Ophion keala Schwarzfeld

Schwarzfeld, Marla D. & Sperling, Felix A. H., 2014, Species delimitation using morphology, morphometrics, and molecules: definition of the Ophionscutellaris Thomson species group, with descriptions of six new species (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), ZooKeys 462, pp. 59-114 : 79-80

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae

Ophion keala Schwarzfeld sp. n. Figures 10a, 11a; Plate 1

Type material.

Holotype: ♀ (MS2249, DNA3965, GenBank KF594539, KF615948) CAN: AB: Porcupine Hills, Skyline Rd; 49.972 -114.087; 29 v 2008; UV trap; J.Dombroskie, J.Walker (CNC)

Paratypes: 7 ♀♀, 1 ♂. CAN: AB: 2 ♀♀ (MS2244, DNA3980, GenBank KF594552, KF615947; MS2238, DNA3960, GenBank KF594534, KF615950) Same data as holotype (CNC); 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (MS2235, DNA3904, GenBank KF594480, 615945; MS2237) Same data as holotype except date 28 v 2008 (CNC); 1 ♀ (MS8647, DNA6515, GenBank KF594730, KF615943, KF616332) Porcupine Hills, Skyline Rd, 49.972 -114.087, 15 vi 2009, UV trap J.Dombroskie, B.Brunet (CNC); 1 ♀ (MS7801, DNA7327, GenBank KF594917, KF615946) 62 km WNW of Dixonville, Mixedwood retention patch in clearcut, Site 7, 56.685 -118.641, 26 v 2008, UV trap, B.Bodeux (CNC); 1 ♀ (MS7912, DNA7324, GenBank KF594914, KF615944) 62 km WNW of Dixonville, Mixedwood retention patch in clearcut, Site 4, 56.684 -118.644, 7 vi 2008, UV trap, B.Bodeux (CNC); 1 ♀ (MS7746) 54 km NW of Dixonville, Mixedwood forest, 56.86 -118.31, 11 vi 2007, UV trap, B.Bodeux (CNC).

Etymology.

The name for this species is derived from keala, the Hawaiian word for path, as this large and distinctive species presents a rare clear path within the morphologically homogeneous jungle that is Ophion . It is a noun in apposition - and is also the name of the species author’s daughter.

Diagnosis.

♀: Wing L: 18.6-19.7 mm, Flag: 69-73; ♂: Wing L: 16.2 mm, Flag: 65; Very large species, uniformly dark reddish-orange with interocellar area often darker; hind femur long and slender (FW/FH: 8.4-11.6), scutellum strongly carinate.

Description.

Head:Female: Eyes convergent in frontal view; stemmaticum weakly raised, sulci surrounding stemmaticum complete; IOD/OL: 0.27-0.44; OOD/OL: 0.11-0.22; occipital carina rounded, often very slightly wavy, with a very small peak in the centre; OC/OL: 0.42-0.68; temple receding, approximately equal to width of eye in lateral view; CH/CAW: 0.52-0.63, coriaceous with evenly distributed medium-sized punctures, separated by approximately 1 –2× their diameter, punctures smaller basally; face weakly coriaceous, with small punctures separated by 1 –2× their diameter, closer on sides than in centre; FW/FH: 1.24-1.49; antennae with 69-73 flagellomeres; F1: 3.56-4.50; F20: 1.54-2.24; MS/MW: 0.33-0.47; GI/MW: 0.46-0.69; Male: Same, except: Eyes more weakly convergent, OOD/OL: 0.44; OC/OL: 0.81; flagellomeres: 65.

Mesosoma: Mesoscutum polished, evenly punctate with minute punctures separated 1 –2× their diameter; mesopleuron coriaceous, densely punctate with small to medium-sized relatively shallow punctures, separated by approximately their diameter; subpolished with minute punctures separated by 2 –3× their diameter above mesopleural fovea; epicnemial carina with pleurosternal angle obtuse, distinctly so in male, rounded (see variation); SL/SW: 1.47-1.76, lateral carinae strong along almost entire length of scutellum, slightly weaker in male; metapleuron strongly coriaceous, punctures approximately equal to those of posterior corner of mesopleuron, equally or slightly less dense.

Propodeum: ATC strong, very slightly arched above ASu; PTC weak to absent along ASu, represented by small crests at MLC, obsolete to absent along AD, very strong along AJC where it is expanded as a flange; MLC obsolete, absent to very faintly represented by parallel or slightly convergent wrinkles along ASu, present as a series of stronger convergent wrinkles along AP; LLC weak to obsolete along AJC, otherwise absent; PC strong, connected to spiracle by a very weak to obsolete carina; spiracular area sloping, subpolished with minute shallow punctures separated by 1 –2× their diameter; posterior area weakly wavy-wrinkled with minute punctures to PTC, then more distinctly wrinkled to apex.

Wings:Female: Wing L: 18.6-19.7 mm, CI: 0.54-0.70, AI: 1.42-2.01, SDI: 1.13-1.27, ICI: 0.61-0.93; wings slightly brownish with black veins, stigma reddish-brown, ramellus very short to somewhat long, fenestra restricted to area under stigma; Male: Same, except wing L: 162 mm.

Legs:Female: CL/CW: 1.94-2.37; FL/FW: 8.41-11.63, MT1/MT2: 2.06-2.33; MTS: 0.78-0.88 (♀); Male: Same, except CL/CW: 1.83; MTS: 0.91.

Metasoma: First metasomal segment often abruptly (sometimes gradually) expanded from petiole to postpetiole, spiracles sometimes raised on tubercles.

Colour: Reddish-orange; stemmaticum often slightly darker, mandibles usually slightly paler; orbit (especially posterior to eye), tegula and dorsal part of mesepimeron yellowish; notauli and margins of mesocutum slightly darker.

Variation.

One ♀ with all punctures slightly more sparsely distributed than in the remaining specimens; One ♀ with pleurosternal angle of epicnemial carina approximately 90° and somewhat sharp.

Seasonality.

All collections have been from late May until mid-June.