Ophion schmidti 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 : 184-187

Ophion schmidti Johansson sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B004AAF8-3C20-469A-8D97-E701DBAC7178

Fig. 17A‒E .

Holotype: IRAN: ♀, Ardabil Province, Bodalalou , 38˚01’30.87"N, 48˚30’23.7"E, 18 Sep. 2009, 2014 m. a. s., M. Manzari leg. ( HMIM)

Paratypes: IRAN: 2♀♀, 1♂, Ardabil Province, Bodalalou , 38˚01’30.87"N, 48˚30’23.7"E, 18 Sep. 2009, 2014 m. a. s., M. Manzari leg. ( HMIM) .

Type depositories: Holotype and paratypes are stored in HMIM, except one female paratype, which is stored in NHRS.

Etymology: The species is named in honour of the hymenopterist Stefan Schmidt in Munich.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from Ophion minutus Kriechbaumer and Ophion golestanicus Johansson sp. nov. by the narrower face. Most similar to Ophion sistanicus Johansson sp. nov. and O. persicus Johansson sp. nov., but distinguished by the less punctate face and the acute angled mandibular gape. The two known females lack ramellus while the females of both sibling species have distinct ramellus.

Description: Fore wing length 6‒8 mm. Body length 7‒9 mm. Antenna with 44‒47 flagellomeres. Head buccate, temple in lateral view 0.4 × as long as compound eye in female ( Fig. 17E ), 0.5 × in male. Ocelli large, touching compound eye. Face narrow ( Fig. 17D ). Occipital carina centrally evenly rounded. Face below antennal sockets polished with weak scarce punctures in female. Malar space absent. Mandibular gape strongly acute, without internal angles ( Fig. 17C ). First flagellomere 3.5 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres slender, about 1.7‒1.8 × as long as wide. Apical flagellomeres approximately 1.8 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum polished with punctures very shallow and scarce. Mesopleuron in female polished with distinct punctures, interstices between punctures about 3.0 × their diameter, in male more shagreened, with denser, more distinct punctures. 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 ( Fig. 17B ). 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 0.4‒0.5 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus absent (in females) or very short reaching 0.1 of the width of the discosubmarginal cell (males). Radius very weakly sinuous, conspicuously bent and widened before junction with pterostigma. Nervellus broken slightly below the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body yellow reddish, with the following paler yellowish: 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 small spot in the lower posterior part of mesoscutum and one larger spot corresponding on metapleuron. 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 17. Ophion schmidti Johansson sp. nov. holotype ♀ (HMIM). A) Habitus, lateral view; B) propodeum, dorsal view; C) mandibles; D) head, anterior view; E) head, lateral view. Photos: Niklas Johansson.