220 z. bouCek 



Micrapion clavaforme Steffan 

 (Text-figs 245, 246, 254-256) 



Micrapion clavaforme Steffan, 1948 : 85-86, fig. ie, $. LECTOTYPE 9 (here designated), 

 Gabon: Ogowe, N'gomo (MNHN, Paris) [examined]. 



Steffan based his description mainly on the specimen designated here as lectotype, 

 whilst his second specimen, from Senegal (cf. his fig. ie), is regarded and labelled 

 as paralectotype. 



This apparently widely distributed species should be recognizable by the key 

 characters mentioned above, but seems to vary considerably. The females of 

 medium size (5-6 mm) have the gaster slightly less convex, of intermediate form 

 between the large females (7-9 mm) and the small ones (4*2-5-0 mm) in which 

 the gastral dorsum is only weakly convex, sometimes even with a slight cross- 

 depression in the middle of the fifth tergite. Also the length of the ovipositorial 

 sheaths varies; in the specimens I measured they are between o-88 and 1-13 times 

 as long as hind tibia, but suggest that the smaller figures belong mainly to the 

 northerly specimens. The highest figures, above 1.0, are found in specimens from 

 Kenya, the highest figure (1-13) belongs to a female from Mozambique. I find 

 also a slight elevation at the apex of the ovipositorial furrow in two specimens 

 from Salisbury, Rhodesia. Text-fig. 256 is drawn from a specimen as large as the 

 paratype of M. dalyi, with which it is compared (Text-fig. 257). 



The male has not been described. It is very similar to the female and its form 

 of gaster is shown in Text-fig. 255. It seems of little use to describe it fully, as in 

 the related species the males are still unknown. It shares the form of hind coxa 

 and its puncturation with the female. Length also very variable, 3-4-7-5 mm. 



Biology. Many specimens were reared by Prof. Daly from the cells of solitary 

 bees of the genus Ceratina Latreille. 



Distribution. Senegal, Portuguese Guinea (Bissau), Sierra Leone, Liberia, 

 Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun, Gabon, Zaire, Rwanda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, 

 Tanzania, Rhodesia, Mozambique, South Africa. 



Material examined. 



Type data given in synonymy. 



Senegal: 'No. 61', 1867, 1 $, paralectotype of M. clavaforme, (Sichel); vii. 1929, 

 1 $ (P. Lesne) (both MNHN, Paris). Portuguese Guinea: Bolama, 1899, 1 °. 

 (L. Fed) (MCSN, Genoa). Sierra Leone: Njala, i. 1936, 1 $ (E. Hargreaves) 

 (BMNH). Liberia: Harbel Du River, 1 $ (J. Bequaert) (MCZ, Cambridge); 

 Menehtoun, 29.viii.1926, 1 $ (/. Bequaert) (MRAC, Tervuren). Ghana: Weija, 

 1 $ (K. Guichard) (BMNH). Nigeria: Zaria, Samaru, ii. 1973, 1 $, 1 <$ (J- C. 

 Deeming) (BMNH); Ibadan, 14.vi.1951, 1 $ (/. L. Gregory) (BMNH). Cameroun: 

 Bambui, nr Bamenda, 1500 m, 5.viii.i966, 1 $ (C. D. Michener) (SM, Lawrence). 

 Zaire: Congo da Lemba, i.-ii. 1913, 1 $ {R. Mayne) (MRAC, Tervuren); Zambi, 

 6°S, i2°5o'E, 30.vi.1915, 1 $ (MCZ, Cambridge); Katentania, v. 1924, 1 $ (C. Seydel) 

 (MRAC, Tervuren); Katanga, Lufira River, 1100 m, 17.viii.1907, 1 $ (Neave) (BMNH). 



