Jethsura serpentina, Claridge, 2021

Claridge, Brandon, 2021, Revision of the genus Jethsura Cameron, 1902 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae: Phaeogenini), Zootaxa 5071 (2), pp. 223-241 : 236-238

Jethsura serpentina sp. nov.

Fig. 9 , 12

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Diagnosis. Jethsura serpentina and a putative undescribed species from Valle de Frailejón in Chingaza National Natural Park ( Jethsura sp. X) are both characterized by an elongated habitus, broad mandible, and laterally compressed mesosoma. As such, they are easily differentiated from other Jethsura species. Jethsura serpentina is distinguished from Jethsura sp. X by the entirely smooth and coarsely punctate mesopleuron. A few punctures are nearly confluent and form very weak rugulae but the mesopleuron is never longitudinally rugulose as in Jethsura sp. X.

Description. Female ( Fig. 9A–H ). Body length: 8.9–9.4 mm; fore wing length: 5.1–5.4 mm.

Color. Primarily black with few yellow and yellowish-white markings and partially brownish legs. Head black, except for mandibular apex dark brownish-red, light yellowish along either entire length of medial paraocular area (25% of specimens) or interrupted ventral to antenatal base (50% of specimens) or absent ventral to antennal base (25% of specimens), and light yellowish ovoid to subtriangular marks at dorsolateral and venterolateral corners of paraocular area. Antenna: scape and pedicel black; flagellum black to dark brown basally, apical ¾ reddish-brown ventrally. Mesosoma black, except for the dorsal margin of pronotum, tegula, and subalar prominence yellowishwhite, 25% of specimens with anterolateral yellowish-white marks on scutellum. Legs: coxae and trochanters black, 75% of specimens with fore and mid coxae brownish anterolaterally; femora dark reddish-brown with bases and apices light brown and apical 0.3–0.4 of fore and mid femora yellowish-brown anteriorly; tibiae brownish-red to reddish-brown with fore and mid tibiae lighter anteriorly; fore and mid tarsi brownish-red to reddish-brown; hind tarsomeres 1–4 reddish-brown to brownish-red and tarsomere 5 dark reddish-brown with bases yellowish-white becoming reduced toward apical tarsomeres. MS1 black. T2–varying from primarily black with minor, mottled light reddish-brown marks laterally to narrowly black dorsally and laterally light reddish-brown with mottled black marks. Wing: membrane clear; basal 0.2 of wing with veins white, remaining sections brown.

Head. Distinctly longer than wide, not tapering ventrally. Mandible broad (MI: ~2.1×). Clypeus and supraclypeal area slightly convex in lateral view. Clypeus smooth and coarsely, sparsely punctate with punctures separated by 1.0–4.0× their diameter. Supraclypeal area smooth and coarsely punctate with 0.5–2.0× their diameter. Gena smooth and finely, sparsely punctate with punctures separated by 3.0–6.0× their diameter. Supra-antennal are smooth and finely punctate with punctures separated by 0.5–1.0× their diameter. Vertex smooth and finely, sparsely punctate with punctures separated by 3.0–5.0× their diameter. Antenna with 23–24 flagellomeres.

Mesosoma . Narrow, elongated and laterally flattened. Dorsal 0.6 of pronotum smooth and finely, sparely punctate with punctures denser at margins, anterior 0.4 rugulose. Propleuron smooth and finely, sparsely punctate with punctures separated by 3.0–6.0× their diameter. Mesonotum smooth, very finely, sparsely punctate anteromedially, punctation denser and coarser laterally and especially dorsomedially. Scutellum smooth and sparsely punctate with punctures separated by 2.0–5.0× their diameter. Mesopleuron smooth and punctation varying from sparse and fine anterodorsally becoming coarse and dense ventrally and posteroventrally to relatively coarse throughout with some punctures forming weak rugulae and denser ventrally and posteroventrally. Speculum smooth with at most a few scattered punctures. Ventral division of metapleuron smooth and coarsely, sparsely punctate anterodorsally becoming densely punctate posteroventrally. Propodeum: narrow and elongate, 1.4× as long as wide; dorsal face strongly rounded transversely, surface sculpture smooth dorsally becoming coarsely punctate laterally and rugulose-punctate posterolaterally; posterior face densely rugulose-punctate; carinae obsolete. Legs short. Hind femur anteroposteriorly flattened.

Metasoma. MS1 anteriorly smooth and impunctate, postpetiole smooth and with a few scattered punctures medially becoming sparsely to moderately punctate laterally. T2 smooth and finely to moderately punctate with punctures separated by 0.5–2.0× their diameter becoming sparser laterally and posteriorly. T3+ smooth and densely, finely punctate becoming obsolete posteriorly. Gastrocoelus shallow to moderately deep. Thyridium narrow, 0.5× as wide as interthyridial width; distant from T2 anterior margin by 2.0–2.5× thyridial length.

Male. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype: Colombia • 1♀; Boyaca, SFF Iguaque, Lagunillas ; 3380m; 5°25’N, 73°27’W; 09–24.ii.2001; P. Reina; M. 1272; IAVH.

Paratypes: Colombia • 1♀; same collection data as holotype • 1♀; same collection data as holotype; EMUSENT000003704 • 1♀; same collection data as holotype; 09–28.iii.2001; M.1511 .

Distribution. Known only from type locality ( Fig. 12 ).

Etymology. The species name is from the Latin adjective “ sepentinus ” meaning serpent-like and refers to the somewhat snake-like habitus.

Comments. The male of J. serpentina is unknown but could presumably be easily associated with the female at the type locality since J. serpentina and the putative undescribed species, Jethsura sp. X, are allopatric. Also, presumably the male of J. serpentina would be considerably elongated as in the female which would readily distinguish it from J. euthenia males.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Jethsura serpentina sp. nov. female holotype. A. Habitus. B. Mesosoma, lateral view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Mandible, ventral view. E. Propodeum, dorsolateral view. F. MS1–2, dorsolateral view. G. Metasomal apex, lateral view. H. Metasoma, dorsal view. Scale bars: 5.0 mm (A); 1.0 mm (B–H).

FIGURE 12. Distribution of Jethsura euthenia sp. nov., Jethsura gonawindua sp. nov., Jethsura serpentina sp. nov., and Jethsura sp. X.