Diaparsis (Diaparsis) splendens Horstmann, 2012

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Ruiz-Cancino, Enrique, 2018, First record of the genera Diaparsis Foerster and Phradis Foerster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae) from Mexico, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 63, pp. 61-72 : 61

Diaparsis (Diaparsis) splendens Horstmann, 2012

Figs 1-6

Remarks.

The female from Mexico corresponds well with the original description and illustrations of this species ( Horstmann 2012: 137). A brief description of the specimen from Mexico is provided below. Colour photographs of this species are provided for the first time.

Female (Mexico): body length 4.0 mm, fore wing length 3.25 mm; flagellum (Fig. 1 ) slightly clavate, with 17 flagellomeres, proportions of flagellomeres as in original description; head strongly rounded posterior to eyes (Fig. 1 ); temple 0.8 times as long as eye width; clypeus (Fig. 2 ) 3.4 times as broad as long, separated from face by very shallow impression mediodorsally and by quite distinct furrow laterally; propodeum mediodorsally (Fig. 3 ) without distinct basal keel, with weak longitudinal wrinkles, basal part of propodeum half as long as apical area; first abscissa of radius (Rs+2r) 1.15 as long as width of pterostigma; first tergite dorsally polished, 2.2 times as long as posteriorly broad; glymma large and deep, situated more or less in centre of first tergite (Fig. 4 ); second tergite slightly transverse, 0.95 as long as anteriorly broad (Fig. 5 ); ovipositor slender, weakly and evenly bent upwards over its total length, with conspicuous nodus apically (Fig. 6 , arrow), its sheath 2.5 times as long as first tergite.

This species resembles the Holarctic genus Gelanes Horstmann as it has a smooth or shallowly sculptured head and mesosoma, dorsally polished first metasomal tergite with a broad postpetiole, deep glymma in the centre of the first tergite, transverse thyridial depressions, lacks a foveate groove on the mesopleuron, and was collected in the spring. Nevertheles, it possesses an isolated glymma, i.e. not joining by a furrow to the ventral part (Fig. 4 ), while the remaining characters also occur in the genus Diaparsis .

Material examined.

1 female (EMEC), Mexico, Baja California Norte [Baja California], Jaraguay Summit [29.33°N, 114.5°W, NW of Agua León], ex flowers Yucca peninsularis , 27 March 1973, coll. Doyen, " U.C. Berkeley EMEC 203, 505" .

Distribution.

Southwestern USA (California), Northwestern Mexico (Baja California). First record of genus and species from Mexico.

Biology.

Reared or collected from flowers of Hesperoyucca whipplei (Torr.) Baker ex Trel. [= Yucca peninsularis ] ( Agavaceae ) in Mexico.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Diaparsis splendens, female (Mexico). 1 head with antenna and mesoscutum, dorsal view 2 head, front view 3 mesosoma, dorsal view 4 propodeum and metasoma, lateral view 5 postpetiole and second tergite, dorsal view 6 apex of ovipositor, lateral view.