Ophion ventricosus Gravenhorst, 1829

Johansson, Niklas & Cederberg, Björn, 2019, Review of the Swedish species of Ophion (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae), with the description of 18 new species and an illustrated key to Swedish species, European Journal of Taxonomy 550, pp. 1-136 : 110-111

Ophion ventricosus Gravenhorst, 1829

Fig. 11 C–D

Ichneumon impressus Thunberg, 1822: 262 (not Gmelin, 1790) (preoccupied).

Ophion ventricosus Gravenhorst, 1829: 702 .

Material examined

Lectotype, ♀, of Ophion impressus ( EMU); 77 ♀♀, 69 ♂♂ ( Sweden); 14 ♀♀, 9 ♂♂ ( France); 2 ♀♀ ( Norway).

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 14–16 mm. Antenna in both sexes with 44–56 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 2.5–3.5 times longer than wide. Head strongly buccate behind eyes. Malar space about 0.2 times as long as mandibular base in female and about 0.3 times in males. Mandibular gape right angeles with internal angles. Mesopleuron weakly shagreened or polished, distinctly punctate. Spaces between punctures about equal to their diameter. Pleurosternal angles strongly obtuse, weakly defined and obviously anterior to the almost absent sternal angles. Sternal part of epicnemial carina very broad an evenly curved. Scutellum with distinct lateral carinae at least in the basal half. Radius of forewing distinctly thickened and bent near junction with pterostigma. Ramellus short. Wing membrane strongly yellowish. Propodeum strongly coriaceous with distinct carination.

Colour

Body testaceous with conspicuous black markings on mesosoma and head ( Fig. 11 C–D). Metasoma in both sexes with posterior segments at least partly black. Mandibular teeth black.

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of four Swedish specimens of Ophion ventricosus are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ABV5256. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 94, 96–98).

Ecology

This species occurs during early summer, May–June, in oak-dominated deciduous landscapes. It has been reared from Phigalia pilosaria (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) ( Brock 1982) .

Distribution in Sweden

Primarily a southern species occurring in areas with oak forests.

Remarks

The most distinctive of the Swedish Ophion species, with its yellowish wing membrane and black body markings.

Figures

Fig. 11. Head and mesosoma, lateral and dorsal view of female. A‒B. Ophion variegatus Rudow, 1883. C‒D. O. ventricosus Gravenhorst, 1829.