Ophion canariensis, 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 : 315-316

Ophion canariensis sp. nov.

Figs 10A–F

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7295F44B-1840-4F65-9FF6-2F22FF350DF9

Holotype: SPAIN: ♀, Canary Isl. , La Palma, Br. D. Carmen, NE Sta Cruz, 900 m. a. s., 9–15 Jun. 2010, R. Hentscho- lek leg. ( OÖLM).

Paratypes: SPAIN: 1♀, Canary Isl, La Palma, Br. D. Carmen, NE Sta Cruz, 900 m . a. s., 9–15 Jun. 2010, R. Hentscholek leg. ( OÖLM) ; 1♂, Canary Isl, La Palma, El Paso, 25 Nov. 2000, R. Zarre leg. ( OÖLM) .

Etymology: The name canariensis is derived from the type locality, the Canary Islands.

Diagnosis: Similar to Ophion obscuratus Fabricius, 1798 , but with the carination of propodeum complete and the sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly posterior to the spiracle. Most similar to Ophion mediterraneus sp. nov, but with the spiracle more distant from the sclerotized hind margin of the 1 st sternite, the sharper and shorter pleurosternal angles, the more complete carination of propodeum and the black ovipositor sheaths in the female.

Description: Fore wing length 18‒19 mm. Body length 20‒21 mm. Antenna with 62‒63 flagellomeres. Temple narrow behind compound eye, in lateral view about 0.3 × as long as compound eye in female and male ( Fig. 10D ). Malar space narrow, about 0.1 × the width of the mandibular space. Lateral ocelli touching inner margin of compound eye. Face relatively narrow ( Fig. 10F ). Occipital carina centrally strongly angulate. Face below antennal sockets polished with dense distinct punctures, the interstices between punctures about 1.0 × the diameter of punctures. Mandibular gape right angled, with internal angles. First flagellomere 3.5‒4.0 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres stout, about 1.3 × as long as wide. Apical flagellomeres approximately 1.5 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum weakly shagreened with indistinct punctures. Mesopleuron weakly shagreened with distinct punctures, interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles strong, right angled, hook-like, slightly anterior to sternal angles ( Fig. 10E ). Scutellum without lateral carinae ( Fig. 10B ). Propodeum polished with all carinae present ( Fig. 10B ). Sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly posterior to spiracle ( Fig. 10C ). Hind trochantellus quite short, distinctly shorter than wide in dorsal view. Hind femur slender, about 8.0‒9.0 × as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia long, about 0.4 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus reaching 0.3 × the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius very weakly sinuous, almost straight before junction with pterostigma. Nervellus broken in the middle or slightly above the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body yellow reddish, with the following paler yellow: mandibles, clypeus, inner and outer orbits, subalar prominence, tegulae, scutellum and postscutellum diffusely, a larger diffuse spot in front of the epicnemial carina on mesopleuron, sometimes a small diffuse spot in the lower posterior part of mesoscutum and one small spot corresponding on metapleuron. Mandibular teeth black. Ovipositor sheath black, contrasting with the testaceous posterior metasomal segments.

DNA Barcode: The DNA barcode sequences of two specimens of Ophion canariensis sp. nov. are available at the BOLD systems database: sample id. NJP648/649, sequence id. LNU2484-21/2485-21.

Remarks: Generally, the members of the Ophion obscuratus aggregate are hard to distinguish due to the intraspecific variation and the presumably quite large number of cryptic species. The here described O. canariensis sp. nov. and O. mediterraneus sp. nov. differ from the known species by the relatively narrow temples and the typical shape of the pleurosternal angles, characters which have been shown to be useful in species diagnosis ( Johansson & Cederberg 2019).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Ophion canariensis sp. nov. holotype female (OÖLM). A) Habitus, lateral view; B) scutellum and propodeum, dorsal view; C) petiolus, lateral view; D) head, lateral view; E) epicnemial carina, ventrolateral view; F) head, anterior view.