Enicospilus borderai, 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 : 306-309

Enicospilus borderai sp. nov.

Figs 3A–G

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2055E532-D841-4F8A-973A-0BBEF24E2CBA

Holotype: SPAIN: ♀, Murcia, Aguilas 6 km S, 10 m. a. s., 12 Apr. 2016, Astleitner leg. ( OÖLM)

Paratypes: SPAIN: 2♀♀, 1♂, Murcia, Aguilas 6 km S, 10 m . a. s., 12 Apr. 2016, Astleitner leg. ( OÖLM) ; 1♀, 1♂, Aguilas , Playa Higuerica 5 m . a. s., 28 May 2015, Astleitner leg. ( OÖLM) .

Etymology: The species epithet borderai (maculine name in genitive case) refers to the Spanish hymenopterist Santiago Bordera.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other Enicospilus by the combination of the evenly rounded epicnemial carina, the relatively few flagellomeres and the shape of the alar sclerites. Most similar to Enicospilus perlatus Shestakov, 1926 , but distinguished by the wider face, the evenly rounded epicnemial carina and the shape of the alar sclerites. Similar also to Enicospilus bimaculator Aubert, 1979 , but with wider face and shorter malar space.

Description: Fore wing length 11–13 mm. Body length 14–15 mm. Number of flagellomeres 49–52. Temples strongly narrowed, in lateral view about 0.3–0.4 × the width of compound eye ( Fig. 3E ). Face relatively wide ( Fig. 3G ). Malar space narrow, about 0.1 × the width of the mandibular base. Gap between lateral ocelli and inner margin of compound eye about 0.2 × the diameter of ocellus. Clypeus convex in lateral view, anterior margin straight. Mandible strongly twisted with upper tooth about 3.0 × as long as lower tooth. First flagellomere quite stout, about 3.5–4.0 × as long as apically wide. Mid- and preapical flagellomeres about 1.7–1.8 × as long as wide. Mesopleuron shagreened, very densely punctate, punctures centrally merging. Pleurosternal angles very weak, evenly rounded ( Fig. 3F ). Mesoscutum mostly polished with notauli weakly indicated anteriorly, punctate centrally. Scutellum polished, almost parallel sided, with scarce punctures and lateral carinae along its entire length ( Fig. 3B ). Propodeum with anterior transverse carina distinct. Posterior to carina rugulose, anterior to carinae smooth, slightly polished with very weak punctures. Proximal sclerite entirely pigmented, about two × as wide as high, central sclerite comma shaped, pigmented distally, fading to unpigmented proximally. Distal sclerite distinctly pigmented and elongate ( Fig. 3D ). Radius weakly sinuate before junction with pterostigma. Hind femur quite stout, about 7.0 × longer than wide ( Fig. 3A ). Inner spur of hind tibia about 0.4 × as long as hind metatarsus. Hind claws in female pectinate throughout their entire length, with about seven teeth ( Fig. 3C ), in male with slightly denser teeth.

Colouration: Body testaceous. Inner and outer orbits widely pale. Subalar prominence and four stripes on mesoscutum whitish. Scutellum white, apart from a basal testaceous spot centrally ( Fig. 3B ). In one male there is also a pale spot on lower mesopleuron. Mandibular teeth black. Posterior segments of metasoma infuscate in all but one male. Fore wing veins infuscate. Alar sclerites brown. Pterostigma pale with infuscate margins ( Fig 3D ).

DNA Barcode: The DNA barcode sequences of two specimens of Enicospilus borderai sp. nov. are available at the BOLD systems database: sample id. NJP656/657, sequence id. LNU2492-21/2493-21.

Remarks: Similar to and possibly closely related to Enicospilus perlatus Shestakov, 1926 . Bordera et al. (1987) presents Enicospilus perlatus represented by ssp. hebraicator Aubert, 1966 as new to continental Europe from Spain. I have studied one female from Spain (W. Almeria, 36˚50’6N, 2˚21’5E, 9–10 May 2013, Vogtenhuber leg. BOLD: sample id NJP655, sequence id. LNU2491-21 (OÖLM)) of this taxon and it is in accordance with the type collected in Israel housed in NHML ( Aubert 1966) (type examined). However, apart from the obvious difference in colour, where the nominate form has the mesosoma with extensive pale markings and ssp. hebraicator is evenly dark testaceous, they differ slightly in morphology as well. The nominate form (female lectotype in ZIN studied) has the transverse carina of propodeum very weak ( Fig 4C ), virtually absent and the scutellum wider, with the sides weakly converging posteriorly ( Fig. 4A ), while ssp. hebraicator has the scutellum narrower, strongly converging posteriorly ( Fig. 4B ) and the transverse carina of propodeum strongly raised and distinct. ( Fig. 4D ). However, the molecular analysis, which includes two females of Enicospilus perlatus from Jordan and the above-mentioned female of ssp. hebraicator from Spain, shows no difference in the COI-marker, indicating that the two species are conspecific. Most likely additional markers needs to be studied before any definitive conclusion can be drawn. Another similar species, which usually also have a more rounded central alar sclerite is Enicospilus bimaculator Aubert, 1979 . This species was described from female material collected in France (Aubert 1979). The male paratype of Enicospilus ramidulops Scaramozzino, 1986 ( Figs 5A, C ) housed in ZSM was studied and compared to the female holotype of E. bimaculator stored in NHML and a series of additional females collected in Albania (one female: BOLD sample id. NJP654, sequence id. LNU2490-21, Figs 5B, D ) in NMS. The comparison shows that the two taxa represents the female and male sex of the same species. Therefore, Enicospilus ramidulops Scaramozzino syn. nov. is a junior synonym of E. bimaculator Aubert.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Enicospilus borderai sp. nov., holotype female (OÖLM). A) Habitus, lateral view; B) scutellum, dorsal view; C) hind tarsal claws; D) alar sclerites; E) head, lateral view; F) mesopleuron, ventrolateral view; G) head, anterior view.

FIGURE 4. A) Enicospilus perlatus Shestakov, 1926, (OÖLM); scutellum, dorsal view; B) Enicospilus hebraicator Aubert, 1966 stat. rev. (OÖLM), scutellum, dorsal view; C) Enicospilus perlatus Shestakov, 1926, propodeum, dorsal view; D) Enicospilus hebraicator Aubert, 1966 stat. rev., propodeum, dorsal view.

FIGURE 5. Enicospilus bimaculator Aubert, 1979.A) Paratype male of Enicospilus ramidulops Scaramozzino, 1986, syn. nov. (ZSM), head anterior view; B) female from Albania (OÖLM), head anterior view; C) Paratype male of Enicospilus ramidulops Scaramozzino, 1986, syn. nov. (ZSM), alar sclerites; D) female from Albania, alar sclerites. Photos: A & C, Stefan Schmidt ZSM.