Orthocentrus quercus 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 : 210-211

Orthocentrus quercus Veijalainen , sp. nov.

Figs 1 E, 6 E, 8 E, 11 E, 13 E.

Fore wing length 3.3–3.4 mm.

Face medially 1.1x wider than high; face smooth and densely punctate medially, eyes not setose, at most with isolated short hairs, dorsal ridge of face inbetween antennal sockets without a median prominence; face profile straight, slightly impressed dorsally, edge of clypeus very straight, antennal sockets on a high shelf; malar groove shallow, narrow, sculptured, slightly bent towards occiput, somewhat sinuous; maxillary palp short, reaching about to fore coxa. In dorsal view, head posteriorly moderately concave, temples distinct, posterior ocelli distant from eye by 1.0x ocellar diameter, anterior ocellus separated from eye by 2.0–2.5x ocellar diameter, with faint ocellar-ocular groove. Minimum distance between antennal sockets about one third of the diameter of socket; antenna thick, curled, with 30 similar-sized transverse-quadrate flagellomeres (n=2) which not gradually shortening towards apex; basal flagellomere 1.0x as wide as high and about 1/3 of the length of scape; scape parallel-sided.

Mesosoma smooth and polished except pronotum with short striations centrally and postero-ventrally, propodeum microsculptured especially laterally; mesoscutum lacking notauli; in profile, scutellum not particularly high, metapleuron not convex; propodeum with posterior transverse carina clearly present between lateral longitudinal carinae and traces of posterior transverse carina present laterally to lateral longitudinal carinae, median longitudinal carinae complete, lateral longitudinal carinae weak but present posteriorly, fading just posterior to spiracles, spiracles small.

Legs all slightly flattened, broad; coxae and femora polished, femora with coriaceous microsculpture on posterior sides, tibiae and tarsi coriaceous-granulate; hind coxa 1.1x as long as first tergite, hind femur 3.0x as long as high, hind tibia 4.0–4.3x as long as apically wide; tibiae with spine-like setae.

Wings not particularly narrow; fore wing with areolet closed (3rs-m weakly sclerotized), large, only slightly longer than high, 2m-cu meeting areolet at apical 0.7–0.8, vein Rs straight; hind wing vein cu-a slightly angulate at interception, at about lower 0.8.

First tergite elongate, slightly widening apically, 1.6–1.8x as long as apically wide; polished and coriaceousstrigose, with median longitudinal carinae, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally. Second tergite 1.0–1.2x as long as apically wide; polished with some coriaceous microsculpture anteriorly, transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, sometimes gently meeting centrally; basal thyridia oval. Remaining tergites unsculptured. Ovipositor rather thin, straight, without notch; ovipositor sheath pointed, with setae longer than sheath width and strongly curved, backwards pointing.

Body largely setose except eyes, pronotum, mesopleuron and metapleuron; setae very scattered on basal tergites and posterior sides of coxae.

Dark brown to black except fore leg, mid leg dorsally, hind trochantellus, apical half of hind trochanter, basal half of hind tibia, two long triangles on upper face (broad sides dorsal, meeting) and apex of clypeus dull yellow; antennal scape yellowish laterally, flagellomeres paler ventrally, proximally; mouthparts and sternites creamy to creamy brown.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Hosts unknown. All specimens were collected in high altitude Quercus forest in Costa Rica.

Etymology. Named after the oak forest habitat in which the species has been collected.

Comments. Compared with other species with antennae on a high shelf and glabrous eyes, the face is not laterally distinctly flattened, unlike in O. anguillae , O. concrispus , O. pentagonum , and O. shieldsi ; the first tergite is not as polished as in O. teres ; the second tergite is polished and the areolet is large, unlike in O. scurra .

Material examined. Holotype female: ‘ Costa Rica, Cartago Pv, Cerro de la Muerte, Villa Mills, 3000 m, II– III.90, Gauld’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes: 1 ♀, same data as holotype; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, San José Pv., Cerro de la Muerte, 16 km S Empalme, 2600 m, XII.88, Gauld ( BMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lateral views: Orthocentrus shieldsi species-group (in part). A: anguillae, B: pentagonum, C: concrispus, D: hispidus, E: quercus, F: shieldsi. Scale 0.5 mm.