Melanocryptus tamoios sp. nov. Lima & Penteado-Dias, 2021

Lima, Thalita Da Silva & Penteado-Dias, Angélica Maria, 2021, A new species of Melanocryptus Cameron, 1902 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae Cryptinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Zootaxa 4974 (3), pp. 596-599 : 596-599

Melanocryptus tamoios sp. nov. Lima & Penteado-Dias, 2021

( Figs 1–3 )

Material Examined: Holotype: 1♀ (# DCBU 413032 ) “Paraty, RJ, Brasil, Trilha Tamoios – Continente , S 23 o 01’56” W 44 o 33’27”, armadilha Moericke 01 (54m), 14-17.VIII.2018, A.S. Soares col.”

Description, Female ( Fig. 1 ). Fore wing length 7.13 mm.

Head. Antenna with 27 flagellomeres. Flagellomeres (17th–26th) ventrally with conspicuous apical hairy projection (“tuft of pilosity”) ( Fig. 2 ). Clypeus punctate, with one well developed preapical pointy triangular tooth. Supraclypeal area sparsely pilose, with midlongitudinal elevation; supra-antennal area smooth; coronal suture distinct. Malar space 1.3× mandible basal width. Carina occipital apically meeting with hypostomal carina before mandible base.

Mesosoma . Mesosoma mostly punctate, with sparse pilosity. Epomia short, but visible. Pronotum with rugosities laterally. Mesoscutum with notaulus thin, delicately crenulate, linear, ending at center of mesoscutum. Epicnemial carina present, reaching less than half of subalar ridge. Subalar ridge noticeable, elongate and swollen. Sternaulus deep, sinuous, delicately crenulated. Mesepimeron rugulose. Lateral scutellar carina advancing shortly over scutellum; scutellum is punctate, swollen and elongate. Pleural carina not linear, microcrenulate, with rugosities that extend minimally to the propodeum. Postpectal carina present. White moderate pilosity covering upper and lower divisions of metapleuron. Propodeum with portion anterior punctate; posterior portion, thin rugulose; anterior transversal carina complete, centrally slightly curved forward; posterior transverse carina represented by three low apophysis: two lateral and one central. Propodeal spiracle 1.9× longer than wide. Fore wing vein 2m-cu with one bulla; areolet large and pentagonal; vein 1M+Rs a little curved toward wing base; vein 2Cua 0.90 length of crossvein 2 cu-a. Hind wing Cua 1.72× length of crossvein cu-a.

Metasoma. Tergites finely punctuated; T1 base finely rugose, apex smooth; T2 moderately pilose and finely rugose. Apex of T3 and T4 with an impressed transversal line. T1 spiracle slightly beyond middle; dorsolateral and ventrolateral carinae distinct; S1 ending basad of level of spiracle. Ovipositor apparently blade shaped (a little apical fragment of the dorsal valve is missing), 1.11× length of hind tibia; ventral valve ridges with subapical irregularity with well pronounced denticles.

Color. Predominantly black, with weak bluish reflections. Labial and maxillary palpus black. Fore tibia with whitish stripe laterally. Apex of T1, T2 and T7 with a central white spot ( Fig. 3 ). S2 with pilosity whitish to yellowish. Fore wing weakly infuscate and darkened along the apex (not covering the areolet). Hind wing weakly infuscate. Ovipositor dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Paraty, RJ, Brazil.

Host. Unknown.

Etymology. The name Tamoios is a reference to the indigenous people and in honor to the Conservation Unit, Estação Ecológica de Tamoios (ESEC-Tamoios).

Remarks. Although Townes (1970) classified only one subtribe for Melanocryptus , in a large scale phylogenetic study by Santos (2017), Melanocryptus was included within a wide and heterogeneous group corresponding to the Lymeon group of genera, composed of members of the former subtribes Baryceratina , Cryptina, Gabuniina , Goryphina, Lymeonina and Melanocryptina sensu Townes.

Comments. The other female Melanocryptus species with infuscate fore wing, have the tergites entirely black or dark brown ( M. dnopheros , M. tupan , M. violaceipennis ) or at least the most part them ( M. aurantius ), without whitish spots or stripes. Melanocryptus tamoios has darkened tergites with white spots and infuscate wings. Futhermore, M. tamoios has a “tuft of pilosity” in the apicoventrally area of eight flagellomeres, not present for any other females, but similar to that of the male of M. hadroglyptus ( Aguiar & Santos 2015) .

Figures

FIGURE 1: Melanocryptus tamoios sp. nov., Holotype female, habitus.

FIGURE 2–3. Melanocryptus tamoios sp. nov. Holotype, female. 2. Flagellomeres apical region, lateral view. 3. Metasoma, dorsal view.