Picrostigeus furcatus Mohammadi-Khoramabadi & Talebi, 2024

Mohammadi-Khoramabadi, Abbas & Talebi, Aliasghar, 2024, Three new species of the genus Picrostigeus Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, Orthocentrinae) from Iran, Zootaxa 5471 (5), pp. 585-593 : 587-589

Picrostigeus furcatus Mohammadi-Khoramabadi & Talebi , sp. nov. ( Fig. 2 )

Type material. Holotype: female, Iran, Tehran, Shahrestanak , 35°58′271″N, 51°21′430″E, 2305 m a.s.l. 2010.06.07 – 14., leg. A. Mohammadi-Khoramabadi , Paratypes: female, Iran, Tehran, Shahrestanak , 35°58′271″N, 51°21′430″E, 2305 m a.s.l. 2010.06.07 –14., leg. A. Mohammadi-Khoramabadi,; male, Iran, Tehran, Shahrestanak , 35°58′271″N, 51°21′430″E, 2305 m a.s.l. 2010.06.07 –14., leg. A. Mohammadi-Khoramabadi. The holotype and the male paratype specimens are card-mounted and are deposited in TMCU and the female paratype is card-mounted and deposited in BMNH.

Diagnosis. The new species can be reliably distinguished from other species of the genus by the following character states in combination: female with a long ovipositor, Ovp/ht= 2 ( Fig. 2A ); temple slightly narrowed behind compound eyes ( Fig. 2B, 2D ); antenna with 29–30 flagellomeres; Lwffl= 1.9 ( Fig. 2D ); fore wing with vein 3 rs-m present (areolet closed); propodeum with a median longitudinal carina; first tergite coriaceous and with dorsal median carina absent; male with quadrate parameres with two distinct rectangular projections at the upper and lower corners ( Fig. 2I ).

Description. Female ( Figs 2A–2E ). Body length ca. 3.00 mm, fore wing length ca. 2.50 mm.

Head: Antenna with 29–30 flagellomeres, first flagellomere ca. 1.90× as long as its apical width (Lwffl= 1.9), 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th flagellomeres ca. 1.8, 1.7 and 1.7× as long as apical width, respectively, the rest cubic; Face with delicate transverse striation ( Fig. 2C ); vertex coriaceous; temple slightly narrowed behind eyes ( Fig. 2B ).

Mesosoma: pronotum ventrally with longitudinal striation; mesopleuron smooth with delicate striation ventrally near mid coxa; metapleuron smooth with scattered striae and in ventral part near hind coxa coriaceous; fore wing with areolet closed, 3rs-m present, vein 2rs-m 0.6× as long as 2M; propodeum finely coriaceous, with posterior median longitudinal carina and posterior transverse carina present.

Metasoma: First tergite coriaceous with dorsal median carina absent; 2 nd tergite ca. 0.3× as long as apical width; tergite 2 on transverse; tergites 4–7 with a smooth membranous posterior margin; Ovp/ht= 2 ( Fig. 2A and 2E ).

Color: Black. Mandibles white with black tooth; face black with a white spot between antennae and eyes; pronotum black with yellow upper corner and a short yellow stripe at its lower margin; fore and mid legs pale red; hind leg with red coxa, femur and basal half of tibia red and posterior half of tibia and tarsus brown ( Fig. 2A–2E ).

Male: ( Figs. 2F–I ). Body length ca. 3.00 mm, fore wing length ca. 2.50 mm.

Head: Antenna with 27 flagellomeres (apical flagellomeres of left antenna missing), first flagellomere 2.4× as long as apical width (Lwffl= 1.9) ( Fig. 2G ); face smooth with delicate striation ( Fig. 2H ); temple slightly narrowed behind eyes.

Mesosoma: Thorax smooth; metapleuron finely coriaceous near hind coxa; propodeum with dorsal median longitudinal carina and posterior transverse carina present, smooth, finely coriaceous laterally; fore wing with vein 3rs-m present (areolet closed).

Metasoma: First tergite smooth, with median dorsal carina absent; parameres covered by long hairs, quadrat with two distinct rectangular projections at the upper and lower corners ( Fig. 2I ).

Color: Black species. Face and frons orbits white; basal half of temple white; prothorax white, pronotum with a black line at the middle; mesopleuron with a white band at its lower part; coxae white; hind coxa with a black spot at its posterior side; femorae and tibiae pale red; tarsi brown; metasoma black with yellow sternites.

Distribution. Iran (Tehran province).

Etymology. The specific epithet furcatus is a Latin adjective derived from furca, meaning forklike structure; it refers to the forklike structure of male parameres of the new species.

Ecology remark. Host unknown. Specimens of the new species have been collected at high altitudes (2305 m a.s.l.) of the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountain range. The climate in this region is semiarid.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Picrostigeus furcatus Mohammadi-Khoramabadi & Talebi, sp. nov.. A. Female holotype, B. Female vertex, C. Female face, D. Female head in lateral view, E. Female metasomal tergites in dorsal view, F. Male habitus, G. Male basal antenna, H. Male face, I. Male parameres.