Lemophagus larvivorus, Ranjith & Kedar, 2025

Ranjith, A. P. & Kedar, Santosh C., 2025, New species of Lemophagus Townes, 1965 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from India reared as a larval parasitoid of Crioceris nigroornata Clarke, 1866 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98, pp. 743-755 : 743-755

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.98.154760
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:719CAD1C-54BF-493F-B2B3-65892482C447
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16949975
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/15A08A60-4E6D-5545-B39F-1184CDFEAAE4
treatment provided by	Journal of Hymenoptera Research by Pensoft
scientific name	Lemophagus larvivorus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Lemophagus larvivorus sp. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2

Material examined.

Holotype, female, India • Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow , CIMAP, 25.x.2020, reared from Crioceris nigroornata , coll. Santosh C. Kedar ( ZSIK: ZSI/WGRC/I.R.-INV.28945 ) , Paratypes • 5 females 2 males same data as holotype, one paratype female with the following data, Voucher code: CCDB-44298-H 09 Process id: BBTH 5030-22 BOLD BIN number: BOLD: AAM 7398 Genbank accession number, COI: PV 263161, 28 S: PV 264849 ( DZUC) .

Description.

Holotype, female. Body length 4.4 mm, fore wing 2.9 mm.

Head. Head 1.1 ×, 2.2 × as wide as long in anterior and dorsal view, respectively. Face rugose-punctate with longitudinal striae, setose, 2.0 × as wide as long (Fig. 1 B View Figure 1 ). Clypeal sulcus absent (Fig. 1 B View Figure 1 ). Clypeus slightly convex in lateral view, relatively wide in frontal view, punctate, setose (Fig. 1 A, B, E View Figure 1 ). Malar space rugose, setose, 0.8 × as long as basal width of mandible (Fig. 1 D, E View Figure 1 ). Mandible broad, upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth (Fig. 1 D View Figure 1 ). Gena irregularly punctate, setose (Fig. 1 A, E View Figure 1 ). Eye glabrous, 1.3 × as long as temple dorsally. Frons slightly depressed behind antennal sockets, transversely striate-rugose with complete median longitudinal carina, setose (Fig. 1 B View Figure 1 ). OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 1.7: 1.0: 2.0. Vertex granulate (Fig. 1 C View Figure 1 ). Occipital carina complete, joining with hypostomal carina at base of mandible. Antenna with 26 segments. Scape cylindrical. First flagellomere 1.3 × as long as second, first and second flagellomere 3.8, 2.3 × as long as wide respectively.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma 1.3 × as long as high (Fig. 1 A, E View Figure 1 ). Pronotum with transverse groove dorsally, laterally with indistinctly crenulate groove (Fig. 1 C View Figure 1 ). Mesoscutum rugose-punctate, transversely striate medio-posteriorly, setose (Fig. 1 F View Figure 1 ). Notauli absent, notaular area slightly indented by elongated rugose sculpture (Fig. 1 F View Figure 1 ). Scuto-scutellar groove with indistinct striae (Fig. 1 F View Figure 1 ). Scutellum rugose, setose with lateral carina on anterior 1 / 2 (Fig. 1 F View Figure 1 ). Epicnemial carina not reaching anterior edge of mesopleuron (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Mesopleuron punctate, obliquely striate medially, speculum coriaceous, episternal scrobe impressed, mesopleural furrow crenulated (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Posterior transverse carina of the mesosternum complete (Fig. 1 D View Figure 1 ). Metapleuron faintly rugose (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Pleural carina complete (Fig. 1 E View Figure 1 ). Metanotum medially with longitudinal striae (Fig. 2 A View Figure 2 ). Propodeum rugose, setose, area basalis trapezoid, area superomedia and area petiolaris confluent, area superomedia pentagonal, 1.4 × as long as wide, narrowing posteriorly, costula indistinct, area petiolaris strongly widening posteriorly, lateral section of posterior transverse carina short, propodeal spiracle slightly oval connected with pleural carina by a carina (Fig. 2 A View Figure 2 ).

Wings. Hyaline. Fore wing (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 F View Figure 2 ): Pterostigma 4.0 × as long as wide. Vein 1 cu-a interstitial (Fig. 2 F View Figure 2 ). Areolet closed, short-stalked (Fig. 2 F View Figure 2 ). Hind wing: Nervellus not intercepted (Fig. 2 F View Figure 2 ). Vein RA with five hamuli (Fig. 2 F View Figure 2 ).

Legs. Hind coxa punctate (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 B View Figure 2 ). Hind femur 4.4 × as long as wide. Hind tibia 5.4 × as long as wide. Hind basitarsus 5.2 × as long as wide. Longest hind tibial spur 0.6 × as long as hind basitarsus.

Metasoma. Metasoma 1.4 × as long as head and mesosoma combined, laterally compressed (Figs 1 A View Figure 1 , 2 B View Figure 2 ). First metasomal tergite 2.5 × as long as wide, transverse in cross section, depressed medio-basally, latero-median carina present extend till spiracle, glymma small, dorso- and ventro-lateral carina present, incomplete, faintly rugose subbasally, granulate subapically and postero-laterally, smooth postero-medially, setose postero-laterally, glabrous postero-medially (Fig. 2 B, C View Figure 2 ). Second metasomal tergite 0.9 × as long as wide, granulate, setose, thyridium oval (Fig. 2 D View Figure 2 ). Third metasomal tergite as long as wide, faintly granulate, setose (Fig. 2 D View Figure 2 ). Metasomal tergites 4–7 finely sculptured, setose (Fig. 2 D View Figure 2 ). Ovipositor sheath setose, 0.4 × as long as hind tibia (Fig. 2 E View Figure 2 ). Ovipositor with dorsal notch quite far situated from apex as characteristic for Lemophagus species (Fig. 2 E View Figure 2 ).

Colour. Head black except mandible yellow, apex of mandible brown, scape and pedicel yellowish brown, flagellomeres brown, maxillary and labial palps yellowish brown. Mesosoma black except tegula yellow. Fore leg yellowish brown, mid leg yellowish brown except mid coxa brown basally, hind coxa black yellowish brown apically, hind trochanter yellowish brown, hind femur and tibia reddish brown, hind tarsus yellowish brown. Wing venation and pterostigma yellowish brown. Metasoma yellowish brown except first metasomal tergite black, second metasomal tergite black except posterior margin reddish brown, third metasomal tergite black anteriorly, rest of the tergite reddish brown. Ovipositor sheath brown.

Male. Same as female.

Biology.

Larval parasitoid of Crioceris nigroornata Clark, 1866 ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ) (Fig. 4 View Figure 4 ).

Etymology.

The species epithet larvivorus is derived from the Latin words larva (meaning “ larva ”) and vorus (meaning “ devourer ” or “ eater ”). It refers to the specialization in attacking and developing within the larval stage of its host. Gender is masculine form of an adjective.

Distribution.

Oriental ( India).

Diagnosis.

The new species can be reliably identified by the following character states in combination: face rugose-punctate with longitudinal striae; clypeus punctate; malar space rugose; occipital carina joining with hypostomal carina at base of mandible; mid-longitudinal carina of frons associated with transverse striations; mesoscutum punctate laterally, rugose on notaular area, rugulose medio-posteriorly, transversely striate posteriorly; speculum coriaceous; first metasomal tergite with a distinct small glymma.

Identification.

The new species can be distinguished from the nearest species by the following combination of characters; first metasomal tergite with distinct small glymma, speculum coriaceous, mesoscutum with transverse striae posteriorly. Out of the 10 extant species only four species were reported from the Oriental region. The new species can be separated from all Oriental species by the presence of short glymma on first metasomal tergite. Based on the molecular and morphological data, the new species comes close to L. curtus . However, the new species can be distinguished from L. curtus by the following differences; first metasomal tergite with distinct, small glymma (without glymma in L. curtus ), occipital carina joining with hypostomal carina at base of mandible (above base of mandible in L. curtus ), mid-longitudinal carina of frons with transverse striae (without transverse striae in L. curtus ), speculum coriaceous (smooth and shiny in L. curtus ) and mesoscutum transversely striate posteriorly (uniformly rugose-punctate in L. curtus ). Additionally, the new species exhibited similarity with L. pulcher but can be distinguished from L. pulcher by the following differences; upper tooth of mandible slightly longer than lower tooth (with same length in L. pulcher ), clypeus punctate (rugose in L. pulcher ) and speculum coriaceous (smooth in L. pulcher ). The new species can be distinguished from L. japonicus by the following characters; malar space 0.8 × as long as basal width of mandible (as long as basal width of mandible in L. japonicus ), area basalis of propodeum rectangular (triangular in L. japonicus ) and hind tibia reddish brown apically (black in L. japonicus ). The new species can be distinguished from L. nanus by the following differences; propodeum with costula (without costula in L. nanus ), upper tooth of mandible slightly longer than lower tooth (with same length in L. nanus ), speculum coriaceous (smooth and shiny in L. nanus ) and clypeus punctate with smooth interspace (punctate with granulate interspace in L. nanus ).