Latosculum ortegai Kasparyan & Khalaim, 2018

Khalaim, Andrey I., Kasparyan, Dmitri R. & López-Ortega, Maurilio, 2018, New records and descriptions of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) from Mexico, Zootaxa 4486 (1), pp. 1-30 : 10-11

33. Latosculum ortegai Kasparyan & Khalaim , sp. nov.

( Figs 6–9 )

Comparison. Latosculum ortegai differs from two other Mexican species, L. ruizi Kasparyan and L. townesi Kasparyan , by combination of its reddish orange head and mesosoma ( Fig. 7 ), extensively black metasoma ( Fig. 8 ), propodeum with neither apophyses nor apical transverse carina ( Fig. 7 ), and portion of the lower valve of the ovipositor with teeth ( Fig. 9 ) about as long as hind tarsomere 2 (0.5–0.7× in L. ruizi and L. townesi ). The new species is similar to L. minor (Szépligeti) from Bolivia by colour pattern of the body but differs from this species by its smooth mesopleuron and colour pattern of legs. Latosculum ortegai also resembles species of the Neotropical genus Polyphrix Townes by its propodeum transversely striate and with neither apical transverse carina nor apophyses ( Fig. 7 ), but species of Polyphrix are characterized by the fore wing with postnervellus intercepted at its upper 0.25, much shorter malar space, longer hypostomal carina, and polished impunctate mesoscutum.

Description. Female. Fore wing length 11.0 mm, body length 15.0 mm.

Antenna with 34 flagellomeres present and extreme apices of both flagellums missing ( Fig. 6 ); flagellomeres 1 and 2 combined 1.3× as long as maximum diameter of eye; flagellomeres 6 to 11 white and slightly compressed; flagellomeres 12 and 13 subquadrate; flagellomeres 14 to 30 transverse, depressed, 1.5× as wide as basal flagellomere, with short and dense “velvet” sensillae; 5 or 6 subapical flagellomeres gradually tapered towards thin apex; subapical flagellomeres about 0.6× as wide as basal flagellomere. Face more or less smooth with fine punctures. Frons finely granulate with fine punctures. Vertex and gena finely punctate on polished background. Clypeus in basal half convex and smooth with scarce punctures; in apical half flat, polished and almost impunctate; lower margin of clypeus sharp. Malar space half as long as basal mandibular width ( Fig. 7 ). Mandible with upper tooth slightly broader and longer than the lower. Head, in profile, with gena 0.35× as long as eye; occipital carina subparallel to hind margin of eye ( Fig. 7 ), straight before its junction with hypostomal carina; hypostomal carina between mandible and occipital carina raised, short, 0.35× as long as basal mandibular width.

Epomia long, extending upwards from the lower corner of pronotum ( Fig. 7 ). Dorsolateral margin of pronotum with narrow groove; distal (outer) edge of this groove raised and forming distinct carina. Notaulus distinct, extending from anterolateral margin to posterior 0.6 of mesoscutum, with wrinkles in its basal 0.3. Mesoscutum smooth, with moderately fine punctures. Scutellum polished with scattered punctures. Mesopleuron in its upper half between mesopleural pit and subtegular ridge with strong and dense oblique striation, in lower half with fine striae and fine and dense punctures in interspaces between striae. Speculum small, polished. Prepectus and mesosternum densely, evenly and finely punctate, smooth between punctures. Sternaulus deep, sinuate, reaching almost base of mid coxa posteriorly. Metapleuron with fine and oblique striation, finely punctate in interspaces between striae. Transverse groove just behind postscutellum medially narrow and smooth. Propodeum in front of basal transverse carina smooth, with sparse punctures; basal area narrow, twice as long as wide; propodeum behind basal transverse carina with strong subparallel transverse rugae ( Fig. 7 ); apical transverse carina obscured by rugae; apophyses absent.

Fore wing ( Fig. 6 ) with moderately large areolet which is about 1.2× as broad as long and 0.7× as long as section of second recurrent vein (2m-cu) between bulla and areolet; areolet receiving second recurrent vein (2mcu) somewhat distad its middle ( Fig. 6 ); second recurrent vein (2m-cu) forming almost right angle with parallel vein (Cu1a). Nervulus (cu-a) interstitial (opposite Rs&M). Hind wing with nervellus (cu1&cu-a) intercepted in its posterior 0.15. Brachiella (distal section of 1A) strong, reaching margin of hind wing. Apical part of axillus vein as far from anal margin of hind wing as from anal vein. Legs slender; hind femur about 8.0× as long as wide; proportions of hind tarsomeres 1–5 of hind tarsus 9.5: 4.0: 2.7: 1.0: 3.3, second tarsomere 1.2× as long as apical tarsomere.

Tergite 1 polished, with spiracle in its posterior 0.35 ( Fig. 8 ), petiole without basolateral tooth and dorsolateral and ventrolateral carinae entirely absent. Second and following tergites subpolished with dense setiferous punctures, setae short. Thyridium subcircular, 1.2× as long as wide, separated from base of second tergite by 3.0× its own maximum diameter. Ovipositor with tip of upper valve broken, lower valve with about 11 teeth ( Fig. 9 ); portion of lower valve with teeth about as long as hind tarsomere 2. Ovipositor sheath 1.05× as long as hind tibia.

Antenna black with flagellomeres 6 to 11 white (laterally blackish). Head and mesosoma almost entirely reddish orange ( Fig. 7 ); face, clypeus, malar space, mandible (except blackish teeth) and palpi yellowish; axillar plate (in base of fore wing) yellow with brown spot. Fore and mid legs reddish orange with tarsomeres 5 brown. Hind leg with coxa reddish orange; trochanters, femur and tibia black (trochanters ventrally and extreme base of femur reddish) ( Fig. 8 ); tibial spurs brown; tarsus white with basal 0.3 of basitarsus and tarsomere 5 blackish ( Fig. 7 ). Wings hyaline. Pterostigma pale brownish yellow. Metasomal tergite 1 reddish orange in basal 0.4, darkened apically ( Fig. 8 ). Tergites 2 to 8 predominantly black, white-banded posteriorly and with white epipleura. All sternites white with of elongate blackish markings laterally ( Fig. 8 ).

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of the Mexican entomologist and collector of the type material, Maurilio López-Ortega.

Material examined. Holotype Female ( UNAM), Mexico, Veracruz, municipio Teocelo, Tejerias, N 19°21′, W 96°54′, 924 m, Malaise trap, 19.IX–1.X.2015, coll. M. López-Ortega.

Distribution. Mexico (Veracruz).

Figures

FIGURES 6–13. Latosculum ortegai sp. nov., holotype, female: 6—antenna and wings, lateral; 7—head, mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral; 8—metasoma, lateral; 9—apex of lower valve of ovipositor (upper valve missing). Baryceros lascivus, female: 10—habitus, lateral. Mallochia macula, female: 11—habitus, lateral; 12—head and mesosoma, dorsal; 13—apex of ovipositor, lateral.