Diplazon kurilensis, Klopfstein, Seraina, 2014

Klopfstein, Seraina, 2014, Review of the Diplazontinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) of the Kuril islands, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3779 (1) : -

Diplazon kurilensis sp. n.

( Fig. 2 )

This species belongs to the pectoratorius group of species in the genus Diplazon , which unites the species with rather weak notauli, reduced carinae on the propodeum, epicnemical carina reduced ventrally, weak transverse impressions on the tergites, and a white hind tibia with only the apex but not the base darkened. According to recent molecular and morphological phylogenetic studies ( Klopfstein et al., 2010; Klopfstein et al., 2011), this species group is sister to all the other species in the genus. The other three species currently known in the group are D. urupensis Uchida from the Kuril islands (see below), D. pectoratorius (Thunberg) with a Holarctic, Oriental and Neotropic distribution, and the Nearctic and Eastern Palaearctic D. albotibialis Dasch. From these species, D. kurilensis can be distinguished by its small size, reduced sculpture on the mesoscutum and metasoma, and brown coloration of the metasoma.

Etymology. This species is named “ kurilensis ” after the type locality.

Description. Fore wing length 3.2–3.6 mm (3.6 in holotype) in females, 4.1 mm in the male. Antenna with 15–16 (16) flagellomeres in females, all flagellomeres with multiporous plate sensillae sparse but also present ventrally, apical flagellomere long and enlarged, thus appearing clubbed; 18 flagellomeres in the male, without tyloids. Face strongly coriaceous and matt, impunctate, without vertical impressions. Clypeus with apical margin thin, slightly impressed on the sides after a basal elevation, resulting in the lateral areas being slightly concave.

Pronotum and propleuron smooth with some sparse punctures. Mesoscutum with weak to distinct notauli; smooth and shining with very sparse punctures, mostly in the front and on the sides. Mesopleuron with epicnemical carina reduced ventrally; with weak and sparse punctures and some very irregular, weak sculpture. Scutellum only carinate at base, smooth and shining. Metapleuron mostly smooth, with some punctures in the front. Propodeum only with metapleural carina and hind part of the lateral longitudinal carinae present, rugulously sculptured near the base, more rugose and partly smooth on petiolar area; propodeal spiracle not enlarged.

Fore wing without areolet; hind wing with 2 basal hamuli. Legs including coxae smooth and shining, hind tibia without thickened setae.

Female metasoma dorsoventrally depressed, tapered towards the apex, apical margins of the tergites straight to even slightly concave, with transverse impressions weak to almost indistinct on tergites 1–3. First tergite 1.3–1.45 (1.45) times as long as wide, with median dorsal carinae only present on about basally, finely coriaceous and matt; second tergite 0.7 times as long as wide, finely coriaceous and matt; spiracle of second and third tergites on dorsal part, above lateral fold. Ovipositor sheaths about 0.3 times as long as hind tibia, pointed and closed at the tip, coriaceous and matt and with numerous setae on whole surface.

Coloration of females. Antenna brown. Head and mesosoma dark brown, with yellow inner eye margins, yellow on clypeus, mouthparts, hind corner of pronotum, tegula, subtegular ridge, shoulder mark, and mesepimeron; scutellum yellow on anterior corners, orange centrally. Legs yellow, all coxae yellow, hind coxa with some orange basally, hind femur orange, hind tibia white with apex light brown, hind tarsus brown. Metasoma brown, progressively lighter towards apex which is orange, end margins of tergites whitish.

Coloration of male. As in females but additionally with yellow over entire face, scape, pedicel and flagellomeres ventrally, propleuron, mesosternum, mesopleuron in front of epicnemical carina and with a line on lower mesopleuron; all coxae entirely yellow.

Types material. Holotype ♀: Russia, Kuril islands: Kharimkotan, Northwest corner of island. N49°08.60' / E154°28.10', 28. VII. 2000. leg. D.J. Bennett. Paratypes, one ♀ and one #: Russia, Kuril islands: Matua Island, inland from Dvoinaya Bay. N48°03.95' / E153°15.63', 31. VII. 2000. leg. D.J. Bennett.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus of the female holotype (A) and male paratype (B) of Diplazon kurilensis sp. n.