Lathrolestes pitunauassu

Lima, Alessandro Rodrigues & Kumagai, Alice Fumi, 2016, Lathrolestes Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Brazil, with description of two new species and a key to the Neotropical species, Zootaxa 4170 (3), pp. 587-593 : 590-591

Lathrolestes pitunauassu Lima & Kumagai sp. n.

( Figs 2 A‒F)

Type locality. Brazil, Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte (Estação Ecológica UFMG).

Diagnosis. Yellow body; with antennal flagellum completely black; metasoma with anterior half of tergite I and entire sternite I brown; basal half of tergites II–IV and entire length of tergites V+ black; fore wing infuscate at apex; area superomedia 1.4× as long as wide apically; area petiolaris as long as posterior width, apically 2.3× as wide as basally. Fore wing vein 2rs-m as long as abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu. Hind wing with distal abscissa of Cu1 joining cu-a closer to 1A than to M;

Description (Holotype). Female. Mandible slender, weakly tapered beyond middle; lower tooth 2.4× as long as the upper one. Malar space 0.3× as long as basal mandibular width. Clypeus punctate, not clearly separated from face; in lateral view flat, with margin blunt; in anterior view 2.25× as broad as long, with margin convex. Face transverse, 2.16× as broad as long ( Fig. 2 D). Eye in lateral view as broad as maximum breadth of gena ( Fig. 2 C). Lateral ocellus separated from eye by 1.6× its maximum diameter. Occipital carina dorsally complete ( Fig. 2 B), reaching base of mandible without joining hypostomal carina. Antenna with 40 flagellomeres; first flagellomere 1.5× as long as the second one.

Pronotum dorsally with a transverse impressed furrow that is smooth at midline and crossed by numerous crests laterally; epomia absent. Mesoscutum polished, densely pilose, evenly rounded in lateral view; without distinct notaulus. Mesopleuron polished, pilose, except on speculum, that is glabrous. Epicnemial carina laterally extending up to level of lower corner of pronotum; its upper end remote from the anterior margin of mesopleuron. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum reduced to lateral vestiges. Scutellum smooth and shiny; as long as anterior width; strongly convex; without lateral carina. Metapleuron inflated. Submetapleural carina broad in its entire length. Propodeum in lateral view convexly rounded; fully carinate ( Fig. 2 E); posterior transverse carina on area superomedia slightly curved towards metasoma; area superomedia 1.4× as long as wide apically; area petiolaris as long as posterior width, apically 2.3× as wide as basally; pleural carina complete.

Fore wing length 6.82 mm; vein cu-a reaching M+Cu opposite of Rs&M ( Fig. 2 A); 2rs-m as long as abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu; 2m-cu with a single bulla, joining areolet closer to 3rs-m than to 2rs-m; abscissa of Cu1 between 1m-cu and Cu1a 1.4× as long as Cu1b, and the two veins subtending an angle of about 180° in the first subdiscal cell. Hind wing with first abscissa of M+Cu1 slightly arched; first abscissa of Cu1 2.35× as long as cu-a, so distal abscissa of Cu1 joining cu-a closer to 1A than to M; distal abscissa of Rs, M, Cu1 and 1A nontubular; left hind wing R1 with six hamuli, right one with seven hamuli.

Middle leg with inner tibial spur 1.5× as long as outer one. Tarsal claw pectinate to its apex.

Metasomal tergite I granulate; 1.4× as long as posteriorly broad in dorsal view; with lateromedian longitudinal carina extending 0.65 of its length; with lateral carina present on its entire length; glymma strongly impressed; spiracle slightly before middle. Cercus disc-like. Subgenital plate subquadrate in lateral view. Ovipositor 1.2× as long as subgenital plate, basally stout, with a long shallow dorsal depression and a rather slender apical portion ( Fig. 2 F).

Head yellow, with mandible teeth, flagellum, interocellar area and two narrow stripes joining lateral ocelli and occiput black. Mesosoma yellow, with mesoscutal vittae and scuto-scutellar groove black; fore and middle legs yellow, with apical tarsomeres of fore leg and all tarsomeres of middle leg brown; hind leg orange, with apex of tibia and tarsomeres black. Metasoma yellow, anterior half of tergite I and entire sternite I brown; basal half of tergites II‒IV and entire length of tergites V+ black; ovipositor sheath, subgenital plate and precedent sternum entirely brown, other sternites laterally brown marked. Wings slightly yellowish with distal apex of fore wing distinctly infuscate; pterostigma black.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Paratype similar to holotype but antennae with 39 flagellomeres and fore wing length 7.13 mm.

Comments. The holotype has a spurious vein on the left hind wing, parallel to the first abscissa of Cu. It is considered to be a malformation since the right hind wing has no trace of such vein and this structure is not present in other Ctenopelmatinae .

Etymology. From the Brazilian Tupi pitunauassú (dark), this species is named in reference to its black flagellum.

Distribution. Lathrolestes pitunauassu Lima & Kumagai sp. n. is described from Brazil, Minas Gerais state.

Material examined. Holotype (♀). Brazil, Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Campus UFMG Pampulha , Estação Ecológica , 19°52’30”S ; 43°58’20”W, 842m, 11‒18.iii.2008, Malaise {trap}. A.F.Kumagai col. [1 ♀, CCT-UFMG- IHY-1600551]

Holotype condition. The metatarsomeres 3‒5 from both left and right legs are missing. Apart from that it is in good condition.

Paratype (3 ♀). Brasil, Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Campus UFMG Pampulha , Estação Ecológica , 19°52’30”S ; 43°58’20”W, 842m, 08‒15.iv.2008, Malaise {trap}. A.F.Kumagai col. [1 ♀, CCT-UFMG-IHY- 1600552]; same data, 08‒15.xii.2008 [1 ♀, CCT-UFMG-IHY-1502167] ; same data, 08‒15.xii.2008 [1 ♀, CCT- UFMG-IHY-1502084].

Figures

FIGURE 2. Lathrolestes pitunauassu Lima & Kumagai sp. n. (A – B, F: Holotype; C – D: Paratype) A. Female body, lateral view. B. Head and thorax, dorsal view. C – D. Head. C, lateral view; D, frontal view. E. Propodeum and tergite I, dorsal view. F. Metasoma, lateral view. Scale in millimeters.