Ophion albanicus, Johansson, 2021

Johansson, Niklas, 2021, Contribution to the subfamily Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Southern Europe with the description of one new genus and 15 new species, Zootaxa 5023 (3), pp. 301-334 : 313

Ophion albanicus sp. nov.

Figs 8 A–C, E urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3633E7BD-BFFF-4D9A-A189-26F2614CDE44

Holotype: ALBANIA: ♀, Mali me Gropa Mt. Above Shen Meri, 41˚3524’N, 020˚0465’E, 1405 m. a. s., 05 Jun. 2019, S. Beshkov & A. Nahirnic leg. ( NMS).

Etymology: The name albanicus is derived from Albania, where the type female was collected.

Diagnosis: Most similar to Ophion bipictor Aubert, 1980 ( Figs 8D, F ), but with clypeus narrower, flagellomeres distinctly longer and fewer (59‒63 in O. bipictor ). Also potentially similar to Ophion sylvestris Johansson, 2019 , but with the carination of propodeum more complete and the apical flagellomeres more elongate. The known female also has the sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly anterior to spiracle.

Description: Male unknown. Fore wing length 12 mm. Body length 14 mm. Antennae with 52 flagellomeres. Temple narrowed behind compound eyes, in lateral view about 0.3 × as long as compound eye ( Fig. 8A ). Malar space narrow, 0.1 × the width of the mandibular base. Space between compound eye and lateral ocellus narrow, about 0.1 × the diameter of ocellus ( Fig. 8C ). Face relatively narrow ( Fig. 8C ), in anterior view, about as wide as compound eye. Occipital carina dorsally slightly angulate. Face below antennal sockets densely punctate on a polished background, interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter. Clypeus with large, slightly scarcer punctures than the face, polished. Mandibular gape acute angled, with quite indistinct internal angles. First flagellomere 3.5 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres about 2.0 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum polished with very dense and distinct punctures, space between punctures at most equal to their diameter. Mesopleuron polished with very dense and distinct punctures. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles obtuse, distinctly anterior to sternal angles. Scutellum without lateral carinae. Propodeum weakly rugulose with all carinae strong ( Fig. 8B ). Sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly anterior to spiracle. Hind trochantellus distinctly shorter than wide in dorsal view. Hind femur slender, about 6.0 × as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia about 0.3 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus in fore wing long, reaching 0.4 × the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Outer part of radius weakly sinuous, its inner part straight and not widened before junction with pterostigma. Nervellus broken distinctly below the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body quite dark, reddish. Inner and outer orbits widely whitish ( Figs 8A–C ). Subalar prominence with white elongate spot. Mandibular teeth black.

Figures

FIGURE 8. A) Ophion albanicus sp. nov. holotype female (NMS), habitus lateral view; B) Ophion albanicus sp. nov. holotype female, propodeum, dorsal view; C) Ophion albanicus sp. nov. holotype female, head, anterior view; D) Ophion bipictor Aubert, 1980, head anterior view; E) Ophion albanicus sp. nov. holotype female, apical part of antenna; F) Ophion bipictor Aubert, 1980, apical part of antenna.