Orthocentrus bicoloratus Veijalainen

Veijalainen, Anu, Broad, Gavin R. & Sääksjärvi, Ilari E., 2014, Twenty seven new species of Orthocentrus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Orthocentrinae) with a key to the Neotropical species of the genus, Zootaxa 3768 (3), pp. 201-252 : 219

Orthocentrus bicoloratus Veijalainen , sp. nov.

Figs 3 A, 7 A, 9 A, 12 A, 14 A.

Fore wing length 2.0– 2.1 mm.

Face medially 1.2x wider than high; face rather coarsely papillate, eyes slightly setose, dorsal ridge of face inbetween antennal sockets without a median prominence; face in profile almost evenly round, slightly more so dorsally, edge of clypeus very slightly impressed, antennal sockets on a shelf but shelf not particularly high; malar groove distinct, sharp, almost straight, slightly bent towards occiput; maxillary palp reaching to fore coxa. In dorsal view, head posteriorly slightly concave, temples very narrow, only slightly protruding behind the eye, posterior ocellus separated from eye by 0.8–1.2x ocellar diameter, anterior ocellus separated from eye by 1.7x ocellar diameter, lacking ocellar-ocular groove. Minimum distance between antennal sockets slightly less than half diameter of socket; antenna slender, with 26–28 short elongate flagellomeres which do not gradually shorten towards apex; basal flagellomere 0.7–0.8x as wide as high and about 1/3 of the length of scape; scape almost parallel-sided, inner side slightly convex.

Mesosoma smooth and polished except dorsal propodeum with microsculpture; mesoscutum lacking notauli; in profile, scutellum somewhat high, metapleuron slightly convex; propodeum with posterior transverse carina strong, present between lateral longitudinal carinae, median longitudinal carinae complete, and lateral longitudinal carinae present as short stubs not reaching spiracles, spiracles small.

Legs broad, hind coxa large; coxae and femora polished, tibiae and tarsi coriaceous-granulate; hind coxa 1.2x as long as first tergite, hind femur 2.9x as long as high, hind tibia 3.4–3.6x as long as apically wide; tibiae with spine-like setae.

Wings not particularly narrow; fore wing with areolet closed but 3rs-m weak, areolet about as wide as high, 2m-cu meeting areolet at apical 0.6–0.8, vein Rs straight; hind wing vein cu-a not intercepted, straight.

First tergite stout, apically slightly widening, 1.3x as long as apically wide; coriaceous, with two complete or posteriorly almost complete median longitudinal carinae, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally. Second tergite 0.7x as long as apically wide; coriaceous to rugose, with faint transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, slightly sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally; thyridia contrastingly coloured, basal thyridia rectangular/oval, second thyridia rounded. Remaining tergites smooth and polished; third tergite with second thyridia round. Ovipositor straight, without notch; ovipositor sheath with dense and long, curved backwards-directed setae.

Body largely setose except pronotum, mesopleuron and metapleuron; setae scattered on propodeum and posterior sides of coxae

Yellow except mouthparts, fore and mid coxae, trochanters and trochantelli, creamy to light yellow, sternites creamy to brownish creamy, posterior margin of second tergite yellow to dull orange, apical flagellomeres, interocellar area, occiput, lateral patches on mesoscutum, axilla, propodeum, metasoma except sternites and posterior margin of second tergite, apical parts of hind femur, tibia and tarsi, brown.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Hosts unknown. Specimens were collected from lowland localities in Costa Rica.

Etymology. Named after the distinctly contrasting pale front half and dark back half.

Comments. Compared with the other species that have antennae on a distinct but low shelf, completely papillate face, setose eyes, and second tergite without a posterior transverse groove, the temples are narrower and the first tergite is stouter than in O. nicaraguensis and O. umbrocciput .

Material examined. Holotype female: ‘ Costa Rica, Ptas [Puntarenas] Pv, Osa P., La Palma, 10 m, 23 km N Pto Jimenez, Trap 2, XI.1990, I. Gauld & K. Gaston’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes: 3 ♀ as holotype but collection dates X.1990; XII.1990; I.1991; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Osa P., Golfo Dulce F.R., 24 km W Piedras Blancas, 200 m, Trap 2, IX.1991, I. Gauld & K. Gaston ( ZMUT); 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Alajuela Pv., San Pedro de la Tigra, Cacao, 200 m, XII.98 – II.90, Cespedes & Hanson ( USNM); 5 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Osa P., 5 km N Pto Jimenez, 10 m, X.1990 [2 individuals], XI.1990 [2], XII.1990 [1] (all BMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Lateral views: Orthocentrus wahlbergi species-group (in part). A: bicoloratus, B: flavifrons, C: harlequinus, D: mishana, E: nicaraguensis, F: pallidus. Scale 0.5 mm except in B 1.0 mm.