Aphanistes paolae, Alvarado, 2018

Alvarado, M., 2018, Nocturnal Aphanistes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Anomaloninae) in the Neotropical region, with the description of five new species, Zootaxa 4369 (2), pp. 221-236 : 226-228

Aphanistes paolae sp. n.

(Figs. 12–17, 33, 39–41, 48)

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the following combination of features: ovipositor without a dorsal notch and pre-apically markedly swollen, mesopleuron with a transverse concavity at the level of lower edge of speculum, mesosoma and coxae blackish-brown, and metasoma reddish-brown.

Description. Female: fore wing length 16.2 mm.

Head. Clypeus (Fig. 17) convex, apically slightly concave and produced into a very distinct point that extends well beyond mandibles when closed, beak-like in appearance; mandibles short and stout, wide at base, tapering slightly, upper tooth longer than lower tooth; malar space very narrow, about 0.1× as long as basal mandibular width (Fig. 17); frons smooth, rugulose around median ocellus, median longitudinal ridge reduced to a short carina at middle of frons (Fig. 33); ocelli large, lateral ocellus separated from compound eye by about 0.1× their own maximum diameter, distance between ocelli 0.4× their own maximum diameter; distance between lateral ocelli and occipital carina 0.1× its own maximum diameters; occipital carina mediodorsally complete but faint; occiput smooth and softly rugulose, with punctures separated by 4–5× puncture width; gena imbricate with punctures separated by 1–3× puncture width (Fig. 16); antenna with 48 flagellomeres.

Mesosoma. Pronotum imbricate with punctures separated by 1–1.5× puncture width, except strigose on ventral half and upwards along posterior margin. Mesoscutum with notauli barely impressed; smooth with punctures separated by 1–2× puncture width, except in lobes centrally with punctures separated by 0.5–1× puncture width and medial lobe in distal third rugulose. Mesoscutellar groove scrobiculate. Mesoscutellum centrally with a longitudinal concavity, smooth with deep punctures that give a rugulose appearance, punctures separated by 3–4× PLATE 3 FIGURES 12–17. Morphology of Aphanistes paolae , sp. nov. 12. Habitus in lateral view (scale bar = 5 mm) 13. Mesosoma in lateral view 14. Propodeum 15. Ovipositor in lateral view 16. Head in lateral view 17. Facial view.

puncture width, without a distinct lateral carina. Mesopleuron with a transverse concavity at level of lower edge of speculum (Fig. 13); upper concavity, smooth with punctures separated by 2–4× puncture width; bellow concavity, smooth with punctures separated by 4–5× puncture width (except anterior 0.3 scrobiculate and next to epicnemial carina); posterior margin next to mesopleural suture carinate; epicnemial carina (Fig. 13) present, extending to about 0.5× distance to upper margin; sternaulus softly rugose at middle, extending about halfway across mesopleuron; metapleuron convex, reticulate, centrally produced into a shelf-like prominence. Propodeum (Fig. 14) reticulate as on metapleuron; carinae untraceable. Legs very slender, hind coxa dorsally 2.4× as long as deep; hind trochantellus dorsally longer than broad apically, 2.2× as long as deep. Fore wing (Fig. 12) with Cu1 between 1m-cu and Cu1a 1.4× as long as Cu1b; 2+3rs-m 2× as long as abscissa of M between 3rs-m and 2m-cu; 2+3rs-m joining M at approximately an angle of 160o. Hind wing with distal abscissa of Cu1 sclerotized throughout; distal abscissa of 1A spectral.

Metasoma. Metasoma very slender; tergum II about 7.5× as long as posteriorly high (in lateral view); terga II to VIII finely punctate, with fairly long, fine pubescence on sides. Ovipositor about 0.3× as long as hind tibia; without a dorsal notch, pre-apically markedly swollen (Fig. 15).

Color. Head blackish-brown except face, orbits (except brownish next to lateral ocelli) and mandible on basal half yellowish, and antennae and malar space reddish brown; mesosoma and coxae blackish brown; metasoma and legs reddish brown, tarsomeres testaceous. Wings hyaline; pterostigma glaucous.

Male: Similar to female except: 47 flagellomeres; pronotum with punctures separated by 3–4× puncture width; fore wing with Cu1 between 1m-cu and Cu1a 1.1× as long as Cu1b; 2+3rs-m 1.8× as long as abscissa of M between 3rs-m and 2m-cu.

Male terminalia. Metasomal tergum VIII fused to metasomal tergum IX, not divided medially. Sternum VIII 0.5x as wide as long; distal end convex, centrally slightly concave. Genitalia with parameres not fused dorsobasally, separated from gonobase (Fig. 40); in lateral view (Fig. 41), 0.5x as wide as long (wide measured at level of basi-dorsal most point, and, length from that point to most distal end), distal margin more or less convex without a notch. Volsella (in ventral view) with digitus flattened, projecting sideways; cuspis flattened, projecting sideways; apodeme of volsella distally turned to side (Fig. 39). Aedeagus apically downturned; apodeme of aedaegus reaching to about level as apodeme of volsella. Gonobase complete (forming a ring); in ventral view, without expansions centrally.

Remarks. This species was collected in the same time and locality as A. silviae sp. n.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a matronym honoring the author’s sister Paola Alvarado Gutiérrez.

Holotype: ♀, “ PERÚ: AM [Amazonas], Abra—Patricia [Protected Area], 13.xi.2012 0 5o 41’36’’S/ 77o48’41.9’’W, 2362 m, light trap, J. Suárez & P. Sánchez” ( MUSM).

Paratype: 1♂, same data as holotype ( MUSM).