Elaticarina Sheng, 2012

Sheng, Mao-Ling, Schoenitzer, Klaus & Sun, Shu-Ping, 2012, A new genus and species of Anomaloninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from China, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 27, pp. 37-45 : 39-41

Elaticarina Sheng gen. n.

Type species.

Elaticarina recava Sheng, sp.n.

Etymology.

The name of the new genus is based on the lower portion of the occipital carina being remarkably wide. The gender is feminine.

Description.

Fore wing length about 10 to 11 mm. Eye without pubescence, inner margins of eyes distinctly convergent ventrally. Upper margin of face straight, extending upwardly and covering partly over antennal socket. Apical margin of clypeus extending forward and slightly turnup ( Figure 2 ), without a tooth. Upper tooth of mandible distinctly longer than lower tooth. Malar space about 0.5 to 0.6 times as long as basal width of mandible. Frons ( Figure 4 ) divided into two portions: upper portion flat, lower margin with a transverse ridge; lower portion deeply and almost vertically sunken, with a median longitudinal carina. Median portion of flagellum slightly thick. Occipital carina complete, lower portion widely and flakily expanding ( Figure 3 ), lower end joining hypostomal carina distinctly above base of mandible. Lower anterior margin of pronotum ( Figure 7 ) symmetrical, without a tooth or angulation. Epomia indistinct. Mesoscutum evenly convex. Notaulus weak, reaching to subposterior margin of mesoscutum. Scutellum with dorsal profile and hind oblique profile; dorsal profile flat or slightly convex; lateral carina reaching apex. Epicnemial carina almost reaching to mid-height of front margin of mesopleuron, distant from front margin. Fore wing vein ( Figure 8 ) 1cu-a distal of 1/M, distance between them 0.6 to 0.7 times as long as 1cu-a. 2rs-m far distal of 2m-cu, distance between them approximately as long as 2rs-m. 1-Cu approximately 0.5 times as long as 1m-cu+2-Rs+M (distance between 1-Cu and 2m-cu). Hind wing vein 1-cu approximately 0.6 to 0.7 times as long as cu-a; cu-a strongly reclivous. Front coxa without surrounding carina. Middle tibia with two spurs. Claws simple, or fore and middle claws indistinctly pectinate at extreme base. Apical portion of propodeum hardly prolonged. Propodeal spiracle ellipse, situated at basal margin of propodeum. Ovipositor sheath short, 0.5 to 0.6 times as long as apical depth of metasoma. Ovipositor robust ( Figure 6 ), weakly decurved; subapical portion somewhat swollen.

This new genus is similar to Aphanistes and Habronyx in having the lower anterior margin of the pronotum without a tooth, the posterior transverse carina of the mesosternum interrupted in front of each mid coxa, fore wing vein 1-Cu distinctly shorter than 1m-cu+2-Rs+M (distance between 1-Cu and 2m-cu), etc., but differs in a number of characters from each of them, mainly as following:

- upper margin of face extending upwardly and covering partly over antennal socket; Aphanistes and Habronyx with the face simple;

- apical margin of clypeus without a tooth; Aphanistes and Habronyx with a tooth;

- frons divided into two portions: upper portion flat; lower portion deeply and almost vertically sunken; Aphanistes and Habronyx with frons simple;

- lower portion of occipital carina widely and flakily expanded; Aphanistes and Habronyx not or slightly widened, not flakily expanded;

- lower end of occipital carina joining hypostomal carina distinctly above base of mandible; Aphanistes and Habronyx with occipital carina joining base of mandible;

- fore wing vein 2rs-m far distal to 2m-cu, distance between them approximately as long as 2rs-m; Aphanistes and Habronyx with 2rs-m basal to 2m-cu, or rarely opposite, or Habronyx with 2rs-m a little distal;

- fore and middle claws indistinctly pectinate at extreme base, hind claws simple; Aphanistes and Habronyx with claws mostly distinctly pectinate.

Distribution.

There is a single Chinese species, described below.

In Townes’ ( 1971) key to genera, the new genus can be inserted as follows:

8	Mesoscutum in profile with a distinct concavity just before its front end, so that its front end is like a small shelf. Frons usually with a median compressed tooth. Tarsal claws pectinate to the apex. Almost worldwide	3 Aphanistes (p.131)
-	Mesoscutum in profile with an evenly convex curve to the front end or with a slight flattening (but not a distinct concavity) just before the front end. Frons without a median compressed tooth. Tarsal claws usually not pectinate to the apex	9
9	Notaulus distinct, reaching at least to center of mesoscutum. Upper end of prepectal (epicnemial) carina usually reaching above lower 0.15 of hind margin of pronotum and approaching front edge of mesopleurum (mesopleuron)	9a
-	Notaulus absent. Upper end of prepectal (epicnemial) carina not reaching lower 0.15 of hind margin of pronotum	10
9 a	Lower portion of occipital carina widely and flakily expanded ( Figure 3 ), lower end joining hypostomal carina distinctly above base of mandible. Apex of clypeus ( Figure 2 ) evenly convex, without a tooth. Frons divided into two portions ( Figure 4 ), lower potion deeply and almost vertically concave. Forewing 2rs-m far distal of 2m-cu, distance between them approximately as long as 2rs-m	Elaticarina Sheng, gen. n.
-	Lower portion of occipital carina not or slightly expanding, lower end joining base of mandible. Apex of clypeus with a median tooth. Frons not divided into two portions, not particularly concave. Forewing 2rs-m basal of 2m-cu, sometimes opposite or a little distal	Habronyx (p.130)

In Gauld’s key to genera and subgenera ( 1976), the new genus can be inserted as follows:

20(19)	Mesoscutum in profile anteriorly evenly round (Text-fig. 209); notauli entirely absent, not even represented by an area of coarse sculpture. Lower corner of pronotum simply acute (Text-fig. 204); claws of ♂ long, weakly curved, pectinate only at extreme base (Text-fig. 215-218), those of ♀ shorter, moderately curved, pectinate to, or just beyond, the centre; ♂ with apex of aedeagus with a dorsal lobe. (Cosmopolitan)	Gravenhorstia subgenus Erigorgus Foerster (p.60)
-	Mesoscutum in profile weakly to strongly abruptly round (Text-fig. 206); notauli present, strongly impressed, rarely quite weakly impressed but then discernible by being strongly rugose	20a
20a	Lower end of occipital carina joining hypostomal carina distinctly above base of mandible. Frons divided into two portions, lower potion deeply and almost vertically concave. Apex of clypeus ( Figure 2 ) evenly convex, without a tooth	Elaticarina Sheng, gen. n.
-	Lower end of occipital carina joining base of mandible. Frons not divided into two portions, lower potion normal, not particularly concave. Apex of clypeus always with a median tooth	21

In Gauld’s key to genera and subgenera ( 1976), if Elaticarina specimens are run to couplet 7 (which they should not), then there are resemblances to the genus Therion in that the posterior transverse carina of the mesosternum is interrupted before each mid coxa and the clypeus lacks a median apical tooth. Elaticarina differs from Therion in the lower end of the occipital carina joining the hypostomal carina distinctly above the mandible base, fore wing vein 2rs-m far distal to 2m-cu, distance between them approximately as long as 2rs-m, 1-Cu approximately 0.5 times as long as 1m-cu+2-Rs+M.

Figures

Figures 1 - 8. Elaticarina recava Sheng, sp. n. Holotype 1 Body, lateral view 2 Head, anterior view 3 Head, lateral view 4 Frons 5 Claw 6 Apical portion of metasoma, lateral view 7 Head and pronotum, lateral view 8 Fore wing.