Epirhyssa ghesquierei Seyrig, 1937

Hopkins, Tapani, Roininen, Heikki, Noort, Simon van, Broad, Gavin R., Kaunisto, Kari & Saeaeksjaervi, Ilari E., 2019, Extensive sampling and thorough taxonomic assessment of Afrotropical Rhyssinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) reveals two new species and demonstrates the limitations of previous sampling efforts, ZooKeys 878, pp. 33-71 : 33

Epirhyssa ghesquierei Seyrig, 1937 Figs 7-13

Material examined.

Type material: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:

• 1 ♀, holotype; Eala [0°4.22'N, 18°18.15'E]; Nov. 1935; "J. Ghesquière"; "R. Dét. G 3330"; RMCA RMCA-ENT-000017927

• 1 ♂, paratype; Bambesa; Dec. 1946; "P.L. Benoit"; RMCA RMCA-ENT-000017928.

Non-type material: CAMEROON:

• 1 ♂; Korup; Dec. 1980-Jan. 1981; Mrs D. Jackson leg.; NHMUK

• 1 ♂; Korup; 1981; Mrs D. Jackson leg.; NHMUK.

UGANDA:

• 1 ♀; Kibale National Park, Kanyawara, Site R93, Malaise trap R93T1; 0.5653N, 30.3568E (WGS84); alt. 1510 m (GPS, WGS84); 23 Sep. 2014-7 Oct. 2014; Tapani Hopkins leg.; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.53

• 1 ♀; same data as preceding; Site K30S, Malaise trap K30ST4; 0.5414N, 30.3755E (WGS84); alt. 1420 m (GPS, WGS84); 25 Aug. 2015-11 Sep. 2015; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1263

• 1 ♀; same data as preceding; Site K15, Malaise trap K15T2; 0.5843N, 30.3644E (WGS84); alt. 1470 m (GPS, WGS84); 4 May 2015-20 May 2015; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5592

• 1 ♀; same data as preceding; Site CC, Malaise trap CCT1; 0.5497N, 30.3673E (WGS84); alt. 1450 m (GPS, WGS84); 15 Dec. 2014-29 Dec. 2014; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5701

• 1 ♀; same data as preceding; 24 Feb. 2015-10 Mar. 2015; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5737

• 1 ♀; same data as preceding; 13 Jan. 2015-27 Jan. 2015; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5853

• 1 ♂; Kibale National Park, Kanyawara, Site K31, Malaise trap K31T4; 0.5362N, 30.3486E (WGS84); alt. 1460 m (GPS, WGS84); 29 Dec. 2014-16 Jan. 2015; Tapani Hopkins leg.; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2300

• 1 ♂; same data as preceding; Site CC, Malaise trap CCT1; 0.5497N, 30.3673E (WGS84); alt. 1450 m (GPS, WGS84); 30 Jun. 2015-14 Jul. 2015; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5610.

Non-type material (only diagnostic characters checked): UGANDA:

• 109 ♀; Kibale National Park, Kanyawara; Tapani Hopkins leg.; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1250, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1251, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1252, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1257, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1258, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1260, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1264, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1269, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1271, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1282, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1335, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1365, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1526, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1695, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1720, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2569, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2799, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3010, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3077, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3095, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3100, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3103, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3104, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3459, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3495, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3496, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3529, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3542, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3611, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3638, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4375, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4738, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5594, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5598, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5599, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5603, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5612, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5615, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5617, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5621, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5624, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5627, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5634, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5636, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5638, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5639, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5649, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5654, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5659, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5661, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5664, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5666, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5667, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5671, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5676, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5677, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5680, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5685, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5686, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5691, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5695, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5696, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5706, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5707, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5710, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5711, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5715, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5716, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5718, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5721, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5723, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5724, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5735, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5745, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5747, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5751, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5753, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5756, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5759, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5760, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5761, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5769, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5770, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5776, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5782, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5786, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5796, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5799, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5800, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5802, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5809, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5810, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5812, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5813, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5819, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5826, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5827, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5830, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5837, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5840, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5841, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5842, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5843, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5847, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6015, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6043, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6050, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6051, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6053

• 47 ♂; Kibale National Park, Kanyawara; Tapani Hopkins leg.; ZMUThttp://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1351, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1359, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1588, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.1791, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2170, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2505, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2622, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.2647, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3098, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3099, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3528, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3684, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.3694, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4322, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4514, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4636, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.4641, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5588, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5590, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5602, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5611, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5633, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5651, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5656, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5660, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5682, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5700, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5703, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5714, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5730, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5731, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5744, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5746, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5777, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5779, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5795, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5828, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5833, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5848, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5852, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.5859, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6046, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6047, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6048, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6049, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6052, http://mus.utu.fi/ZMUT.6054.

Known material: 168 specimens (164 Ugandan, 4 other):

112 ♀, 44 ♂; Ugandan specimens caught by Malaise trap, data above and also in supplementary material ( Hopkins et al. 2019c).

3 ♀, 5 ♂; Ugandan hand-netted specimens, data above and also in supplementary material ( Hopkins et al. 2019c).

1 ♀, 3 ♂; see Rousse and van Noort (2014), data above in material examined.

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished from other Afrotropical Rhyssinae by the combination of a half-elliptical apical horn of the metasoma and a mostly smooth tergite 3.

Head: frons with diverging median carinae, without clear lateral carinae; hypostomal carina raised into an elevated flange, its height greater than the maximum width of the second maxillary palp segment.

Mesosoma: subalar prominence without a lateral flange; mesopleuron with an elevated flange along the dorsal margin; epicnemial carina reaches the approximate height of the mesopleural pit.

Metasoma: tip of apical horn half-elliptical in posterior view; tergite 3 mostly smooth.

Additional or updated characters.

Apart from the diagnosis, we provide the following additional or updated character traits to the description in Rousse and van Noort (2014).

Female.

Body length 11.4 mm– 17.2 mm. Frons rugulose or smooth, often with more or less distinct rugae that fan out from the median carinae towards the ocelli. Antenna with 32-34 flagellar segments. Tergites mostly smooth, but with variable structure on some tergites (4-7 pubescent and anterior margins of 3-5 slightly punctate or striate in Ugandan specimens, 3-6 shallowly punctate with anterior striations in other specimens), tergite 1 2.2-2.5 times as long as apically wide. The Ugandan specimens are more orange than yellow in colour, generally have no dark spots on the lateral lobes of the mesoscutum, and the colour of their interocellar area varies from orange (most frequent) to black.

Male. Body length 11.5 mm– 14.1 mm. Antenna with 31-33 flagellar segments. Anterior margin of tergite 3 sometimes neither punctate nor striate. Tergite 1 2.5-3.0 times as long as apically wide. Males are smaller than females on average.

Distribution.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon. New record: Uganda.

Biology.

In Uganda, this species was most abundantly caught in primary forest near decaying wood, during the dry season ( Hopkins et al. 2019b). It has not been caught outside the forest. Many of the hand-netted individuals were caught after landing on a fallen tree trunk ( Uvariopsis congensis Robyns & Ghesq.). The males especially seemed to be repeatedly visiting the tree.

Figures

Figures 7 - 13. Epirhyssa ghesquierei female (http: // mus. utu. fi / ZMUT. 5853), a species found in Uganda. 7 Habitus 8 face and clypeus 9 frons 10 hypostomal flange 11 mesopleuron dorsal margin 12 apical horn of metasoma 13 tergites 1 - 7. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (8 - 13), 1 mm (7).