Diaparsis (Diaparsis) theta Khalaim & Villemant, 2021

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Villemant, Claire, 2021, Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Papua New Guinea: genus Diaparsis Förster, part 2. Species with notaulus, Zootaxa 5016 (1), pp. 56-80 : 73-76

9. Diaparsis (Diaparsis) theta Khalaim & Villemant , sp. nov.

( Figs 47–53 )

Material examined. Holotype female ( MNHN) PNG, Madang Prov. Mt. Wilhelm (-5.720874, 145.2695), 1200 m, 23–24.V.2013, leg. Sam et al., Plot 1, understorey; MAL-MW1200’A-11/16-d11, P4775-20948.

Paratypes. PNG, Madang Prov.: 2 ♀ ( MNHN, ZISP) Mt. Wilhelm (-5.720874, 145.2695), 1200 m, 19– 20.V.2013, leg. Sam et al., Plot 4, understorey; MAL-MW1200’D-07/16-d07, P4819-20921 . 1 ♀ ( MNHN) same data, but 14–15.V.2013, Plot 1; MAL-MW1200’A-02/16-d02, P4766-20999 . 2 ♀ ( MNHN) same data, but 24– 25.V.2013; MAL-MW1200’A-12/16-d12, P4776-20951 .

Description. Female. Body length 3.5 mm. Fore wing length 2.3 mm.

Head distinctly rounded behind eyes in dorsal view ( Fig. 53 ); gena almost half as long as eye width. Clypeus ( Fig. 48 ) broad, lenticular (lower margin somewhat truncated), about 2.7× as broad as long, slightly convex in lateral view, separated from face by broad impression, with dense distinct punctures in upper 0.7, mostly smooth between punctures. Mandible slender, weakly constricted basally, with upper tooth 3.0× as long as lower tooth. Malar space short, 0.4–0.6× as long as basal mandibular width ( Fig. 50 ). Antennal flagellum ( Fig. 49 ) weakly or distinctly constricted towards apex, with 18–21 flagellomeres (19 in holotype); subbasal flagellomeres 1.2–1.3× and subapical flagellomere 1.3–1.4× as long as broad; flagellomeres 4 to 6 bearing subapical finger-shaped structures on outer surface. Face weakly convex, with shallow prominence centrally. Face and frons with very dense punctures, distinctly granulate, dull; distance between punctures much shorter than diameter of one puncture. Vertex with fine and moderately dense punctures (sometimes indistinct), shallowly granulate, dull to weakly shining. Gena smooth and shining, with fine and sparse punctures. Occipital carina complete; in dorsal view strongly convex and narrowly rounded medially ( Fig. 53 ). Hypostomal carina present in upper part, absent in lower part and not reaching occipital carina.

Mesoscutum densely punctate on finely granulate and dull background. Notaulus with longitudinal wrinkle (or irregular wrinkles) on anterolateral side of mesoscutum. Scutellum with lateral longitudinal carinae present in basal 0.3–0.5. Mesopleuron entirely densely punctate (distance between punctures mostly subequal to diameter of one puncture), smooth between punctures centrally and granulate peripherally. Foveate groove extending in anterior 0.5–0.6 of mesopleuron, strongly oblique, deep and broad, with distinct transverse wrinkles ( Fig. 50 ). Upper end of epicnemial carina evenly converging with anterior margin of mesopleuron, without abrupt apical curvature. Propodeum with basal keel which is about half as long as apical area. Dorsolateral area of propodeum densely punctate on granulate and dull background. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by 2.5–3.0× diameter of spiracle ( Fig. 50 ). Apical area flat, rounded or slightly pointed anteriorly (as in Fig. 37 ); apical longitudinal carinae complete, reaching transverse carina anteriorly.

Fore wing with second recurrent vein (2m-cu) postfurcal, unpigmented in anterior part. First abscissa of radius (Rs+2r) straight, much longer than width of pterostigma. First and second sections of radius (Rs+2r and Rs) meeting at slightly acute angle. Intercubitus (2rs-m) slightly thickened, equal by length or somewhat shorter than abscissa of cubitus between intercubitus and second recurrent vein (abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu). Metacarpus (R1) almost reaching tip of the wing. Second abscissa of postnervulus (Cu&2cu-a) present. Hind wing with nervellus (cu1&cu-a) weakly reclivous. Legs slender; tarsal claws not pectinate.

First tergite 5.3× as long as posteriorly broad, round in cross-section, entirely smooth, without glymma, weakly and gradually widened from base to apex in dorsal view, with petiole not separated from postpetiole (as in Fig. 31 ); upper margin of tergite, in lateral view, more or less straight in basal 0.7 and distinctly arcuate in apical 0.3 ( Figs 50 , 51 ). Second tergite 1.8–2.0× as long as anteriorly broad. Thyridial depression shallow, almost 4.0× as long as broad, with posterior end rounded or somewhat pointed. Ovipositor slender, weakly bent upwards over its total length, with shallow dorsal subapical depression and distinct rounded tooth before this depression; sheath about as long as first tergite.

Head and mesosoma dark reddish brown to black. Palpi yellow and mandible (teeth red) yellow. Clypeus reddish brown to dark reddish brown in upper 0.7 and brownish yellow in lower 0.3. Scape and pedicel of antenna brownish yellow, dorsally brown; flagellum black. Tegula brown or dark brown. Pterostigma brown. Legs predominantly brownish yellow; coxae and femora more or less darkened with brown (especially hind coxa and femur); tibiae and tarsi infuscate. Metasoma brown to dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. One paratype is darker than other specimens, with hind leg extensively dark brown ( Fig. 52 ), and posterior end of metasoma brownish yellow ( Fig. 51 ).

Etymology. The species is named after the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet (theta).

Distribution. Papua New Guinea.

Comparison. Diaparsis theta sp. nov. differs from all other PNG species of Diaparsis by the combination of strongly punctate head and mesosoma ( Figs 48, 50 ), short malar space, flagellum with short flagellomeres ( Fig. 49 ) and deep foveate groove of mesopleuron ( Fig. 50 ). The new species also has a notable occipital carina which is strongly convex and roundly pointed mediodorsally in dorsal view ( Fig. 53 ).

Figures

FIGURES 47–50. Diaparsis theta sp. nov., holotype, female: female: 47—habitus, lateral; 48—head, front; 49—antenna, lateral; 50—head, mesosoma and base of metasoma, lateral.

FIGURES 51–53. Diaparsis theta sp. nov., paratype, female: 51—habitus (without apices of legs), lateral; 52—hind leg, lateral; 53—head, dorsal.

FIGURES 33–38. Diaparsis gamma sp. nov., holotype, female: 33—habitus, lateral; 34—head with antennae, lateral; 35— head, front; 36—head and mesosoma, lateral; 37—propodeum, dorsal; 38—distal part of ovipositor, lateral.

FIGURES 26–32. Diaparsis eta sp. nov., holotype (26, 29–31) and paratype (27, 28, 32), females: 26—habitus (without wing apices and ovipositor), lateral; 27—head and mesoscutum, dorsal; 28—head, front; 29—head and mesosoma, lateral; 30—propodeum, dorsal; 31—base of metasoma, dorsal; 32—ovipositor, lateral.