Ophion vasi Johansson, 2021

Johansson, Niklas, Ameri, Ali, Riedel, Matthias, Talebi, Ali Asghar & Ebrahimi, Ebrahim, 2021, Contribution to the Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Iran with the description of 16 new species and an illustrated key to the Eremotylus of the Western Palaearctic, Zootaxa 5023 (2), pp. 151-206 : 193

Ophion vasi Johansson sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6EBBB168-DABB-4B10-B2F0-5A9EF523A696

Figs 21A‒E

Holotype: IRAN: ♀, Lorestan Province, Khorramabad area, Mahmudvand , 30 Apr. 2007, A. Klimenko leg. ( MR).

Paratype: IRAN: 1♀, Hormozgan Province, Minab, Raveng , 27˚4’37.36"N, 57˚10’22.09"E, 34 m . a. s., 4 May 2016, Afsari / Mozh leg. ( HMIM) .

Type depositories: Holotype stored in HMIM, paratype in NHRS

Etymology: Named in honour of the Hungarian hymenopterist Zoltán Vas.

Diagnosis: With the pale markings of the mesosoma reminiscent of members of the Ophion obscuratus aggregate, however distinguished by the combination of the narrow face, the narrow temples, the very weakly developed pleurosternal angles and the uncarinated or almost uncarinated and polished propodeum.

Description: Male unknown. Fore wing length 14 mm. Body length 15 mm.Antenna with 56‒57 flagellomeres. Temples in lateral view narrow, about 0.4 × as long as compound eye. Lateral ocelli touching compound inner margin of compound eye ( Fig. 21C ). Face narrow ( Fig. 21D ). Occipital carina centrally evenly rounded. Face below antennal sockets shagreened with dense, irregular punctures that partially merge. Malar space about 0.1 × as long as mandibular base. Mandibular gape right angled, with internal angles. First flagellomere 3.0 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres stout, about 1.4‒1.5 × as long as wide. Apical flagellomeres approximately 1.6 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum polished with quite dense, but very weak and irregular punctuation. Mesopleuron polished with punctures quite dense, space between punctures about equal to two × their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in anteroventral view, with pleurosternal angles strongly obtuse and indistinct, distinctly anterior to sternal angles ( Fig. 21E ). Scutellum without lateral carinae. Propodeum polished with only the anterior transverse carina weakly indicated centrally in one of the types ( Fig. 21B ). Sclerotised part of first sternite ending level to spiracle. Hind trochantellus as long as wide in dorsal view. Hind femur slender, about 8.0 × as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia short, about 0.3 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus reaching 0.3 the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius weakly sinuous, straight before junction with pterostigma. Nervellus broken in the middle or slightly above the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body yellow reddish, with the following paler whitish: inner and outer orbits, four longitudinal stripes on mesoscutum (the central ones narrower), subalar prominence, scutellum laterally and postscutellum, a diffuse spot on the speculum or below the subalar prominence, a small spot in the lower posterior part of mesoscutum and one larger spot corresponding on metapleuron. Mandibular teeth black. Ovipositor sheath brown, slightly contrasting with posterior metasomal segments.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Ophion vasi, holotype ♀ (HMIM). A) habitus, lateral view; B) propodeum, dorsal view; C) head, dorsal view; D) head, anterior view; E) epicnemial carina, lateroventral view. Photos: Niklas Johansson.