Ophion mocsaryi Brauns, 1889

Figs 7B, 8J, O, 9B, 15C, E–F, 48A–F

Ophion mocsaryi Brauns, 1889: 89 .

Material examined

Paratype, ♂ (ZMHB) and holotype, ♀ (HNHM); 42 ♀♀, 19 ♂♂ (Sweden); 3 ♀♀ (Croatia); 1 ♀ (Germany); 11 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂ (Great Britain); 3 ♀♀ (France); 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (Estonia); 1 ♀, 5 ♂♂ (Norway).

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 12–13 mm. Antenna in both sexes with 51–55 flagellomeres. First flagellomere about 3.5 times as long as wide. Basal flagellomeres 1.7–1.8 times as long as wide (Fig. 8O). Central flagellomeres about 1.6 times as long as wide. Subapical flagellomeres approximately 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. Head in female and male weakly buccate behind eye. Temple in lateral view 0.4–0.5 as long as compound eye (0.6 in Ophion mocsaryi var.) (Fig. 15 E–F). Lateral ocellus usually touching inner margin of compound eye. Occipital carina centrally angled, sometimes with a central arc (Fig. 7B). Face below antennal socket only weakly shagreened with scarce, shallow punctures (Fig. 8J). Malar space about 0.1–0.2 times as long as mandibular base in female and male. Mandibular gape rightangled, with internal angles. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus distinct, reaching 0.5 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous, but often evenly curved in males. Nervellus broken below the middle by the discoidella. Mesopleuron distinctly punctate. Interstices between punctures about 1.5–2.0 times their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles slightly anterior to sternal angles. Pleurosternal angles slightly acute and sharp (Fig. 9B). Scutellum without lateral carinae in basal half. Structure of propodeum quite shiny and only slightly rugose, basally and laterally with distinct punctures. Anterior transverse carina often entirely absent laterally and posterior transverse carina interrupted centrally (Fig. 10D) (very rarely, but evident in holotype and paratype, all carinae of propodeum strongly raised as in Fig. 10C). Longitudinal carinae delimiting area superomedia and area petiolaris often strong and complete. Area superomedia slightly longer than wide. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending level to spiracle. Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Legs normal with hind femur 6.0–7.0 times as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia 0.4 times as long as hind metatarsus.

Colour

Body testaceous. Mandibular teeth black. Head with inner and outer eye margins yellow. Ovipositor sheath black or dark brown, contrasting in colour with posterior metasomal segments (Fig. 48F).

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of ten Swedish specimens of Ophion mocsaryi are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ADK8264. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 47 (var.), 52, 105, 174–175, 179–180, 232, 234, 339).

Ecology

The type material was reared from Atethmia (as Cosmia) ambusta (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), a species that does not occur in Sweden. One male in NMS was reared from Dryobotes eremita (Fabricius, 1775), an additional host that fits well with the distribution and phenology of O. mocsaryi in Sweden. Ophion mocsaryi is active from late May to early July.

Distribution in Sweden

Quite frequently collected in Southern Sweden, but becoming rare or absent in the central and northern parts of the country.

Remarks

Closely related and morphologically very similar to Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov. but with flagellomeres more elongate. The occipital carina is usually centrally angled (sometimes with a small central arc) and the face below the antennal socket is only weakly shagreened with sparse, shallower punctures and the area superomedia more distinctly delimited. For further taxonomic details, see Discussion: “The Ophion mocsaryi aggregate”. One barcoded specimen, here under the name O. mocsaryi var., is genetically separated and forms a quite distinct clade with some specimens from Great Britain. This specimen is the only one known from Central Sweden and has the temple slightly more buccate in lateral view than material from Southern Sweden (Fig. 15F). It might represent a valid species but more material is needed to evaluate variation in the shape of the head and other potential characters. Specimens from Southern Europe (France, Croatia) that have been studied are slightly larger (fore wing length 14–15 mm) and have more numerous flagellomeres (55–61).