Polysphincta koebelei Howard, 1892

Khalaim, Andrey I., Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique & Coronado-Blanco, Juana María, 2024, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Polysphincta genus-group, Zootaxa 5458 (2), pp. 151-196 : 175-176

3. Polysphincta koebelei Howard, 1892

( Figs 46–49 )

Polysphincta (Zaglyptus) koebelei Howard 1892: 293 [holotype ♀ (USNM), USA, California, Santa Cruz Mts. ].

References. Cushman 1920: 24 [description; USA (California, Kanzas); host]. Townes & Townes 1960: 253 [description; USA (Washington, California)]. Carlson 1979: 337 [catalogue]. Ruíz-Cancino et al. 2002: 645 [checklist; Mexico].

Material examined. MEXICO. Tamaulipas: 1 ♀, 1 ♂ ( UAT) 6 km NE of Miquihuana, 23°36.125’N, 99°42.45’W, 2200–2300 m, 24.x.2008, coll. A.I. Khalaim. 1 ♂ ( ZISP) 8 km NNE of Miquihuana, 2200–2300 m, 5.xi.2013, coll. S.A. Belokobylskij. Miquihuana [Municipio], La Marcela, 2500 m, forest Pinus + Quercus, Malaise trap, coll. E. Ruíz-Cancino & J. Treviño C. (all in UAT): 26.viii–1.x.2012 (2 ♂), 2.x–2.xi.2012 (2 ♀), 3.xi–1.xii.2012 (1 ♂). 1 ♀ ( UAT) Miquihuana, km 19 of highway Palmillas – Miquihuana, 24.xi.1993, coll. E. Ruíz-Cancino. 1 ♂ ( UAT) km 19 from Miquihuana, Aserradero, 4.xi.1988, coll. E. Ruíz-Cancino. 2 ♂ ( UAT) Miquihuana, km 15 from La Peña, 2500 m, pine forest, 16.viii.2000, coll. D.R. Kasparyan. Hidalgo: 2 ♂ ( UAT) 8 km N of Pachuca de Soto, National Park El Chico, 20°11.4’N, 98°44.55’W, 2800–2900 m, 18–22.xii.2014, coll. A.I. Khalaim. Tlaxcala: 1 ♀ ( UAT) 15 km SSE of Apizaco, north slope of La Malinche volcano, 2550–3000 m, 1–2.x.2016, coll. A.I. Khalaim. Veracruz: 3 ♀ ( AEIC) Fortin de las Flores, ex Metepeira , vii–viii.1987, coll. L.S. Rayor. 6 ♂ ( AEIC) Coscomatepec on Huatusco Road, ex Metepeira , 29.vii.1987, coll. L.S. Rayor.

Variation. Black markings on mesoscutum and mesopleuron sometimes very weak, especially in small males.

Distribution. USA (west, from Washington to California), Mexico (Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Veracruz).

Biology. The holotype probably was reared from either Larinioides cornutus (Clerck) (= Epeira strix Hentz ) or L. sclopetarius (Clerck) ( Araneidae ) in California, USA ( Howard 1892; Townes & Townes 1960). Reared from Metepeira sp. ( Araneidae ) in Veracruz.

Figures

FIGURES 46–49. Polysphincta koebelei, ♀ (46, Tlaxcala) and ♂ (47–49, Tamaulipas): 46, 47—habitus, lateral; 48—mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral; 49—anterior part of mesosoma, dorsal.