Thaumatogelis megaera

Vas, Zoltán & Schwarz, Martin, 2018, Contributions to the taxonomy, identification, and biogeography of Thaumatogelis Schwarz, 1995 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Zootaxa 4444 (4), pp. 421-436 : 428-430

Thaumatogelis megaera Vas sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype: female, Mongolia , Khövsgöl province, 3 km SW from Somon Burenchaan [on label: Mongolia, Chövsgöl aimak, 3 km SW von Somon Burenchaan], 1650 m, 21.vi.–16.vii.1968, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1968, Nr. 993, pitfall trap, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152917.—Paratypes: two females, Mongolia, Dundgovi province, 20 km S from Somon Delgertsogt [on label: Mongolia, Mittelgobi aimak, 20 km S von Somon Delgerzogt], 1480 m, 9.vi.1967, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1967, Nr. 779, pitfall trap, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152911–152912; female, Mongolia, Khentii province, 7 km NE from Somon Mörön [on label: Mongolia, Chentej aimak, 7 km NO von Somon Mörön], 1200 m, 28.vii.–21.viii.1965, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1965, Nr. 323, pitfall trap, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152913; female, Mongolia, Khövsgöl province, Tunamal Lake , 26 km WSW from Somon Sharga [on label: Mongolia, Chövsgöl aimak, am See Tunamal nuur, 26 km SW von Somon Scharga], 1950 m, 21.vi.–15.vii.1968, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1968, Nr. 996, pitfall trap, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152914; female, Mongolia, Uvs province, 3 km WNW from SW corner of Lake Orog [on label: Mongolia, Uva aimak, 3 km WNW von SW Ecke des Sees Örög nuur], 1590 m, 29.vi.1968, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1968, Nr. 1039, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152915; female, Mongolia, Töv province, 12 km S from Somon Bajanbaraat [on label: Mongolia, Central aimak, 12 km S von Somon Bajanbaraat], 1380 m, 8.vi.1967, Exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab 1967, Nr. 774, pitfall trap, leg. Z. Kaszab, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152916.— The holotype and three paratypes ( HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152911, 152914, 152915) are deposited in HNHM; one paratype ( HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152913) is deposited in BMNH; one paratype ( HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152912) is deposited in OÖLM; and one paratype ( HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152916) is deposited in ZSM.

Diagnosis. T. megaera Vas sp. nov. belongs to the morphological group of Thaumatogelis species characterised with enlarged sixth tergite. Within this group the newly described species can easily be separated from T. vulpinus (Gravenhorst) , T. neesii (Förster) , T. robustus (Seyrig) , T. pallens Schwarz , and from T. femoralis (Brischke) by its distinctly longer, more slender first flagellomere (it is 2.6–3.0 × as long as wide in T. megaera Vas sp. nov., while less than 2 × as long as wide in the other listed species). T. asiaticus Schwarz differs from the newly described species by its strongly constricted head behind eyes (width of eye in dorsal view 1.8–2.1 × as long as gena in T. asiaticus Schwarz , while 1.3–1.5 × as long as gena in T. megaera Vas sp. nov.). T. inexspectatus Schwarz differs from the newly described species by its indistinctly punctate frons, entirely fused second and third tergites, shorter first flagellomere (2.0–2.5 × as long as wide in T. inexspectatus Schwarz , while 2.6–3.0 × as long as wide in T. megaera Vas sp. nov.), and shorter hind tibia (3.7–3.8 × as long as high in T. inexspectatus Schwarz , while 4.4–4.7 × as long as high in T. megaera Vas sp. nov.).

Description. Female ( Figs 11–13 ). Body length 4–5 mm.

Head: Antenna filiform, not clavate, with 19–20 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 2.6–3.0 × as long as wide, fifth flagellomere 1.4–1.6 × as long as wide, first flagellomere 0.9–1.1 × as long as second flagellomere. Width of eye in dorsal view 1.3–1.5 × as long as gena, head behind eyes moderately constricted. OOL 0.6–0.7 × as long as POL. Inner eye orbits divergent ventrally. Vertex, gena and malar space strongly coriaceous and distinctly, densely punctate, punctures separated from each other usually by less than a puncture diameter. Frons strongly coriaceous, matt, and distinctly, densely punctate with punctures separated from each other by less than a puncture diameter, and with a few transverse wrinkles above toruli. Face strongly coriaceous, matt, and densely punctate with punctures separated from each other by usually less than a puncture diameter; face with short, dense, whitish hairs; face convex in lateral view. Clypeus less coriaceous than face, especially on apical half, but with stronger punctures; clypeus convex in profile, apical margin curved; hairs on clypeus longer than on face. Malar space 1.4–1.5 × as long as basal width of mandible. Lower mandibular tooth slightly shorter than upper tooth.

Mesosoma: Mesosoma coriaceous with dense but weak punctures, punctures separated from each other by usually less than a puncture diameter; mesosoma with dense, short, whitish hairs. Pronotum with horizontal wrinkles only at lower hind corner; pronotum and mesonotum fused with weak, indistinct margin. Mesonotum convex, coriaceous with dense but weak punctures; median furrow of mesonotum indistinct; scutellum very short, weakly separated; mesonotum 1.1–1.3 × as long as wide, and 1.5 × as long as anterior area of propodeum; groove between mesonotum and propodeum relatively shallow. Mesopleuron and metapleuron coriaceous with dense but weak punctures. Epicnemial carina ventrally and laterally strong, posterior transverse carina of mesosternum ventrally strong, mesosternum about 1.5–2.0 × as long as width of first flagellomere. Propodeum convex, about as high as or little higher than mesonotum in lateral view, anterior and posterior area indistinctly separated; anterior area coriaceous and densely punctate, punctures weak; posterior area coriaceous with dense but weak punctures and with a few, very weak irregular wrinkles; posterior transverse carina only laterally distinct. Legs coriaceous with dense but weak punctures; hind femur 4.4–4.7 × as long as high; tarsal claws simple, small, longer than arolium.

Metasoma: Metasoma with dense, short, whitish hairs. Dorsal surface of first tergite coriaceous with dense but weak punctures; first tergite stout, 1.3–1.5 × as long as apically wide. Second and third tergites dorsally not fused, though sometimes less distinctly separated, dorsal margin of second tergite always very distinct; second and third tergites laterally fused. Anterior two thirds of second tergite densely and strongly punctate, punctures separated from each other by less than a puncture diameter; on posterior third of second tergite punctures less dense, separated from each other usually by more than a puncture diameter. Third tergite densely and strongly punctate on anterior half, punctures separated from each other by less than a puncture diameter; posterior half of third tergite shinier and distinctly less densely punctate, punctures separated from each other by more than a puncture diameter. Sixth tergite enlarged, entirely covering seventh tergite. Ovipositor sheath relatively short, 0.3–0.5 × as long as hind tibia; ovipositor slender, dorsal margin without distinct, steep angular elevation before nodus, ventral margin moderately widened before nodus; ovipositor tip 4 × as long as high, with small notch; ventral margin of ovipositor tip distinctly narrowed, tapered toward apex and with very small teeth.

Colour: Head black with reddish brown patches at middle of face and at inner eye margins, sometimes reddish brown patches extend to lower gena, malar space and clypeus; mandible reddish brown, basal parts and teeth dark brown, other mouthparts yellowish brown. Scapus and pedicellus orange; basal flagellomeres orange, apical flagellomeres darker brownish. Mesosoma orange, darker brownish around sutures. Legs brown to reddish brown, femora usually darker than tibiae and tarsi, dorsoapical part of tibiae with more or less distinct yellowish brown patches. First tergite orange. Metasoma except first tergite blackish to dark brown, sometimes dark reddish brown at anterior and lateral parts of second tergite and at lateral part of third tergite. Posterior half of sixth tergite lighter brown. Ovipositor sheath brown.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Currently known only from Mongolia.

Ecological note. No host is known.

Etymology. The specific epithet megaera is the Latinized name of one of the three Furies (or Erinyes) in the Greek and Roman mythology; proper noun in apposition, ending not to be changed.

Figures

FIGURES 11–13. Thaumatogelis megaera Vas sp. nov. 11, holotype, dorsal habitus; 12, holotype, lateral habitus; 13, holotype, face in frontal view.