Thaumatogelis alecto

Vas, Zoltán & Schwarz, Martin, 2018, Contributions to the taxonomy, identification, and biogeography of Thaumatogelis Schwarz, 1995 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Zootaxa 4444 (4), pp. 421-436 : 427-428

Thaumatogelis alecto Vas sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype: female, Jordan [on label: N. Jordan], Amman, 800 m, 8.ii.1958, leg. J. Klapperich. —The holotype is deposited in HNHM (HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152910).

Diagnosis. The characteristics of distinct longitudinal striation on dorsal surface of first tergite and on the basolateral parts of second tergite are shared with only one other species of the genus, namely T. tisiphone Vas & Schwarz sp. nov. They can be separated easily by the following characters: T. alecto Vas sp. nov. has distinct striae only on basolateral parts of second tergite, but not on dorsal parts; its second tergite is densely, strongly punctate with dense, short hairs, while T. tisiphone Vas & Schwarz sp. nov. has distinct striae both dorsally and laterally on the basal part of second tergite; its second tergite is smooth and shiny in the middle with very weak, sparse punctures and sparse, long hairs.

Description. Female (holotype) ( Figs 8–10 ). Body length 5 mm.

Head: Antenna filiform, not clavate, with 23 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.1 × as long as wide, fifth flagellomere 2 × as long as wide, first flagellomere as long as second flagellomere. Width of eye in dorsal view 1.4 × as long as gena, head behind eyes moderately constricted. OOL 0.7 × as long as POL. Inner eye orbits divergent ventrally. Vertex, gena and malar space coriaceous and strongly, densely punctate, punctures separated from each other usually by less than a puncture diameter. Frons coriaceous and strongly, densely punctate with punctures separated from each other by less than a puncture diameter, and with transverse wrinkles above toruli. Face coriaceous and strongly, densely punctate with punctures separated from each other by less than a puncture diameter; face with short, dense, whitish hairs; face convex in lateral view. Clypeus less coriaceous than face but with coarser punctures; clypeus convex in profile, apical margin curved; hairs on clypeus longer than on face. Malar space 1.6 × as long as basal width of mandible. Mandibular teeth of equal length.

Mesosoma: Dorsal parts of mesosoma mainly coriaceous with weak punctures, lateral parts of mesosoma mainly striated; mesosoma with dense, very short, whitish hairs. Pronotum with distinct, strong, approximately transverse striae and wrinkles over almost entire surface; pronotum and mesonotum fused with weak, indistinct margin. Mesonotum strongly convex, coriaceous and with dense but weak punctures; median furrow of mesonotum very weak, indistinct; scutellum very short, weakly separated; mesonotum about as long as wide, and about as long as anterior area of propodeum; groove between mesonotum and propodeum deep. Mesopleuron and metapleuron with strong, horizontal and oblique wrinkles, and with a few scattered punctures. Epicnemial carina ventrally and laterally strong, posterior transverse carina of mesosternum ventrally robust, mesosternum about twice as long as width of first flagellomere. Propodeum convex but not as high as mesonotum in lateral view, anterior and posterior area indistinctly separated; anterior area coriaceous and densely punctate, punctures weak but more distinct than punctures of mesonotum; lateral parts and posterior area strongly striated, striae and wrinkles oblique or horizontal; posterior transverse carina only laterally distinct. Legs coriaceous, coxae with dense but weak punctures; hind femur 4.8 × as long as high; tarsal claws simple, small, only little longer than arolium.

Metasoma: Metasoma with dense, very short, whitish hairs. First tergite 2.3 × as long as apically wide, with very distinct longitudinal striae on dorsal surface. Second and third tergites fused, margin indistinct. Second tergite with distinct oblique striae on basolateral parts, but without striae on dorsal part. Second tergite densely and distinctly punctate, punctures separated from each other usually by less than a puncture diameter, punctures slightly less dense and slightly weaker on posterior half. Third tergite densely and distinctly punctate, punctures weaker than on second tergite and separated from each other usually by less than a puncture diameter on anterior half, and usually by more than a puncture diameter on posterior half (especially laterally); punctures weaker, sparser and tergite shinier on posterior half. Sixth tergite normal, not enlarged. Ovipositor sheath 0.5 × as long as hind tibia; ovipositor relatively stout, dorsal margin without distinct, steep angular elevation before nodus; ovipositor tip 3.3 × as long as high, notch indistinct.

Colour: Frons, vertex and upper gena black; lower gena mainly dark brown, but reddish brown around malar space and above base of mandible. Face mainly dark brown, but reddish brown at inner eye margins. Clypeus reddish brown; mouthparts yellowish brown except dark brown teeth of mandible. Scapus and pedicellus orange; basal flagellomeres orange with slightly lighter apical bands; apical flagellomeres brown. Mesosoma orange. Legs orange to reddish brown, hind tibia and tarsus slightly darker brown. First tergite orange. Metasoma except first tergite dark brown. Ovipositor sheath brown.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Currently known only from Jordan.

Ecological note. No host is known.

Etymology. The specific epithet alecto is the Latinized name of one of the three Furies (or Erinyes) in the Greek and Roman mythology; proper noun in apposition, ending not to be changed.

Figures

FIGURES 8–10. Thaumatogelis alecto Vas sp. nov. 8, holotype, dorsal habitus; 9, holotype, lateral habitus; 10, sculpture of basal tergites in lateral and dorsal views.