites phreneticus, male holotype (MNHN) A head, anterior view B forewing, dorsal view C data labels.

Antenna narrow basally and widened apically, 19 to 20 segmented, about 0.6× as long as body. Scape 1.4–1.6× longer than its maximum width. First flagellar segment (lateral view) 4.5–4.8× longer than its apical width, 1.10–1.15× longer than second segment. Penultimate segment (lateral view) 1.4–1.6× longer than wide, 0.5× as long as first segment, 0.8× as long as apical segment.

Figure 5. 

Spathioplites phreneticus, female paratype (MNHN) A habitus, lateral view B habitus, dorsal view C habitus, dorso-posterior view D head, antenna, anterior view E data labels

Mesosoma robust and high, its length 1.7–1.8× maximum height. Maximum width of mesoscutum 0.9–1.0× its median length. Median lobe of mesoscutum (dorsal view) almost straight anteriorly, but weakly concave medially. Notauli narrow anteriorly and wide posteriorly, densely rugulose-crenulate. Prescutellar depression wide anterolaterally, narrowed medially and laterally of scutellum sides, densely and coarsely striate, with very fine reticulation between striae, medially 0.3× as long as scutellum. Scutellum strongly convex, 1.7–1.8× longer than its maximum submedian width. Subalar depression entirely coarsely striate. Propodeum (lateral view) very weakly slanted in basal 0.6, then strongly and almost linearly slanted towards apex.

Wings. Fore wing 3.3–3.4× longer than its maximum width. Pterostigma 3.0–3.2× longer than wide. Radial (marginal) cell along metacarp (1-R1) 1.3× longer than pterostigma, maximum length of radial (marginal) cell 2.0–2.1× its maximum width. First radial abscissa (r) oblique to pterostigma, 0.8–0.9× as long as maximum width of pterostigma. First (r) and second (3-SR) radial abscissae forming very obtuse angle. Second radial abscissa (3-SR) 3.1–3.8× longer than first abscissa (r), 0.75–0.90× as long as weakly curved third abscissa (SR1), 2.6–2.8× longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). Second radiomedial (submarginal) cell long and narrow, 3.6–4.3× longer than its maximum width, 1.45–1.50× longer than the brachial (subdiscal) cell. First medial abscissa (1-SR+M) distinctly curved. Recurrent vein (m-cu) as long as second abscissa of medial vein (2-SR+M), 0.5× as long as first radiomedial vein (2-SR). Discoidal (discal) cell narrow and rather short, 2.2–2.5× longer than wide. Basal (1-M) and recurrent (m-cu) veins strongly divergent. Distance (1-CU1) from nervulus (m-cu) to basal vein (1-M) 0.3× nervulus (m-cu) length, but rarely almost interstitial; nervulus (m-cu) straight and perpendicular to mediocubital vein (2-CU1). Hind wing 4.2–4.3× longer than wide. Length of medial (basal) cell 6.5–7.0× longer than maximum width.

Legs. Hind coxa 1.2–1.3× longer than its maximum width. Hind femur 2.5–2.6× longer than wide. Hind tarsus 1.1× longer than hind tibia. Hind basitarsus thickened, without ventral keel. Second tarsal segment 0.6–0.7× as long as basitarsus, 1.2× longer than fifth tarsal segment (without pretarsus).

Metasoma about as long as head and mesosoma combined. First tergite distinctly arched, dorsally and ventrally rather distinctly concave (lateral view), distinctly and almost linearly widened from base to apex (dorsal view). Maximum apical width of first tergite 2.5–2.8× its minimum width; length of tergite 1.4–1.5× its maximum width, about 1.7× length of propodeum. Median length of second tergite 0.9× its basal width, 1.4× length of third tergite. Length of second and third tergites combined 1.4–1.7× basal width of second tergite, 0.8–0.9× their maximum width. Ovipositor sheath 0.6–0.7× as long as metasoma, 0.9× as long as mesosoma, 0.55–0.65× as long as fore wing.

Sculpture and pubescence. Vertex entirely densely and distinctly curvedly transversely striate with reticulation between striae, lateral tubercles densely reticulate-areolate, with fine aciculation in parts; frons entirely curvedly striate and with reticulation between striae; face coarsely and rather sparsely transversely curvedly striate with distinct rugosity between striae; temple subvertically curvedly striate, with subtransverse and fine striation along eye. Median lobe of mesoscutum densely and distinctly reticulate-areolate, lateral lobed finely and densely granulate, with coarse rugosity on rather narrow area in posterior 0.4. Scutellum finely and very densely granulate. Mesopleuron smooth in lower half, transverse striate in upper half. Propodeum densely transversely striate with numerous dense rugosities in anterior 0.7, sparsely or very sparsely longitudinally striate with smooth large areas. Hind coxa densely curvedly transversely striate dorsally or in dorsal half, finely reticulate-coriaceous to smooth in ventral half. Hind femur densely and finely reticulate-coriaceous becoming finer below or smooth in lower half. First tergite rugose-reticulate in basal 0.4, distinctly and densely longitudinally striate with dense rugulosity between striae in apical 0.6. Second tergite densely and finely longitudinally striate with reticulation in basal 0.7, densely and finely reticulate-areolate in apical 0.3. Third tergite densely and finely reticulate-coriaceous becoming very fine posteriorly. Fourth and fifth tergites very finely coriaceous. Vertex with sparse, short and semi-erect pale setae almost entirely. Mesoscutum with very sparse and short semi-erect white setae, glabrous medially. Metapleuron mainly glabrous. Hind tibia dorsally with short, dense and adpressed pale setae; their length much less than maximum width of hind tibia.

Colour. Body light reddish brown, metasoma behind petiole reddish brown becoming dark reddish brown in posterior quarter; sometimes whole body darker. Antenna brownish yellow to light brown in basal 0.3, yellow medially, contrasted dark brown to black in apical quarter. Palpi reddish brown or dark reddish brown. Legs light reddish brown, hind coxa and tibia reddish brown or darker, hind tibia dark basally; rarely middle and hind legs mainly reddish brown. Fore wing strongly maculate, brown spots and stripes formed by brown or dark brown and dense setae, hyaline intermediate areas and stripes without any setae. Pterostigma brown, except for pale yellow to almost white basal quarter.

Male (holotype). Body length 5.2 mm; fore wing length 2.7 mm. Head behind eyes (dorsal view) strongly convex in anterior half. Transverse diameter of eye 0.75× as long as temple (dorsal view). POL 1.5× Od. Eyes weakly directed forwards. Antenna 20-segmented. Scape 1.3× longer than its maximum width. First flagellar segment (front view) 4.5× longer than its apical width, as long as second segment. Penultimate segment (lateral view) 1.3× longer than wide. Mesosoma length 1.8× its maximum height. Prescutellar depression medially 0.2× as long as scutellum. Scutellum 2.0× longer than maximum submedian width. Fore wing 3.3× longer than its maximum width. Pterostigma 2.5× longer than wide. Radial (marginal) cell along metacarp (1-R1) 1.5× longer than pterostigma. First radial abscissa (r) 0.75× as long as maximum width of pterostigma. Second radial abscissa (3-SR) 3.4× longer than first abscissa (r), 0.85× as long as third abscissa (SR1), 2.2× longer than first radiomedial vein (2-SR). Second radiomedial (submarginal) cell 3.3× longer than its maximum width, 1.4× longer than the wide brachial (subdiscal) cell. Discoidal (discal) cell 2.1× longer than wide. Distance (1-CU1) from nervulus (cu-a) to basal vein (1-M) 0.7× nervulus (cu-a) length. Hind wing 3.9× longer than wide. Length of medial (basal) cell about 6.0× longer than maximum width. Hind coxa 1.3× longer than maximum width. Hind femur 2.4× longer than wide. Metasoma 1.5× longer than head and mesosoma combined. Maximum apical width of first tergite 2.3× its minimum width; length of tergite 1.8× its maximum width, 1.6× length of propodeum. Length of second and third tergites combined 1.8× basal width of second tergite, 0.8× their maximum width. Body overall darker than in female. Scape and pedicel of antenna yellow. Legs reddish brown, all coxae paler. Pterostigma dark brown, almost white in basal third. Otherwise similar to female.

According to the original label present on the holotype specimen the host of this species could either be wood-boring Lyctus hipposideros Lesne, 1908, or Enneadesmus forficula (Fairmaire, 1883) (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae). A label on the paratype reads “ex A. raddiana” = Acacia raddiana Savi, which is currently considered to be a subspecies of the Umbrella thorn acacia: Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana (Savi) Kyal. & Boatwr. The northern African specimens were collected in mid to late northern hemisphere summer (May and August), and the two South African specimens were collected in the latter half of the southern hemisphere summer (between 10 February and 9 May). Seasonal variation in arid habitats can be pronounced as shown in figures 6 and 7 depicting the sampling locality in Tswalu Game Reserve (South Africa). Dead wood was gathered from the surrounding vicinity and stacked under the Malaise trap to increase return on parasitoids of wood-boring hosts (Fig. 7 C), and it is likely that the S. phreneticus specimens emanated from this source that probably contained wood-boring host beetle larvae.

Figure 6. 

Spathioplites phreneticus A political distribution map. Only known from three localities (depicted by red circles) one each in Chad, Senegal and South Africa B distribution localities (depicted by white circles) mapped onto African precipitation patterns. Data source: ERA-Interim corrected with GPCP v2.1; period: 1979–2010. After Masih et al. 2014 and Trambauer et al. 2014 C habitat South African sampling site locality TSW15-DED3 in Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, aerial view from North in February 2016 after summer rains (locality arrowed) D habitat South African locality TSW15-DED3 in Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, aerial view from East in February 2016 after summer rains (locality arrowed) E sampling localities in Tswalu Game Reserve plotted onto vegetation map after Mucina and Rutherford (2006); red circle depicts S. phreneticus locality TSW15-DED3, white circles depict other sampling localities.

Figure 7. 

Spathioplites phreneticus South African sampling site locality TSW15-DED3 in Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve showing seasonal changes in habitat A habitat May 2016, after poor summer rains B habitat May 2016, after poor summer rains C habitat Nov 2016 at end of dry winter season showing dead wood stacked under Malaise trap to increase return on parasitoids of wood-boring hosts (Malaise trap damaged by game animals prior to fixing) D habitat overview Nov 2016 (locality arrowed) at end of dry winter season E habitat May 2017, after good summer rains F habitat May 2017, after good summer rains.

The long-term continuous inventory survey sites deployed in Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve generated 186 bulk samples of insects, comprising thousands of specimens, of which 25 of 42 Malaise trap samples have had the Hymenoptera extracted and sorted to family. Only two female specimens of Spathioplites phreneticus were recovered from the 25 samples processed, and these were both from one (TSW15-DED3) of the five sites sampled with Malaise traps. The habitat of this sampling site is depicted in Figs 6 C-D and Figs 7 A-F. The two females were collected between 10 February and 9 May 2016 during a below average rainfall summer season. The sampling localities across the five different vegetation types are depicted in Fig. 6 E. The only site that returned S. phreneticus specimens was situated in Olifantshoek Plains Thornveld.

(Fig. 6). Chad, Senegal and South Africa.