Armadilleon morticinus (Brues, 1910) Spasojevic & Broad & Klopfstein, 2022

Spasojevic, Tamara, Broad, Gavin R. & Klopfstein, Seraina, 2022, Revision of 18 ichneumonid fossil species (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) highlights the need for open nomenclature in palaeontology, Fossil Record 25 (1), pp. 187-212 : 187

Armadilleon morticinus (Brues, 1910) comb. nov.

Fig. 9

* Pimpla morticina Brues, 1910

Material.

Photographs examined of the holotype (#PALE-2156) and paratype (#PALE-2157) females (parts only), obtained from the MCZ.

Stratum.

Teller County, Florissant shales, Colorado, USA. Late Eocene (Chadronian), 37.2-33.9 Ma.

Description.

Holotype and paratype (both females) very well preserved, including carination and sculpture of mesosoma, with fore wings, partial hind wings, some almost complete legs and ovipositor including sheaths. Both holotype and paratype with remains of dark colouration on most body parts, but overall, colouration not well preserved; metasoma possibly orange or red from T2 (#p, somewhat uncertain). Body length 10.4 mm (#p 10.1 mm).

Head short, only partly preserved, one lateral ocellus and strong sculpture on frons visible (#h). Antennae rather stout, scape about 1.6 times longer than wide, pedicel short, about 24 flagellomeres, basal ones subquadrate, becoming quadrate and transverse towards apex (#h). Mesosoma strongly sculptured; pronotum about 0.7 × as long as high, with longitudinal rugae and with epomia strong, angled forward above; mesoscutum with strong punctures, in posterior half increasingly arranged in longitudinal lines; notauli absent; scutellum and postscutellum slightly convex; mesopleuron with very strong and conspicuous longitudinal carinae forming wave-like patterns; sternaulus strong and reaching posterior end in sinusoid curve; epicnemial carina long and curving towards front end of mesopleuron at around mid-height of pronotum. Propodeum with all three lateral, three pleural and petiolar areas enclosed by carinae, basal area and areola fused (or basal area very short); pleural carina complete; propodeal spiracle slightly elliptic; propodeum covered by strong rugae forming wavy patterns, unpunctured. Fore wing 5.2 mm (#p 5.3 mm), venation only partially preserved, brown or dark brown; areolet probably closed and pentagonal (cf. #p); 1cu-a meeting M + Cu opposite of 1M; 3Cu a bit longer than 2cu-a; hind wing reconstruction difficult. Legs rather stout, hind leg with femur less than 3 × longer than wide. Metasoma dorsoventrally depressed or with apical segments somewhat compressed; T1 broad posteriorly, but strongly narrowed towards base, forming petiole, 1.6 × as long as apically wide; latero-median and dorso-lateral carinae present on entire length; T2 and following transverse; T7 not much shorter than T6. Ovipositor 2.8 mm (#p 3.2 mm); ovipositor sheaths about 1.6 mm (#p 1.7 mm), as long as hind tibia; ovipositor straight, parallel-sided, without dorsal subapical notch, with weak nodus and potentially some ridges apically on lower valve (#p).

Interpretation.

For subfamily placement and genus diagnosis, see description of the genus above. For distinguishing features from the other species in the genus, A. petrorum , see under that species.

Figures

Figure 9. Armadilleon morticinus (Brues, 1910) comb. nov. A. Photograph of the holotype obtained from the MCZ; B. Our interpretative drawing of the holotype; C. Photograph of the paratype obtained from the MCZ; D. Our interpretative drawing of the paratype. Thicker black lines indicate outlines of body structures, thinner lines show characters inside these outlines, and dotted lines represent uncertain interpretations. Grey lines and circles show conspicuous sculpture of the cuticle.