Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970

Lima, Adriane G. M., Pádua, Diego G., Araujo, Rodrigo O., Mazariegos, Luis A. & Fernandes, Daniell R. R., 2024, Revisiting the Darwin wasp genus Epelaspis Townes, 1970 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Phygadeuontinae): five new species, new records and a key to Neotropical species, Zootaxa 5468 (1), pp. 52-74 : 55-58

Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970

( Fig. 2 A–E , female; Fig. 3 A–E , male)

Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970: 11 . Holotype female, Argentina (EMUS, not examined) [Entomology Museum, Utah State University, Logan , Utah, United States of America]

Material examined. 4females and 1 male. BRAZIL,ES [Espírito Santo], Santa Teresa,Est.[Estação]Biol.[Biológica] Santa Lúcia, 09.V.2006, YPT [Yellow Pan Trap], M.T. Tavares, C.A. Azevedo & eq. leg. (3 females, UFES) ; same except Sta.[Santa] M.[Maria] de Jetibá, Faz.[Fazenda] Clarindo Krüger , 20°04’27.9”S 40°44’51.3”W, 29.XI-06.XII.2002, Malaise [trap] T6, Tavares , Azevedo & eq. cols. (1 female, UFES) ; Rio de Janeiro, Teresópolis , PARNASO [Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos], 22°26’55.1”S, 43°00’16.4”W. Altitude : 1246m. Pto 9B, Malaise trap, II.2015, R.F. Monteiro e cols. (1 male, DCBU) .

Diagnosis. Epelaspis anorus can be distinguished from all other Neotropical species of Epelaspis by the combination of the following characters: (1) Metapleuron smooth; (2) Epomia complete (except in the males, it is anteriorly present); (3) Tergal-sternal suture of the first metasomal segment with a weak crest; (4) Tergite 1 without dorsolateral carina (except in the males, it is weakly present and straight) ( Figs 2 and 3 ).

Remarks. Female. Body length (head to T8) 4.76–7.30 mm.

Head. Frons polished, concave with antennal scrobe M-shaped, striae on the antennal scrobe, sparse punctation and short setae. Face mat, weak granulated, weak convex with punctation with setae ( Fig. 2C ). Carinae W-shaped weak starting from the antennal socket and extending to almost half of the face, without papilla ( Fig. 2C ). Clypeus with sparse punctation ( Fig. 2C ). Gena length 0.15–0.23 mm. Eye height 0.67–0.97 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.09– 0.13 mm. Shortest distance between anterior and posterior ocelli 0.05–0.06 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.12–0.15 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli 0.06–0.14 mm.

Mesosoma . Pronotum polished and smooth. Epomia complete. Epicnemial carina weak oblique. Epicnemium polished with sparse punctation. Mesoscutum with short setae ( Fig. 2B ). Scuto-scutellar groove polished and smooth. Scutellum polished with sparse punctation and short setae. Propodeum polished, area externa with sparse punctation and short setae; area superomedia not laterally delimited ( Fig. 2D ). Mesopleuron and metapleuron polished and smooth. Legs with punctation and short setae, tarsus with denticles; fore leg with one tibial spur, mid leg and hind leg with two asymmetrical tibial spurs. Fore wing length 3.65–4.65 mm. Hind femur length 1.14–1.65 mm. Hind tibia length 1.39–1.99 mm.

Metasoma. Tergal-sternal suture of first metasomal segment with a weak crest. Tergite 1 without dorsolateral carina and lateromedian carina ( Fig. 2B ). Tergite 2 with thyridium ( Fig. 2B ). Tergite 1 length 0.73–1.23 mm. Anterior width of tergite 1 0.10–0.18 mm. Posterior width of tergite 1 0.29 mm. Tergite 2 length 0.49–0.72 mm. Anterior width of tergite 2 0.38–0.83 mm. Posterior width of tergite 2 0.49–1.12 mm. Tergite 3 length 0.37–0.62 mm. Anterior width of tergite 3 0.46–1.07 mm. Posterior width of tergite 3 0.41–0.85 mm. Ovipositor length 1.09– 2.06 mm.

Coloration. ( Fig. 2 ) Head dorsally yellowish orange. Scape, pedicel and annellus yellowish orange (or whitish yellow). Flagellomeres I–III yellowish orange, flagellomeres IV–VI whitish yellow, flagellomeres VIII–XXII brownish gray. Clypeus whitish yellow. Gena yellowish orange (or whitish yellow). Mandibular teeth whitish yellow with apex brownish red. Face whitish yellow. Mesoscutum and scutellum yellowish orange. Legs yellowish orange with tarsus apex brown (or tarsus brown). Metasoma yellowish orange. (or tergites 1 and 2 yellowish orange and tergite 3 onward light brown).

Male. ( Fig. 3 ) Body length (head to T8) 4.55 mm. Similar to female, but has epomia present anteriorly. Tergite 1 with dorsolateral carina weak and straight ( Fig. 3B ). Gena length 0.25 mm. Eye height 0.62 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.11 mm. Shortest distance between anterior and posterior ocelli 0.07 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.13 mm. Shortest distance between posterior ocelli 0.09 mm. Fore wing length 3.84 mm. Hind femur length 1.18 mm. Hind tibia length 1.43 mm.

Tergite 1 length 0.37 mm. Anterior width of tergite 1 0.11 mm. Posterior width of tergite 1 0.29 mm. Tergite 2 length 0.46 mm. Anterior width of tergite 2 0.32 mm. Posterior width of tergite 2 0.31 mm. Tergite 3 length 0.32 mm. Anterior width of tergite 3 0.29 mm. Posterior width of tergite 3 0.39 mm. Coloration. Head dorsally yellowish orange. Scape, pedicel and annellus yellowish orange, and base of first flagellomere brownish orange. Clypeus whitish yellow. Gena yellowish orange. Mandibular teeth whitish yellow with apex brownish red. Mesoscutum and scutellum yellowish orange. Hind coxa yellowish orange. Tergite 1 yellowish orange, tergite 2 onwards brownish gray.

Distribution. Argentina, Brazil ** (Espírito Santo * and Rio de Janeiro *) ( Fig. 4 ).

Host. Unknown.

Discussion. Epelaspis anorus is most similar to the E. constantinoi Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. for the clypeus truncated and antennal scrobe M-shaped with striae. However, E. anorus differs from E. constantinoi Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov. in the following characters: pronotum without marginal striae (marginal striae in E. constantinoi Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov.) and metapleuron smooth (weakly granulated with sparse punctation in E. constantinoi Lima & Fernandes , sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–E: Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970. Female. A: habitus, lateral view; B: habitus, dorsal view; C: head, frontal view; D: propodeum, dorsal view; E: fore wing, ventral view.

FIGURE 3. A–E: Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970. Male. A: habitus, lateral view; B: habitus, dorsal view; C: head, frontal view; D: propodeum, dorsal view; E: fore wing, ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Epelaspis anorus Townes, 1970. Distribution map (purple circle for type locality and yellow circle for new record).