Belesica madiba and Cremastus tutui (Ichneumonidae: Cremastinae), two entomological gems from South Africa

Zootaxa. 2014 May 12:3795:161-73. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3795.2.5.

Abstract

The Afrotropical cremastine fauna (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) is characterized by the near absence of the genus Cremastus, with a single species reported from Madagascar. The fauna is also characterized by the presence of several endemic genera. Among the latter is the exceptional monotypic genus Belesica. We describe two new species from these extremely rare Afrotropical genera, namely Belesica madiba sp. nov. and Cremastus tutui sp. nov.. Both are only known from South Africa.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity
  • Female
  • Male
  • South Africa
  • Wasps / anatomy & histology*
  • Wasps / classification