Orthocentrus brevipilus Broad

Veijalainen, Anu, Broad, Gavin R. & Sääksjärvi, Ilari E., 2014, Twenty seven new species of Orthocentrus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Orthocentrinae) with a key to the Neotropical species of the genus, Zootaxa 3768 (3), pp. 201-252 : 231-233

Orthocentrus brevipilus Broad , sp. nov.

Figs 5 C, 6 N, 10 B, 11 N, 14 K.

Fore wing length 2.9–4.0 mm.

Face medially 0.9x as wide as high; face densely punctate, shining, eyes with short setae, dorsal ridge of face inbetween antennal sockets without a median prominence; face profile gently curved, edge of clypeus impressed, margin concave medially, antennal sockets not on a distinct high shelf; malar groove straight; maxillary palp very long, reaching back to mid coxae. In dorsal view, head posteriorly moderately concave, temples distinct, posterior ocelli distant from eye by 1.0x ocellar diameter, anterior ocellus separated from eye by 2.2x ocellar diameter, ocellar-ocular grooves absent. Minimum distance between antennal sockets 0.7x diameter of socket; antenna distinctly longer than body, slender, with 41–42 (41 in holotype) thin, elongate flagellomeres which gradually shorten towards apex of antenna; basal flagellomere 0.2x as wide as long and 1.25x scape; scape slightly curved, in frontal view a little concave on lateral surface, convex on inner surface.

Mesosoma smooth, polished, impunctate except mesoscutum, some faint rugose microsculpture on propodeum; mesoscutum with dense, small punctures, lacking notauli; in profile, scutellum not particularly high, convex, metapleuron slightly convex; propodeum with posterior transverse carina strong and raised, present between lateral longitudinal carinae, median longitudinal carinae complete, strong, lateral longitudinal carinae present posterior to spiracles, spiracles normal.

Legs stout, hind leg massive; coxae ventrally granulate, femora, tibiae and tarsi coriaceous-granulate except hind coxa smooth on anterior-ventral surface; hind coxa 1.2x as long as first tergite, hind femur 3.6x as long as maximum depth, hind tibia 3.8x as long as apical width; tibiae lacking spine-like setae.

Wings not particularly narrow; fore wing with areolet closed, slightly wider than high, vein Rs straight; hind wing with vein cu-a intercepted, angulate, first abscissa of Cu inclivous.

First tergite somewhat elongate and apically slightly widening, 1.5x as long as apically wide; heavily rugose with two complete, high median longitudinal carinae, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally. Second tergite 1.0x as long as apically wide; heavily rugosestrigose, with slight transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping anteriorly and posteriorly, not meeting centrally, forming a somewhat oval or diamond-shaped horizontal uplifted median area; second thyridia present as raised, black ovals. Third tergite with rugose-strigosity reaching apical ¾ of tergite, sculpture towards posterior edge smoother, slightly punctate, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping anteriorly, not meeting centrally; basal thyridia contrastingly coloured, basal thyridia large, narrow, oval/rectangular, second thyridia small circular. Apical tergites smooth. Ovipositor thin, straight, without notch; ovipositor sheaths short, concealed by large hypopygium.

Setae over whole body (including metasoma) except pronotum, mesopleuron, metapleuron, scattered on propodeum and dorsal sides of coxae.

Flagellomeres dark brown, dull yellow ventrally, basally; laterally, mesosoma mostly yellow; face and vertex to half eye height creamy, frons, dorsal vertex brown, inner orbit creamy in broad stripe reaching posterior ocellus, pronotum creamy ventrally, brown dorsally, mesopleuron dull yellow, slightly browner in antero-dorsal corner to dark in stripe across upper part, metapleuron dark brown; mesoscutum dark brown anteriorly and narrowly or widely laterally, centrally dark yellow, scutellum yellow, propodeum dark brown/black; legs basically creamy white, tibiae and tarsi more dull yellow, hind femur pale brown, dark brown apically, apex of hind coxa, hind trochantellus, narrow basal and apical bands on hind tibia dark brown. Tergites and hypopygium (except mediobasally) varying from dark brown, basal two and anterior half of third tergites black to all tergites black. Sternites white with yellow more sclerotized patches.

Male. Similar to female but laterally paler, creamy white, and antenna pale yellow, creamy white basally; one male has the metapleuron centrally reddish.

Biology. Hosts unknown. Collected widely at low to mid-altitude in Costa Rica, with a couple of specimens from Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Etymology. Named after the short setae on the eye surface.

Comments. Morphologically very similar to O. albihumerus but differing in the lack of white ‘shoulderstripes’ emanating from the antero-lateral edges of the mesoscutum; in the sculpture of metasomal tergites 1–3, which have more distinct striae in O. brevipilus compared to the more foveolate sculpture in O. albihumerus ; and in the very short setae on the eye surface. The details of colour patterns vary, mainly concerning the amount of creamy white or yellow, the extent of dark marks on the pronotum and mesopleuron and the extent of black on the metasoma. Structurally, however, all specimens are very similar. Two specimens are excluded from the type series (material listed below); one has a deformed metasoma as well as unusually pale mesoscutum and frons (Santa Rosa) whilst the second has an unusually dark mesoscutum. When more Costa Rican material is processed it should prove possible to place these specimens in context.

Material examined. Holotype female: ‘ Guatemala, Zacapa, 2km SE La Unión, 1555± 21m 14.94661°N, 89.27612°W, 2° [secondary] cloud forest, 12–15.v.2009, Malaise LLAMA #Ma-B- 03-1-02 ’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes, females: 3 ♀ Costa Rica: Heredia, La Selva BS, II.1991 50m, J.S. Noyes Malaise trap/yellow pan trap; 4 ♀ Costa Rica, Alajuela Pv., Guanacaste NP 680m, Est Pitilla, Gauld & Mitchell, V–VIII.1988; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP, 1300m Derrumbé Vn Cacao, Gauld & Janzen X–XII.1988 (all BMNH); 8 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP 560m, Est Maritza Vn Orosi, Gauld & Mitchell, V–XII.1988 (2 BMNH, 4 USNM, 2 ZMUT); 6 ♀ Costa Rica: Guanacaste Pv. Santa Rosa NP, Janzen & Gauld, X–XII.1985 (2 BMNH, 2 USNM, 2 ZMUT); 4 ♀ Costa Rica: San José Pv, Rio Agres above San Antonio Escazu, 1500m, Eberhard, V–X.1987 –1988; 1 ♀ Costa Rica: Puntarenas Pv., Gotto Dulce Forest Reserve, 24km W Pan-Am highway, 200m, Gauld VI–VIII.1989; 3 ♀ the same but Gauld & Gaston XII.1990, V.1991, VI–VIII.1991; 3 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Osa P. Pto Jimenez, 10m, I. Gauld & K. Gaston X–XII.1990; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Rancho Quemado, Rio Riyito, 200m, E. Quiros X.1990; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Osa Peninsula, Cerro Rincon, 745m, E. Quiros X.1990 (all BMNH); 3 ♀ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Corcovado NP, Est Sirena 50m, 1.XI.1990, Gauld (1 BMNH, 1 USNM, 1 ZMUT); 1 ♀ Nicaragua, RAAN: PN Cerro Soslaya, 300± 20m, 13.77068 -84.97954, 7–10.V.2011, Malaise trap tropical wet forest LLAMA #Ma-D- 02-1-02; 1 ♀ Guatemala, Zacapa, 2km SE La Unión, 1555± 21m 14.94661°N, 89.27612°W, secondary cloud forest, 12– 15.V.2009, Malaise LLAMA #Ma-B- 03-1-02, ( USNM).

Paratypes, males: 1 ♂ Costa Rica: Heredia, La Selva BS, II.1991 50m, J.S. Noyes Malaise trap/yellow pan trap ( BMNH); 2 ♂ Costa Rica: Guanacaste Pv. Santa Rosa NP, Janzen & Gauld, XI–XII.1985 (1 BMNH, 1 USNM); 1 ♂ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP 560m, Est Maritza Vn Orosi, Gauld & Mitchell, VI.1988 ( BMNH); 1 ♂ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP 1000m, Est Mengo Vn Cacao, Gauld & Janzen V.1988 ( ZMUT); 1 ♂ Costa Rica, Puntarenas Pv., Osa P. Pto Jimenez, 10m, I. Gauld & K. Gaston XII.1990 ( USNM). Non-type material: Costa Rica, 1 ♀ Guanacaste Pv., Santa Rosa NP, Janzen & Gauld 26.X–16.XI.1985; 1 ♀ Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP, Est Mengo Vn Cacao, XII.1988 Gauld & Janzen.

The holotype ( Orthocentrus sp. 1 F GUA 81) was sequenced by Veijalainen et al. (2012) and its haplotype was clearly differentiated.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Lateral views: Orthocentrus insularis (excluding O. albihumerus which is very similar to O. breivipilus; see descriptions) and O. zebra species-groups. A: alboscutellum, B: onkonegare, C: brevipilus, D: broadi, E: zebra, F: insularis. Scale 1.0 mm.