Ophion sistanicus Johansson, 2021

Johansson, Niklas, Ameri, Ali, Riedel, Matthias, Talebi, Ali Asghar & Ebrahimi, Ebrahim, 2021, Contribution to the Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Iran with the description of 16 new species and an illustrated key to the Eremotylus of the Western Palaearctic, Zootaxa 5023 (2), pp. 151-206 : 189

Ophion sistanicus Johansson sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DD5A6DEB-B4C3-45E1-AD92-54E2EE618960

Figs 19A‒E

Holotype: IRAN: ♀, Sistan-Baluchstan Province , Khash, Kousheh, 28˚37’38.7"N, 61˚00’56.3"E, 1715 m. a. s., Agu. 16‒30, 2015, 2583 m. 22 Apr. 2012, Afs. / Mogh. / Moj leg. ( HMIM).

Paratype: 1♂, same data as holotype, ( HMIM) .

Type depositories: The holotype is stored in HMIM and the paratype in NHRS

Etymology: The name refers to the Sistan-Baluchstan province in Iran where the types were collected.

Diagnosis: A member of the Ophion minutus aggregate. Easily separable from Ophion minutus and O. golestanicus Johansson sp. nov. by the narrower face and the more whitish markings. Distinguished from the very similar Ophion schmidti Johansson sp. nov. by the more strongly polished mesosoma in the male and female, the more elongate flagellomeres, the narrower temples and the right-angled mandibular gape with the upper mandibular tooth slightly larger than the lower tooth. The polished mesosoma also distinguishes this species from Ophion persicus Johansson sp. nov.

Description: Fore wing length 7 mm. Body length 8‒9 mm. Antenna with 44 flagellomeres. Head narrowed behind compound eyes, temple in lateral view 0.3 × as long as compound eye in female and male ( Fig. 19B ). Ocelli large, touching inner margin of compound eye. Face narrow ( Fig. 19D ). Occipital carina centrally slightly flattened. Face below antennal sockets shagreened with rather dense punctures in female. The interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter. Malar space absent. Mandibular gape right angled, without internal angles ( Fig. 19C ). First flagellomere 4.5 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres slender, about 2.0 × as long as wide. Apical flagellomeres approximately 1.8 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum polished with virtually no punctuation. Mesopleuron in both sexes polished with distinct, but very scarce punctures, interstices between punctures about 3.0 × in female, 5.0 × in male. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles obtuse, distinctly anterior to sternal angles. Scutellum without lateral carinae. Propodeum opaque, with weak rugulose sculpture. Propodeum with carinae entirely absent. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly posterior to spiracle. Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Hind femur slender, about 7.0‒8.0 × as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia long, about 0.4 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus distinct, short reaching 0.1 of the width of the discosubmarginal cell in the female, 0.3 × in the male. Radius very weakly sinuous, conspicuously bent and widened before junction with pterostigma. Nervellus almost straight broken distinctly below the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body red brownish, with the following paler whitish: head apart, from a small spot in front of anterior ocellus, a small triangular area below the antennal scrobes and anterior margin of clypeus; four longitudinal stripes on mesoscutum; subalar prominence; spots on mesopleuron; a spot in the lower posterior part of mesoscutum and one larger spot corresponding on metapleuron ( Fig. 19E ). Propodeum basally. Coxae with paler marks on the outer side. Metasoma with irregular pale markings on the posterior segments. Mandibular teeth black. Ovipositor sheath testaceous, concolourous with posterior metasomal segments.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Ophion sistanicus, holotype ♀ (HMIM). A) Habitus, lateral view; B) head, lateral view; C) mandibles; D) head anterior view; E) mesosoma, lateral view. Photos: Niklas Johansson.