Ophion mediterraneus, Johansson, 2021

Johansson, Niklas, 2021, Contribution to the subfamily Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Southern Europe with the description of one new genus and 15 new species, Zootaxa 5023 (3), pp. 301-334 : 321

Ophion mediterraneus sp. nov.

Figs 14A–F

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:80E08128-266C-41D8-A5E3-904C1997D8A6

Holotype: ANDORRA: 1♀, St. Julia , 15 Mar. 1981, R.J.L. Roche leg. ( NMNL)

Paratypes: ANDORRA: 1♂, St. Julia , 15 Mar. 1981, R.J.L. Roche leg. ( NMNL) . SPAIN: 1♀, 1♂, Almeria , Sra de los Filabros, Fte de Arr Perruga, 1750 m. a. s., 23 Apr. 2009, Astleitner, leg. ( OÖLM) . MOROCCO: 1♂, Rabat, “146”, ( NHMUK) .

Etymology: The name mediterraneus refers to the occurence in the Mediterranean area.

Diagnosis: Similar to Ophion obscuratus Fabricius , but with the temples narrower and the pleurosternal angles more prominent. Also similar to the here described Ophion canariensis sp. nov., but with the pleurosternal angles of different shape, the ovipositor of the female testaceous and the posterior transverse carina of propodeum centrally widely interrupted.

Description: Fore wing length 16‒17 mm. Body length 21‒22 mm. Antenna with 61‒63 flagellomeres. Head quite narrowed behind eyes, temple in lateral view 0.4 × as long as compound eye in female and male ( Fig. 14E ). Lateral ocelli touching inner margin of compound eye. Face quite narrow ( Fig. 14D ). Occipital carina centrally evenly rounded. Face below antennal sockets shagreened with distinct and very dense punctures. Malar space very narrow, about 0.1 × as long as mandibular base. Mandibular gape obtuse, with internal angles. First flagellomere 3.0‒3.5 × as long as wide. Central flagellomeres stout, about 1.5‒1.6 × as long as wide. Mesoscutum weakly shagreened with small dense punctures. Mesopleuron shagreened with punctures quite dense, interstices between punctures 0.5‒1.0 × the diameter of punctures. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles very distinct, right-angled or slightly acute, only slightly anterior to sternal angles ( Fig. 14F ). Scutellum with lateral carinae only indicated basally. Propodeum dorsally polished with anterior carina strongly raised. Posterior transverse carina only present laterally. Central longitudinal carinae weak, delimiting a slightly elongate area superomedia. Lateral longitudinal carinae missing ( Fig. 14B ). Sclerotised part of first sternite ending slightly posterior to spiracle ( Fig. 14C ). Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Hind femur slender, about 7.0 × as long as wide. Inner spur of hind tibia long, about 0.5 × as long as hind metatarsus. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus quite long, reaching 0.4 × the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius weakly sinuous, Nervellus broken slightly below the middle by the discoidella.

Colouration: Body reddish yellow with the following areas paler whitish: inner and outer orbits widely, four stripes on mesoscutum, scutellum, subalar prominence, two diffuse areas on upper mesopleuron and one in the anterior lower part adjacent to metapleuron, large spot on metapleuron. Mandibular teeth black. Ovipositor sheath concolourous with posterior metasomal segments. Wing veins testaceous.

DNA Barcode: The DNA barcode sequence of one specimen of Ophion mediterraneus sp. nov. is available at the BOLD systems database: sample id. NJP637, sequence id. LNU2473-21.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Ophion mediterraneus sp. nov. paratype female (NMNL).A) Habitus, lateral view; B) scutellum and propodeum, dorsal view; C) petiolus, lateral view; D) head, anterior view; E) head, lateral view; F) epicnemial carina, ventrolateral view.