Orthocentrus harlequinus Veijalainen

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 : 221-222

Orthocentrus harlequinus Veijalainen , sp. nov.

Figs 3 C, 7 C, 9 C, 12 C, 14 C.

Fore wing length 2.1–2.4 mm.

Face medially as wide as high; face and head between eyes at ocelli pustulate-papillate, eyes setose, dorsal ridge of face inbetween antennal sockets without a median prominence; face in profile slightly rounded, dorsally impressed, edge of clypeus slightly impressed, antennal sockets on a moderately high shelf; malar groove distinct, not deep, bent towards occiput; maxillary palp reaching to about epicnemial carina. In dorsal view, head posteriorly only slightly concave, temples short but distinct, posterior ocellus separated from eye by 0.8–1.1x ocellar diameter, anterior ocellus separated from eye by 1.5–1.7x ocellar diameter, lacking ocellar-ocular grooves. Minimum distance between antennal sockets about half diameter of socket; antenna long, about the length of the body, slender, with 33–37 elongate flagellomeres, apical ones quadrate, flagellomeres gradually shortening towards apex; basal flagellomere 0.5x as wide as high and about 1/2 of the length of scape; scape almost parallel-sided, inner side slightly convex.

Mesosoma smooth and polished but dorsal side of propodeum with weak microsculpture; mesoscutum lacking notauli; in profile, scutellum not particularly high, metapleuron only very slightly convex; propodeum with posterior transverse carina present between lateral longitudinal carinae, median longitudinal carinae complete, lateral longitudinal carinae reach at least spiracles and usually weakly present anteriorly to spiracles, spiracles small.

Legs broad; coxae polished, femorae polished-coriaceous, tibiae and tarsi finely granulate; hind coxa 1.2x as long as first tergite, hind femur 3.4x as long as high, hind tibia 4.0–4.3x as long as apically wide; tibiae without spine-like setae.

Wings not particularly narrow; fore wing with areolet open, vein Rs almost straight, slightly upcurving; some variation in hind wing vein cu-a between individuals, even among those collected from the same traps, but cu-a usually straight, intercepted at lower third in some specimens (including holotype).

First tergite elongate, apically widening, 1.5x as long as apically wide; coriaceous-rugose, with two complete or posteriorly almost complete median longitudinal carinae, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally. Second tergite 0.7–0.8x as long as apically wide; coriaceous, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly below second thyridia, meeting centrally; basal thyridia rectangular/oval, pale, second thyridia slightly raised rounded-oval areas. Third tergite with coriaceous sculpture or microsculpture at least on anterior half, usually with very faint transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally; second thyridia small, round. Remaining tergites smooth and polished. Ovipositor straight, thin, without notch; setae on ovipositor sheath inconspicuous, usually backwards-directed, not significantly different from those on metasoma.

Body largely setose except pronotum, mesopleuron and metapleuron; setae few and scattered on propodeum and posterior sides of coxae

Mostly yellow to dark yellow except mouthparts and inner orbits at ocelli creamy, sternites creamy to brownish creamy, fore and mid coxae and sometimes fore and mid legs, light yellow, interocellar area, antennae, temples and genae partly, occiput, axilla and propodeum except metapleura brown. Mesoscutum with brownish patches (one anterior and two lateral; sometimes also posterior mesoscutum brown). Legs apically (especially hind leg) with some brown. Tergites either completely brown to dark brown except basal thyridia on second tergite or with some yellow on posterior second tergite and third tergite.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Hosts unknown. All specimens were collected in Central America.

Etymology. Named after the multi-coloured top of the head.

Comments. Compared with the other species that have completely papillate face, antennal sockets usually on a distinct but low shelf, setose eyes, and second tergite with a posterior transverse groove, the malar groove is strongly bent towards the occiput, unlike in O. tenuiflagellum and O. flavifrons , the metapleuron is yellow to orange, and the first tergite is apically rather elongate, unlike in O. wahlbergi .

Material examined. Holotype female: ‘ Honduras, Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48898ºN, 88.23707ºW, 1260± 10 m, mesophyll forest, Malaise trap, 30.V–3.VI.2010, LLAMA #Ma-C- 06-1-01 ’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes: 1 ♀ as holotype; 1 ♀ as holotype but 15.48572ºN, 88.23746ºW, 1210± 5 m, LLAMA #Ma-C- 06-2- 02; 1 ♀ Honduras, Cortés, PN Cusuco, 15.48510ºN, 88.23627ºW, 1260± 5 m, pine-liquidambar forest, Malaise, 30.V–3.VI.2010, LLAMA #Ma-C- 06-2-01 (all ZMUT); 1 ♀ Nicaragua, Jinotega, PN Cerro Saslaya, 1110,± 20 m, 13.77163, -85.01234, 12–16.V.2011, Malaise trap, ridgetop cloud forest, LLAMA #Ma-D- 03-1-02; 1 ♀ Nicaragua, Jinotega, RN Cerro Kilambé, 1470,± 10 m, 13.56980, -85.69742, 23–26.V.2011, Malaise trap, cloud forest, LLAMA #Ma-D- 05-1-02 (both USNM); 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Guanacaste NP 1000 m, Est Mengo Vn Cacao, V.88, Gauld & Janzen; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Santa Rosa NP, Hacienda 4-C, 11.V–1.VI.85; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Santa Rosa NP, Sn. Emilio 6-C, 11.V–1.VI.85, Janzen & Gauld; 1 ♀ as previous but 14.IX–5.X.85; 1 ♀ as previous but 26.X–16.XI.85; 1 ♀ Costa Rica, Guanacaste Pv., Santa Rosa NP, Bosq. Hum. 9- O, 24.VIII–14.XI.85, Janzen & Gauld, 1 ♀ as previous but Bosq. Hum- 10-C (all BMNH).

The holotype ( Orthocentrus sp. 17 F 616 LLAMA Ma-C- 06-1-01) was sequenced by Veijalainen et al. (2012). It differed from the remaining Orthocentrus individuals by its haplotype and clustered together with some individuals of Chilocyrtus but separated from them by a long branch.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Lateral views: Orthocentrus wahlbergi species-group (in part). A: bicoloratus, B: flavifrons, C: harlequinus, D: mishana, E: nicaraguensis, F: pallidus. Scale 0.5 mm except in B 1.0 mm.