Epirhyssa ghesquierei Seyrig, 1937

Rousse, Pascal & Noort, Simon Van, 2014, A review of the Afrotropical Rhyssinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) with the descriptions of five new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 91, pp. 1-42 : 17-19

Epirhyssa ghesquierei Seyrig, 1937

Fig. 3

Diagnosis

Bright yellow overall with isolated dorsal black markings; wings hyaline, slightly infuscate apically; face deeply rugulose-punctate, moderately protruding dorsally; clypeus nearly smooth, with median subapical tubercle strong, ventral margin produced laterally; frons laterally punctate and medially rugulose, with two weak submedian carinae diverging below median ocellus toward lateral ocelli; antenna with 34 flagellomeres; mesopleuron with epicnemial carina reaching above level of mesopleural pit; subtegular ridge convex; fore wing with 2m–cu slightly apical to rs–m; tergite 1 slender; tergites 1–2 smooth, following tergites shallowly punctate with basal transverse striations; apical margins of tergites straight. CT 2.7; ML 0.7; POL 1.1; OOL 1.3; Fl 1 4.1; Fl 15 2.2; Fl 33 1.1; T1 2.5; OT 4.2.

Differential diagnosis

A mostly bright yellow species with hyaline wings, otherwise characterized by the combination of the pair of submedian carinae on the frons diverging towards the lateral ocelli and the slender tergite 1. The other yellow species with hyaline wings have a stouter tergite 1 in the female, less than twice as long as apically wide.

Material examined

Holotype

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: ♀, Eala [00°40’ N 18°17’ E], Nov. 1935, J. Ghesquière, R. Dét. G 3330 ( MRAC).

Paratype

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: 1 ♂, Bambesa, Dec. 1946, P. L. Benoit ( MRAC).

Other material

CAMEROON: 1 ♂, Korup, Dec. 1980 – Jan. 1981, Mrs D. Jackson ( BMNH); 1 ♂, Korup, 1981, Mrs D. Jackson ( BMNH).

Description

Female (holotype)

B 14.6; A 12.2; F 12.1.

COLOR. Bright yellow overall, with black markings on mandible, vertex, upper occiput, and mesoscutum margins; antenna and ovipositor sheath dark brown; wings hyaline, apex hardly infuscate, venation pale brown.

HEAD. Face subquadrate, deeply rugulose punctate and moderately protruding dorsally; clypeus almost smooth, with a strong subapical median tubercle, ventral margin produced laterally; mandible stout; frons laterally moderately punctate, medially smoothly rugulose; inner margins of toruli expanded backwards into two weak sinuate submedian carinae, carinae then diverging and reaching lateral ocelli; vertex and temple slightly and finely punctate; occipital carina complete but mid-dorsally faint; antenna with 34 flagellomeres.

MESOSOMA. Mesosoma shallowly and moderately densely punctate, but mesonotum deeply transversely striate and anterior half of pronotum smooth; epomia very weak; epicnemial carina long, its evanescent dorsal end reaching above level of mesopleural pit; apex of subtegular ridge convex, not flanged laterally; submetapleural carina thick, evenly narrowed toward apex.

WINGS. Fore wing with 2m–cu slightly apical to rs–m, cu–a slightly apical to Rs&M, and Rs weakly bowed forwards; hind wing with distal abscissa of Cu joining Cu&cu–a close to junction with M.

METASOMA. Tergite 1 slender and smooth, tergite 2 mostly smooth with some superficial punctures laterally, tergites 3–6 shallowly punctate with basal transverse striations; apical margins of all tergites straight.

Male (3 specimens)

B 11.8–13.6; A 15.1–16.2; F 14.9–16.0.

Similar to female but tergite 1 slenderer (T1 2.5); the two males from Cameroon are significantly lighter, without dorsal black markings.

Distribution

Democratic Republic of Congo. New record: Cameroon.

Figures

Fig. 3. Epirhyssa ghesquierei Seyrig, 1937, holotype, ♀. A. Habitus, lateral view (inset: data labels). B. Mesosoma, lateral view. C. Metasoma, dorsal view. D. Head, anterior view. E. Mandibles, anterior view.