Anteon xericum Olmi & van Harten 2006

Anteon xericum Olmi & van Harten, 2006

(Figs 2, 3, 4, 5)

Anteon xericum Olmi & van Harten 2006.

Material examined. Holotype, ♁: YEMEN, Ta’izz (13°35’N, 44°02’E), v.2000, No. 4631, light trap, A. van Harten & A.R. Al Yarimi legs., 1♁ (MOLC). Paratypes: YEMEN, Lahj (13°04’N, 44°53’E), v–vi.2000, Malaise trap, A. van Harten & A. Sallam legs., 1♁ (MOLC); same locality label, xi.2000, 1♁, 1♀ (MOLC); same locality label, ix.2000, 1♀ (MOLC); same locality label, ix.2001, 2♀ (MOLC); same locality label, 1.x–17.xii.2001, 1♀ (MOLC); same locality label, iii–v.2002, 2♀, 1♁ (MOLC); SOUTH AFRICA, Limpopo, Klaserie, 18–24.xii.1985, Malaise trap, W. R. Mason leg., 1♁ (PMA); Mpumalanga, Krüger National Park, Lower Sabie, 250 m, 14.xii.1985, W. R. Mason leg., 1♁ (PMA). Non-type material. KENYA, Eastern province, the base of Ukasi Hill (0.82103°S, 38.54443°E, 613m), 21.xi–5.xii.2011, Malaise trap, Acacia-Commiphora savanna, R. Copeland leg., 1♁ (NMK). MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana National Park, Vohiparara (21°13.57’S, 47°22.19’E, 1110m), at broken bridge, 22–28.xi.2001, Malaise trap in high altitude rainforest, R. Harin’Hala leg., MA–02–09A–04, 1♁ (CASC); Toliara, Andohahela National Park, Tsimelahy, parcelle II (24°56.21’S, 46°37.60’E, 180m), 26.i–5.ii.2003, Malaise trap in transitional forest, M. Irwin, F. Parker & R. Harin’Hala legs., MA–02–20–14, 1♁ (MOLC); SOUTH AFRICA, Eastern Cape, Ndawana, 20.8 km 208°SW Underberg (29°58.759’S, 29°27.812’E), 29.xi.2001, sweep, moist upland grassland on sandstone, livestock grazed, S. van Noort leg., 1♁ (MOLC). TANZANIA, Mkomazi Game Reserve, Kikolo Plot (04°06.72’S, 38°01.37’E), 2.v.1996, sweep, mk43, Cordia, Solanum shrubs & grasses in Commiphora woodland, S. van Noort leg., SAM-HYMPO18082, 1♁ (SAMC). New material. IRAN, Kerman province, Jiroft, Jebalbarez, Rezvan, Hishin-e Sofla (Bagh Kuchek (28°37’25.22”N, 57°56’34.33”E, 1365m), 20.vi–06.vii.2022, Malaise trap, M. Khayrandish & S.M. Madjdzadeh legs., 1 ♀ (MOLC).

Diagnosis, Female. Head convex, with many very evanescent tracks of rugosities (Figs 2E, 4E); frontal line complete (Figs 2C, E, 4C, E); occipital carina complete (Figs 2E, 4E); antenna clavate (Figs 2A, 4A); pronotum anteriorly crossed by slight transverse impression (Figs 2F–G, 4F–G); notauli incomplete, very shortly visible near anterior margin of mesoscutum (Figs 2F–G, 4F–G); mesoscutum granulate, with evanescent rugosities (Figs 2F–G, 4F–G); metapectal-propodeal disc without strong transverse posterior carina, reticulate rugose; propodeal declivity without longitudinal carina (Figs 2G, 4G); forewing without dark transverse bands; distal part of 2r-rs&Rs vein much shorter than proximal part (Figs 2B, 4B); protarsomeres in following proportions: 50:16:20:20:68; enlarged claw with proximal prominence bearing one long bristle; rudimentary claw absent; protarsomere 5 with proximal part approximately as long as distal part, with two rows of 1–7 or 2–5 lamellae (Figs 2H, 5C); apex with four lamellae; tibial spurs 1/1/2 (Figs 2A, 4A).

Diagnosis, Male. Head granulate and slightly reticulate rugose (Figs 3C–E); vertex of head without two oblique keels connecting lateral ocelli to occipital carina(Fig.3C);mesoscutum slightly granulate(Fig.3F);notauli incomplete, reaching about 0.5 × length of mesoscutum (Fig. 3F); propodeal declivity with areolae less wide than those of metapectal-propodeal disc (Fig. 3G); paramere without inner process, with numerous papillae on inner side (Fig. 6).

Biology. Host unknown.

Collecting methods. Light trap, Malaise trap and sweep net.

Collecting times. Iran (June and July), Kenya (November and December), Madagascar (February and November), South Africa (February, November, and December), Tanzania (May), Yemen (March, May, June, September, October, November, December).

Geographical distribution (Fig. 7). Afrotropical [Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Yemen]; Palaearctic [Iran (new record)].

Remarks. Females of A. xericum from the Afrotropical region, resemble A. arabicum Olmi, 1984, by having antenna clavate; frontal line complete; occipital carina complete; pronotal tubercle reaching tegula; propodeal declivity dull, reticulate rugose, without longitudinal carina; forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands; distal part of 2r-rs&Rs vein much shorter than the proximal part. However, A. xericum has notauli incomplete, very shortly visible near the anterior margin of mesoscutum; mesoscutum alutaceous, with numerous longitudinal weak carinae or furrows metapectal-propodeal disc without strong transverse posterior carina, dull, reticulate rugose; protarsomere 5 proximal and a distal part of about equal length, with two rows of 1–7 or 2–5 lamellae; apex with four lamellae. Whilst A. arabicum, has notauli absent; mesoscutum granulated, with evanescent rugosities; metapectal-propodeal disc reticulate rugose, with the strong transverse posterior carina; protarsomere 5 with proximal part longer than apical part, with four lamellae and some bristles (Olmi 1984). Also, male specimen of A. xericum is similar to A. leleji Speranza, Olmi, Capradossi & Contarini, 2021, from Turkey (Speranza et al. 2021).

In the Palaearctic region, A. xericum is close to A. metuendum Olmi, 1987a, from China, South Korea, and some Oriental countries (Olmi & Xu 2015). Following the addition of A. xericum to the Palaearctic region, the key to the females of Anteon of the Eastern Palaearctic region (Olmi & Xu 2015) can be modified by changing couplets 1–5 as follows:

1. Protarsomere 4 at most about 0.5 × as long as protarsomere 1.................................................. 2

- Protarsomere 4 as long as, or longer than, or little shorter than protarsomere 1 (in last case, at least 0.66 × as long as protarsomere 1)................................................................................................. 20 2. Propodeal declivity without longitudinal carinae............................................................. 3 - Propodeal declivity with two longitudinal carinae............................................................ 7 3. Mesoscutum dull, granulated or reticulate rugose, never unsculptured or punctate and unsculptured among punctures...... 4 - Mesoscutum shiny, unsculptured, except few weak tracks of irregular carinae on sides, or punctate and unsculptured among punctures............................................................................................ 6 4. Forewing with one weak dark spot beneath pterostigma................................. A. metuendum Olmi, 1987a - Forewing hyaline, without dark transverse bands............................................................. 5 5. Notauli reaching 0.3–0.5 × length of mesoscutum.................................... A. jurineanum Latreille, 1809 - Notauli absent or hardly visible near anterior margin of mesoscutum............................................ 5’ 5’ Protarsomere 5 with proximal part about as long as distal part.................. A. xericum Olmi & van Harten, 2006 - Protarsomere 5 with proximal part much longer than distal part........................... A. metuendum Olmi, 1987a

Key to Anteon species in Iran (female)

1 Protarsomere 4 at most 0.5 × as long as protarsomere 1......................... A. xericum Olmi & van Harten, 2006

- Protarsomere 4 as long as, longer than, or a little shorter than protarsomere 1 (in the last case, at least 0.66 × as long as protarsomere 1)....................................................................................... 2

2 Propodeal declivity without longitudinal carinae....................................... A. abdulnouri Olmi, 1987b

- Propodeal declivity with two longitudinal carinae..................................... A. pubicorne (Dalman, 1818)