Allophrys bribria Khalaim & Broad

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Broad, Gavin R., 2012, Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Costa Rica, part 1. Genera Allophrys Förster, Barycnemis Förster and Meggoleus To w ne s, Zootaxa 3185, pp. 36-52 : 41-42

Allophrys bribria Khalaim & Broad , sp. nov.

( Figs 4–6 , 22, 23 )

Comparison. Differs from other Costa Rican species of Allophrys by the conspicuous, almost entirely bright yellow flagellum with only the apical 2 to 6 flagellomeres fuscous ( Fig. 22 ). This species is also characterized by its extremely short temple ( Fig. 23 ), dorsally incomplete occipital carina, and weak foveate groove of mesopleuron ( Fig. 5 ).

Description. Female. Body length 3.9 mm. Fore wing length almost 2.4 mm.

Head strongly narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view; temple short, 0.38 x as long as eye width ( Fig. 23 ). Mandible slender, with upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Clypeus lenticular, punctate on its upper 0.7. Malar space 0.75 x as long as basal width of mandible. Antenna with 15 flagellomeres; subbasal flagellomeres 1.8, and mid and subapical flagellomeres about 1.4 x as long as broad; flagellomeres 4–6 with conspicuous subapical finger-shaped structures on outer surface (as in Fig. 8 ). Face and frons finely granulate, dull, without distinct punctures. Vertex and temple smooth and shining, with very fine indistinct punctures. Occipital carina dorsally absent. Hypostomal carina present.

Mesosoma not especially compressed laterally, 2.2 x as long as broad. Notaulus represented by weak, short wrinkle. Mesoscutum and scutellum finely, evenly granulate, dull, impunctate. Foveate groove on anterior half of mesopleuron, rather weak, short, strongly oblique, with short transverse wrinkles ( Fig. 5 ). Mesopleuron finely granulate, dull, with very fine punctures centrally. Propodeum evenly granulate, impunctate, with broad basal groove; basal part of propodeum 0.32 x as long as apical area. Distance between propodeal spiracle and pleural carina equal to 2.5 x diameter of spiracle. Apical area long, distinctly impressed along midline, anteriorly pointed; apical longitudinal carinae complete, reaching transverse carina anteriorly.

Fore wing with vein 2 m-cu interstitial. Vein 2 rs-m moderately long. Vein Rs +2 r almost 0.7 x as long as width of pterostigma. R 1 not reaching apex of fore wing. Hind wing with vein cu 1& cu-a strongly reclivous (angle 45°).

Legs slender; hind femur 4.2 x as long as broad. Hind spurs curved apically. Claws moderately long, not pectinate.

First tergite slender, 4.7 x as long as posteriorly broad, round in cross-section, gradually, very weakly widened from base to apex in dorsal view, smooth (petiole slightly striate laterally). Glymma absent. Second tergite 2.3 x as long as anteriorly broad. Thyridial depression very long, more than 5.0 x as long as broad. Ovipositor short, weakly upcurved ( Fig. 6 ); sheath slightly longer than first tergite or hind tibia.

Colour pattern as in Fig. 22 . Head, mesosoma, first metasomal segment orange; clypeus, palpi, mandible (teeth reddish), tegula yellow; interocellar area infusctate. Antenna with scape, pedicel, flagellomeres 1–11 yellow, flagellomeres 12–15 fuscous. Pterostigma brownish black. Legs yellow, hind femur centrally brownish. Metasoma behind first tergite yellow to brown.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. This species varies considerably in colour pattern. Five specimens from Puntarenas Province are almost identical to the holotype. Specimens from Alajuela and Heredia Provinces are slightly darker, with the body more brown than orange. Paratypes from Limón Province are much darker than other specimens, with head, mesosoma and first segment of the metasoma black instead of orange, and metasoma behind the first tergite brown to dark brown. Otherwise, in structure and coloration (especially in the colour pattern of the flagellum), these specimens correspond with the holotype, and most probably belong to the same species. Sometimes the foveate groove of the mesopleuron is rather deep, the flagellum slenderer and the apical area of the propodeum almost flat. The fuscous apex to the flagellum extends over 2 to 6 flagellomeres; the margin between the pale and dark areas of the flagellum is always sharp.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Bribri.

Material examined. Holotype female ( BMNH) Limón Prov., 4 km NE Bribri, 50 m, IX–XI.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld.

Paratypes. Alajuela Prov.: 1 Ƥ ( INBio) National Park Arenal, San Carlos, Sendero Pilón, 600 m, XI– XII.1999, coll. G. Carballo. Heredia Prov.: 1 Ƥ ( INBio) Biological Station La Selva, 10º26′ N, 84º01′ W, 50–150 m, XI.1993. Puntarenas Prov.: 2 Ƥ ( BMNH) Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulse Forest Reserve, 3 km SW Rincon, 10 m, VI & IX.1991, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston. 2 Ƥ ( BMNH) same data, but I & III.1993. 1 Ƥ ( ZISP) Biological Reserve Carara, Estación Que brada Bonita, 50 m, V–VI.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld. Limón Prov.: Sector Cerro Cocori, Francisca de Elías Rojas, 150 m, coll. E. Rojas: 1 Ƥ ( ZISP) IV.1992, 5 Ƥ (4 Ƥ INBio, 1 Ƥ ZISP) IX.1992, 1 Ƥ ( INBio) XII.1992 – I.1993, 1 Ƥ ( INBio) XI.1993 – I.1994.

Distribution. Costa Rica (Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, Limón).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Allophrys sp., Ƥ: 1 — head, latero-ventro-posterior. Allophrys barycnemica sp. nov., Ƥ: 2 — head with antenna, left; 3 — mesosoma and hind leg (without tarsus), left. Allophrys bribria sp. nov., Ƥ: 4 — head with antenna, left; 5 — mesosoma and first metasomal segment, left; 6 — apex of metasoma with ovipositor, left. Allophrys compressor sp. nov., Ƥ: 7 — anterior part of mesosoma and head with antenna, left; 8 — flagellomeres 4 to 8 of antenna, left.

FIGURES 22 – 28. Allophrys bribria sp. nov., Ƥ: 22 — whole insect, left; 23 — head, dorsal. Allophrys compressor sp. nov., Ƥ: 24 — head with antennae, latero-ventro-anterior. Allophrys megafrons sp. nov., Ƥ: 25 — whole insect, left. Allophrys noyesi sp. nov., Ƥ: 26 — whole insect, left; 27 — head, dorsal. Barycnemis costaricensis sp. nov., Ƥ: 28 — whole insect, left.