Liotryphon gauldi Khalaim, 2022

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique, 2022, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Ephialtes genus-group, Zootaxa 5169 (3), pp. 201-251 : 224-225

2. Liotryphon gauldi Khalaim , sp. nov.

( Fig. 32 )

Material examined. Holotype female ( TAMU), Mexico, Chiapas, Municipio San Cristóbal, Reserva Huitepec , 16°46’06”N, 92°41’04”W, 8000 ft. (= 2440 m), Malaise trap, 2–14.viii.1997, coll. Woolley, González & Galdamez.

Description. Female. Body length (without ovipositor) about 16.5 mm. Fore wing length 12.3 mm.

Head roundly narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view. Mandible punctate and matt in basal half, with upper tooth broader and slightly longer than lower tooth. Malar space 0.15× as long as basal mandibular width. Clypeus 2.2× as broad as long, apically bilobate. Face transverse, almost 0.8× as long as broad. Antenna with scape very obliquely truncate, angled at about 45°; flagellum with 30 flagellomeres. Lateral ocellus separated from eye margin by 1.05× maximum diameter of lateral ocellus. Face, frons, vertex and gena finely punctate, smooth between punctures (punctures sparser on vertex and gena).

Epomia distinct, curved. Pronotum smooth, peripherally finely punctate. Mesoscutum finely punctate, smooth between punctures, with moderately dense setae (centrally punctures and setae sparser). Notaulus rather deep in anterior 0.3 of mesoscutum. Epicnemial carina well developed ventrally and laterally. Mesopleuron and propodeum mostly finely punctate, smooth and shining between punctures. Metapleuron polished, impunctate. Submetapleural carina virtually absent, represented as small tubercle anteriorly. Propodeum almost ecarinate, lateromedian longitudinal carinae completely absent, only lateral longitudinal carinae developed posteriorly. Metapleuron separated from propodeum by thin and sharp furrow, without distinct carina. Propodeal spiracle slightly elongate, situated distinctly above pleural furrow.

Fore wing with 1cu-a (nervulus) opposite to M&RS (basal vein). Hind wing with nervellus intercepted in upper 0.35–0.4, distal section of CU distinct. Tarsal claw strongly curved, with large acute basal lobe.

Metasoma depressed. First tergite 1.2× as long as posteriorly broad, with lateromedian longitudinal carinae developed in basal 0.4–0.5, and lateral longitudinal carinae developed basally and apically, indistinct medially (behind spiracle). Second tergite as long as broad posteriorly, with weak but distinct oblique grooves anterolaterally, with a pair of conspicuous lateral swellings, smooth, with moderately large punctures, impunctate and matt on posterior about 0.25. Tergites 3–5 with conspicuous lateral swellings, with posterior impunctate 0.25 matt. Ovipositor decurved, at apex with weak but distinct nodus dorsally and oblique teeth ventrally; its sheath about 1.5× as long as fore wing.

Head, mesosoma and metasoma black. Clypeus and base of mandible brownish black. Palpi whitish. Antenna black. Tegula white basally and brownish black on apical 0.4. Pterostigma brownish black. Wings yellow. Legs yellowish orange; fore coxa, trochanter and trochantellus whitish. Ovipositor sheath black with slight metallic reflection.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. Named in honor of the late British entomologist, Ian D. Gauld, who made a great contribution to the study of Mesoamerican Ichneumonidae .

Distribution. Mexico (Chiapas).

Comparison. This is a very distinct species which may easily be recognised by the entirely black body without any pale markings, yellowish wings, reddish orange legs with only fore coxa, trochanter and trochantellus whitish, dull impunctate posterior band on tergites 3–5 and large size of the body. It differs from eight Nearctic congeners by absence of the submetapleural carina, and from three other Mexican species by characters given in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 32–36. Liotryphon gauldi sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 32—habitus, lateral. Liotryphon tamajalus sp. nov., paratype, ♀: 33—habitus, lateral; 34—mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral; 35—metasomal tergites 1–4, dorsal; 36—apex of ovipositor, lateral.