Thyreodon elegans Cresson

FERNÁNDEZ-TRIANA, JOSÉ L., 2005, The taxonomy and biogeography of Cuban Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Zootaxa 1007 (1), pp. 1-60 : 21-22

7. Thyreodon elegans Cresson

Thyreodon elegans Cresson, 1865: 47 . Holotype ♀, Cuba (IES) [examined].

Macrophion elegans Morley, 1912: 15 . [Synonymized by Townes & Townes, 1996: 187].

One of the five endemic species of Cuban Thyreodon . It is easily recognised mostly by its colour pattern, as well as its small size. According to Porter (1984) it is not only one of the smallest Thyreodon species , but also one of the most aberrant. This author also stated that T. elegans superficially resembles some Cuban vespids such as Mischocyttarus cubensis Saussure and Polistes minor Beauvois , the ichneumonid being probably a Batesian mimics of the aculeate wasps. As other Cuban endemic Thyreodon ( T. affinis ), T. elegans shows a disjunct pattern of distribution (WC & EC), but it is more abundant.

Cresson (1865) described the species from a female, and Porter (1984) also provided a comprehensive description of the same sex based in a specimen housed at USNM (from WC: Santo Tomás, Zapata, MT). I have studied two males housed in Cuban collections, and I have not found differences between sex, neither in coloration nor morphological characteristics. Based upon specimens studied, number of flagellar segments in antenna fluctuated between 43 and 48; and fore wing length between 10 and 11 mm.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype ♀, Cuba, GT: Caimanera, J. Gundlach ( IES, Gundlach collection, type # 337).

WC. IJ: El Abra, VII­1974, ♂. Leal (1 ♀, MNHNCu) . LH: Boca Canasí, Santa Cruz del Norte , VII­1997, A. Barro (1 ♀, MNHNCu) . MT: Pan de Matanzas, Matanzas, V­1970, R. Alayo (1 ♂, MNHNCu) . EC. HG: El Jonson, Moa , V­1954, Zayas­Alayo (1 ♀, MNHNCu) . SC: Puerto Boniato , Santiago de Cuba, V­1946, P. Alayo (1 ♀, MNHNCu) ; Damajayabo , Santiago de Cuba, V­1946, (1 ♀, IES) . GR: Desembocadura Río Toro, Pilón , III/2002, J. Fernández (1 ♂, BIOECO) . Monte Gordo, in the forest, Niquero , VI­1988, R. Regalado (1 ♀, MNHNCu) . GT: Guantánamo, V­1914, C. Ramsden (1 ♀, IES) .