Enicospilus erythrocerus species-group

Shimizu, So, 2020, The Nepalese species of the genus Enicospilus Stephens, 1835 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ophioninae): a preliminary revision and identification key to species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 67 (1), pp. 69-126 : 69

Enicospilus erythrocerus species-group Fig. 31

Material examined.

8♀♀ 19♂♂: Nepal .

1♀ 1♂, Godaveri (1,550 -1,700 m), Nepal, VI (1♂), IX (1♀).1983, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) ; 1♂, Chautasa (6,000′), Nepal, 24.IX.1983, M.G. Allen leg. (Fig. 31A, B ) ; 1♀, Kakani (2,070 m), Nepal, VII.1983, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) ; 1♀, secondary vegetation (1,500 m), Kathmandu , Nepal, 10.VI.1984, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) ; 1♂, Godaveri (1,550 -1,700 m), Nepal, 5.VIII.1984, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) (Fig. 31C, D ) ; 1♀, Kakani (2,070 m), Nepal, VII.1983, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) ; 3♀♀ 15♂♂, Kathmandu (1,300 m), Nepal, X (3♂♂), XI (3♀♀ 12♂♂).1982, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) (Fig. 31E, F , 1 ♀) ; 1♀ , Kakani (2,070 m), Nepal, VII.1983, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) ; 1♂, Pokhara (950 m), Nepal, M.G. Allen leg. (LT) (all NHMUK) .

Comments.

The E. erythrocerus species-group is moderately large and one of the most taxonomically confusing groups within Enicospilus . It consists of rather large wasps with the fore wing fenestra lacking any trace of sclerites, SDI more than 1.2, lateral longitudinal carinae of the scutellum almost always reaching the posterior end, moderately sized fore wing fenestra, etc. In this study, I examined 27 Nepalese specimens of this species-group and recognised at least three morphospecies (Fig. 31 ). However, further research is needed to identify or describe them. Therefore, I tentatively treat all specimens of the E. erythrocerus species-group as species inquirenda.

Figures

Figure 1. Morphological terms for the fore wing of Enicospilus species used in the present study. Brown characters indicate acronyms. C- 1. Subbasal cell; C- 2. Discosubmarginal cell; C- 3. Second discal cell; C- 4. Marginal cell; PS. Proximal sclerite; CS. Central sclerite; DS. Distal sclerite.

Figure 31. Nepalese specimens of the Enicospilus erythrocerus species-group spp. A-B. ♂ from Chautasa: A. habitus, B. central part of fore wing; C-D. ♂ from Godaveri: C. habitus, D. central part of fore wing; E-F. ♀ from Kathmandu: E. habitus, F. central part of fore wing.