Thaumatogelis tisiphone

Vas, Zoltán & Schwarz, Martin, 2018, Contributions to the taxonomy, identification, and biogeography of Thaumatogelis Schwarz, 1995 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Zootaxa 4444 (4), pp. 421-436 : 425-427

Thaumatogelis tisiphone Vas & Schwarz sp. nov

Thaumatogelis pilosus ( Capron, 1888) sensu Schwarz (1995, 2001 )

The newly described species was erroneously referred as T. pilosus (Capron) in Schwarz (1995, 2001 ). However, examination of the types of T. pilosus (Capron) revealed that the Sicilian specimens identified and referred as T. pilosus (Capron) by Schwarz (1995, 2001) are not conspecific with the type specimens of T. pilosus (Capron) , but represent a new species of the genus Thaumatogelis , which is described here.

Material examined. Holotype: female, Italy: Sicily, Messina, Mistretta, area Mercuore [on label: Sicilia, Mistretta Mercuore ], 700 m, 11–20.vi.1952, leg. J. Klimesch. — Paratypes: female, Italy: Sicily, Messina, Nebrodi, area Crocitti [on label: Sicilia, Nebrodi (ME), Contrada Crocitti , cerreta VC 19 01], 800 m, 26.vii.1988, leg. Alicata ; female, Italy: Sicily, Messina, Nebrodi [on label: Sicilia, Nebrodi (ME), M. Pagano, VC 50 04], 300 m, 9.viii.1988, leg. Alicata, HNHM Hym . Coll. Id. No. 152936.— The holotype is deposited in ZSM; one paratype is deposited in HNHM ( HNHM Hym. Coll. Id. No. 152936) ; and one paratype is deposited in OÖLM.

Diagnosis. The characteristics of distinct longitudinal striation on dorsal surface of first tergite and on the basolateral part of second tergite are shared with only one other species of the genus, namely T. alecto Vas sp. nov. They can be separated easily by the following characters: T. tisiphone Vas & Schwarz sp. nov. has distinct striae both dorsally and laterally on the basal part of second tergite; its second tergite is smooth and shiny in the middle with very weak, sparse punctures and sparse, long hairs, while T. alecto Vas sp. nov. has distinct striae only on basolateral parts of second tergite, but not on dorsal parts; its second tergite is densely, strongly punctate with dense, short hairs.

Description. Female ( Figs 5–7 ). Body length 3.0– 4.4 mm.

Head: Antenna filiform, not clavate, with 17–18 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.0–3.2 × as long as wide, fifth flagellomere 1.5–1.7 × as long as wide, first flagellomere 0.9–1.0 × as long as second flagellomere. Width of eye in dorsal view 1.4–1.6 × as long as gena, head behind eyes moderately constricted. OOL 0.9 × as long as POL. Inner eye orbits divergent ventrally. Vertex, gena and malar space strongly, coarsely coriaceous with irregularly scattered punctures, and with more or less distinct horizontal wrinkles on lower gena and around malar space. Frons strongly, coarsely coriaceous, matt with irregularly scattered, moderately distinct punctures separated from each other by less or by more than a puncture diameter, and with weak striae above toruli. Face strongly coriaceous with indistinct punctures; face with short, dense, whitish hairs; face convex in lateral view. Clypeus less coriaceous and shinier than face but with stronger, distinct punctures and with a few transverse wrinkles; clypeus convex in profile, apical margin curved; hairs on clypeus longer than on face. Malar space 1.7–2.0 × as long as basal width of mandible. Lower mandibular tooth slightly shorter than upper tooth.

Mesosoma: Dorsal parts of mesosoma mainly coriaceous with weak punctures, lateral parts of mesosoma mainly with striae and wrinkles; mesosoma with dense, short, whitish hairs. Pronotum with distinct, strong, approximately transverse striae and wrinkles over almost entire surface, surface shinier laterally than dorsally; pronotum and mesonotum fused with distinct margin. Mesonotum convex, coriaceous with dense but weak punctures; median furrow of mesonotum more or less distinct; scutellum very short, weakly separated; mesonotum 0.9–1.4 × as long as wide, and 0.9–1.1 × as long as anterior area of propodeum; groove between mesonotum and propodeum deep. Mesopleuron and metapleuron coarse with more or less distinct, approximately horizontal and oblique wrinkles, and with a few scattered punctures. Epicnemial carina laterally and ventrally very strong, posterior transverse carina of mesosternum ventrally strong, mesosternum about twice as long as width of first flagellomere. Propodeum strongly convex, higher than mesonotum in lateral view, anterior and posterior area indistinctly separated; anterior area coriaceous with strong, irregular wrinkles; lateral parts and posterior area with strong striae and wrinkles; posterior transverse carina laterally distinct. Legs coriaceous, coxae (especially hind coxa) with weak, indistinct wrinkles; hind femur 4.1–4.5 × as long as high; tarsal claws simple, small, only little longer than arolium.

Metasoma: Metasoma with sparse, long, whitish hairs. First tergite 2.1–2.3 × as long as apically wide, with very distinct longitudinal striae on dorsal surface. Second and third tergites fused, margin indistinct. Basal half of second tergite with very distinct longitudinal striae on dorsal and lateral parts. Apical half of second tergite smooth and shiny with very sparse, indistinct, weak punctures, punctures separated from each other by more than a puncture diameter. Third tergite smooth and shiny with very sparse, indistinct, weak punctures, punctures weaker and sparser than on second tergite. Sixth tergite normal, not enlarged. Ovipositor sheath 0.5–0.8 × as long as hind tibia; ovipositor slender, dorsal margin without distinct, steep angular elevation before nodus; ovipositor tip 4 × as long as high, notch indistinct.

Colour: Head dark brown dorsally, reddish brown ventrally. Face and clypeus reddish brown; mouthparts yellowish brown except for brown teeth of mandible. Scapus and pedicellus orange; basal flagellomeres orange with slightly lighter apical bands; apical flagellomeres orange to brownish. Mesosoma orange with or without

brownish parts. Legs orange to brown. First tergite orange. Metasoma except first tergite light (reddish) brown. Ovipositor sheath brown.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Currently known only from Italy: Sicily.

Ecological note. No host is known.

Etymology. The specific epithet tisiphone 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 5–7. Thaumatogelis tisiphone Vas & Schwarz sp. nov. 5, holotype, dorsal habitus; 6, holotype, lateral habitus; 7, sculpture of basal tergites in lateral and dorsal views.