Ophion ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926

Johansson, Niklas & Cederberg, Björn, 2019, Review of the Swedish species of Ophion (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae), with the description of 18 new species and an illustrated key to Swedish species, European Journal of Taxonomy 550, pp. 1-136 : 85

Ophion ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926

Figs 7C , 8L , 10I

Ophion ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926: 17 .

Ophion fuscicollis Hellén, 1926: 14 ?

Material examined

Holotype, ♂, of Ophion fuscicollis ( ZMH); 83 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂ ( Sweden); 1 ♀ ( Croatia); 7 ♀♀ ( Norway).

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 13–15 mm. Antenna in both sexes with 51–55 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.5 times as long as wide. Head narrowed behind eyes. Occipital carina entirely absent ( Fig. 7C ). Malar space about 0.1 times as long as mandibular base in female and male. Mandibular gape right-angled, with internal angles. Wing membrane strongly yellowish. Mesopleuron polished and punctate. Interstices between punctures 1–2 times their diameter. Pleurosternal angles strongly obtuse, weakly defined and obviously anterior to sternal angles (as in Fig. 9H ). Scutellum without lateral carinae, rectangular with parallel sides (as in Fig. 6B ). Propodeum coriaceous with carina strongly reduced and only posterior transverse carina present and often interrupted or weak centrally. Propodeum centrally with transverse wrinkles ( Fig. 10I ). Female metasoma shorter than in O. areolaris . Tergite 4–5 in lateral view about 0.75 times as long as wide. Spiracles of tergite 2–7 more close to the base of the tergite ( Fig. 8L ). Male parameres longer, about 1.5 times as long as wide and more rounded dorsally in lateral view than in O. areolaris .

Colour

Body testaceous, sometimes with fuscous areas on meso- and metasoma. Mandibular teeth black. Stemmaticum black or dark brown, ovipositor sheath black.

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of four Swedish specimens of Ophion ocellaris are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ADG0270/ADG3721. Specimen codes: STI- NJBC: Clade 1; 02, Clade 2; 01, 03–04).

Ecology

This species occurs in late summer and autumn, late June–early September and the hosts seem to be various species of Drepanidae (subfamily Thyatirinae ) according to Brock (1982). It has mainly been collected in boreal woodland habitats, but has also been attracted to light in semi-open habitats.

Distribution in Sweden

This species is quite common and occurs over most of the country, but is apparently missing in high alpine areas in the north.

Remarks

The holotype male of Ophion fuscicollis was studied and although access to the type of O. ocellaris was denied, the opinion presented here is that the species are synonymous. However, the actual date of publication for the description of either of the species is uncertain and the question of which name has priority over the other remains. In this study the more commonly used name O. ocellaris is used. Also of interest, is that one of the four barcoded specimens forms a separate BIN with a series of specimens from Great Britain. The existence of two distinct clades could indicate the existence of a cryptic species. Despite studying a rather large amount of material, no reliable morphological differences have been detected. The discovery of a presumably cryptic species could of course also mean that the proposed synonymy between O. ocellaris and O. fuscicollis is more complicated. Therefore this study refrains from a formal publication of the synonymy at this time.

Figures

Fig. 7. A–D. Occipital carina posterior view. A. Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). B. O. mocsaryi Brauns, 1889. C. O. ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926. D. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. E–G. Hind trochanter and trochantellus dorsal view. E. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892. F. O. obscuratus Fabricius, 1798. G. O. costatus Ratzeburg, 1848. H–I. Mandible ventral view. H. O. obscuratus. I. O. slaviceki. J–K. First tergite, aberration O. artemisiae Boie, 1855. J. Dorsal view. K. Lateral view. L–M. Head in posterior view showing generalized shape of occipital carina. L. O. obscuratus. M. O. variegatus Rudow, 1883. N–O. Central flagellomeres in males. N. O. obscuratus. O. O. variegatus.

Fig. 8. A–C.Apical flagellomeres in female. A. Ophion parvulusKriechbaumer, 1879. B. O. paraparvulus Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008696). C. O. tenuicornis Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008743). D–F. Apical flagellomeres in female (pilosity removed). D. O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008655). E. O. arenarius Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008606). F. O. inclinans Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008667). G–H. Apical hind tarsal segments dorsal view in female. G. O. parvulus. H. O. costatus Ratzeburg, 1848. I–J. Generalized punctation below antennal sockets in anterior view. I. O. confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). J. O. mocsaryi Brauns, 1889. K–L. Posterior segments of female metasoma lateral view. K. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. L. O. ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926. M. Central flagellomeres in female of O. brevicornis Morley, 1915. N–O. Basal flagellomeres. N. O. confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). O. O. mocsaryi.

Fig. 10. Generalized carination of propodeum in females, posterodorsal view. A. Ophion luteus (Linnaeus, 1758)/O. scutellaris Thomson, 1888/O. obscuratus Fabricius, 1792. B. O. costatus Ratzeburg, 1848. C. O. brocki Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008633). D. O. confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). E. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982. F. O. artemisiae Boie, 1855. G. O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008655). H. O. perkinsi Brock, 1982. I. O. ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926. J. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. K. O. dispar Brauns, 1895. L. O. tenuicornis Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008743). M. O. longigena Thomson, 1888. N. O. brevicornis Morley, 1915. O. O. forticornis Morley, 1915.

Fig. 9. Epicnemial carina, antero-ventral view of female. A. Ophion splendens Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008708). B. O. mocsaryi Brauns, 1889. C. O. dispar Brauns, 1895. D. O. parvulus Kriechbaumer, 1879. E. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892. F. O. angularis Johansson & Cederberg sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (MZLU 6366:3). G. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982. H. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. I. O. kallanderi Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (MZLU 6371:5).

Fig. 6. A–D. Scutellum, dorsal view. A. Ophion luteus (Linnaeus, 1758). B. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. C. O. inclinans Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008667). D. O. dispar Brauns, 1895. E–H. Firsttergite, lateral view.E. O.inclinansJohanssonsp.nov.,holotype,♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008667). F. O. dispar. G. O. artemisiae Boie, 1855. H. O. luteus. I–J. Shape of male parameres, lateral view. I. Ophion sp. cf. pseudocostatus Meyer, 1935. J. O. artemisiae.