Stethantyx puntarenasa Khalaim et Broad

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Broad, Gavin R., 2013, Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Costa Rica, part 2. Genera Megalochus gen. nov. and Stethantyx Townes, Zootaxa 3693 (2), pp. 221-266 : 258-261

Stethantyx puntarenasa Khalaim et Broad , sp. nov.

( Figs 9 , 47–49 )

Comparison. Belongs to the group of four species with a white-banded flagellum. In this group it resembles S. guanacasteca sp. nov. as both have a predominantly orange head and mesosoma, weak or absent notaulus, and carinae of the propodeum without adjacent wrinkles, but differs from this species by the basal area of the propodeum short and broad (sometimes indistinct and longitudinally wrinkled) ( Fig. 49 ); the apical area anteriorly rounded ( Fig. 49 ); the hind femur and usually also tibia orange (blackish in S. guanacasteca ); metasomal tergite 2 usually shorter; metasoma paler; and ovipositor shorter.

Description. Female. Body length about 6.1 mm. Fore wing length 4.5 mm.

Head strongly rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple 0.44× as long as eye width. Mandible with upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Clypeus broad, lenticular, very weakly convex to almost flat in lateral view, smooth, with sparse punctures on its upper half. Malar space about 0.4–0.5× as long as basal width of mandible. Flagellum of antenna with 29–37 flagellomeres (32 flagellomeres in holotype); all flagellomeres short, slightly elongate, subapical flagellomeres subsquare. Inner eye orbits very weakly convergent ventrally. Face centrally with elongate prominence. Face and frons finely granulate, dull, finely and densely punctate. Vertex and temple very finely granulate, dull, with indistinct punctures.

Notaulus usually completely absent, rarely represented by small inconspicuous tubercle distant from anterolateral margin of mesoscutum ( Fig. 48 ). Mesoscutum finely granulate, with very dense and fine punctures. Scutellum with lateral longitudinal carinae extending from its base to posterior 0.5–0.7 ( Fig. 48 ). Foveate groove of mesopleuron situated in anterior 0.6 of mesopleuron, oblique, moderately broad and deep, crenulate, not reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron ( Fig. 47 ). Mesopleuron mostly finely granulate and indistinctly punctate, with smooth, finely punctate area above foveate groove. Propodeum granulate, dorsolateral area indistinctly punctate, without conspicuous wrinkles adjacent to carinae. Basal part of propodeum 0.34× as long as apical area; if basal longitudinal carinae developed, basal area short, broad and usually strongly widened anteriorly, but usually basal longitudinal carinae absent or indistinct, and then propodeum with weak longitudinal wrinkles dorsally ( Fig. 49 ). Propodeal spiracle big, separated from pleural carina by about 0.5× diameter of spiracle. Apical area flat, anteriorly rounded ( Fig. 49 ).

Fore wing ( Fig. 9 ) with veins Rs +2 r and Rs angled about 115°. Vein 2 rs-m about 1.8× as long as abscissa of M between 2 rs-m and 2 m-cu. Hind wing with cu 1& cu-a slightly inclivous to vertical. Hind femur 4.7× as long as broad, 0.85× as long as tibia.

First tergite 3.7× as long as posteriorly broad, smooth, petiole laterally sometimes slightly coriaceous. Glymma situated near middle of tergite 1, small, joining by very shallow furrow to ventral part of postpetiole. Second tergite usually 1.5–1.8× as long as anteriorly broad (1.6× in holotype). Thyridial depression more than 4.0× as long as broad. Ovipositor weakly upcurved, with shallow dorsal subapical depression; sheath 1.45× as long as first tergite and 1.34× as long as hind tibia.

Head, mesosoma (including tegula), legs and tergite 1 brownish orange; interocellar area fuscous; face yellowish orange; malar space, clypeus, palpi, mandible (teeth black), propleuron, anterior margin of pronotum, coxa and trochanters of fore leg yellowish; femur of hind leg sometimes brownish and tibia infuscate; postpetiole of metasomal segment 1 sometimes brownish to black. Scape and pedicel of antenna brown, ventrally yellowish; flagellum black with about 5 to 8 flagellomeres somewhat distal to middle of flagellum white. Pterostigma dark brown. Metasoma behind first tergite predominantly yellow-orange, tergites 2 and 3 dorsally brown to black.

Male. Flagellum of antenna with 26–28 flagellomeres. Foveate groove of mesopleuron shallow. Second tergite about 1.85× as long as anteriorly broad. Metasomal tergites 2+ dorsally black. Flagellum brown with 4 to 7 flagellomeres white.

Variation. This species is rather variable in some important characters used in the key. Many specimens have second metasomal tergite 1.5–1.8× as long as broad anteriorly but some specimens have this tergite almost 2.2× as long as broad anteriorly. Sometimes the petiole of tergite 1 and tergites 2+ are dorsally extensively dark brown. The anterolateral tubercle on the mesoscutum varies from absent to rather distinct. The frons and vertex are fuscous centrally in several specimens. The propodeum is with or without a delimited basal area but the basal part of the propodeum is always short. The ovipositor sheath is usually about 1.5× as long as tergite 1 but in some specimens it is almost 1.8 ×.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Puntarenas province of Costa Rica.

Material examined. Holotype female (BMNH), Puntarenas Prov., Osa Peninsula, Cerro Rincón, 745 m, II.1991, coll. E. Quiros.

Paratypes. Alajuela Prov.: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Guanacaste National Park, Estación Pitilla, 680 m, X.1988, coll. I.D. Gauld & P. Mitchell. Guanacaste Prov.: Guanacaste National Park, Estación (Casa) Maritza, volcano Orosi, 560 m, coll. I.D. Gauld & P. Mitchell: 2 Ƥ (BMNH) V.1988, 4 Ƥ (BMNH) VI.1988, 3 Ƥ (BMNH) VII.1988, 15 Ƥ (BMNH) X.1988. 3 Ƥ (1 Ƥ BMNH, 2 Ƥ ZISP) same locality, VII–VIII.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Santa Rosa National Park, VIII–IX.1986, coll. D. Janzen & I.D. Gauld. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but VII–VIII.1985. 1 Ƥ (MUCR) Guanacaste National Park, 9 km S of Santa Cecilia , Estación Pitilla, 700 m, IX.1988, coll. I.D. Gauld. 2 Ƥ (INBio) Guanacaste National Park, La Cruz, Estación (Casa) Maritza, 600 m, IX.1996, coll. C. Zuñiga. 1 Ƥ (INBio) National Park Rincón de la Vieja, Estación Las Pailas, 800 m, VII.1993, coll. K.E. Taylor. Guanacaste National Park, Estación Mengo (=Cacao), SW of volcano Cacao, 1000–1400 m: 1 Ƥ (INBio) X.1989, 1 Ƥ (INBio) III–VIII.1990, 1 Ƥ (INBio) V–VI.1991. Heredia Prov.: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) La Selva Biological Station, 10º26ʹ N, 84º01ʹ W, 50 m, II.1991, coll. J.S. Noyes. 1 Ƥ (ZISP) same locality, 50–150 m, primary forest, IX.1993. 1 Ƥ (INBio) Santa Rosa, 1100 m, VIII.2000, coll. R. Zuñiga. Limón Prov.: 1 Ƥ (MUCR) 16 km W of Guápiles, 400 m, IV.1989, coll. P. Hanson. Sector Cerro Cocori, Francisca de Elías Rojas, 150 m, 1992, coll. E. Rojas: 1 Ƥ (INBio) IV, 1 Ƥ (INBio) VIII, 1 Ƥ (INBio) IX–X, 1 Ƥ (ZISP) X–XII. 1 Ƥ (INBio) Biological Reserve Hitoy Cerere, Estación Hitoy Cerere, 100 m, XII.1992, coll. G. Carballo. Puntarenas Prov.: 2 Ƥ (BMNH) same data as holotype. 2 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but I.1991. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but III.1991. Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, 3 km SW of Rincón de Osa , 10 m, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston: 1 3 (ZISP) XII.1990, 1 Ƥ (ZISP) V.1991, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) IX.1991, 2 Ƥ (BMNH) X.1991, 9 Ƥ (BMNH) XI.1992, 12 Ƥ & 1 3 (BMNH) XI.1992, 4 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1992. Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, 5 km W of Piedras Blancas, 100 m, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) X.1990, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) I.1991, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) XI.1992, 3 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1992, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) 1993, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) VIII.1993. Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, 24 km W of Piedras Blancas, 200 m, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) VI–VIII.1991, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) X.1991, 3 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1991, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) IV.1992, 3 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1992, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) I.1993, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) VIII.1993. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, 24 km W Pan-American highway on road to Rincón de Osa , 200 m, VI– VIII.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld. 4 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but I–III.1990. 2 Ƥ (BMNH) Osa Peninsula, 5 km N of Puerto Jiménez, 10 m, IX.1992, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Osa Peninsula, Puerto Jiménez, 10 m, IX.1992, coll. I.D. Gauld & K. Gaston. 2 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but XI.1991. Osa Peninsula, Rancho Quemado, 2 km N camino Drake, 275 m, coll. E. Quiros: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) XI.1990, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1990, 2 Ƥ (BMNH) I.1991. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Osa Peninsula, 8 km S of Rincón de Osa , Coopermati, 30 m, X.1991, coll. A. Retana. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Osa Peninsula, 9 km SW of Rincón de Osa , Estación Boscosa, 10 m, X.1990, coll. I.D. Gauld. Las Cruces, 6 km S of San Vito de Java, 1200 m, coll. I.D. Gauld & P. Mitchell: 1 Ƥ (BMNH) VI.1988, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) VII–VIII.1988, 2 Ƥ (BMNH) VIII–IX.1988, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) I–II.1989, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) II.1989 (metasoma absent). National Park Corcovado, Estación Sirena, 50 m, coll. I.D. Gauld: 2 Ƥ (BMNH) IV–VIII.1989, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) X.1990, 1 Ƥ (BMNH) XI.1990, 2 Ƥ (BMNH) XII.1990. 1 Ƥ (MUCR) San Vito, Botanical Garden Las Cruces, 120 m, XII.1988, coll. P. Hanson. Osa Peninsula, Rancho Quemado, 200 m, coll. M. Segura, F.A. Quesada, A.L. Martín & A. Gutiérrez: 2 Ƥ (INBio) IX.1992, 3 Ƥ (INBio) X.1992, 3 Ƥ (INBio) XI.1992, 4 Ƥ (INBio) XI–XII.1992, 1 Ƥ (INBio) XII.1992, 1 Ƥ (ZISP) VII.1993, 1 Ƥ (INBio) X–XI.1993, 1 Ƥ (INBio) I.1994. 3 Ƥ (2 Ƥ INBio, 1 Ƥ ZISP) National Park Corcovado, Estación Sirena, 0–100 m, III–VI.1991. 2 Ƥ (INBio) National Park Corcovado, path to Río Claro (river), 0 m, 1991. National Park Corcovado, Golfo Dulce Forest Reserve, Estación Aguijas, 200–300 m, coll. J.A. Azofeifa: 1 Ƥ (INBio) III–IV.2000, 3 Ƥ (2 Ƥ INBio, 1 Ƥ ZISP) XII.2000, 2 Ƥ (INBio, ZISP) XII.2005 – I.2006, 1 Ƥ (INBio) III–IV.2006, 1 Ƥ (INBio) XII.2006 – I.2007. 1 Ƥ (INBio) Osa Peninsula, Cd. Puerto Cortés, Camino Alta Buena Vista, 860 m, V.2005, coll. B. Gamboa et al. 1 Ƥ (INBio) Biological Reserve Carara, Estación Quebrada Bonita, 50 m, IX.1992, coll. R. Guzman. San José Prov.: 5 Ƥ (BMNH) San Antonio de Escazú, 1300 m, IX–X.1987, coll. W.G. Eberhard. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) same data, but IX.1988, coll. I.D. Gauld. 1 Ƥ (BMNH) Ciudad Colón, Francisca San Luis, 800 m, VI–VII.1990, coll. I.D. Gauld.

Distribution. Costa Rica ( Alajuela , Guanacaste, Heredia , Limón, Puntarenas, San José).

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 10. Wings of Stethantyx spp., Ƥ: 7 — S. orosia sp. nov.; 8 — S. propodeator sp. nov.; 9 — S. puntarenasa sp. nov.; 10 — S. sanjosea sp. nov.

FIGURES 47 – 52. Stethantyx punarenasa sp. nov., Ƥ: 47 — mesosoma, left; 48 — mesoscutum and scutellum, dorsal; 49 — propodeum, dorsal. Stethantyx sanjosea sp. nov., Ƥ: 50 — mesosoma, dorsal. Stethantyx cartagoa sp. nov., Ƥ: 51 — mesosoma, left; 52 — propodeum, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.