Epelaspis lulo Lima & Fernandes, 2024

Lima, Adriane G. M., Pádua, Diego G., Araujo, Rodrigo O., Mazariegos, Luis A. & Fernandes, Daniell R. R., 2024, Revisiting the Darwin wasp genus Epelaspis Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Phygadeuontinae): five new species, new records and a key to Neotropical species, Zootaxa 5468 (1), pp. 52-74 : 65-66

Epelaspis lulo Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov.

( Fig. 9 A–E )

Type material. 1 female. Holotype. COLOMBIA, Jardín, Antioquia, Mesenia-Paramillo nature reserve (1800– 3000m altitude) 5°29’45.8”N 75°53’21.3”W, sweep nets, VIII.2019, Mazariegos, L. (1 female, CEUA).

Diagnosis. Epelaspis lulo Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Neotropical species of Epelaspis by the combination of the following characters: (1) tergite 2 without thyridium ( Fig. 9B ); (2) area petiolaris with longitudinal carinae parallel-side to lateromedian longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 9D ); (3) lateral longitudinal carina of propodeum presents only in area externa and incomplete on central part ( Fig. 9D ); (4) face without carinae Vshaped starting from the antennal socket and extending to almost half of the face, culminating in a papilla ( Fig. 9C ).

Description. Holotype female. Body length (head to T8) 5.68 mm.

Head. Frons mat, concave with antennal scrobe M-shaped, striae on the antennal scrobe and long setae. Face mat, convex with punctation and setae ( Fig. 9C ). Carinae V-shaped starting from the antennal socket and extending to almost half of the face, papilla absent. Clypeus rounded with sparse punctation and setae ( Fig. 9C ). Gena length 0.15 mm.

Eye height 0.70 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.09 mm. Shortest distance between anterior and posterior ocelli 0.06 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.15 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli 0.06 mm.

Mesosoma . Pronotum polished with punctation and short setae. Epomia present anteriorly. Epicnemial carina not oblique. Epicnemium polished. Mesopleuron polished, granulate with sparse punctation and setae. Metapleuron polished, granulate, sparse punctation and setae, dorsally with smooth striae; area below juxtacoxal carina polished with punctation and submetapleural carina with a large crest. Mesoscutum mat, granulate with punctation and short setae ( Fig. 9B ). Notaulus reaching beyond the center of mesoscutum ( Fig. 9B ). Scuto-scutellar groove polished with punctation. Scutellum polished with punctation and short setae. Propodeum polished, granulate with sparse punctation and setae; area basalis not anteriorly delimited; area superomedia not laterally delimited; area petiolaris with longitudinal carinae parallel-side to lateromedian longitudinal carinae; posterior transverse carina with small crest; lateral longitudinal carina presents only in area externa and incomplete on central part; without sulcus above pleural carina on the portion of area dentipara ( Fig. 9D ). Fore wing without ramulus ( Fig. 9E ). Legs with punctation, short setae and tarsus with denticles, two symmetrical tibial spurs in the fore leg, two asymmetrical tibial spurs in mid leg and one tibial spur in hind leg. Fore wing length 4.63 mm. Hind femur length 1.80 mm. Hind tibia length 2.13 mm.

Metasoma. Tergites polished, granulated, with sparse punctation and sparse short setae ( Fig. 9B ). Tergite 1 with dorsolateral carina straight and without lateromedian carina. Tergite 2 without thyridium. Ovipositor with upper valve with weakly curved apex culminating in a delicate tip and lower valve expanded near the apex. Tergite 1 length 1.04 mm. Anterior width of tergite 1 0.18 mm. Posterior width of tergite 1 0.40 mm. Tergite 2 length 0.58 mm. Anterior width of tergite 2 0.52 mm. Posterior width of tergite 2 0.80 mm. Tergite 3 length 0.45 mm. Anterior width of tergite 3 0.80 mm. Posterior width of tergite 3 0.73 mm. Ovipositor length 2.24 mm.

Coloration. Body yellowish orange ( Fig. 9A ). Antenna brown; scape apex, pedicel apex, annellus, and base of first flagellomere yellowish orange. Head yellow-orangish, dorsal part light brown ( Fig. 9B ). Mandibular teeth yellowish orange with apex brownish red ( Fig. 9C ). Mesoscutum and tegula light brown ( Fig. 9B ). Fore tarsus brown with yellowish orange apex. Mid trochanter and trochantellus light brown; mid tarsus dorsally brown and ventrally yellowish orange. Hind femur light brown, distally black; hind tibia brown proximally black, and tarsus brown. Wings hyaline. Veins and pterostigma brown ( Fig. 9E ). Tergite 1 brown; tergite 2 onwards dorsally yellowish orange and ventrally yellow ( Fig. 9B ).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Colombia (Antioquia) ( Fig. 1 ).

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. The epithet “lulo ” is in honor of the regional name of the fruit Solanum quitoense ( Solanaceae ), which is widely appreciated in the Colombian Andes region. It has an orange skin color when ripe, similar to the general color of the specie described here. Noun in apposition.

Discussion. Epelaspis lulo Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. is most similar to the E. wagneri Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. for the mesopleuron polished, granulate with sparse punctation and scuto-scutellar groove polished with punctation. However, E. lulo Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. differs from E. wagneri Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. in the following characters: thyridium absent in tergite 2 (present in E. wagneri Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov.), and area petiolaris with longitudinal carinae parallel-side to lateromedian longitudinal carinae (without longitudinal carinae parallel-side to lateromedian longitudinal carinae in E. wagneri Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mesenia-Paramillo nature reserve, Antioquia, Colombia.

FIGURE 9. A–E: Epelaspis lulo Lima & Fernandes, sp. nov.. Holotype female. A: habitus, lateral view; B: habitus, dorsal view; C: head, frontal view; D: propodeum, dorsal view; E: fore wing, ventral view.