Leptochilus (Euleptochilus) barkalovi Fateryga, 2024

Fateryga, Alexander V., 2024, On some new and little-known Palaearctic species of the genus Leptochilus de Saussure, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5432 (1), pp. 38-53 : 40-42

Leptochilus (Euleptochilus) barkalovi Fateryga , sp. nov.

( Figs 1A–C, F, H , 2A–C )

Diagnosis. The species belongs to a group of the genus Leptochilus with tegula length exceeding the length of the scutellum (subgenus Euleptochilus ). Leptochilus barkalovi is closely related to L. limbiferus (Morawitz, 1867) but the male of this new species has a narrower clypeus (1.05× as wide as long vs. 1.2× as wide as long in L. limbiferus , Fig. 1E ), blunter pronotal angles (vs. nearly rectangular in L. limbiferus , Fig. 1G ), a longer pilosity on head and mesosoma (as long as F1 vs. about as long as the diameter of F1 at distal end in L. limbiferus , Fig. 1G ), a light-colored apical lamella of the tergum 2 (vs. dark brown in at least eastern populations of L. limbiferus , Fig. 1D ), as well as a different structure of the flagellomere 11 (reaching central area of F 8 in L. barkalovi but distal end of F 8 in L. limbiferus , Fig. 1I ) and of the aedeagus (apex deeper bifurcated in L. limbiferus , ventral lobe relatively shorter in L. limbiferus , Fig. 2E, F ). The body pattern is also different: L. limbiferus has a yellow spot on the dorsal mesepisternum and all the legs ferruginous from the distal half of the femora to tarsomeres 4 ( Fig. 1D ).

Description. Female. Unknown.

Male. Body length (from head to apical margin of T2) about 5.5 mm; forewing length 4.5 mm. Head about 1.05× as wide as long in frontal view. Mandible with four teeth. Labial palpus not modified. Clypeus about 1.05× as wide as long, its apical emargination about 0.7× as deep as wide, taking less than 1/4 of clypeal width, apical teeth bluntly rounded. F11 parallel-sided, curved, and broadly rounded apically, reaching central area of F8; distal part of F8 and basal part of F9 with depression housing apex of F11. Distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin exceeding distance between lateral ocellus and eye. Occipital carina not forming angle at lower part of gena. Anterior pronotal carina strongly developed but not lamellate, shoulders rather blunt. Tegula with outer margin broadly rounded posteriorly, longer than scutellum. Scutellum slightly elevated and flattened dorsally. Metanotum not raised above scutellum, sharply edged posteriorly. Hind trochanter rounded posteriorly. Propodeum with indistinct dorsal surface only; propodeal concavity with rounded lateral margins; median carina developed at lower third of propodeal concavity. Projection of submarginal carina of propodeum not longer than wide and not longer than valvula, bluntly rounded apically; valvula rounded. Apical lamella of T2 semitransparent, with basal row of very small rounded punctures, interstices not sclerotized. S 2 in lateral view rather abruptly elevated at base, in ventral view without longitudinal furrow. S7 with most area flattened. Genitalia as in Fig. 2A–C . Digitus long and curved, rather pointed apically; aedeagus with incision at apex and large ventral lobe taking about one third of whole aedeagus length.

Clypeus densely micropunctate, dull, without macropunctures. Punctures on frons and vertex coarse and dense, interstices shorter than one puncture diameter, with distinct microsculpture; gena with somewhat finer punctures than on frons and vertex, interstices still shorter than one puncture diameter and with similar microsculpture. Dorsal surface of pronotum punctate similarly to vertex. Scutum and scutellum with coarser, nearly comb-like sculpture, interstices are much shorter than one puncture diameter, reduced to edges between punctures, which sometimes form longitudinal rows. Tegula shining, with microsculpture only. Dorsal mesepisternum and mesepimeron punctate finer than scutum and scutellum, interstices slightly broader and with distinct microsculpture. Ventral mesepisternum punctate similarly to scutum and scutellum but punctures not forming rows. Epicnemium mostly shagreened, without punctures. Metanotum with punctures on upper part of posterior side and microsculpture only on lower part. Metapleuron longitudinally rugose. Dorsolateral surface of propodeum dull, with hardly visible shallow punctures and distinct microsculpture. Lateral surface of propodeum longitudinally rugose; sculpture of propodeal concavity similar to that on lateral surface. T1 and T2 with sparse scattered punctures, interstices reaching several puncture diameters, with dense microsculpture. S1 densely punctate, interstices reaching one puncture diameter. S2 punctate similarly to T2. Following terga and sterna without distinct punctures, mostly with dull microsculpture.

Posterior side of mandible with few straight pale setae as long as diameter of F1 at distal end. Clypeus and scapus with appressed whitish setae as long as diameter of F1 at base. Labial palpus with few very minute setae only. Frons, vertex, gena, dorsal, lateral, and posterior surfaces of mesosoma with straight pale setae approximately as long as F1. Ventral surface of mesosoma and whole metasoma with mostly short appressed setae; S1–S6 with additional few straight setae as long as diameter of F1 at distal end.

Basal color black. Clypeus, anterior surface of scapus, anterior band on pronotum (interrupted medially), most part of tegula (except inner margin), and outer surface of tibiae ivory. Apical bands of T1, T2, and S2 yellowish. Ventral side of F8 and F9, depression of F8 and F9, and entire F10 and F11 ferruginous. Fore tarsus except claws, mid tarsus except distal half of tarsomere 5, and hind tarsomere 4 brownish-yellow; inner side of hind tibia and entire hind tarsomeres 1–3 brown. Wings strongly fuscous, particularly on marginal cell; veins dark brown.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂, labeled “ 16.4.1987 ТуркмениЯ / окр. Ашхабада / ФирЮЗинское уЩ. / Баркалов А. [ Turkmenistan, vicinity of Asghabad, Firyuza Gorge, leg. A. Barkalov] // Holotypus ♂ / Leptochilus barkalovi / Fateryga [red label]” [ ISEN].

Etymology. The species name is honoring Anatolij V. Barkalov, the collector of the holotype and a well-known Soviet and Russian entomologist.

Distribution. Turkmenistan (known from the type locality only).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Leptochilus spp.A–C, F, H, L. barkalovi Fateryga, sp. nov., ♂, holotype; D, E, G, I, L. limbiferus (Morawitz, 1867), ♂, Russia: Krasnodar Territory. A, D, habitus in lateral view; B, labels; C, E, head in frontal view; F, G, mesosoma in dorsal view; H, I, apex of flagellum. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Leptochilus spp. A–C, L. barkalovi Fateryga, sp. nov., holotype; D–F, L. limbiferus (Morawitz, 1867), Russia: Krasnodar Territory; G–I, L. leleji Fateryga, 2019, Russia: Altai Republic; J–L, L. alpestris (de Saussure, 1855), Russia: Crimea. A, D, G, J, left paramere and volsella in medial view (d, digitus); B, E, H, K, aedeagus in dorsal view (aa, aedeagus apex); C, F, I, L, aedeagus in lateral view (vl, ventral lobe). Scale bar 1 mm.