Symplecis glabroscutum Varga, 2023

Varga, Oleksandr, 2023, One sample-three new species: an example of species richness of the genus Symplecis Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae: Orthocentrinae) in Burundi, Zootaxa 5311 (2), pp. 289-296 : 292-294

Symplecis glabroscutum Varga , sp. n. ( Fig. 3 )

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, BURUNDI: Kibira National Park , 2.93315° S, 29.50583° E, 2177 m, mixed forest, Malaise trap, bamboo near small meadow, 29.i–12.ii.2010, leg. R. Copeland (deposited in: MRAC).

Diagnosis. Symplecis glabroscutum sp. n. is characterized by the combination of the following characters: clypeus dark brown, almost touching eye ( Fig. 3B ); mesosoma largely black except orange pronotum; mesoscutum glabrous ( Fig. 3C ); propodeum with area superomedia not delimited by carinae, costulae absent ( Fig. 3D ); fore wing with vein 3rs-m present; hind wing with nervellus intercepted below the middle ( Fig. 3E ); hind coxa from outer side smooth; first metasomal tergite 2.6× as long as apical width; second tergite longitudinally striae ( Fig. 3F ); Ovipositor 1.6× as long as fifth tarsomere of hind tarsus.

Symplecis glabroscutum sp. n. is similar with S. kibiraensis sp. n. in having fore wing with vein 3rs-m present and body colouration, but differs in having dark clypeus (yellow in S. kibiraensis sp. n.), glabrous mesoscutum (pubescent in S. kibiraensis sp. n.) intercepted nervellus (not intercepted in S. kibiraensis sp. n.) and smooth hind coxa (granulate in S. kibiraensis sp. n.).

Description. Female. Holotype ( Fig. 3 ). Body length approximately 3.8 mm. Fore wing 3 mm.

Head ( Fig. 3B ) smooth and sparsely pubescent. Antenna with 19 flagellomeres, first flagellomere 4.8× as long as wide. Face about 0.9× as long as wide, smooth and sparsely punctate, with traces of granulation; eyes strongly convergent to clypeus, glabrous. Malar space short, 0.25× the basal width of mandible; subocular sulcus distinct. Clypeus 0.5× as long as wide, flat, shiny and indistinctly granulate, apical margin weakly bent outwards. Mandible bidentate, not twisted. Temples short and strongly narrowed behind eyes (dorsal view). Frons and vertex smooth; length of the ocellar-ocular distance 1.3× maximum diameter of lateral ocellus; occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma ( Figs3C–D )smooth and sparsely pubescent.Propleuron smooth.Pronotum smooth; epomia is difficult to observe due to head position. Mesoscutum glabrous, with only single setae along anterior margin; notauli present, but weak. Scutellum smooth, with carinae present only on basal 0.1; scuto-scutellar groove wide. Mesopleuron smooth; epicnemial carina present; sternaulus deep and long. Metapleuron smooth, indistinctly sculptured; pleural and submetapleural carinae present. Propodeum smooth; apical transverse carina and lateromedian longitudinal carina on apical 0.8 present; apophyses absent.

Legs relatively slender; hind femur 5.0× as long as wide, hind coxa more or less entirely smooth; third tarsomere of hind tarsus 1.2× as long as fifth tarsomere; tarsal claws simple.

Wings ( Fig. 3E ). Fore wing with vein 2 rs-m short, about 0.6× the distance between 2 rs-m and 2 m-cu; vein 3rs-m present; vein 1cu-a opposite to M & Rs; hind wing with nervellus intercepted; distal abscissa of Cu absent.

Metasoma ( Fig. 3F ) strongly sculptured and sparsely pubescent. First tergite 2.6× as long as apical width, longitudinally striae apically; carinae indistinct. Second tergite 1.1× as long as apical width, longitudinally striae. Third tergite weakly granulate basally; the remaining tergites smooth. Ovipositor short, about 0.3× as long as hind tibia and 1.6× as long as fifth tarsomere of hind tarsus.

Colour. Body generally black. Head black except most of scape and pedicel largely, and mandible (except apices) yellowish; clypeus dark brown. Mesosoma black except pronotum and subtegular ridge orange; tegula yellow; scutellum brown. Legs generally yellowish-brown; fore and mid legs yellow; hind leg brownish except coxa basally and trochanter partly yellow. Metasoma with tergites 1–2 black; third tergite yellow; the remaining tergites dark brown. Ovipositor sheaths yellow basally, brown apically. Pterostigma and veins brown.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The new species is named after the glabrous mesoscutum.

Distribution. Currently known only from Burundi.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Symplecis glabroscutum Varga, sp. n., holotype female. A—lateral view of habitus; B—frontal view of face; C—dorsal view of mesoscutum; D—dorsal view of propodeum; E—wings; F—dorsal view of metasomal tergites 1–3.