Augerella orientalis ( Gupta, 1962 )

Pham, Nhi Thi, Broad, Gavin R. & Lampe, Karl-Heinz, 2010, Descriptions of two new species of Augerella Gupta (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) and the first record of A. orientalis (Gupta) from Vietnam, Zootaxa 2654, pp. 17-29 : 18-20

Augerella orientalis ( Gupta, 1962)

Theronia (Augerella) orientalis, 1962 . Holotype: Ψ, Philippines: Mt. Canlaon, 1100 m, Negros Oriental, 30.IV.1953, H., M., & D. Townes.

Augerella orientalis: Yu & Horstmann (1997)

Diagnosis. Clypeus flat, slightly convex at base; mesopleurum without black marks; upper valve of ovipositor bulb-like near apex, without ridges.

Description (Specimens from Vietnam) ( Fig. 1 ). Head. First antennal flagellomere 1.36 times length of second; diameter of lateral ocellus 1.52 times longer than ocellar-ocular space; frons smooth, with two small tubercles in front of median ocellus; face 0.72–0.74 times as high as wide, with shallow and moderate-sized punctures, numerous long hairs; clypeus flat, basal part slightly convex, apical margin truncate; malar space about 0.30 times basal width of mandible.

Mesosoma . Epomia present, length about 0.30 times basal width of mandible; mesoscutum with dense hairs, notauli absent; scutellum strongly convex, round at summit, apically smooth, without striations, lateral carinae extending to summit; upper part of mesopleurum subpolished with several punctures and long hairs, those more dense on lower part, epicnemial carina present on lower half of mesopleurum, postpectal carina indistinct; submetapleural carina higher next to mid coxa, forming prominent lobe, on lobe bearing two median ridges, metapleurum with distinct ridges extending from submetapleural carina to posterior margin near hind coxa; propodeum with areola widened posteriorly, 0.65−1.00 times as high as wide, apical transverse carina complete or weak medially, pleural part present, dividing pleural area into two sub-areas; costula present, sometimes reduced as stub attached to lateral longitudinal carina; petiole smooth; propodeal spiracle elongate, 3 times longer than wide. Legs. Hind femur 3.00–3.20 times as long as wide, length 0.86 times hind tibia, hind basitarsus 0.32 times hind tarsus, second hind tarsomere 0.60 times basitarsus. Wings. Fore wing 10.00–12.00 mm, vein 2 rs-m 0.67 times length of 3 rs -m; cu-a opposite Rs+M; hind wing with first abscissa of vein Cu 1 about 0.56 times length of vein cu-a.

Metasoma. First tergite 1.30–1.45 times longer than apical width, lateral carina on first tergite extending over spiracle; ovipositor straight, 0.80 times as long as hind tibia, 1.54 times longer than first tergite, lower valves with eight to ten vertical ridges at tip, upper valve smooth with bulb-like expansion near apex.

Colour. Ground colour lemon yellow; antenna blackish, except lower part of scape yellow; ocellar area and hind slope of vetex partly black; frons behind antennal sockets black; mesoscutum with three black stripes, meeting posteriorlly or parallel, middle stripe narrower before meeting black mark at base of scutellum; tegula black posteriorly; propodeum with blackish spots on first lateral areas, these spots varying in size, sometimes absent; mid tibia with or without black stripe at base, mid tarsus brown to blackish; hind coxa with two black spots at apex (outer and inner sides), sometimes inner spot or both absent; hind femur and hind tibia with black bands both basally and apically, these bands sometimes paler on hind tibia; hind femur with narrow basal and broad apical black bands; hind tibia with broad basal and narrow apical black bands; hind tarsus blackish brown to black; wings yellowish, duller apically, pterostigma and veins blackish; each abdominal tergite with two black spots, those on first tergite smaller, sometimes absent; abdominal sternites whitish, without black spots; ovipositor light brown and ovipositor sheath blackish.

Distribution. Outside of Vietnam, this species is known from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This is the first country record of Augerella orientalis for Vietnam ( Fig. 6).

Comments. Four subspecies of A. orientalis are currently known: A. orientalis borneensis ( Gupta, 1962) from Malaysia; A. orientalis himalayensis ( Gupta, 1962) from India; A. orientalis orientalis ( Gupta, 1962) from Indonesia and the Philippines; and A. orientalis mindorensis ( Gupta, 1962) from the Philippines. The specimens from Vietnam resemble the two latter subspecies by having a rounded scutellum and lateral carina extending to summit. In terms of colour pattern, four specimens from southern Vietnam and another male specimen from Nghe An Province are similar to A. orientalis orientalis by the presence of two black spots on the first lateral area of propodeum, on first tergite, and on hind coxa. They only differ from this subspecies by having medium or small black spots on the first tergite. These black spots are not as broad as those of A. orientalis orientalis . Seven female specimens from northern Vietnam differ from A. orientalis orientalis by the absence of two black spots on tergite 1. Four of them are similar to A. orientalis mindorensis by the absence of black spots (or only small dark spot present on the outer side) on hind coxa. However, they are not definitely assigned to the latter subspecies as the first tergite lacks black spots. Because many species of Ichneumonidae (and other insects) exhibit substantial colour variation across their ranges in southeastern Asia, we do not consider it worthwhile describing these variations as a new subspecies whilst so little is known about the ranges of ichneumonids in this region.

Material examined. Hanoi, Gia Lam, Da Ton, orchard: 1Ψ, between 02–14.VII.2001, malaise trap, leg. Khuat D. L.; Ha Noi, Ba Vi, Khanh Thuong, forest: 1Ψ, 16.VIII.2006, hand net, leg. Nguyen T. T. H.; Vinh Phuc, Me Linh, Ngoc Thanh, forest: 1Ψ, 150–200 m a.s.l, 11.X.2005; 1Ψ, 21.VII.2010, hand net, leg. Pham T. N.; 1Ψ, 150–200 m a.s.l, 15.VII.2007, Malaise trap, leg. Pham H. T.; Dong Nai, Cat Tien NP, forest: 2Ψ, 100 m a.s.l, 01–09.X.2005, Malaise trap, leg. C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries ; Nghe An, Tuong Duong, Tam Quang, forest: 1Ψ, 150–170 m a.s.l, 14.IV.2006; 1ɗ, 150–170 m a.s.l, 17.IV.2006; 1Ψ, 400–600 m a.s.l, 12.VII.2006; 1Ψ, 400–600 m a.s.l, 16.VII.2006, hand net, leg. Le X. H.; Ninh Thuan, Phuoc Binh NP, forest: 2Ψ, 300 m a.s.l, 12.XI.2008, hand net, leg. Truong X. L.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Augerella orientalis a) lateral view; b) clypeus; c) ovipositor; d) dorsal view of propodeum; e) dorsal view of scutellum; f) wings; g) metapleurum. Scale: 1 mm, except 0.5 mm for clypeus, ovipositor, and scutellum.