Melanichneumon nigroclypeatus, Riedel, 2023

Riedel, Matthias, 2023, Notes on Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from southern China, with descriptions of one new genus and twelve new species, Contributions to Entomology 73 (2), pp. 223-248 : 223

Melanichneumon nigroclypeatus sp. nov.

Figs 6 , 33-37

Type material.

Holotype: (♀) China, Yunnan, Gongshan 10 km NW, 27.798°N, 98.583°E, 2100 m elev., 12.VI.2009, leg. Blank, Liston & Taeger.

Etymology.

The species name refers to the black clypeus.

Description.

Female. Body length 15 mm. Flagellum with 52 segments, moderately lanceolate; 1st flagellar segment 1.5 × as long as wide; 4th segment square; widest segments 1.9 × as wide as long. Temple moderately and roundly narrowed behind eye. OED 1.2 × and OOD 1.1 × ocellar diameter. Temple and frons with fine dense punctures. Face granulated and densely punctate, ± dull. Clypeus almost flat, ca. 3.5 × as wide as long, with rather dense punctures basally and sparse punctures apically; apical margin sharp and slightly concave. Mandible large, with two teeth; ventral tooth much smaller than dorsal tooth. Malar space 0.6 × as long as width of mandibular base. Gena in profile 1.1 × as wide as eye, with rather dense punctures ventrally. Genal carina reaching hypostomal carina very close to mandibular base, both carinae low.

Notaulus slightly impressed at anterior margin of mesoscutum. Mesoscutum with fine and dense punctures and microsculpture, but shining. Mesopleuron and metapleuron densely punctate, ventral mesopleuron with some striae posteriorly; speculum punctate; juxtacoxal carina present. Scutellum almost flat and slightly longer than wide, with rather dense punctures, without lateral carina. Propodeum rugose-punctate, without apophysis, spiracle slit-shaped. Area basalis 1.5 × as wide as long, with median tubercle. Area superomedia dome-shaped, 1.3 × as long as wide. Costula absent. Area petiolaris with transverse rugae and distinct lateral carina. Hind coxa densely punctate, without scopa, with a ± shaped longitudinal edge ventrally. Hind femur stout, densely punctate, 3.0 × as long as wide. External surfaces of all tibiae with multiple strong denticular spines. Tarsal claws simple. Areolet pentagonal, frontal distance between veins 2rs-m and 3rs-m 2 × diameter of these veins; vein 2m-cu slightly distal to its middle. Vein 1cu-a s postfurcal by 1 × its width.

Metasoma oxypyygous. Postpetiole moderately widened, without latero-median carina, densely punctate. Gastrocoelus distinctly impressed and with some coarse longitudinal ridges. Thyridium small, distinctly oblique, 0.3 × as wide as interval between thyridia. 2nd and 3rd sternites with median fold. 2nd tergite about as wide as long. 2nd and 3rd tergites dense punctate and shining. Following tergites with superficial punctures, ± shining. Ovipositor sheath slightly reaching beyond metasomal apex.

Colour. Black with extensive ivory colouration. Mandible centrally and scape ventrally reddish. Ivory dorsal stripes of flagellar segments 8-16, palps, base of mandible, face, except large triangular baso-median black spot, wide frontal orbit up to vertex, gena, collar, upper margin and ventral edge of pronotum, two paramedian stripes of mesoscutum, spot of tegula, subtegular ridge, longitudinal stripe of mesopleuron, upper division of metapleuron, scutellum, postscutellum, small spot frontal to propodeal spiracle, large posterolateral spot of propodeum, posterior bands of 1st to 4th tergites (interrupted medially on 4th tergite) and large median spots of 6th and 7th tergites. Legs black; fore- and mid-coxae, except black bases, dorsal and ventral spots of hind coxa, all trochanters, apical spots on fore- and mid-femora, frontal stripes of fore- and mid-tibiae and tarsomeres, except black distal tarsomeres, small central spot of hind tibia and external stripes on 2nd to 4th hind tarsomeres ivory. Wings slightly yellowish; pterostigma reddish with darker margins.

Male. Unknown.

Remark.

This new species is a typical member of the genus Melanichneumon Thomson. It resembles the Palaearctic and Oriental M. albipictus (Gravenhorst, 1820) and M. spectabilis (Holmgren, 1864), but differs by the ivory posterolateral spots on 4th tergite and the extensive ivory patterning of the legs.

Figures

Figures 6 - 7. Habitus, lateral view: 6. Melanichneumon nigroclypeatus HT; 7. Cratolaboides chinensis HT.

Figures 33 - 37. Melanichneumon nigroclypeatus sp. nov. HT: 33. Face, frontal view; 34. Head, dorsal view; 35. Propodeum, dorsal view; 36. Basal tergites, dorsal view; 37. Hind femur and tibia, lateral view.