Loxopus exius Santos et Aguiar, 2014

Santos, Bernardo F. & Aguiar, Alexandre P., 2014, Review of Loxopus Townes (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with descriptions of six new species, Journal of Natural History 49 (31), pp. 1905-1935 : 1924-1926

Loxopus exius Santos et Aguiar , sp. nov. (Figures 3D, 5D, 7G, 8D)

Female

Fore wing 3.44 mm long. Head. Antenna with 21 flagellomeres. CWH 1.60; CWW 1.54. MLW 1.92; MWW 0.59. MSM 0.64. Median line on supra-antennal area distinct. Mesosoma ( Figure 7G ). Pronotum with distinct, short striae along posterior margin of collar, from laterocentral area to ventral corner. Scutellar carina in lateral view distinct on about 0.3–0.4 of scutellum. Subalar ridge very narrow, dash-like; epicnemial carina restricted to ventral 0.8 of mesopleuron, its ventral 0.3 arched forward, dorsally almost straight. Transverse furrow at base of propodeum with distinct striae. Metapleuron finely punctate; juxtacoxal and pleural carinae absent. Fourth tarsomeres lateral lobe 3.0 × as long as mesal lobe. Anterior margin of propodeum medially weakly concave; SWL 1.57; posterior transverse carina complete, medially weaker and moderately arched forwards, sublaterally forming weak but distinct crests. Fore wing vein 1-Rs + M approximately straight; crossvein 1m-cu uniformly and slightly curved, as long as 1-Rs + M crossvein 1cu-a arising opposite base of 1M + Rs; veins 2cu-a and 2-Cu angled; bulla of crossvein 2m-cu placed centrally; APH 0.62; AWH 1.07. Hind wing vein 2-1A absent or vestigial; HW1C 1.27. Metasoma. T1LW 2.21; T1WW 2.19; T1 approximately rounded ventrolaterally; dorsolateral carina complete but very weak, stronger posteriorly; ventrolateral carina absent. T2LW 0.87; T2WW 2.17; T2–8 very sparsely pilose, finely punctate. OST 0.6; ovipositor approximately straight; dorsal valve with very weak nodus and distinct preapical notch; ventral valve tip with six oblique ridges ( Figure 5D ).

Colour. Head black and whitish, mesosoma ferruginous, metasoma dark brown and white. Head: black; scape ferruginous (111,074,045); pedicel with elongate white spot, remainder of pedicel and first flagellomere ferruginous, remainder of flagellum dark brown, getting darker toward apex; dorsal portion of apex of f4, f5–9 and base of f10 white; supra-clypeal area, clypeus, mouth parts, base of mandible, frontal and vertical orbit whitish (240,230,217); apex of mandible reddish to blackish; supraantennal area, temple, gena until anterior margin of eye, and occiput black. Mesosoma : ferruginous (160,097,057); propleuron, collar, short dash on dorsal margin of pronotum, tegula and subalar ridge, ventral 0.5 of mesopleuron, apical 0.4 of scutellum, dorsal division of metapleuron, apical 0.4–8 of metapleuron, transverse marks over propodeal crests, whitish; mesosternum at least partially blackish, usually at postpectum and near base of mid coxae. Legs: ferruginous, generally slightly darker towards; fore and mid coxae and all trochanters white, mid trochantellus with fore and hind black spots; tibiae whitish, tarsi light brown; hind coxa with fore and hind portions whitish, lateral part with a broad, dark brown (073,059,040) mark; hind trochantellus marked with dark brown. Wings hyaline, the fore ones with a buff dark spot covering the apical part of cells 2 + 3M and 1 + 2R1. Metasoma: T1 ferruginous, apical 0.40 white; T2 dark brown; T3 white, basally with semicircular dark brown mark; T4–6 dorsally light brown, laterally ferruginous; T7–8 dorsally white, laterally ferruginous; ovipositor reddish orange (115,074,032); sheaths dark brown.

Male

General morphology similar to female, except for fore wing 4.12–5.26 mm; antenna with 24–26 flagellomeres, with or without white band (n = 2); posterior transverse carina of propodeum almost straight and not forming sublateral crests; spiracle of first metasomal tergite distinctly prominent; SWL 1.14–1.45; T1LW 2.10–2.59; T1WW 1.64–1.77.

Variation

Fore wing 3.67–4.83 mm long. General tone of ferruginous ranging from bright, almost orange (212,157,093), to almost fuscous (152,102,050); antenna with 21–27 flagellomeres; white band at flagellum sometimes starting only on f5; mesosternum sometimes entirely blackish; scutellum in some specimens the same colour as mesosoma ; postscutellum whitish in specimens with general lighter colour; pro- and mesosternum sometimes with black marks; T1 white on posterior 0.25–0.40 T2 sometimes basally ferruginous; basal dark mark at T3 sometimes indicated only by a buff, ferruginous area; T3 sometimes with semicircular dark spot at apical 0.6; T4 white in one specimen.

Comments

Very similar to L. dodecius sp. nov., from which it can be differentiated mainly by having six teeth on the ventral valve of the ovipositor (versus 12) and by the colour pattern of the metasoma, with apex of T2 dark brown (versus lighter, whitish laterally), T3 white (versus dark brown with apex whitish), and T4 ferruginous (versus white). Additionally distinguished from L. dodecius by the gena black until anterior margin of eye (versus partially to completely white), scutellar carina distinct on 0.5– 1.0 of scutellum (versus 0.3–0.4) and dorsolateral carina of T1 weak (versus moderately strong).

Etymology

Latinized form of the Greek exi, meaning six; in reference to the six teeth on the lower valve of the ovipositor.

Material examined

28 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂. Holotype ♀ from BRAZIL, Espírito Santo, Cariacica, Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas , Pt. 11, 25–27 April 2005, yellow pan traps, A.P. Aguiar ( UFES). Mounted on triangle point. In good shape.

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Mato Grosso: 1 ♂ from Chapada dos Guimarães, 800 m, July 1983, M. Alvarenga ( AEIC) . Minas Gerais: 1 ♀ from Águas Vermelhas , 15°45 ′ S, 11°28 ′ W, 800 m, December 1983, Alvarenga . Espírito Santo: 1 ♀ from Cariacica, Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas , Pt. 10, 29–30 April 2005, yellow pan traps, A.P. Aguiar ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 2, 30 April–1 May 2005 ; 1 ♀, same data except 26 July 1996, sweeping, C.O. Azevedo ; 1 ♀, same data except 27 July 1996, H.S. Sá ; 1 ♀, same data except Pau Amarelo, Pt. 1, 20–28 October 2005, Malaise trap, A.P. Aguiar et al .; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 9 ; 4 ♀♀, same data except Pt. 3, 22–24 October 2005, yellow pan traps ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 8 ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 11 ; 2 ♀♀, same data except Pt. 21, 23–25 October 2005 ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 5, 24–26 October 2005 ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 12, 25–27 October 2005 ; 1 ♀, same data except Pt. 13 ; 2 ♀♀, same data except Pt. 18, 27–29 October 2005 . 1 ♂ from Guarapari, Parque Estadual Paulo César Vinha, 20°36 ′ S, 40°25 ′ W, 4 m, Pt. 63, 8–15 May 2006, yellow pan traps, R. Kawada . 1 ♀ from Santa Maria de Jetibá, Fazenda Clarindo Kruger, Pt. T8, 29 November–6 December 2002, Malaise trap, M. Tavares, C. Azevedo et al .; 1 ♀, same data except Fazenda Paulo Seick, Pt. B 4 . 1 ♀ from Santa Teresa, propriedade rural, Pt. 4, 19–26 August 2007, Malaise trap, F.G. Rampinelli et al .; 3 ♀♀, same data except Estação Biológica de Santa Lúcia , 9–13 May 2006, yellow pan traps, M.T. Tavares, C.O. Azevedo et al. ( UFES). Rio de Janeiro : 1 ♀ from Rio de Janeiro, Floresta da Tijuca , July 1966, Alvarenga and Seabra ( AEIC) . Paraná: 1 ♀ from Ilha do Mel, Fortaleza , 26 February 1989, R. Dutra ( DZUP) .

Distribution

Brazil (MT, MG, ES, RJ, PR) ( Figure 8 C).

Figures

Figure 5. Ovipositor apex. (A) L. australis; (B) L. dodecius; (C) L. duckei; (D) L. exius.

Figure 7. (A,B) Head, frontal view. (A) L. dodecius; (B) L. ichilus (C-E, G) Mesosoma, lateral view. (C) L. duckei; (D) L. australis; (E) L. ichilus; (F) L. docedius male, propodeum; (G) L. exius; (H) L. multicolor, metasoma.