Omphale ochra, Hansson, Christer & Shevtsova, Ekaterina, 2012

Hansson, Christer & Shevtsova, Ekaterina, 2012, Revision of the European species of Omphale Haliday (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae), ZooKeys 232, pp. 1-157 : 118-121

Omphale ochra sp. n. Figures 398 –401473– 477538

Material.

Holotype female (BMNH), glued to a card, labelled "SWEDEN: Skåne, Häckeberga, castle, 55°35'N, 13°26'E, 5.vii.2006, C. Hansson & E. Shevtsova". Paratype. 1♀ with same label data as holotype (BMNH).

Diagnosis.

A pale non metallic species, predominantly yellowish brown to yellowish white (Figs 473-475); female gaster very long (Fig. 473), 2 × as long as length of mesosoma.

Description.

Female. Length of body 1.6-1.8 mm. Antenna with scape yellowish brown with dorsal margin dark brown, pedicel pale brown, flagellum dark brown; pedicel + flagellum 2.1 × as long as distance between eyes; first flagellomere 1.3 × as long and 1.1 × as wide as second flagellomere (Fig. 399); flagellomeres 2-4 ventrally with a single set of setae attached close to base and reaching beyond apex of flagellomere attached to; clava 2-segmented. Face yellowish-white (Fig. 474), strigose-reticulate (Fig. 400); clypeus yellowish white, smooth, semicircular, 1.2 × as wide as high; gena yellowish white; lower frons yellowish white with antennal scrobes dark brown, with raised and weak reticulation; antennal scrobes join frontal suture separately; frontal suture V-shaped; upper frons dark brown with metallic tinges, with raised and weak reticulation; vertex yellowish brown, with very weak reticulation (Fig. 401). Occipital margin rounded (Fig. 401).

Mesoscutum with anterior ½ golden green with a median yellowish brown stripe, posterior ½ yellowish brown (Fig. 475), with very weak reticulation (Fig. 398), midlobe with two pairs of setae; notauli as indistinct depressions in posterior ½. Scutellum yellowish brown with a median dark brown longitudinal stripe (Fig. 475), with very weak engraved reticulation (Fig. 398), 1.2 × as long as wide, with anterior margin smoothly curved forwards. Axillae with anterior ½ dark brown with metallic tinges, posterior ½ yellowish brown (Fig. 475). Dorsellum yellowish brown (Fig. 475), convex and smooth (Fig. 398), 0.3 × as long as wide, and 0.6 × as long as length of median propodeum. Entire lateral mesosoma yellowish brown (Fig. 473); transepimeral sulcus curved forwards. Propodeum yellowish brown with median part dark brown (Fig. 475), smooth (Fig. 398); propodeal callus with two setae. Legs yellowish white (Fig. 473); midleg with first tarsomere 0.4 × as long as length of tarsus. Forewing transparent, veins pale brown, setae dark brown (Fig. 476); speculum closed; admarginal setae 5, arising from ventral marginal vein; radial cell bare; postmarginal vein 0.7 × as long as stigmal vein; stigmal vein slightly enlarged. Hind wing transparent, apex rounded (Fig. 476). Forewing WIP (Fig. 477) unicoloured in yellow with narrow bands in magenta and blue close to foremargin.

Petiole yellowish brown. Gaster yellowish brown with posterior margin of tergites brown, apical parts of ovipositor sheaths dark brown (Fig. 473), smooth; elongate and 2.0 × as long as length of mesosoma; 7th tergite 0.2 × as long as length of gaster.

Male. Unknown.

Host.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Sweden (Fig. 538).

Etymology.

From the Greek ochros = pale yellow, referring to the predominant colour of the body.

Remarks.

Both type specimens are shrivelled, thus measurements and ratios are not exact. Known only from shrivelled females this species is difficult to place to group. Characters involving the setation in forewing suggest an affinity to either phruron- or salicis-group. When males are found a firmer idea on this can be established.

Other European species associated with Omphale

Two additional species from Europe, Pholema microstoma Graham and Eugerium orbatum Szelényi, were associated with Omphale prior to this revision. Their association with Omphale is because the genus they were originally described in, Eugerium and Pholema respectively, were synonymized with Omphale . However, new data presented here suggest a different classification of these species.