Review of the species of Pediobius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) having extreme dorsal setation and description of a new species from East Africa.

Abstract

The Afrotropical species of the genus Pediobius (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) characterized by extreme setation on the dorsal mesosoma are reviewed and grouped into a newly proposed setigerus group. This group is characterized by the broad attachment of the third funicular and first claval segments, so that the funicle is functionally 2-segmented with a 3-segmented clava. Four species are recognized for the group: P. setigerus Kerrich (from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Republic of Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda), P. multisetis Bouek (from Ivory Coast), P. sp. indet. aff. multisetis (from Uganda), and P. erinaceus Gumovsky sp. n. (from Uganda). This last species is associated with a leaf miner, and is easily recognizable in having numerous strong bristles on the lateral areas of the mesoscutum, along the notauli, and anterior margin of the mesoscutum, a smooth mesoscutellum with only one pair of thin setae, and the pronotal collar with only 6 thin setae. By contrast, in P. setigerus and P. multisetis the mesoscutellum is sculptured and bears a row of about 20 strong bristles on each side, and the pronotal collar also bears about 20 strong bristles. The differences between P. setigerus and P. multisetis, as well as issues on their biology and type material, are discussed.