Orthocentrus nicaraguensis 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 : 223-224

Orthocentrus nicaraguensis Veijalainen , sp. nov.

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

Fore wing length 1.9–2.1 mm.

Face medially 0.9–1.1x wider than high; face and head between eyes at ocelli, papillate; eyes setose; dorsal ridge of face inbetween antennal sockets without a median prominence; face in profile slightly rounded, especially dorsally, edge of clypeus straight, antennal sockets on a shelf but shelf not particularly high; malar groove distinct, sharp, bent towards occiput; maxillary palp reaching to about epicnemial carina. In dorsal view, head posteriorly moderately concave, temples distinct but quite narrow, posterior ocellus separated from eye by 1.0x ocellar diameter, anterior ocellus separated from eye by 2.0–2.5x ocellar diameter, lacking ocellar-ocular grooves. Minimum distance between antennal sockets about third of diameter of socket, antenna slender, with 25–26 quadrate to slightly elongate flagellomeres, flagellomeres not gradually shortening towards apex, basal flagellomere 1.0x as wide as high and about 1/3 of the length of scape, scape parallel-sided.

Mesosoma smooth and polished except pronotum with short striations postero-ventrally and propodeum dorsally sometimes with coriaceous microsculpture; mesoscutum lacking notauli; in profile, scutellum somewhat high, metapleuron slightly convex; propodeum with posterior transverse carina present between lateral longitudinal carinae, median longitudinal carinae complete, and lateral longitudinal carinae present as short stubs not reaching spiracles; spiracles small.

Legs broad; coxae and femora polished, tibiae and tarsi coriaceous-granulate; hind coxa 1.3–1.5x as long as first tergite, hind femur 2.6x as long as high, hind tibia 3.4–3.5x as long as apically wide; tibiae with spine-like setae.

Wings not particularly narrow; fore wing with areolet closed but 3rs-m extremely weak, areolet about as high as wide, 2m-cu meeting areolet at apical 0.5–0.6, vein Rs straight; hind wing vein cu-a not intercepted, straight.

First tergite elongate, very slightly widening apically, 1.4x as long as apically wide; coriaceous with some striae, with two posteriorly almost complete median longitudinal carinae, with transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally. Second tergite 0.8x as long as apically wide; smoothly coriaceous-strigose, apical edge polished, with faint transverse impressions originating at about middle of tergite, sloping posteriorly, not meeting centrally; basal thyridia rectangular/oval, second thyridia roundish raised areas at about middle of tergite. Remaining tergites smooth and polished; third tergite with small, round, contrastingly coloured second thyridia. Ovipositor straight, thin, without notch; ovipositor sheath with sparse, backwards-directed setae.

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

Head yellow except scape dorsally, flagellomeres largely, interocellar area, temples partly, and occiput brown, malar area behind malar sulcus creamy yellow, inner orbits from about antennal sockets to posterior ocelli creamy to light yellow, mouthparts creamy white; mesosoma brown except propleuron, ventral pronotum and mesopleuron, yellow, antero-lateral edges of mesoscutum and near expected locations of notauli creamy yellow to yellow; metasoma brown to dark brown except sternites white to brownish creamy; fore and mid coxae, trochanters and trochantelli creamy white, rest of fore and mid legs creamy to light yellow with some brown on dorsal sides, hind coxa yellow with dorsal side brown and a brown patch anteroapically, rest of hind leg yellow except apical femur, tibia and tarsi brown.

Male. Unknown.

Biology. Hosts unknown. Specimens were collected from middle elevation Central American sites from wet tropical forest and second growth vegetation.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, Nicaragua.

Comments. Compared with the other species that have antennae on a distinct but low shelf, completely papillate face, setose eyes, and second tergite without a posterior transverse groove, the first tergite is more elongate and temples wider than in O. bicoloratus , the mesoscutum and posterior tergites browner, and the face profile ventrally straighter, than in O. umbrocciput .

Material examined. Holotype female: ‘ Nicaragua, Matagalpa, RN Cerro Musún, 615± 20 m, 12.95458 - 85.23037, 2–4.V.2011, Malaise trap, second growth vegetation, LLAMA #Ma-D- 01-3-01 ’ ( BMNH).

Paratype: 1 ♀ Nicaragua, Matagalpa, RN Cerro Musún, 750± 10 m, 12.95990 -85.23299, 1–4.V. 2011, Malaise trap, tropical wet forest, LLAMA #Ma-D- 01-1-02 ( ZMUT).

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.