Eruga atrata Townes, 1960

Khalaim, Andrey I., Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique & Coronado-Blanco, Juana María, 2024, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Polysphincta genus-group, Zootaxa 5458 (2), pp. 151-196 : 162-163

1. Eruga atrata Townes, 1960

( Figs 20–22 )

Eruga atrata Townes in Townes & Townes 1960: 238 [holotype ♀ (USNM), USA, Arizona, Oak Creek Canyon, 19.v.1947, coll. H. & M. Townes, USNM 63700; ♀ ♂, Mexico (Veracruz)].

References. Townes & Townes 1966: 18 [catalogue; Mexico]. Carlson 1979: 336 [catalogue]. Townes & Townes 1983: 25 [type in AEIC].

Remarks. This species resembles E. gutfreundi Gauld known only from Costa Rica as both have a long malar space, black mesosoma and hind coxa, and hind wing with distal abscissa of CU absent and nervellus without distinct angulation, but E. atrata differs from this species by wider and stouter first metasomal tergite which is 1.6–1.8× as long as posteriorly broad in E. atrata and 2.2–2.5× in E. gutfreundi .

Variation. Coloration of coxae and trochanters is found to be rather variable in this species. Three females from Miquihuana possess hind coxa black in basal 0.7–0.8 and yellow apically, and fore and mid coxae and all trochanters bright yellow – this colour pattern well corresponds with the original description ( Townes & Townes 1960). Females from Hidalgo and Morelos possess hind coxa entirely black, fore and mid coxae and all trochanters entirely orange-brown to orange-brown with profuse yellow markings; fore and mid coxae brownish or blackish basally. One female from Ocampo is conspicously paler than other examined specimens of this species, with mesopleuron periphery brownish and hind coxa brownish yellow, infuscate only at base.

Material examined. MEXICO. Tamaulipas: 3 ♀ ( UAT) 6 km NE of Miquihuana , 23°36.125’N, 99°42.45’W, 2200–2600 m, 24.ix.2016, coll. A.I. Khalaim. 1 ♀ ( UAT) Ocampo , Ejido El Bejuco, 900 m, Malaise trap, 5– 21.i.2017, coll. E. Ruíz-Cancino et al. Hidalgo: 3 ♀ ( UAT) 8 km N of Pachuca de Soto, National Park El Chico , 20°11.4’N, 98°44.55’W, 2800–2900 m, 18–22.xii.2014, coll. A.I. Khalaim. Mexico: 1 ♀ ( UAT) Montecillo, Texcoco , 14.ix.2010, coll. Nicolas Martínez. Morelos: 1 ♀ ( UAT) Huitzilac , 2400 m, pine forest, 28.x.2011, coll. E. Ruíz-Cancino.

Distribution. Western USA (Oregon, Arizona), Mexico (Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Mexico, Morelos).

Figures

FIGURES 20–22. Eruga atrata, ♀ and ♂ (Chiapas): 20, 22—habitus, lateral; 21—head, mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral.