Aptesis elongata Li & Sheng

Li, Tao, Sheng, Mao-Ling & Sun, Shu-Ping, 2013, Chinese species of the genus Aptesis Foerster (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) parasitizing sawflies, with descriptions of three new species and a key to species, ZooKeys 290, pp. 55-73 : 58-60

Aptesis elongata Li & Sheng sp. n. Figures 1−9

Etymology.

The name of the new species is based on the elongate area superomedia.

Types.

Holotype, female, CHINA: Jialing River, Shaanxi Province, 18 May 2010, 2025m, leg. Tao Li. Paratypes: 2 females, CHINA: Pingheliang, Shaanxi Province, 29 October 2009, leg. Tao Li; 1 female, CHINA: Pingheliang, Shaanxi Province, 6 April 2010, leg. Tao Li; 1 female, CHINA: Jialing River, Shaanxi Province, 10 May 2010, 2025m, leg. Tao Li. All specimens reared from Pristiphora erichsonii , except one female from Pristiphora xibei in Pingheliang on 6 April 2010.

Diagnosis.

Clypeus about 1.6 times as wide as long. Malar space approximately 1.3 times as long as basal width of mandible. Postocellar line approximately 1.6 times as long as ocular-ocellar line. Antenna with 21 to 23 flagellomeres. Vein 2-Cu approximately 2.3 times as long as 2cu-a. Hind wing vein 1-cu about 4.0 times as long as cu-a. First tergum about 1.5 times as long as apical width. Ovipositor sheath about 0.7 times as long as hind tibia.

Description.

Female (Fig. 1). Body length 5.0 to 7.0 mm. Fore wing length 4.0 to 6.0 mm.

Head. Face (Fig. 2) about 1.7 times as wide as long, with fine leathery granulose texture and evenly dense punctures; centrally convex; upper margin concave, with a small median protuberance. Clypeus evenly convex, about 1.6 times as wide as long; basally with texture as face, with weak transverse wrinkles; subapex smooth; apical margin flat. Mandible with dense punctures, upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth. Malar space with fine granulose texture, approximately 1.3 times as long as basal width of mandible. Gena (Fig. 3) smooth with dense fine punctures; median portion weak convex. Ocellar triangle medially with dense fine punctures; remainder of vertex with fine granulose texture (Fig. 4). Postocellar line approximately 1.6 times as long as ocular-ocellar line. Upper portion of frons flat with fine granulose texture; lower portion concave with fine leathery texture. Antenna with 21 to 23 flagellomeres, ratio of length from first to fifth flagellomeres: 7.0:8.0:6.5:5.5:5.0. Occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma. Pronotum anteriorly with fine wrinkles and dense punctures; medially with fine oblique wrinkles and fine punctures; upper posterior portion smooth, with fine granulose texture and dense fine punctures. Mesoscutum (Fig. 5) weakly convex, smooth with evenly dense punctures. Notaulus evident approximately on anterior half of mesoscutum. Scutellum evenly convex, smooth with dense fine punctures. Postscutellum transverse, with texture as scutellum. Median portion of mesopleuron (Fig. 6) weakly convex, smooth with evenly fine punctures; lower portion flat, with irregular fine wrinkles and dense fine punctures. Epicnemial carina distinct, approximately reaching subalar ridge; lower portion of subalar ridge weakly concave, with fine transverse wrinkles. Sternaulus distinct, reaching margin of mesopleuron, apically ventral to ventral-posterior corner of mesopleuron. Speculum big, smooth and shiny. Scrobe with strong groove. Metapleuron weakly convex; upper portion smooth with densely fine punctures, lower portion with irregular wrinkles. Juxtacoxal area with fine granulose texture. Juxtacoxal carina and submetapleural carina complete. Legs robust. Ratio of length of hind tarsomeres 1:2:3:4:5 is 19.0:9.0:6.5:4.0:7.0. Fore wing (Fig. 9) with vein 1cu-a opposite or slightly proximal or distal to 1/M. Vein 3rs-m anteriorly convergent with 2rs-m. Vein 2m-cu meets areolet at about mid-point of cell. Vein 2-Cu approximately 2.3 times as long as 2cu-a. Hind wing vein 1-cu about 4.0 times as long as cu-a. Propodeum (Fig. 7) weakly convex. Area basalis an inverse trapezium, small. Area superomedia elongate, approximately 1.3 times as long as wide, with distinct transverse wrinkles, central portion weakly concave. Costula connecting area superomedia at its middle. Posterior transverse carina of propodeum strong. Area petiolaris weakly sloping, with irregular transverse wrinkles. Area externa with fine granulose texture. Area dentipara with irregular oblique wrinkles. Propodeal spiracle circular, moderately large, near pleural carina, located at anterior 0.2 of propodeum.

Metasoma. First tergum about 1.5 times as long as apical width, with fine leathery texture, smooth. Median dorsal carinae distinct, extending beyond spiracle. Dorsolateral and ventrolateral carinae complete. Spiracle circular, very small, located at apical 0.3 times of first tergum. Second tergum (Fig. 8) approximately 0.7 times as long as apical width, with fine granulose texture; centrally with weak wrinkles. Thyridia present. Third tergum about 0.6 times as long as basal width, with texture as first tergum; basally polished. Fourth to eighth terga with texture as third tergum. Ovipositor sheath about 0.7 times as long as hind tibia. Ovipositor straight and slender, apical portion sharp, with nodus. Apical portion of lower valve with weak ridges.

Color (Fig. 1). Black, except the following. Flecks of inner orbits on frons yellowish brown with some reddish. Maxillary and labial palpi, apical half of fifth and sixth to ninth flagellomeres, tegula laterally, wing base, yellow. Fore leg (coxa, trochanters, most of femur, blackish brown), mid leg (coxa, trochanters, most of femur, blackish brown), hind leg (coxa, first trochanter, most of femur, apical portion of tibia, blackish brown), yellowish brown with some reddish. Apical half of second tergum, thyridia, third tergum (medially dark reddish brown), base of fourth tergum, reddish brown. Wing membrane brownish hyaline. Veins, pterostigma, blackish brown.

Male. Unknown.

Hosts.

Pristiphora erichsonii , Pristiphora xibei ( Hymenoptera : Tenthredinidae ).

Host plant.

Larix principis -rupprechtii ( Pinaceae ).

Biology.

The mature larva forms a cocoon inside the host’s cocoon and outside the body of the host larva.

Remarks.

This new species is similar to Aptesis corniculata Sheng 2003, but can be distinguished from the latter by the following combination of characters: face approximately 1.7 times as wide as long; fore wing vein 2-Cu approximately 2.3 times as long as 2cu-a; hind wing vein 1-cu about 4.0 times as long as cu-a; first tergum about 1.5 times as long as apical width. Aptesis corniculata : face approximately 2.0 times as wide as long; fore wing vein 2-Cu approximately 1.5 times as long as 2cu-a; hind wing vein 1-cu about 1.5 times as long as cu-a; first tergum about 1.2 times as long as apical width.