Distictus tibialis ( Brullé, 1846 )

Supeleto, Fernanda A., Santos, Bernardo F. & Aguiar, Alexandre P., 2019, Revision of Distictus Townes, 1966 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with descriptions of ten new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 542, pp. 1-64 : 50-57

Distictus tibialis ( Brullé, 1846)

Figs 15 A–H, 16A; Table 1

Mesostenus tibialis Brullé, 1846: 241–242 (original description; type ♀ (MNHN, lost); type data: Brazil, “prov. de Guaratuba”. Neotype ♀ (DZUP), present designation; type data: Brazil, Paraná State, Curitiba, Vinalto Graf leg.; no date).

Fenixia curta Aguiar, 2005a: 127–132 , figs 8–12 (original description, figure, distribution, phylogeny; type ♀ (DZUP); type data: “N. Teutônia-S.C., Brasil-XI/1967, F. Plaumann leg.”

Distictus tibialis – Townes in Townes & Townes, 1966: 325 (description, new status; 1970: 172, fig. 146; key to genus). — Kasparyan & Ruíz-Cancino 2005: 109 (listed, separation from D. mexicanus ). — Santos & Aguiar 2008: 30–33, 35, 38 (phylogeny, synonymy, distribution records and map, separation from Distictus (= Mallochia ) aurantium ); 2012: 37–38, 40 (coded for phylogenetic analysis); 2013: 224, 227 (coded for phylogenetic analysis). — Santos et al. 2009: 31, 35–36 (coded for phylogenetic analysis). — Tedesco & Aguiar 2013: 84 (coded for phylogenetic analysis). — Santos 2017: 23 (appendix; coded for phylogenectic analysis).

Material examined

Total of 191 specimens, 76 ♀♀ and 115 ♂♂.

Neotype (here designated)

BRAZIL – Paraná State • ♀ (pinned; in good condition); Curitiba; 1961; V. Graf leg. [Vinalto Graf]; [Note: there is one more female from the same collecting event as the neotype, also in DZUP, listed below]; DZUP {36}.

Other material

ARGENTINA • 1 ♀; Missiones, Dos de Mayo ; Feb. 1967; CNCI {26 } • 1 ♀; Punta Lara ; 27 Jan. 1966; H. Townes and M. Townes leg.; CNCI • 1 ♂; Corrientes, Las Marias, ca Virasoro ; 10–15 Nov. 1969; C. Porter leg.; FSCA • 1 ♂; Punta Lara ; 31 Jan. 1966; H. Townes and M. Townes leg.; CNCI .

BOLIVIA • 1 ♀; Noryungas, Coraico, El Bagante; alt. 150 m; 18 Apr. 1997; L. Masner leg.; sweeping; CNCI B-03 {9 }.

BRAZIL – Ceará State • 1 ♀; Serra do Araripe ; alt. 850 m; 19 May 1969; M. Alvarenga leg.; USUC . – Espírito Santo State • 1 ♀; Alfredo Chaves, Picadão, Mata ; 20°27′53″ S, 40°42′35″ W; alt. 714 m; 8–15 Oct. 2007; C.O. Azevedo exped.; Malaise; Pt 4; UFES {23 } • 1 ♀; Conceição do Castelo, Propriedade Ribeirão do Meio ; 17–24 Mar. 2007; A.P. Aguiar exped.; coffee plantation; Malaise; UFES51229 , LAPIS2906 {21 } • 1 ♀; Domingos Martins, Mata Pico do Eldorado ; 20°22′17″ S, 40°39′29″ W; 26 Nov.–3 Dec. 2004; M. Tavares exped.; Malaise; T8; UFES, LAPIS2911 {12 } • 1 ♂; Alfredo Chaves, Picadão ; alt. 710 m; 8–15 Oct. 2007; C.O. Azevedo exped.; Malaise; T4; UFES • 1 ♂; Cariacica, RES. Biol. Duas Bocas, Pau Amarelo ; 21–30 Oct. 2005; A.P. Aguiar exped.; Malaise; Pt 10; UFES, LAPIS2914 • 1 ♂; Conceição do Castelo, Propriedade Ribeirão do Meio , point near coffee plantation (sloped area); 17–24 Mar. 2007; A.P. Aguiar exped.; Malaise; UFES51228 , LAPIS2912 • 1 ♂; Domingos Martins, Mata Pico do Eldorado ; 20°22′17″ S, 40°39′29″ W; 26–3 Dec. 2004; M. Tavares exped.; Malaise; UFES, LAPIS2907 • 1 ♂; ibid.; 3–10 Dec. 2004; Malaise B5; UFES, LAPIS2913 • 1 ♂; ibid.; Malaise B 6; UFES, LAPIS2909 • 1 ♂; ibid.; Malaise B 8; UFES, LAPIS2910 • 1 ♂; ibid.; Malaise T 4; UFES, LAPIS2908 • 1 ♂; Santa Teresa, Res. Biol. Augusto Ruschi, Trilha da Cachoeira ; 19°55′16.4″ S, 40°33′13.5″ W; alt. 775 m; 8–24 Oct. 2016; A.P. Aguiar exped.; mata primária; Malaise; Pt 3; UFES, FAS1583 • 1 ♂; Santa Teresa, Res. Biol. Augusto Ruschi, Trilha da Caixa d’Água ; 19°54′37.7″ S, 40°33′12.1″ W; alt. 764 m; 8–24 Oct. 2016; A.P. Aguiar exped.; mata secundária; Malaise; Pt 2; UFES, FAS1582 • 1 ♂; São Roque do Canaã, Alto Misterioso ; 19°47′59″ S, 40°46′31.5″ W; 2–11 Nov. 2007; C. Waichert exped.; Malaise; UFES48992 • 1 ♂; ibid.; UFES • 3 ♂♂; São Roque do Canaã, Alto Misterioso ; 2–11 Nov. 2007; C. Waichert exped.; Malaise; Pt 14; UFES . – Paraná State • 1 ♀ (pinned; apical tarsomere of left hind leg missing; otherwise in good condition); collected together with neotype; Paraná State, Curitiba; 1961; V. Graf leg. [Vinalto Graf]; DZUP. 1 ♀; Campina Grande , near Curitiba ; 20 Feb. 1966; H. Townes and M. Townes leg.; USUC • 1 ♀; Curitiba ; 20–31 Jan. 1969; L. Stange and J. Stange leg.; USUC • 1 ♀; Curitiba ; 6 Oct. 1976; F. Giacome leg.; DZUP {22 } • 1 ♀; Guarapuava, Estação de Águas Santa Clara ; 15 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Malaise; DZUP {33 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 3 Nov. 1986; DZUP {38 } • 1 ♀; Ponta Grossa, Vila Velha, Reserva IAPAR; 13 Apr. 1987; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Br 376; Malaise; DZUP {35 } • 1 ♂; Colombo, Embrapa, BR 476; 10 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Km 20; Malaise; DZUP • 1 ♂; Curitiba , 20–31 Jan. 1969; L. Stange and J. Stange leg.; USUC • 1 ♂; Fênix, Reserva Estadual ITCF; 10 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Malaise; DZUP • 1 ♂; Jundiaí do Sul, Fazenda Monte Verde ; 10 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Malaise; DZUP • 1 ♂; ibid.; 6 Oct. 1986; DZUP • 1 ♂; Ponta Grossa, Vila Velha, Reserva IAPAR; 10 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Br 376; Malaise; DZUP • 1 ♂; ibid.; 15 Sep. 1986; DZUP • 1 ♂; ibid.; 24 Nov. 1986; DZUP • 1 ♂; Telêmaco Borba, Res. Samuel Klabin ; 15 Dec. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Malaise; DZUP • 1 ♂; ibid.; 5 Jan. 1987; DZUP . • 2 ♂♂; Colombo, Embrapa, BR 476; 24 Nov. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Km 20; Malaise; DZUP • 2 ♂♂; Guarapuava, Estação Águas Santa Clara ; 1 Sep. 1986; Lev. Ent. PROFAUPAR leg.; Malaise; DZUP • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; 3 Nov. 1986; DZUP – Rio de Janeiro State • 1 ♀; Mangaratiba, Muriqui ; Jul. 1969; M. Alvarenga leg.; USUC • 3 ♂♂; Telêmaco Borba ; 7 Oct. 1986; A.F. Kumagai coll. leg.; DZUP . – Rio Grande do Sul State • 1 ♀; Capão do Leão ; 31°48′16″ S, 52°24′13″ W; alt. 7 m; 16 May 2003; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES {18 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 2 Jan. 2004; UFES {15 } • 1 ♀; Morro Redondo ; 31°40′22″ S, 52°35′30″ W; alt. 101 m; 14 Feb. 2003; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES45378 {24 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 16 May 2003; UFES {7 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 21 Mar. 2003; UFES {17 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 3 Jan. 2003; UFES45370 {8 } • 1 ♀; Pelotas ; 31°44′39″ S, 52°13′22″ W; alt. 16 m; 27 Sep. 2002; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES {14 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 29 Nov. 2002; UFES45326 {31 } • 1 ♀; Santa Maria ; 10 Nov. 1976; S. Carvalho leg.; DZUP {32 } • 1 ♂; Capão do Leão ; 31°48′16″ S, 52°24′13″ W; alt. 7 m; 26 Mar. 2004; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES • 1 ♂; ibid.; 29 Nov. 2002; UFES • 1 ♂; Pelotas ; 31°44′39″ S, 52°13′22″ W; alt. 16 m; 16 Jan. 2004; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES • 2 ♀♀; Pelotas ; 31°44′39″ S, 52°13′22″ W; alt. 16 m; 2 Apr. 2004; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES45337 , UFES45339 {11, 27 } • 3 ♂♂; Pelotas ; 31°44′39″ S, 52°13′22″ W; alt. 16 m; 5 Dec. 2003; R.F. Krüger leg.; Malaise; UFES45304 , UFES45305 , UFES45306 . – Santa Catarina State • 1 ♀; Nova Teutônia ; 12 Mar. 1946; F. Plaumann leg.; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 24 Mar. 1946; USUC • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; 14 Mar. 1947; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 21 Mar. 1947; USUC • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; 24 Mar. 1947; USUC • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; 25 Mar. 1947; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 1 Apr. 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 11 Apr. 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 10 May 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 19 Aug. 1952; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 11 Oct. 1952; USUC • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; Sep. 1967; DZUP {0, 34 } • 1 ♂; ibid.; 14 Mar. 1947; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 5 May 1948; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 7 Jun. 1948; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 20 Apr. 1952; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; 26 Sep. 1952; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 16 Oct. 1952; USUC • 3 ♂♂; ibid.; 22 Oct. 1952; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; 25 Oct. 1952; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; 27 Oct. 1952; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 19 Nov. 1952; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; 4 Dec. 1952; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 8 Dec. 1952; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; 9 Nov. 1953; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; Sep. 1959; USUC • 4 ♂♂; ibid.; Sep. 1967; DZUP • 9 ♂♂; ibid.; Oct. 1967; DZUP • 1 ♂; ibid.; Dec. 1967; USUC • 3 ♀♀; ibid.; Jan. 1968; USUC • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; Oct. 1968; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; Nov. 1968; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; Aug. 1970; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; Oct. 1970; DZUP • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; Oct. 1970; USUC • 7 ♂♂; ibid.; Nov. 1970; USUC • 1 ♀; Nova Teutônia ; 27°11′ S, 52°23′ W; alt. 300–500 m; 6 Oct. 1960; F. Plaumann leg.; CNCI {29 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 8 Jan. 1948; CNCI {13 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; Jan. 1965; CNCI {16 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; Jul. 1967; CNCI {30 } • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; Nov. 1968; CNCI {19, 20 } • 1 ♂; ibid.; 13 Feb. 1937; F. Plaumann leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 14 Feb. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 20 Sep. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 12 Oct. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 3 Nov. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 12 Nov. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 25 Nov. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 3 Dec. 1938; BMNH • 1 ♂; ibid.; 13 Dec. 1938; BMNH • 2 ♂♂; ibid.; Mar. 1947; CNCI • 1 ♂; ibid.; 9 Aug. 1948; CNCI • 1 ♂; ibid.; 1 Sep. 1948; CNCI • 1 ♂; ibid.; 2 Jan. 1965; CNCI • 1 ♂; ibid.; Jan. 1967; CNCI • 1 ♂; ibid.; Nov. 1968; CNCI • 1 ♀; Nova Teutônia ; 27°11′ S, 52°23′ W; 23 Jun. 1967; F. Plaumann leg.; Malaise; CNCI {6 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 7 Apr. 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 5 May 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; Apr. 1969; CNCI {5 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; 29 Mar. 1952; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 29 Oct. 1952; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 4 Dec. 1953; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 8 Apr. 1954; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 8 Dec. 1952; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 8 May 1954; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 9 Apr. 1948; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; Apr. 1969; DZUP {39 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; Aug. 1970; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; May 1953; USUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; Nov. 1970; USUC • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; Oct. 1967; CNCI {1, 2 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; Oct. 1967; DZUP {37 } • 2 ♀♀; ibid.; Feb. 1968; CNCI {3, 4 } • 1 ♀; ibid.; Oct. 1968; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; Sep. 1967; CNCI . – São Paulo State • 1 ♀; Águas Vermelhas ; alt. 800 m; Dec. 1983; M. Alvarenga leg.; USUC • 1 ♀; Botucatu, Fazenda Jaciobá ; 5–7 Feb. 2005; E.F. Santos and C.P. Scott- Santos leg.; YPT; UFES {25 } • 1 ♀; Campos do Jordão ; Feb. 1958; K. Lenko leg.; DZUP {28 } • 1 ♀; SAPar Labo Montevideo ; 5 Sep. [year unknown]; H.L. Parker leg.; parasite of D. saccharalis ; USUC 143.2 • 1 ♀; Ypiranga ; 17 Apr. 1936; Lange de Morretes leg.; DZUP {10 } • 1 ♂; Parelheiros ; 5 Aug. 1936; DZUP • 1 ♂; São José do Barreiro, Serra da Bocaina ; alt. 1600 m; 4–7 Nov. 1967; Alvarenga and Seabra leg.; USUC • 1 ♂; ibid.; Nov. 1968; USUC • 1 ♂; São José do Barreiro, Serra da Bocaina ; Mar. 1973; F.M. Oliveira leg.; USUC .

PERU • 1 ♂; Avispas , near Marcapata; alt. 30 m; Sep. 1962; LPeña leg.; USUC .

Redescription

Female (neotype)

SIZE. Fore wing 10.76 mm long.

HEAD. Clypeus basally moderately convex, at midlength not distinctly emarginated, CHW 0.39; median tubercle small, blunt, placed entirely on apical area; apical area moderately long. Mandible moderately pilose, MLW 1.51, MWW 0.49. MSM 0.80. Supra-clypeal area densely pilose, minutely coriarious. Antenna with 29 flagellomeres. Supra-antennal area minutely but distinctly coriarious, medially coriarious, ventrally and around ocelli slightly concave, with distinct median line.

MESOSOMA. Pronotum sparsely pilose, distinctly striate along posterior margin and collar, elsewhere minutely coriarious; epomia moderately stout, distinct and slightly sinuous only after diverging from pronotal collar, short, ending far from dorsal margin of pronotum. Mesoscutum densely covered with short hairs, punctate-coriarious, mesoscutum 1.09 × as long as wide; notauli medially distinctly convergent, notaulus 0.68 × as long as mesoscutum; scuto-scutellar groove deep, distinctly carinulate. Mesopleuron anteriorly coriarious, posteriorly distinctly lineate; subalar ridge moderately wide, somewhat keeled; epicnemial carina irregular, reaching subalar ridge; sternaulus moderately deep, posterior 0.25 shallow, with distinct vertical wrinkles; sulcus between sternaulus and scrobe almost indistinct; mesopleural fovea moderately deep, centrally a deep pit; mesopleural suture distinctly carinulate inside. Metapleuron rugulose, densely pilose; juxtacoxal carina represented by short ridge. Hind coxa densely punctate.

PROPODEUM. Moderately pilose; anterior margin medially concave; spiracle oval, SWL 1.33; anterior area coriarious-punctate; posterior area rugulose; anterior transverse carina slightly and uniformly arched forwards; posterior transverse carina represented only by very slight sublateral crests.

WINGS. Fore wing vein 1M+Rs anteriorly straight, posteriorly curved; crossvein 1cu-a convex, arising distinctly basad of 1M+Rs; crossvein 1m-cu irregular, continuous with 1-Rs+M; vein 1-Rs+M with bulla placed near basal 0.4; vein 2Cua 1.05 × as long as crossvein 2cu-a; 3r-m nebulous, about as long as 2r-m; vein 3-M about as long as 2-M; AWH 1.23, AAW 0.43; areolet not observed (wings folded at 2m-cu); APH 1.19; vein 4-M tubular, approximately straight. Hind wing with 8 hamuli, vein M+Cu apically moderately convex; vein M forming distinctly obtuse angle with vein Cua; HW1C 1.66; vein Cub almost straight, very slightly convex, forming straight angle with Cua; vein 2-Rs apically nebulous.

METASOMA. T1LW 1.32, T1WW 2.54; spiracle slightly prominent, at 0.48 of T1 length; median depression very shallow; lateral depression distinct; dorsolateral carina represented by blunt ridge; ventrolateral carina sharp, complete. T2LW 0.81, T2WW 1.70; thyridium about as wide as long. Tergites 2–8 coriarious; pilosity progressively denser on posterior tergites and laterally denser than dorsally. Ovipositor straight; OST 0.83; dorsal valve scarcely punctate; ventral valve distinctly overlapping dorsal valve, its apex with 8 teeth.

COLOUR. Head and mesosoma black with yellow marks; metasoma reddish. Head black; basal half of mandible, mouthparts, and clypeus pale yellow. Black stripes from base of mandible to clypeal foveae, throughout groove between face and clypeus, and from clypeal fovea to antennal foramen, thus making a distinct H-shaped figure. Orbital band pale yellow, shortly interrupted on malar space; covering entire width of gena on its ventral 0.4; gradually narrowing dorsally to 0.5 of its width; f6–8 entirely white, f5 and f9 partially white; f10–29 dark brown. Mesosoma black; collar, dorsal margin of pronotum, postero- lateral corner of propleuron, central spot on mesoscutum, tegula, scutellum, postscutellum, subalar ridge, central mark on mesopleuron, dorsal portion of hypoepimeron, dorsal division of metapleuron and sublateral spots on posterior area of propodeum pale yellow. Fore and mid coxae pale yellow; fore first trochanter pale yellow with blackish spot; mid first trochanter, fore and mid second trochanters and femora orange, trochanters with blackish spots; fore and mid tibia pale yellow; fore and mid tarsi dark yellow, brownish towards apex. Hind coxa, trochanters and femur reddish, coxa with dorso-basal yellow spot; hind tibia pale yellow; hind t1–4 pale yellow, t5 blackish. Wings hyaline. Metasoma reddish, lighter towards posterior segments; T1 with narrow, faint posterior yellow stripe.

VARIATION. Morphometric ranges for this species can be seen in Table 1. Mesosternum centrally densely pilose; supra-clypeal area sometimes entirely yellow, or sometimes with small blackish spots, or sometimes M-shaped spot; malar space rarely yellow (smaller specimens); orbital band sometimes complete, but very narrow on malar space; supra-antennal area medially and near ocelli sometimes rugulose; clypeus sometimes basally slightly convex; T1 posteriorly usually with a wide yellow band, covering about 10% of its length, but in some specimens this band fading or smaller to different degrees, up to entirely absent; metasoma sometimes darker (probably related to specimen conservation); yellow spot on hypoepimeron varying in size; yellow spot on mesopleuron varying in size and shape; veins 2Cua and 2cu-a sometimes aligned straight, sometimes evenly arched; vein Cub sometimes straight to distinctly curved on posterior portion; areolet rarely higher than wide; crossvein 1cu-a sometimes arising a little basad of 1M+Rs; vein 3-M sometimes distinctly longer than 2-M; median depression of T1 sometimes absent; lateral depression of T1 absent or very shallow in smaller specimens; yellow mark on propleuron varying in size and shape, sometimes propleuron fully yellow or sometimes almost entirely black; anterior side of metapleuron sometimes very densely pilose.

Male

Face never black, except malar space; T1 with fuscous lateral areas; areolet usually slightly less convergent than in female.

VARIATION. Antenna with 27–31 flagellomeres; T1LW 2.63–3.71; T1WW 1.64–2.04. Specimens from Serra da Bocaina and Curitiba with hind tibia basally orange, apically brownish and hind tarsus basally brownish, apically whitish (except for last tarsomere, brown); one specimen from Avispas with very small yellow mark on anterior ventral border of scape. Specimen from Serra do Araripe also with yellow spot on metapleuron.

Types

The original type specimen is lost (Yu et al. 2005) and this is problematic because this is, at the same time, the type species, the most common species of the genus, and a complex taxon, easy to confuse with other species, the most obvious of which is D. paratibialis sp. nov. The designation of a neotype is necessary to settle and stabilize the definition of the species. Brullé (1846: 242) cites the original location of the type specimen as “ Brésil (prov. de Guaratuba)”, which corresponds to the present city of Guaratuba, state of Paraná, in southern Brazil. We have not been able to find specimens of Distictus from Guaratuba. The present designation of a neotype is justified on the basis of its representativeness of the species, as interpreted here, the specimen’s integrity, and because the collecting place was the closest possible (80 km) to Guaratuba.

Comments

Structurally, D. tibialis differs from all other species in the genus by having four exclusive features: posterior area of propodeum rugulose ( Fig. 15F ); epicnemial carina reaching subalar ridge; pronotum distinctly striate along posterior margin and collar; and epomia distinctly sinuous after diverging from pronotal collar.

This species shares several structural and colour features with D. paratibialis sp. nov. These are the most similar species in Distictus and can be easily confused. They are nonetheless structurally distinct by 36 features, of which the most important are as follows: posterior area of propodeum rugulose ( Fig. 15F ) (vs strigate-rugulose in D. paratibialis sp. nov., Fig. 13B ); anterior margin of propodeum medially distinctly concave ( Fig. 15F ) (vs medially very slightly concave, Fig. 13B ); pronotum distinctly striate along posterior margin (vs weakly striate). The new species also differs in colour pattern by having metapleuron entirely black ( Fig. 15C ) (vs with distinct yellow mark, Fig. 13D ); fore and mid coxae entirely pale yellow ( Fig. 15G ) (vs with small dorso-apical brown spot, Fig. 13D ); mesosternum black (vs with large yellow marks); and large central mark on mesopleuron extending to sternaulus ( Fig. 15G ) (vs extending beyond sternaulus, Fig. 13D ).

The new species is also similar to D. ateles sp. nov., from which it differs in 50 structural features, of which the most important are as follows: posterior area of propodeum rugulose and matte ( Fig. 15F ) (vs strigate and shiny, Fig. 7C ); metapleuron rugulose (vs lineate); mesoscutum punctate-coriarious (vs densely punctate); anterior transverse carina of propodeum slightly and uniformly arched forwards ( Fig. 15F ) (vs slightly arched forwards, medially more distinctly curved, Fig. 7C ); median tubercle of clypeus small (vs large); epicnemial carina reaching subalar ridge, irregular (vs reaching about 0.70 of distance to subalar ridge, more or less uniformly curved); areolet 0.31–0.38 × as high as wide (vs 0.45); anterior margin of propodeum medially concave ( Fig. 15F ) (vs medially very slightly concave, Fig. 7C ); spiracle of propodeum oval ( Fig. 15G ) (vs elongate, Fig. 7D ); SWL 1.11–1.55 (vs 1.25–2.05); propodeum moderately pilose (vs sparsely pilose). The two species are also similar in colour pattern, but D. tibialis can be isolated by having the metapleuron entirely black ( Fig. 15G ) (vs with distinct yellow mark, Fig. 7D ); T1 orange (vs mostly black); hind femur fully reddish ( Fig. 15G ) (vs apically blackish, Fig. 7D ).

Host

One specimen (USUC 143.2) was reared from Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) ( Lepidoptera , Crambidae ), the sugarcane borer. This moth is the most important pest of sugarcane, and some parasitoid species have been successfully used in its biological control in Brazil (see Molnár et al. 2016). Label information: “S[outh]A[merican]Par[asite] Labo[ratory]/Montevideo/No 143.2//Est de Sao/Paulo [São Paulo State] Braz[il]//issIx.5/HLParker//Parasiting D. saccharalis //? Mesostenus tibialiis Bé /det Cush1941”. The specimen was reared by the South American Parasite Laboratory, part of the United States Department of Agriculture, apparently in one of the team’s collecting excursions in the Brazilian state of São Paulo (mentioned in Parker et al. 1953). The reared specimen apparently died inside its pupa, or soon after emerging: wings are delicate and collapsed, propodeum apex is damaged and ovipositor valves separated.

Distribution records

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (CE, ES, RJ, SP, PR, SC, RS), Peru.

Figures

Fig. 15. Distictus tibialis (Brullé, 1846). A–B. Head, frontal view (A: UFES; B: CNCI). C. Mesosoma, left side (UFES). D. ♀, habitus (DZUP). E. ♂, habitus (UFES45305). F. Propodeum + coxae + first tergite, dorsal view (UFES51229). G. ♀, habitus (UFES). H. Apex of ovipositor, left side (UFES45337).

Fig. 13. Distictus paratibialis sp. nov. A. Head, frontal view;paratype (IBRP).B. Mesosoma +first tergite, dorsal view; holotype (LAPIS5907). C. Head, frontal view; holotype (LAPIS5907). D. Mesosoma, left side; holotype (LAPIS5907). E. Apex of ovipositor, left side, holotype (LAPIS5907).

Fig. 7. Distictus ateles sp. nov., holotype (USUC), ♀. A. Head, frontal view. B. Areolet of fore right wing. C. Propodeum + first two tergites, dorsal view. D. Habitus. E. Apex of ovipositor, left side.