Muhaka icipe,an enigmatic new genus and species of Kleidotomini (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae) from an East African coastal forest |
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| Authors: | ML Buffington RS Copeland |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS/USDA, c/o Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USAmatt.buffington@ars.usda.gov;3. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya;4. Division of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya |
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| Abstract: | A remarkable new eucoiline genus and species, Muhaka icipe, is described herein. The genus is clearly a Kleidotomini, but is distinguished from other genera in the tribe by a unique head and scutellar morphology. The genus belongs to the ‘wedge-head’-syndrome group of species that, to date, is unique to Afrotropical eucoilines. The new genus and species is reminiscent of Stentorceps Quinlan and Nanocthulhu Buffington, but is readily distinguished from these genera. Muhaka was collected from a threatened kaya (sacred forest) of coastal Kenya. The biological importance of this and other kaya forests, as well as their protection, is discussed.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6918ED2C-69A4-48FC-A1E4-2B5DFF58E876 |
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| Keywords: | Cynipoidea head morphology Afrotropical Region |
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