Physotarsus niveus Zhaurova

Zhaurova, Kira & Wharton, Robert, 2009, A revision of Physotarsus Townes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ctenopelmatinae), with description of 18 new species, Zootaxa 2207, pp. 1-52 : 42-43

Physotarsus niveus Zhaurova , n. sp. ( Figs 50, 51 )

Diagnosis. Lateral ocelli separated by about 0.6X their widest diameter from each other and about 2.0X their widest diameter from eye margin. Antenna with 24–27 flagellomeres. Pronotum and mesoscutum shiny, impunctate. T1 about 2.2X as long as broad. Anterior margin of clypeus white, rest of clypeus, head and mesosoma orange except anteromedian 0.6 of propodeum brown, rest white. Metasoma with T1 white anteriorly, brown posteriorly; rest of tergites brown with narrow, white apical margins. Hind leg dark brown to black except posteriorly and ventrally coxa, most of femur, and part of tibia white. Fore wing hyaline, apex weakly infumate.

Physotarsus niveus is similar to several other smooth-bodied species that have hyaline wings with an infumate apical spot, most notably P. eliethi , P. glabellus , P. j a m e s i, P. leucohypopygus , and P. oculatus . As in P. leucohypopygus and P. oculatus the hind femur on the outer or anterior face is entirely or almost entirely dark brown to black in P. niveus but unlike the other two species, the hind femur is extensively white on the posterior face. The ocellar field is dark brown in P. oculatus but the head above is completely orange in P. leucohypopygus and P. niveus . The propodeum is entirely orange in P. leucohypopygus but dark brown anteriorly and white posteriorly in P. niveus .

Description. Female: Body ( Fig. 50 ) 5.2–5.8 mm, fore wing 5.5 mm. Head ( Fig. 51 ): Clypeal margin widely rounded laterally, with thick, somewhat angulate central lobe. Clypeus about 2.8X as wide as long, not divided medially by transverse depression. Face sparsely covered with short to moderately long setae; setae slightly longer, less dense on clypeus. Anterior tentorial pits oval. Malar space about 0.5X width of mandibular base. Face about 1.5–1.6X as broad as long, mostly weakly convex in profile, more strongly protruding at dorsal tubercle, smooth. Interantennal area flat, area immediately behind antennae weakly concave laterally, turning convex before reaching ocelli. Anterior margin of torulus situated at about 0.8 of eye height. Interantennal distance greater than distance between lateral ocelli. Widest diameter of torulus about equal widest diameter of median ocellus. Lateral ocelli separated by about 0.6X their widest diameter from each other and about 2.0X their widest diameter from eye margin. Area between lateral ocelli slightly depressed, area behind ocelli sharply declivitous. Antenna with 24–27 flagellomeres, first flagellomere 5.2X longer than wide, 0.9X widest transverse diameter of eye, second flagellomere about 0.7X length of first. Occipital carina present on ventral 0.2 of head. Mesosoma: Anterior margin of pronotum medially emarginate, laterally truncate and slightly upcurved. Lateral groove of pronotum unsculptured, weak, present on dorsal 0.2. Pronotum and mesoscutum shiny, impunctate. Epicnemial carina strongly angled towards anterior margin of mesopleuron. Mesopleuron impunctate, sparsely pubescent ventrally. Metapleuron sparsely, unevenly setose. Propodeum with distinct posterior vestiges of both median longitudinal and pleural carinae; impunctate medially, sparsely pubescent laterally. Tarsal claws basally pectinate. Fore wing stigma narrow, about 4.5X longer than wide; Rs+2r arising from basal 0.3 of stigma; marginal cell about 3.0X longer than wide; 2rs-m 1.2X longer than abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu; Cu1a about 0.4X length of 2cu-a; cu- a interstitital to weakly antefurcal relative to Rs&M. Hind wing M+Cu strongly bowed; basal abscissa of Rs 1.0–1.2X length of rs-m; 1st abscissa of Cu1 exceptionally variable, 2.3–4.3X longer than cu-a. Metasoma: T1 about 2.2X as long as broad; surface in profile flat basally, weakly convex posteriorly, dorsal tendon anchored within deep, discrete depression; spiracles protruding in profile; dorsolateral carina protruding laterally at base, extending 0.7–0.8x distance to spiracle. Cerci distinct, round to slightly ovate, nearly flat.

Male: Body 4.8mm. First flagellomere 5.7X longer than wide; 1st abscissa of Cu 1 in hind wing 2.2–2.8X longer than cu-a; subgenital plate small, transparent, weakly sclerotized, weakly convex. Otherwise as in female.

Color. Anterior margin of clypeus white, rest of clypeus, head, and most of mesosoma orange. Antenna dark brown to black in female, brown to light brown at base in male. At least anteromedian 0.6 of propodeum brown, rest white. Metasoma with T1 white anteriorly in holotype, brown posteriorly, entirely dark brown in paratypes; rest of tergites brown with narrow white apical margins, sternites white, cerci brown. Coxa of fore and mid legs white, femora and tibiae pale orange, mid and sometimes fore tarsomeres usually brown. Hind leg dark brown to black except white posteriorly and ventrally on coxa, most of femur, and part of tibia. Fore wing hyaline, apex weakly infumate.

Material Examined. Holotype Ψ ( AEIC, Type No. 3858): [ BRAZIL, Saõ Paulo] first line of data label: “S.J. Barreiro,” second line: “Serra da Bocâina ,” third line: “Braz. 1650m, XI-68 ” fourth line: “Alvarenga&Seabra”. Paratypes: BRAZIL, 1 Ψ, same data as holotype except xi.1969 ( AEIC), 1 ɗ [Rio de Janeiro?] Guan., Floresta da Tijuca, iv.1969 (Alvarenga & Seabra) ( AEIC), 1 ɗ Minas Gerais, Serra do Caraça, S. Barbara, 1600 m, iv.1969 (FM Oliveira) ( AEIC).

Remarks. The holotype and one of the paratypes were collected from highlands (1650 m). The species is known only from southwestern Brazil.

The species name is derived from Latin, referring to the white markings at the apex of the propodeum, and the base of the petiole in the holotype.

Figures

FIGURES 49 – 52. Habitus and face. 49, Physotarsus melotarsus n. sp., face. 50 – 51, P. niveus n. sp.; 50, habitus; 51, face. 52, P. oculatus n. sp., habitus.