Metopheltes clypeoarmatus Reshchikov & Achterberg

Reshchikov, Alexey & van Achterberg, Kees, 2014, Review of the genus Metopheltes Uchida, 1932 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with description of a new species from Vietnam, Biodiversity Data Journal 2, pp. 1061-1061 : 1061

Metopheltes clypeoarmatus Reshchikov & Achterberg sp. n.

Materials

Type status: Holotype. Occurrence: recordedBy: Mai Phu Quy; individualCount: 1; sex: female; Location: country: Vietnam; stateProvince: Ninh Binh; verbatimLocality: Cuc Phuong N.P., near entrance, c. 225 m; Event: samplingProtocol: Malaise trap; eventDate: 14.iv.-1.v.2000; Record Level: institutionCode: RMNH

Description

Body length 11 mm. Antennal flagellum with 34 segments. Width to length ratio of scapus 0.5 (Fig. 3a). First flagellomere 3 times as long as wide, without distinct tyloid. Head not narrowed behind the eyes, temple rounded. Maximal length of temple 1.3 times transverse eye diameter; minimal length of temple equal to transverse eye diameter. Face as wide as longitudinal eye diameter; moderately convex, bulging; matt; densely and shallowly punctate, densely pubescent. Frontal carina between eye and antennal socket present (Fig. 3b). Clypeus flat, very slightly separated from face by a shallow impression; apical margin of clypeus moderately obtuse and serrate. Posterior ocellus separated from eye by 2.5 times maximum diameter of ocellus. Tentorial pits large (Fig. 3a). Width of malar space 0.3 times of basal width of mandible. Lower mandible tooth longer than upper one. Second maxillary palpomere not modified (Fig. 2d). Hypostomal carina joining occipital carina well above base of mandible (Fig. 2d). Occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma matt, punctate, with sparse yellowish setae. Notauli not impressed. Epicnemial carina raised at lower part of mesopleuron, not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron, terminating dorsally in rounded transverse ridge that sharply delimits a median longitudinal furrow extending across middle of mesopleuron. Mesopleuron matt, densely and shallowly punctate, with deep groove extending full length of mesopleuron (Fig. 3c). First tibia with an apical tooth. Apical margin of mid tibia without distinct tooth similar to that on fore tibia. Posterior hind tibial spur at least 11 times longer than its maximum basal width. Tarsal claws pectinate with comparatively short teeth (Fig. 2e). Areolet of fore wing petiolate. Radius leaving pterostigma little before its middle. Second recurrent vein with two bullae. Nervulus postfurcal. Nervellus intercepted above its middle. Propodeal carinae complete, strongly raised, except basal part of dorso-median longitudinal carina; apical transverse carina curved towards metasoma; area superomedia trapezoidal and as long as wide (Fig. 3d).

Metasoma slightly shiny, smooth, sparsely pubescent. First metasomal tergite 0.4 times wider than its length (Fig. 2b); slightly prominent dorsally in profile; without shallow median longitudinal impression; only basally bordered by lateral longitudinal carinae. Second metasomal tergite with thyridium (Fig. 2c). Apical metasomal segments compressed laterally. Ovipositor straight, as long as height of last tergite, without notch and nodus apically, swollen basally (Fig. 2f).

Colour. Body yellowish-red (Figs 2, 3, 7). Mandible black apically (Fig. 3a). Apical part of antennal flagellum, hind tibia and tarsus reddish. Pterostigma brown. Fore wing very slightly infuscate apically.

Diagnosis

This species differs from other two members of Metopheltes by the following combination of character states: first flagellomere shorter (3.0 times as long as wide) than in Metopheltes petiolaris (6.0 times as long as wide) and Metopheltes chinensis (4.0 times as long as wide Fig. 6b clypeus); clypeus apically serrate (Fig. 3a); tentorial pits large (Fig. 3a); clypeus flat, very slightly separated from face by a shallow impression; posterior ocellus separated from eye by 2.5 times its maximum diameter (1.7 times in two other species Fig. 6a); frontal carina between eye and antennal socket present (Fig. 3b); upper hind part of mesopleuron polished and smooth (Figs 3c, 5a; punctate in Metopheltes petiolaris ); apical margin of middle tibia without distinct tooth similar to that on fore tibia; posterior hind tibial spur at least 11.0 times longer than maximum basal width (6.0-7.0 times in Metopheltes petiolaris ); hind femur and tibia 4.8 and 7.0 times as long as wide, respectively, (10.0 and 11.0 times in Metopheltes petiolaris ); tarsal claws shorter and pectinate with comparatively short teeth (Figs 2e, 5d); areolet petiolate; radius leaving pterostigma only little before its middle; propodeum more precipitous (Fig. 2a) than in Metopheltes petiolaris (Fig. 5c), its carinae complete (Fig. 3d) and strongly raised (except basal part of dorso-median longitudinal carina; only area apicalis defined in Metopheltes petiolaris (Fig. 5b) and Metopheltes chinensis (Fig. 6c); first metasomal tergite (Fig. 2b) 0.4 times wider than long (0.6 times in Metopheltes petiolaris or Metopheltes chinensis Fig. 6dchinensis); ovipositor without notch and nodus apically, (ovipositor with shallow notch and weak nodus in Metopheltes petiolaris Figs 2f, 5e).

Etymology

The species epithet clypeoarmatus refers to the serrate apical margin of the clypeus.

Distribution

N. Vietnam.